After we arrived at the front gate, we were greeted by a guard.
His eyes were looking straight at me.
I then remember my appearance; I have Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear on.
Even if I changed my expression, I donât think he would stop staring.
I shouldnât look suspicious; Fina told me that it looks cute.
Personally I think itâs too cute, to the point of being embarrassing.
It would be cute if someone about Finaâs age wore it.
However, it doesnât suit a hikikomori like me.
Even though I call it cute, I would prefer it if I wasnât seen wearing it.
ÂãYouâre the young lady who was going to look for herbs! Did you find anything?Âã
Â
ãYes~!ã
Fina answers happily.
ãThatâs good. I hope you kept your promise and didnât venture too far into the forest. There are monsters in the forest after all...ã
A wry smile appeared on my face.
ãSo, who is this weird looking young lady?Âã
ãI would appreciate it if you didnât ask too much.ã
Â
ãWell, each person has their own circumstances. Regardless, youâll have to let me see your card before you can enterÂ.ã
Fina showed her identification card to the guard.
Itâs the one she had shown me on the way here.
Entering is free if youâre a resident, but visitors must pay a tax of one silver coin to enter.
ãIâm on a journey.ã
ãAre you traveling alone looking like that?Âã
I show him the bear and moved its mouth. *Paku Paku*
ãFor the time beingÂ.ã
That was the only answer I could give.
ãIdentification?ã
One word came out from the guardâs mouth.
The problem is, I didnât have anything like that.
ÂãI donât have one. I can enter by paying a silver coin though, right?Âã
ãYou...donât have one? A card from any city is okay. A guild card is fine too.ã
ãI lived in a place without identification cards.Âã
ãThatâs....unusualÂ.ã
ãIs that so?ã
ãWell, not really.ã
ãSo, can I go in?ã
ãYes, non-residents can go in when they pay the tax of one silver coin. Anyone without identification will get a background check...but I guess thereâs no problem if itâs your first time in the city.ã
I pass the guard a silver coin that had been taken out of the White Bearâs mouth beforehand.
ãThen, please follow me to the examination roomÂ.ã
Since I hadnât committed any crimes since coming to this world, there shouldnât be any problems. Of course, I was clean in my original world as well.
Itâs true.
Iâm taken by the guard to a building near the gate.
Are those the barracks that often appear in fantasy novels?
There was a reception desk in front of me when I entered, and the guard placed a crystal on it.
ãPlace your hand on this crystal. If you are a criminal then it will turn redÂ.ã
ãOnly placing my hand on it is enough?Âã
ãYes, it will react to your magic.ã
I placed my hand on the crystal, but there was no response.
ãLooks like everything is okay.ã
ãAre you really able to tell with only this?ã
ãYou donât even know about this? Really? Just where did you come from?Âã
ãA village far awayÂ.ã
ãThen I will give you an explanation. This crystal is connected to crystals all over the country. When a person is living in a city and a baby is born, an identification card will be issued and their inherent magic registered at the same time. This is done in the Capital as well as other cities. With that, one could figure out the personâs place of origin.ã
I wonder if itâs something like a resident registration.
ãAnd when a crime is committed, itâs possible to register that data into the crystal plate. As a result, the criminal wonât be able to enter any cities or the Capital.ã
ãWhat happens when counterfeit cards are used? Or if I used someone elseâs card?ã
ãThatâs impossible. Cards are made to react to a specific magical power. They donât respond to magical power that isnât registered on the card.ã
Something like a magical fingerprint I guess.
ãBut if you havenât done magic registration, that system becomes useless, no?ã
ãThatâs very rare. As I said before, it wonât happen to people who were born in cities or in the Capital. Something like that can happen only to villagers and the like. People like that rarely commit felonies.ã
That...may be true.
ãThatâs all for my explanation. Do you want to know anything else? If not, you can enter the city now.ã
I say my thanks and leave the room. Fina had waited for me.
I pat Finaâs head.
ãBig Sis Yuna, was everything okay?ã
ãUn, everything is fine.ã
ãThen, letâs go to the guild to sell the Wolfe partsÂ!ã
The inside of the city resembled the ones from the game, but I felt like something was...different.
And for some reason everyone was looking at me.
Was it because I was an outsider?
ãBig Sis Yunaâs outfit stands outÂ.ã
...I forgot.
That my appearance was that of a bear.
I donât even have to say that all of the people we had passed by on our way to our destination had looked at me.
I was taken to an inn-like place that was next to a very large building.
There were adventurers with swords and wands inside.
The status screen didnât show up, so I wasnât sure if they were players or not.
Iâd like to check, but for now Iâll follow Fina.
ãWe can haggle here. Excuse me, Iâd like to sell some Wolfe materialsÂ!ã
Fina is talking to the man behind the counter.
ãArenât you Fina? What brought you here at such timeÂ?ã
Â
ãI came to sell materialÂs!ã
Fina put the material onto the counter.
I did the same.
ãIsnât this Wolfe meat and fur? What happened?ã
ãWhen I went to pick herbs outside, I was attacked by wolves, and big sis here saved me!ã
ãYou went to the forest?!Âã
The reception guy shouted.
ãUn, because mother run out of herbsÂ.ã
ãI have said it many times, and Iâll say it again: If you need herbs then Iâll give them to youÂ!ã
ãBut, I canât keep asking Uncle Gentz. I donât have any moneyÂ...ã
ãI said itâs okay. If something happens to you, what will I say to your mother?ã
ãItâs okay. I have been to the forest several times.ã
ãBut you were attacked by a Wolfe today. Then this, uh, weird bear helped you out? Young girl, thank you for saving Fina.ã
He expressed his gratitude with difficulty after seeing my appearance.
ã Uun, I had lost my way so we helped each other out.ã
ã I want to thank you properly, so Iâll purchase these materials at a good price, how about it?ã
ãThatâs fine.ã
The man examined the Wolfe materials.
ãLetâs see...meat and fur. About this much for this quantity.ã
Gentz-san put the money in front of us.
I have no idea if it was a fair price or not.
ãYes, thank you!ã
Fina accepted happily.
She handed me half of the received money.
ãFina, if I give you this money, will you show me a good inn? I donât know anything about this city since itâs my first time here. Weâll give the herbs to your mother first though, I guess.ã
I remembered the reason I had found Fina in the forest.
ãItâs okay. Thereâs a good inn on the way, Iâll guide you!ã
ãThank you.ã
ãFina! Donât do anything dangerous anymore. Just tell me if you need medicine.ã
ãUn, I understand.ã
We start walking after Fina had replied.
ãThe man just now, was he your acquaintance?ã
ãYes, Iâm always in his care. Sometimes, when there are a lot of monsters around, I help with his work.ã
I see, so that was the reason she was so good at skinning.
ãSo when he found out about my motherâs illness, he sold me medicine and herbs at a really cheap price. Occasionally he gave me some for free. But I canât ask for medicine every time...ã
Thatâs why she went to the forest alone this time.
I would like to do something for Fina, but itâs impossible for now.
Iâm kind of in the same boat.
ãThis is it. Everyone says that the food there is delicious!ã
ãThank you. You should hurry and take the medicine to your mother.ã
ãUn, thank you big sis!ã
Fina started running.
When I walked up to the inn, a good smell tickled my nose.
The sun was setting. Yup, it was time for dinner.
A delicious meal could be expected.
I gave in to the temptation of delicious food and entered the inn.
When I went in, a girl in her teens looked at me with surprise.
Every single time! People have the same reaction...thatâs troublesome.
Since I have money now, I should probably buy some normal-looking protective gear.
ãWel, welcome?ã
The girl looked at me as she spoke in soft voice.
ãI want to stay the night.ã
ãYes, thatâs okay. Are you alone?ã
ãUn, Iâm alone. Is that bad?ã
If you need to be with parents to stay overnight, where will I stay?
ãOf course not. Breakfast and dinner is one silver coin. Itâs half a silver coin without the meal.ã
Apparently I can stay overnight without any problems.
ãThen I will stay for 10 days with meals.ã
ãThe bath is open from 6pm to 10pm.ã
ãThereâs a bath!Â?ã
ãYes, we have a bath. There are separate male and female baths, so please rest assured.ã
A wonderful miscalculation. I never thought there would be a bath in this inn too.
ã Can I eat immediately?ã
ãYes.ã
After listening to the girl, I took out 10 silver pieces from the White Bearâs mouth.
The moment the girls received the money, she grasped the Black Bear.
ãWaa, Iâm sorry. Itâs so cute! 10 days with meals, done. The meal for tonight will be prepared immediately so please go find a seat and wait. Ah yes, Iâm the daughter of the owner, Elena. Pleased to make your acquaintance.ã
ãIâm Yuna. I will be in your care.ã