Afterward, we return to the Commercial Guild to pay for the purchase.
The guild receptionist was surprised when I paid the money in full, but as instructed by the Guildmaster, the procedure was completed without any unnecessary word from her.
Having successfully purchased the house, I returned to Fina and Ruimin, who was cleaning the house. Itâs a long way to go without my bear gear, but since Iâm not going to live there, itâs not a problem.
When I entered the house, I saw Fina and Ruimin cleaning the house with dustpans and brooms.
[Welcome home, Yuna-oneesan.] Fina
[Yuna-san, itâs a lot bigger than I thought it would be, so itâs going to be tough!] Ruimin
[I wonât live here, so you donât have to take it too seriously.] Yuna
[But Iâm bothered with dust and stuff.] Ruimin
Ruimin took a broom and swept a corner where there seemed to accumulate a lot and since I couldnât let the two of them do it alone, I also started cleaning.
[Did you try upstairs?] Yuna
[No, not yet.] Fina
[Itâs already difficult enough on just this floor.] Ruimin
[Weâll go upstairs then.] Yuna
[[We?]]
Fina and Ruimin looked at each other.
[Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.] Yuna
I summoned Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, who had been transformed into bear cubs, to help me clean up. I asked Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear to clean the floor from back then. Well, theyâre too small to do much more than sweeping the floor.
I opened the window and started cleaning.
Then, the five of us split up and finished the cleaning around dusk. We were able to clean up the accumulated dust and ventilated the place. We couldnât finish everything in half a day, but it was enough since we werenât going to live there.
I come to a warehouse on the first floor. Thereâs nothing in there yet. There are only empty shelves that were used by the previous occupants.
I will set up a bear gate at the far end of the wall.
[With this, now you can come to this city anytime you want. But itâs a pity that only Yuna-san can use it. If I could use it, I would be able to come to this town and see Fina and her sister whenever I want.] Ruimin
I sometimes wish anyone could use it, but if anyone could use it, it would be a pain in the ass, so this is fine.
[Yuna-oneesan, are we going to use this door on our way back?] Fina
[Hmmm, I guess it depends on Jade-san and the others. Weâll use it if weâre parting with them here, but we canât use it if weâre going back together.] Yuna
[Itâs nice to have an easy way home, but itâs also a shame we canât ride Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear on our way back.] Ruimin
Well, at worst, we could send Ruimin back to the elven village and move separately. Well, itâs up to Jade-san and the others.
[Now then letâs take a bath and clean ourselves up before we go home.] Yuna
Both of them were sweating from cleaning and the heat. And even though they were wearing aprons to prevent their clothes from getting dirty, their hair and other parts of their bodies were covered with dust.
I opened the door of the bear gate in front of me and moved to the bear house in the elf village. Then the five of us, including Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, took a bath, washed off our sweat, and cleaned our bodies before returning to the inn.
The next day. The official start of the Gate of Trials begins today. Jade-san doesnât plan to join us today, but we decide to go and observe how it will be done.
[But why are you going so early in the morning?] Ruimin
The sun has just risen. Fina and Ruimin are looking sleepy.
[Thatâs because I want to get to the Gates of Trials before it gets too crowded.] Yuna
Itâs because of my appearance.
I donât know what the situation will be, but if people gather like at a festival, it will be a big problem. It would be dangerous if people gathered around me at the stairs.
Besides, according to Rojina-san, there are fewer people in the early morning. I thought there would be a lot of people who would be the first to arrive, but apparently, thatâs not the case. Weaponsmiths have no problem waking up and going to work right away. But as the weapons handler, the adventurers, theyâd be in better shape if they ate breakfast a little later in the day. Anyone who tries to use a weapon half-asleep will find that their brain is not awake and their body will not be ready. Itâs almost impossible to get good results.
So Iâm going to try to get to the entrance of the Gates of Trials before the crowd gathers.
Then, after checking on the products of a few blacksmiths, I plan to leave.
[But Iâm still sleepy.] Ruimin
[You can go back to sleep if you want.] Yuna
[Iâm going.] Ruimin
The Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear who woke me up were sent back, then we head out for the Gate of Trials venue.
As I had expected, there were still few people on the street. When I came to the front of the stairs, however, there were no people in sight.
[Fina, feel free to tell me when youâre tired. You wonât be embarrassed if no one is watching.] Yuna
[Yes. But Iâll do my best to climb.] Fina
[Yuna-san. Why are you not asking me that?] Ruimin
[Because I donât think Ruimin will need it after watching you climb up so easily. But I can help you get down, if you want.] Yuna
[No thank you!] Ruimin
Ruimin climbed the stairs as if she was running away. She ran up the stairs the moment I told her I can help her go down. We were going to jump down the cliff after all.
Fina and I followed Ruimin up the stairs. Fina was out of breath, but she climbed the stairs on her own, step by step. With sweat beading on her forehead, she made it to the Gates of Trials venue.
[Good job.] Yuna
I offered chilled water to Fina and Ruimin.
It was still early and there was no one in sight. Are we too early?
[Thereâs no one here.] Ruimin
[Yuna-oneesan, Ruimin-san. Thereâs someone over there.] Fina
When I looked in the direction Fina was pointing, I saw a person. Someone was staring at the building housing the Gates of Trials. That person seems familiar.
[Itâs Rojina-san.] Ruimin
Rojina-san is standing in front of the building, just as Ruimin said.
[Rojina-san, is he participating?] Ruimin
[Hmmm. But, Rojina-san didnât make any weapons.] Fina
He hasnât made any weapons since we came to town. He has been making the pots and pans that we ordered. Even before that, Rikka-san told us that he wasnât making weapons anymore. Rojina-san looked as if he was having a hard time. When I missed my chance to call out to him, he looked at us.
[Hey, girls. Whatâs the matter? Why are you here so early? Itâs going to be a while before the people start gathering here.] Rojina
[No, I just came early because Iâm dressed like this. How about you, Rojina-san? Are you going to participate, by any chance?] Yuna
[No way. I havenât made any weapon in years.] Rojina
[Then why are you here?] Yuna
[......Perhaps, because of a loose end.] Rojina
[A loose end?] Yuna
[I want to make a weapon.] Rojina
[Then, go on and make one.] Yuna
[Itâs not that simple, you know. I have a desire to make weapons, but my heart became empty after Ghazal and Gordo left. I was looking forward to watching them grow up together. And grow up they did. But now that they were gone, I couldnât make weapons anymore. Itâs no longer fun to make weapons without them.] Rojina
Itâs not like your daughter got married or your girlfriend died, you know? But I guess itâs because I have a dirty mind. Besides, his apprentices will have to set up their own stores and will disappear someday. Thereâs no end to the loneliness he would feel if he were to miss them every time. Why wonât he take a new apprentice after his apprentice becomes full-fledged and leave his master?
[So, I thought that seeing an apprentice blacksmith would bring out the old passion for making weapons.] Rojina
So thatâs why heâs here so early.
[So you girls came to watch too?] Rojina
[Well, sort of.] Yuna
[People usually donât come here so early if theyâre not a blacksmith or a merchant.] Rojina
[Isnât this the big event in town?] Yuna
[Itâs a big event for the blacksmiths. But for the average people, they donât get to see the trials and tribulations. Plus, they have to climb this long flight of stairs.] Rojina
Thatâs what I thought as well. Not being able to see the trials and tribulations is the least exciting part. At least, if there was a camera or something to show whatâs going on inside, people could enjoy it.
And then thereâs the matter of the long staircase.
[Why is the Gate of Trials way up here? Why not make it a little lower? In the first place, did someone build the Gates of Trials? Or has it always been there since forever?] Yuna
[It is said that a wizard created it a long time ago. It is also said that this place was easy for the magic to gather and create magic.] Rojina
I wonder if itâs easy for magic power to gather here, like a spiritual or dragonâs vein. In games and comics, there are times when people talk about places where power can easily gather.
But the Gate of Trials was built by a wizard. Itâs not like the pyramids just sprouted out of nowhere.
[Could it be that the reason you didnât know when the Gates of Trials would open is that itâs made of that magic?] Yuna
[Correct. The Gates of Trials was being closed by magic power. And when the magic builds up, the gate opens.] Rojina
Thatâs why no one knows the exact date of the opening of the Gates of Trials.
[Looks like itâs about to open.] Rojina
When I look in the same direction as Rojina-sanâs gaze, the door of the building opens. A dwarf emerges from inside. I donât know how old he is, but he looks to be about the same age as Rojina-san.
[Whoâs that?] Yuna
[That is Guildmaster of the Blacksmith Guild. Every year around this time, the officials stay in the building. And when it opens, they report to Guildmaster. Iâm guessing the Guildmaster who received the report stayed overnight to prepare.] Rojina
When the Guildmaster of the Blacksmith Guild came out of the door, he made a small sneeze and noticed us.
[A Bear !? And Rojina?] Guildmaster
The Guildmaster of the Blacksmith Guild looks at me and Rojina-san in turn.
[Sheâs a friend of mine. I hope you donât mind.] Rojina
Rojina-san followed up for me.
[......Well, I donât mind it if you say so, but I see you know a girl who dresses pretty.] Guildmaster
[She knows my disciples who had gone far away. She just came to this city, so Iâm just been taking care of her.] Rojina
[Right. So, did you come to watch again this year? Or did you come to participate?] Guildmaster
[No, Iâm just here to watch.] Rojina
[Youâre still not making weapons?] Guildmaster
[I donât know. Maybe Iâll make it, maybe I wonât.] Rojina
[So, which one is it?] Guildmaster
[I mean, I donât even know it myself.] Rojina
[So youâve come to watch it again this year. Iâll serve you some tea inside, so have a drink.] Guildmaster
[Is that okay?] Yuna
[Until the people arrive, that is. Iâm sure Miss Bear and the girls are tired from climbing the stairs. Iâll serve some tea if you like.] Guildmaster
Weâll take you up on your offer then. We also wanted to see the inside of the building, after all.
Authorâs Note:
Itâs been a week. Iâve been working on the book at a leisurely pace.
There are so many things I want to fix, I canât finish it on time.
Yuna has come to the Gates of Trials. Weâre getting closer to the end of the arc now. Here is another request from the author. Please try to refrain from making predictions in the comments section. If you do, the author will take damage.
â»The next post may be a little late. Iâve ordered a new computer. It will be delivered shortly. Iâm not sure how long it will take me to set it up, so please bear with me.
â»Please keep an eye out for SS for the book bonus of volume 8 in the activity report. Yoroshikuonegaishimasu.