809 Bear, goes to the Adventurer's Guild in the Royal Capital - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

The following morning, I left the bear house in the royal capital and headed towards the Adventurers' Guild, where I was supposed to meet Mane. As I walked through the capital, I could hear voices saying, "Bear girl?" and "Is that a bear?" Back in Crimonia, I had become somewhat known, but here in the royal capital, only a handful of people knew who I was. After all, the population size here is different. It's like living in the countryside and occasionally coming to Tokyo. It would be unnerving if everyone knew me here. Pulling my bear hoodie deeper over my head, I made my way to the Adventurers' Guild along the main street. Would Mane be there already? Scanning the area, I spotted her at the guild's entrance. Her outfit was different, so it took me a second to recognize her. Yesterday, she looked like a researcher in casual wear. Today, she was donned in a cloak and attire appropriate for travel. "Mane, sorry to keep you waiting. You're early," I said. "I just got here too," she replied, using a line that a boyfriend might say when meeting up at an arranged spot. I've never had such an experience, but is that something people say? Still, it's true I kept her waiting. I should've arrived a bit earlier. "Let's go see Sanya then," Mane said, not seeming bothered by my tardiness as she stepped inside the guild. I followed. The guild was bustling as usual. "Hey, it's the bear." "Cute." "That bear girl." "Don't go near her." It seemed like a few adventurers here knew of me, despite it being my first time back in a while. "Your outfit really stands out, doesn't it?" Mane remarked. I couldn't deny it, so I didn’t argue. Mane seemed to understand why I was drawing attention as people whispered the word 'bear' and eyed me, though none approached. Just as I thought that, a large adventurer walked up to me. "Yo, missy. Long time no see." He greeted me with a raised hand. I recognized him. "Uh, you’re from the desert town, right...?" He was the adventurer who once accompanied me to the pyramid in the desert town of Desert. If I recall... "Urugan," he supplied helpfully. "Looks like you remembered my name this time." The last time I stopped by the royal capital was when I was getting a birthday present for Fina (reference: Episode 572: Bear-san Gives a Present to Fina - Royal Capital Edition, Part 1). I had run into Urugan back then too but failed to remember his name. "So, you're based in the royal capital now?" "This is my home base. I only take jobs in the desert when they’re paying well. It’s rare for you to be in the capital’s guild, isn’t it?" "I’m here for a job. How’s the armor holding up?" The armor Urugan wore was crafted from the large scorpion shell I gave him as a token of gratitude and to keep things discreet. "It's great. Because it's lightweight and easy to move in, I don't tire as quickly. Plus, its high durability means I've gotten fewer injuries, as have my comrades." I was glad to hear that. Sometimes, even small improvements can mean the difference between life and death. An injury can become a hindrance and force a team to abandon their quest. I had given it to him as hush money, but it was satisfying to know it was being useful. As I was chatting with Urugan, another adventurer dressed head-to-toe in red armor approached us. "Hearing the word 'bear' ringing out, I figured it was you." The adventurer, clad in bright red armor, spoke gruffly. Unlike with Urugan, it took a moment for me to remember his name. ...Bakareddo. I’d met him when mining for mithril to make Fina’s knife. He'd mocked me, calling me Jade’s pet, so in my mind I nicknamed him Bakareddo. Besides him, there was Bakaburu, Bakagurin, Bakahowaito, and Bakaburakku. They all had weapons or armor in their designated colors, hence the mental nicknames. "So, Barbold, you know missy here?" Urugan asked, addressing Bakareddo with his actual name. I think Jade called him that, though I’d forgotten since I kept calling him Bakareddo internally. "Yeah, this girl snatched away my quarry once." That's rich, coming from someone who’d already given up on hunting the Mithril Golem and had gone drinking instead. He didn't know that Jade and I ended up tackling the beast. "Take my word for it, you'd best not start a fight with this girl." "Not happening. I know her capabilities at least. Besides, even the guild master has warned against tangling with the girl dressed like a bear, right?" "Found that out a bit late myself." The two seemed energized talking about me. "You sure are a celebrity," Mane observed, watching the exchange with Urugan and Barbold. "It was by chance we ended up working together," I said dismissively. "I see." Leaving Urugan and Barbold chatting, I approached the reception desk. As I arrived, the receptionist greeted me. "You're Yuna, correct? What can I assist you with today?" Even here, I might be known for past incidents or events like dismantling and donating materials. "Um, could you connect me to the guild master, Sanya?" "Please wait a moment," she said, disappearing into the back room. After a short wait, she returned and guided us to the guild master's chamber where Sanya was. "It's been a while, Sanya," I greeted. "Yuna-chan, welcome. And Mane?" "Long time no see." "What an unexpected combination," Sanya remarked. "Ellelaura introduced Yuna as a bodyguard. I wanted to hear more about her from you, Sanya." "You mean for the western forest escort?" "Exactly. So, how would you rate her skills?" Sanya studied me. "If you can ignore her outfit, she's the best guard you could ask for. There's no adventurer as strong as Yuna-chan, and she’s got those summonable bears for transport." "You mean the black and white bears?" "You’ve seen them?" "I saw them yesterday." "They can also detect monsters and move fast enough to flee if needed. Plus, they’re soft and comforting." "They were definitely soft." "And adorable." "That's irrelevant." "It matters. If you’re traveling for hours, relaxation is essential." I could see Sanya’s point. "If you had the choice to ride a sweaty old man’s back or Yuna-chan's bear, which would you pick?" Mane froze for a few seconds, taken aback. "Apologies. I was wrong." Mane offered a sincere apology. Perhaps she'd actually imagined the scenario. It's not that sweaty old men are undesirable, but if compared to Kumayuru and Kumakyuu, even I would choose the bears. It’s not the sweaty old man's fault. The blame lies with Sanya for creating such extreme examples. Usually, one would compare with a horse. "Plus, having Yuna as a guard means you have a comfortable house at night, so you can rest easy," Sanya pointed out. "A house?" Mane queried. "Complete with a bed and bath." "A bath?" "Besides that, the meals Yuna prepares are delicious. On long journeys, food can be an issue, but that's a worry you won't have with Yuna. There really isn't a better escort." The praise was a bit embarrassing. "That is, if you can endure the embarrassment of walking beside Yuna in her bear outfit," Sanya joked. "Are you saying it's embarrassing to walk next to me?" "Once you leave the capital, that won’t matter. My primary concern is having someone who can protect me and won’t abandon me. I’m not exactly tough." I didn't think that was the sort of thing to boast about. "I believe Yuna will do fine. If you're heading to the western forest, do be careful," Sanya advised. "Is it dangerous?" "The further in you go, the more dangerous it gets," Sanya explained. "Any intel?" "Information is not widely shared, even with the guild. We don't have much." "Why?" "For adventurers, information is second only to life itself. Revealing safe routes takes away their advantage." Indeed, adventurers are both allies and rivals. Even in games, you tend to keep your discovered routes to yourself, perhaps discussing them only after you've cleared the challenge. "Yuna, do you remember the incident with the ten thousand monsters?" "What’s with the sudden question? I do remember it." I might forget names, like Barbold's, but not incidents like that one. "After that, I investigated where the monsters were gathered from and found high chances they came from the western forest." Gathering monsters is no simple task. "You did some digging." "Indeed. Monsters don't just appear out of nowhere. After some researching, we found traces leading from the western forest." "But isn’t it remarkable they managed to move such a number so close to the capital without anyone noticing?" "Considering the person wielded that level of magic, it must have been possible." I heard a bit about a man from the king. A sorcerer who had once been in the castle committed some wrongdoings and was exiled by the king. Apparently, the sorcerer, harboring resentment against the king, gathered monsters to attack the capital, which was why the horde of ten thousand came into being. "What have you two been discussing?" Mane finally asked as she observed my conversation with Sanya with apparent confusion. "Mane, you’re unaware of it?" "Unaware of what? Don’t speak in riddles, leaving me out." "How much are we allowed to share? The king issued a gag order, didn’t he?" Sanya pondered. “Everything.” "No way. It’s beyond what I can divulge." "Then who can?" "The one involved..." Sanya looked at me, and Mane followed her gaze. "Yuna?" she inquired. "The gag order was issued by the king to protect Yuna." "Who exactly are you?" Mane wondered aloud, gazing at me with curiosity.