816 Bear, looks for medicinal herbs - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

As we finished gathering the wandering flowers, the sun began to set. The presence of the trees hastened the onset of darkness. We decided to spend the night near the spot where the wandering flowers bloomed. According to Mane, it was safe. Apparently, no monsters dared to come near the wandering flowers. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say they couldn’t reach them. I set up the Bear House a little ways away from the wandering flowers. "It doesn’t feel like a dangerous forest at all," Mane commented, collapsing onto the sofa. "And thanks to these little ones, we haven’t even had to walk." She stroked the heads of the child bear forms, Kumayuru and Kumakyu. "We’ve also gathered plenty of herbs." Mane kicked her legs giddily on the sofa. "Mane, you’re being lazy. You’re not a kid," I chided. "Ugh, but Yuna, you’re younger than me," Mane retorted. "Then act your age," I replied. Despite both being little girls, Kagari is quite different. She exudes a mature air, carrying herself with poise even as a child. Mane, on the other hand, seems like a child who’s grown into an adult without changing. Moreover, Mane occupies the seat I usually sit in. I recalled Fina once scolding me, "Yuna, you’re so sloppy." It made me think that Fina might be the most level-headed little girl I know. Although, she might be a bit too mature. "Hey, Yuna." "What?" "That bear room next door—you mentioned it’s used for dismantling monsters, right?" The Bear House comprises a large bear connected to a smaller one; the large bear serves as a residence, and the smaller bear is Fina’s dismantling room. "Sure, but what do you need it for?" I asked. "I’d like to process the herbs we picked today. If we don’t handle them while they’re fresh, their effectiveness decreases." Even an amateur like me understood that fresh herbs are more potent than wilting ones. So I granted her permission. "Can I watch?" I asked, curious about Mane’s work. Preparing dinner was simple; all I had to do was serve ready-made dishes, so there was no issue. "Sure, but watching won’t be very interesting," she warned. I prepared the bath and moved to the dismantling room with Mane. "It’s surprisingly clean for a dismantling room," she remarked. The room was clean mostly because it hadn’t been used much. Fina had probably only used it when I first arrived in Crimonia. Since settling here, Fina preferred using the dismantling facilities at my Crimonia Bear House. Mane placed the herbs she had collected on the table. Then, from her item pouch, she produced three rectangular boxes about thirty centimeters in length and set them on the table. "What are those?" I asked. "Magic tools for drying herbs," Mane explained as she tucked the leaves into the drying boxes. She then reached out for another herb, this one harvested with root intact. Armed with a knife, she began separating roots, stems, and leaves. "Each part has different effects and uses. They must be sorted accordingly," Mane explained, aware of my keen gaze. "They’re mixed and adjusted for each person accordingly," she continued. "Like a pharmacist," I observed. "Pretty much, though I have a broader range. I make medicines to heal people and also concoct poisons," Mane added. "Poisons…" "Not lethal ones—mostly paralysis or sleep inductions, which are sometimes necessary." As she explained, Mane divides the herbs. "These need to be crushed without drying." There are indeed herbs used without drying them first. Next, she reached for a jar holding moss from a gator’s back, producing another jar from her item pouch. This jar contained a liquid. "Is that water?" I asked. "It’s magic-infused water. Exactly what it sounds like—water imbued with magic," Mane replied. "Such a thing exists?" "It’s made by crushing magic stones and dissolving them in a special liquid. The specifics are a secret; if others could produce it, the Magic Department would lose revenue." "Isn’t it funded by the country?" "It is, but the budget is fixed. Research costs money, and no matter how much you have, it’s never enough," Mane explained. Paying researchers, covering material costs, potentially expensive materials—the financial demands are endless. Besides this, there’s a cost in supporting staff, among other unseen expenses. "So, profits from successful research can be reinvested," she elaborated. Makes sense. Giving unlimited research funds would trouble the country. Failures funded by taxpayer money could provoke public outrage. "Recipes, even when disclosed, incur royalties if restricted by the state," Mane continued. Sounds like a patent system. Mane opened the jar with the magic water and poured it into the jar containing the moss. "This will keep it preserved," Mane remarked after completing her procedures. "Did you enjoy it? Watching probably wasn’t very entertaining," she said. "Actually, I learned quite a bit about the Magic Department and herbs. It was interesting," I replied honestly. "Really? Then I’m glad," she smiled. Mane requested to leave the herb drying magic tools overnight, which I agreed to. We then prepared and shared a simple meal. "I'm stuffed," Mane muttered, rubbing her belly before collapsing onto the sofa again. "Once you’ve rested, take a bath," I urged. "I’d rather just sleep," she mumbled. It’s my job to wash the sheets. I didn’t imply she was dirty, but at least washing off sweat before bed would be nice. "Got it. Alright, Kumayuru, Kumakyu, let’s take a bath," Mane decided, ushering the bears to the bath. I followed after the dishes, swapping Kumayuru and Kumakyu for bedtime. “Kumayuru, you’ll be my alarm tonight.” “Ku~un.” I set my Kumayuru alarm and drifted to sleep. The next morning, Mane was bright-eyed after a good night’s sleep. She was up promptly when I called her. "Good morning. I’m going to check on yesterday’s herbs," she announced, heading to the dismantling room after descending the stairs. Meanwhile, I busied myself preparing breakfast. With the table set, I went to fetch Mane. "Mane, breakfast is ready," I called. "Coming," Mane responded, stowing the drying tool away. "Everything okay?" I asked. "Yes, they dried perfectly." That’s a relief. "So, what’s our plan for today? The wandering flowers led us astray from our path. Should we retrace our steps?" Using my Bear Map Skill, we could return the way we came. "That’s the issue. The adventurers might have thought they were moving straightforwardly, but they could have veered off course due to the wandering flowers," Mane acknowledged. "Then, should we head left from where Mane suggested before?" I asked. "That's one option," she acknowledged. "But there's also the chance that the wandering flowers weren’t blooming when the adventurers came through." Apparently, wandering flowers don’t bloom year-round. If the adventurers traveled during a time when the flowers weren’t blooming, they would have proceeded without getting lost. If they were blooming, however, those adventurers likely veered off track. "We didn’t have information about the wandering flowers, so it's likely they didn't realize. We can’t be sure if the flowers were in bloom, and the wind might have blown the spores to different directions," Mane added. In other words, we weren't sure which path to take. "So, what do we do?" I asked. "I don't know the exact route, but it’s said they traversed rocky mountains and entered a cave," she explained. Rocky mountains and a cave—this was useful information. "So, we just need to find the mountains," I surmised. "Yes, but finding them amid this dense forest is no easy task," Mane cautioned. "No problem. We’ll just take a look from above," I said confidently. "From above? How are you going to manage that? Do you plan to fly?" At times like these, Sanya’s summoned bird would be invaluable. Her summoned bird can scout and allow its watcher to see what it observes, making it especially efficient for reconnaissance. For now, I'll make do with what I can do. We stepped outside. "What now?" Mane asked. "Stick close to me for safety," I advised. Puzzled, Mane moved to my side. I focused my magic into my hands and touched the ground. The earth beneath us rose, lifting us upward. "Ahhhhhh!" Mane screamed, clinging tightly to my waist. A column rose from the ground, placing us atop it. We were now at a height akin to a five-story building. "Mane, now we can see," I said. Though she opened her eyes, Mane quickly shut them again. "Are you scared of heights? But isn’t your workplace at a high altitude?" "This is different! It’s terrifying standing on such a small, precarious platform like this!" Mane exclaimed. The column's diameter was about a meter—not narrow, but not spacious, either. Without any railings, a misstep could lead to a fall. "Aren’t you scared, Yuna?" Denying it would be a lie. It is quite daunting. However, thanks to my bear equipment, I know I’ll be safe even if I fall, and my fear is not overwhelming. I installed some railings around the column to prevent accidents. "Now we won’t fall," I assured her. "Are you sure? It won’t collapse?" "It’s solid," I confirmed. The structure is sturdy, designed to withstand attacks and remain intact. Seeing the railings reassured Mane slightly, and she slowly stood up. Holding onto the rail, she gazed out across the distance. Stretching far and wide was the vast forest. It reminded me of the Amazon jungle, which I’ve only ever seen in pictures.