Bear-san, Talks to Kagali-sama.
Thanks to Sakura and Shinobu, the woman called Kagali who looked disheveled earlier and was now nicely dressed. However, the woman was sitting like how a man crossed his legs, which ruined her beauty. But Sakura let out a small sigh as if it was a usual thing.
âSakura, I thought I told you to get out of this country.â (Kagali)
âWe canât leave Kagali-sama behind and run away.â (Sakura)
âI donât care about that.â (Kagali)*
âKagali-sama ...â (Sakura)
âBesides, I promised to your mother, Sakura, that I would protect you.â (Kagali)
âMy mother.......â (Sakura)
âYes, she asked me to do it before she died. Thatâs why I have to protect you. Even at the cost of my own life.â (Kagali)
âKagali-sama. But I...â (Sakura)
âEven I donât know what will happen if the serpent returns. But many people will surely die. I donât want you to be among them.â (Kagali)
Kagali-san said gently to Sakura. Her face expressed a sincere concern.
âAnd so, whoâs this strange-looking lady? With a bear and everything.â (Kagali)
âI told you the other day. This is Yuna-sama, the light of hope I saw in my vision. And the white one is Hugging Bear-sama, and the black one is Swaying Bear-sama.â (Sakura)
Sakura then looked at us
Itâs kinda irritating to be called the light of hope. Even if I denied it, it was difficult to do so since in Sakuraâs dream I was glowing with light.
âYuna-sama, this is Kagali-sama, who controls the barriers on this island.â (Sakura)
We got introduced to each other, then we looked squarely at each other.
âSakura, I know that you can foresee. But to you, does this bear look like the light of hope?â (Kagali)
Kagali-san looked at me suspiciously.
âYes, I saw it.â (Sakura)
But Sakura replied clearly to Kagali-sanâs questioning.
âOh, my great one, have you lost your power of prediction? What makes you think that this weirdly dressed girl will be able to defeat the giant snake?â (Kagali)
âI think. No, Iâm sure she will be able to save us, Kagali-sama.â (Sakura)
Kagali-san looked at me with straight eyes.
âYuna, I believe that was what she said. Do you really think you can defeat the serpent after hearing her story? Did you get swayed by Sakuraâs words and think that you can defeat it? If you are thinking like that, you are either a big idiot or a big idiot who is not afraid of death.â (Kagali)
Theyâre still both big idiots, you know?
âI donât know if I can defeat a giant snake Iâve never seen before. If I canât, Iâll run away. However, I do want to respond to Sakuraâs feelings.â (Yuna)
I wonât know until I actually fight it. But if you ask me if I would risk my life, I would definitely say NO.
But Iâd defeat it for Sakura if I could.
âThe other day, others brought people to fight the serpent, but none of them are strong enough to fight it. If you fight it, you will only lose your life. I will not let you lose your life at such a young age either. I wonât say anything bad, but I suggest you also get out of the country as soon as possible.â (Kagali)
âKagali-sama! Yuna-sama is truly the light of hope. She is also very talented.â (Sakura)
âNo matter how correct Sakuraâs words are, Iâm already tired of it. There is no hope. Only I know the strength of that giant snake. And only those who have fought it can understand its strength.â (Kagali)
âYes, but...â (Sakura)
âIt was over a hundred years ago when you fought it, right? Kagali-san? You donât look that old.â (Yuna)
No matter how you look at her, sheâs in her twenties. Even if she made herself look younger, like some Eleanora-san from somewhere, sheâs still in her thirties. So how come she fought the giant snake over a hundred years ago?
I looked at her ears, thinking she was an elf, but they were not long.
âSakura, have you told her about me?â (Kagali)
âYes, I donât want her to think Iâm lying and not accept my offer.â (Sakura)
Sakura looked at me apologetically.
âBesides, only a few people know about Kagali-sama. Itâs not a subtle topic after all.â (Sakura)
âI know that Sakura does not talk about me to anyone on a whim. Sakura, in your eyes, can you trust this little girl?â (Kagali)
Sakura looked at me carefully.
âI do believe herâ (Sakura)
âI see. All right, then.â (Kagali)
After Kagali-san said this, long brown ears appeared from her head. In addition, as the bottom of her kimono squirmed, what looked like brown fur could be seen.
Animal ears and tail?
âI am a fox who has lived for hundreds of years. And I fought a giant snake a hundred years or so ago. So I know how terrifying it is.â (Kagali)
âFox.......â (Yuna)
Does that mean sheâs a demon fox?
âYes, I am a fox monster. Arenât you afraid?â (Kagali)
Her tail, visible under her kimono, swayed.
âIâm not scared of you.â (Yuna)
Itâs a world inhabited by monsters. It wouldnât be surprising if there was a fox that could turn into a human.
âAinât you a boring one. I was expecting you to call me a liar. But now you know that Iâve been alive for hundreds of years.â (Kagali)
Well, this is a world where there are elves, so itâs not surprising that there would be monster foxes that have lived for hundreds of years.
âNow you know the weight of the words of someone who has fought that monster. Iâm not saying it canât be defeated. Even before, I was able to weaken it and seal it up. But the damage was still great. Above all, the difference is that none of the people I fought with back then are here anymore.â (Kagali)
Kagali-san has an expression like looking into the distance.
âThatâs not the case. Yuna-sama and Kagali-sama can defeat it.â (Sakura)
âYouâre overestimating me. The current me is already giving everything to maintain the barriers, I have no strength left to fight.â (Kagali)
âHow long will the barriers last?â (Sakura)
âItâs just a matter of time.â (Kagali)
âKagali-sama, then with the help of Yuna-samaâ (Sakura)
Kagali-san looked at Sakura intently.
âYou believe in that funny-looking girl, donât you?...... Okay then.â (Kagali)
âKagali-sama!â (Sakura)
Sakura was happy to have succeeded in getting Kagali-san to nod her head.
âThen, if you really are a light of hope, why donât you show me some of that hope.â (Kagali)
âShow you? Am I supposed to fight you?â (Yuna)
âNo, I want you to bring me the person I want the most at this moment. If you can do that, I will recognize you as the light of hope.â (Kagali)
She suddenly became unreasonable.
I donât have any acquaintances in the land of harmony.
âWhoâs that?â (Yuna)
I will confirm for the time being.
âIn those days, I fought alongside someone when the serpent rampaged.â (Kagali)
âKagali-sama, thatâs.â (Sakura)
âFufu, I know. Itâs absolutely impossible. Thatâs why Iâm saying itâs impossible if such a miracle doesnât happen. But thatâs what I want.â (Kagali)
âItâs impossible for someone to revive the dead.â (Yuna)
You canât bring someone from hundreds of years ago back to life, you know.
âHe is alive.â (Kagali)
âHeâs alive? Perhaps, a fox, like you?â (Yuna)
Kagali-san shook her head.
âHeâs an elf, and if he wasnât killed yet, heâd still be alive somewhere.â (Kagali)
Elf......
âI donât know where he is now. He is the one who created the wards that sealed the serpent. So, if he comes, we can manage it. Now, if you are Sakuraâs light of hope, show that light to me as well. Let me meet Mumuroot again! If you canât, then leave.â (Kagali)
Kagali-san looked sad.
But Swaying Bear, Hugging Bear, and I, slightly reacted to the name that Kagali-san mentioned.
âKagali-sama, no matter how much you want to, thatâs not possible.â (Sakura)
âI know. I know Iâm just telling that to myself even if itâs just a dream. I know itâs impossible, I donât know where he is, or he could be dead. I just wish that Mumuroot was here, I thought over and over again. If only that man were here, he could do something about it. But heâs not here. Itâs impossible to bring him back.â (Kagali)
Kagali-sanâs voice becomes smaller.
But Mumuroot-san? You mean that, Mumuroot-san?
âHas this Mumuroot-san ever been to this country?â (Yuna)
âYes, when I was still young.â (Kagali)
In terms of appearance, sheâs still young though.
âWhen the serpent appeared and we were in trouble, these adventurers came. Mumuroot, claiming to be an elven mystic, set up a sealing formation on this island and succeeded in sealing the weakened serpent. I remained here to guard the barriers.â (Kagali)
Is that really the Mumuroot-san I know of?
âNow then, if you really say you are the light of hope, bring Mumuroot to me.â (Kagali)
âKagali-sama...â (Sakura)
â............â
Sakura and Shinobu were unable to say anything and fell silent.
Because they both know itâs impossible.
But I do know a certain Mumuroot-san of the same name and race.
And I can bring him here.
âCan we win if we bring this Mumuroot-san with us?â (Yuna)
âI donât know what will happen. But it will increase our chances of winning. And if you can bring Mumuroot to me, I will fully trust you as a beacon of hope. Fufu, such a miracle would be impossible even if the heavens and earth were turned upside down.â (Kagali)
Now, what to do?
First of all, if the Mumuroot-san that Kagali-san is talking about is the very same Mumuroot-san that I know, then I can bring him here. But to do that, Iâd have to tell them about the bear gate. And then thereâs the question of what to do if heâs the wrong one. Still, Mumuroot-san is familiar with wards and magic circles. Iâm almost certain of it.
âSo just give up and go home.â (Kagali)
âWhat about you Kagali-san?â (Yuna)
âIt is the will of those who control the wards. Iâll just have to deal with them first.â (Kagali)
Does that mean youâre planning to die?
âKagali-sama. Please believe in Yuna-sama.â (Sakura)
Sakura bowed her head.
âYou should leave the country quickly. Bear-dressed girl. If you are Sakuraâs light of hope, I ask that you let Sakura escape.â (Kagali)
Kagali-san bowed deeply to me.
Itâs not like she doesnât trust me or anything. Sheâs just really worried about Sakuraâs safety.
âKagali-sama...â (Sakura)
Sakura fell silent at Kagali-sanâs words.
â......I get it. I guess I should bring that Mumuroot-san with me here.â (Yuna)
â......What are you talking about? I donât even know where he is. And youâre saying youâll bring him here?â (Kagali)
Kagali-san stood up as if she sensed something.
âDo you know what youâre talking about?â (Kagali)
Kagali-san stood up and grabbed me by both of my shoulders.
âI do know an elf named Mumuroot-san.â (Yuna)
âWhere, where is Mumuroot!â (Kagali)
The force of her shaking my shoulders becomes stronger.
âDo you really know him, Yuna-sama?â (Sakura)
âHe has the same name and race, so I donât think thereâs any mistake. But Iâd have to check just to be sure.â (Yuna)
âCan you get confirmation? No. Can you bring him here?â (Kagali)
âHowever, Iâll need everyone here to keep my secret if Iâm going to bring him here.â (Yuna)
âYuna-samaâs secret?â (Sakura)
âEven if itâs the king, or your master.â (Yuna)
I looked at the three people in front of me.
âI will not tell anyone. I will obey Yuna-samaâs words.â (Sakura)
âOf course, I do too. As long as I can meet Mumuroot, Iâll keep any promises I make.â (Kagali)
Everyone looks at Shinobu.
âOf course, I wonât tell anyone either.â (Shinobu)
âYou canât even write it in a letter either.â (Yuna)
âOf course, I wonât!â (Shinobu)
Do I need to make contract magic with Shinobu?
Sheâs a ninja after all.
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Authorâs Note:
Yes, Kagali is a fox. Sheâs not an enemy, but a friend.
And the name of Mumuroot-san was unexpectedly mentioned.
I wonder what he was doing when he was young. Ï
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Translatorâs Note:
* (妾) â (warawa) = Kagali has a weird way of calling herself which could also be interpreted as (妾) (sobame, mekake = Mistress, Concubine).