808 Bear is caught by the royal family - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

In front of everyone lay platters of soba noodles and tempura, with both chopsticks and forks provided for convenience. "Um, just to confirm, this is..." Anju had a serving of soba and tempura placed before her as well. "It's for you, Anju-san. You haven't had lunch yet, have you?" Ellelaura said with a reassuring smile. "Isn't this meant for His Majesty!?" "Oh, that's right. We entered through a different entrance, so His Majesty doesn't know that Yuna-chan is here." Indeed, I hadn't seen the usual guard running around. "I guess that's why it's been so quiet." Sometimes, it's nice to have a day without the king. "So, His Majesty is unaware that Yuna-san is here. I'll go inform him." Ellelaura gently stopped Anju as she hurried to leave the room. "That's not your duty, is it? Your responsibility is to attend to Lady Flora." "But still..." "What if something happens to Lady Flora while you're away?" Anju glanced at Flora. "Is informing His Majesty that Yuna is here really worth abandoning your duties for?" "That's..." Anju understood. The king simply comes to Lady Flora's room to eat the food I bring. "You didn't know a thing. If anything happens, I'll speak on your behalf, so don't worry." Ellelaura assured Anju, vowing to protect her if necessary. Ellelaura is kind, despite everything. "So, let's not worry and eat together," Ellelaura said with a bright smile. With a quiet "Alright," Anju returned to her seat. There's something satisfied about Ellelaura's expression... Could she be playing a trick on the king? Perhaps she just didn’t want to share the food. "Well then, let's dig in," I announced. "Be careful, it's hot," Ellelaura cautioned. For Lady Flora, a small bowl was presented to make eating easier. Ellelaura was using chopsticks, while Flora and Anju opted for forks to eat their soba. "It's delicious," Ellelaura said. "It's hot, but tasty," Flora added. "Indeed," Anju chimed in. "The broth is quite refreshing," came the consensus. Glad to see it was well-received. "You can eat this tempura as is, right?" "It’s fine to eat it as is, or you can dip it in the soba broth." Ellelaura sampled it both ways, first enjoying the crisp sound without any accompaniment, then dipping it in the broth for comparison. "Both ways are tasty," she noted. "Some people like to add salt as well," I suggested, offering the salt. Eager to try, Ellelaura followed suit, followed by Flora and Anju. "It's delicious," they all agreed. Soon, all the bowls and plates were empty. "Simple yet delicious," Ellelaura praised. "Yeah, it was good," Flora included. Simple and tasty was indeed the best. Complex dishes are great, but being able to make something easy and delicious is rewarding too. Thanks should always be given to those who make the noodles from buckwheat flour and the broth. Just as I was about to clear the table, the door swung open without a knock. The most important person in the kingdom entered. "I see you're really here," the king said as he approached us. "What were you eating?" he asked, noticing the empty bowls and plates. "It was soba and tempura," I replied, even if the names might not mean much to him. "Why wasn't I informed?" "Because Yuna-chan and I entered the castle in a carriage," Ellelaura explained our entrance. "So, that's why the guards didn't know Yuna had come," the king realized. "But how did you find out Yuna-chan was here?" Ellelaura questioned. "I was informed by Zelef when he brought the meal he had prepared for me." Apparently, Zelef had asked, "I heard Yuna-dono is here; haven't you gone to see Lady Flora today?" Anju had told Zelef I was here regarding lunch matters. "Ellelaura, why didn't you tell me?" "I assumed His Majesty was busy with important state affairs and did not wish to disturb you," Ellelaura calmly replied. The king sighed, "Well, fine. So, is there a portion for me?" We had plenty of soba and tempura prepared, enough for dozens. "There is, but do you want to eat?" "Yes, I do." "But Zelef made you a meal, didn't he?" “I already ate it, so don’t worry.” Even so, the king wanted to eat. Preparing it was easy enough. "If you don't finish it, I won't make it next time." I prepared his soba, warmed the broth, and served the tempura. It felt like a three-minute cooking show. "It’s simple," he remarked. "But delicious, isn't it?" added Ellelaura. Tasting the soba, the king seemed quite pleased. "What about the Queen?" I asked, to be sure. Making food later on request could become a hassle. "She should be hosting a tea party with noble ladies now." "A tea party is part of the queen's duties." "Duties?" I could only picture a scene of gracefully sipping tea and chatting. "It's how she gathers information—such as the current actions of the nobility and the state of their territories." "Some things can't be understood just through numbers. It’s an important source of information." The tea party was quite different from what I imagined. "Don't you attend, Ellelaura?" Ellelaura, being a noble lady herself, could. "It’s exhausting. Those gatherings are about exchanging information and observing each other's intentions." That sounded terrifying. "What's that over there?" the king asked, pointing at the easel in the distance after finishing his soba. "Yuna-chan painted a portrait of Lady Flora," Anju explained, showing the painting to the king. "Not only picture books but also paintings like these?" "I can’t compare to professional artists, but..." "This level of skill is more than enough. Just how many talents do you have?" I don't intend to compete with professionals. It’s merely a hobby, respectful of those who draw daily. Although I hadn’t painted in a while, it turned out well—possibly thanks to my wonderful model. "We'll need a fitting frame for this," the king suggested. "Of course, I'll have some options arranged for Lady Flora to choose from." Ellelaura ensured. "Perhaps a floral-designed frame would suit it well." "Indeed, I'll look into finding some among those," Ellelaura promised with agreement. Unusually, Ellelaura and the king found themselves in agreement. Indeed, a floral-patterned frame might perfectly match Lady Flora. Satisfied after indulging in the soba and tempura, the king returned to his work. Shortly after the king left the room, someone who appeared to be one of Ellelaura's subordinates came to escort her away. More accurately, the person kept bowing repeatedly, imploring, "Please, do your work," "Everyone is waiting for you," and "We'd like to avoid an all-nighter." With a resigned "It can't be helped," Ellelaura went off to fulfill her duties. Having a superior like that must be burdensome for the subordinates. Upon request from Lady Flora, I summoned Kumayuru and Kumakyu to play with her. After a while, Lady Flora fell asleep nestled between Kumayuru and Kumakyu. She always seems to doze off from exhaustion after playing. Well, for someone her age, napping is part of growing up—eating well, sleeping well, and thriving. "...bear-san," she murmured in her sleep. "What kind of dream do you think she's having?" Anju wondered. "Probably one about playing with Kumayuru and Kumakyu," I speculated. Her gentle smile suggested she was enjoying a lovely dream. As I informed Anju of my departure, she gently carried Flora to bed without waking her. "Well then, I'm heading out," I said. "Thank you so much for today. Lady Flora will be delighted, knowing she got to see you, Yuna-san," Anju said with gratitude. Next time, I'll bring a new picture book for her. I'll have to come up with an idea for it. But first, I'll need to finish my work as Mane's escort. As I prepared to leave and sent away Kumayuru and Kumakyu, there was a knock on the door, and it opened slightly. A lovely young girl peeked through the gap. "Tilia?" "Yuna?" Entering the room was Tilia, the princess of this country and Lady Flora's older sister. She was wearing her school uniform, looking every bit the student who had just returned from school. "I thought you might be here, so I came to check, and here you are," Tilia exclaimed. "Did you know I was in the capital?" "I heard from Shia earlier today. She mentioned you might visit the Magic Ministry, so you could be stopping by Flora's place." So the information came through Shia. They were, indeed, classmates. "So, what have you been up to, Yuna? Flora seems to be asleep." "I was painting a picture of Lady Flora," I explained. "You're painting?" Tilia echoed in disbelief as I showed her the portrait I had painted. "That's not fair," Tilia pouted upon seeing the picture. "Not fair?" "You're always spending time with Flora." "That's because you're at school, Tilia." I usually visit in the mornings when Tilia is at the academy. "Yuna, you're not leaving yet, are you?" Tilia asked hopefully. "I was planning to," I admitted. With Flora asleep and Ellelaura at work, I didn’t have much reason to stay here. Tilia grasped my arm. "Please, paint my picture too," she requested. "Why not have a professional painter do it?" I suggested. Royal and noble households often have portraits of the family and heads displayed in their homes. Though I'd never seen any at Cliff's place, I'm sure they have them somewhere. "I want one painted by you, Yuna," Tilia insisted. Despite being a little tired from painting, preparing soba, and playing with Flora today, Tilia’s grip on my arm tightened. She seemed determined not to let go until I agreed to paint her portrait. "Alright, I'll paint your picture. But don’t complain if it turns out poorly," I warned. "I won't," Tilia promised. And so, feeling a bit pressured, I found myself agreeing to paint Tilia’s portrait too. We decided on a composition that would complement the portrait of Flora. I had her sit in a chair opposite from Flora’s pose and began painting. Had I left a little earlier, I might have avoided this.