820 Bear, listens to the adventurer's story - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

I check using my detection skill. No response. It seems that we have finally managed to defeat the giant snake. Other than having two heads and being venomous, it's just a big snake. If I had fought it with both heads from the start, it might have been a bit troublesome, but for someone like me, who has fought large serpents before, it wasn't much of a threat. "Yuna!" Mane and Kumayuru dash towards her. "Mane, thank you. You really helped me out. Kumayuru, great throw." "Kuun." Kumayuru chirps happily. As I'm praising Kumayuru, Kumakyu approaches looking a bit disheartened. Perhaps it's sulking because it didn't get to shine. "Thank you too, Kumakyu, for protecting those two." I noticed that Kumakyu was positioned close to the two who were being chased by the snake. If the snake had attacked them, it would be ready to help them, or if I was in danger, it could come to rescue me. Knowing this, I was able to fight with peace of mind. I thank Kumayuru and Kumakyu by giving them a pat on the head. "Yuna, are you alright? Any effects from the poison?" I check my body over. I don't feel sick or tired or anything like that. "I'm fine." "That's a relief. Since we don't know what kind of poison it was, if it affected you, it could have been dangerous." "Even you have things you can't identify, Mane?" "Of course. I have prepared some antidotes just in case, so if you notice any abnormal symptoms, let me know right away." Impressive, Mane. She even brought antidotes. "Still, I never expected a two-headed snake to appear." "Is it rare?" "A large snake is already uncommon, let alone a two-headed one. You hear about them occasionally in old stories. Normally, an adventurer might never encounter one in their lifetime." Indeed, it would be troublesome if creatures like this were abundant. "Well, I'm just glad we defeated it safely." As we talk, I hear footsteps approaching. It's the two individuals who were being chased by the snake. Kumayuru and Kumakyu step forward. "Please wait. We mean no harm." The man responds to Kumayuru and Kumakyu's actions. "Kumayuru, Kumakyu, thank you. It's okay, stand down. Stay close to Mane." Kumayuru and Kumakyu retreat and stand beside Mane. "I'm Zect. This is my sister, Lydia." The man who introduced himself as Zect seems about 25 years old, dressed in a swordsman-like outfit. Possibly younger, with his scruffy beard. Lydia, the woman he introduced, appears around 20 and wears something resembling a hunter's outfit. "I'm Yuna." After introducing myself, I glance briefly behind. "I'm Mane." We all exchange just our names. "Thank you for helping us. You saved us." "I thought we were done for. Thank you." Zect and Lydia both express their gratitude. It seems that now the tension has lifted, both of them collapse where they stand. They must have been tired from running. "First, there's something I want to confirm, is that alright?" "Our reason for being here?" "No, that's of interest too, but there's something I'm more curious about…" The two exchange looks. What could be more intriguing than a girl accompanied by bears deep in the forest? "Why are you dressed like that, young lady?" Their eyes focus on me. I look down at my outfit. Mane also looks at me. "........." "........." "........." "........." A silence falls between the four of us until Mane breaks it. "She's just really into bears. So, please don't mind the outfit." "I-I see." "It looks really good on you." They're looking at me as if I'm a pitiable child. With that explanation, I can't really deny it. Denying her love for bears would just make Kumayuru and Kumakyu sad. So, my only response is, "Yes, that's right. Just don't worry about it." "Then, to ask again, why are you two in this forest?" "This isn't a place for two girls to wander." "Before inquiring about us, it's customary for those rescued to speak first. Also, there are two of you too, aren't there?" Mane asks as an elder should, and the adventurers' surprise is noticeable due to our youthful appearance. "You're right. We're adventurers from the town of Tura, just a bit ahead from here." Tura? Could that be the town beyond the road from the capital? "And why would adventurers be in a forest like this?" At Mane's inquiry, the adventurers exchange glances. "We came to gather some herbs." "Herbs!?" Mane reacts to the word 'herbs.' "What kind of herbs are you looking for? Did you find them? Can I see?" "What's going on?" Zect is startled by Mane's sudden reaction. "Unfortunately, we haven't been able to gather any." Lydia answers in place of Zect. "We came to gather herbs during this season." "But there were monsters near where those flowers bloom, so we couldn't collect them." "So we decided to give up and keep watching, but then that snake noticed us and started chasing us." "We've been running for the past two days." Being chased by such a snake for two days? "We thought we shook it off." "But when we returned to the cave, it attacked us. The worst part was, the only place we could run was back into the cave." And that's when they encountered us while fleeing. "We thank you once again. Thank you." Zect gives a slight bow. "But isn't it dangerous for just the two of you to enter this forest?" "If it's just a collection of herbs, having fewer people is better. You can proceed without being detected by the monsters." Indeed, it reminds me of playing stealth infiltration games. If you invade with a hundred people, you'll be immediately discovered. So if the goal isn't monster hunting, having fewer people makes sense. However, if you end up fighting monsters, no one will come to help, increasing the risk. If I hadn't taken down the giant snake, who knows what might have happened. "So, what's the name of the herb you were trying to collect?" "...Sorry, I can't tell you." "Is it a poisonous plant, perhaps?" "No, it's not." "Then you can tell us." "If others find out, there will be a scramble for it." If the herb is indeed valuable, it could lead to conflicts over it. That's why even the adventurer guild in the royal capital doesn't have detailed records regarding the forest. "Even after we saved your lives?" "That's..." Mane's words cause the two to exchange glances. "Just kidding. If you blurt it out so easily, you'd be a failure as an adventurer. But as adventurers, if you only repay the help you've received with words of thanks..." Mane, demonstrating maturity, begins to negotiate. "At least provide us with information about what's ahead." "Well, that much should be fine." Perhaps that's the compromise. There's a chance that the herb they're searching for is the same herb we're looking for. But if it’s a valuable herb, they can't easily disclose its details. "Before that, let's take care of this. Since we defeated it, we can keep it, right?" Mane asks the two for confirmation. "Yeah, no problem." "Yuna, will it fit in the item bag?" Having received permission, Mane inquires. Knowing that the bear house fits into the item bag, she is confirming if it will fit. "It'll be fine." I approach the giant snake and put it inside the bear box. Seeing this, the two of them are astounded. "Something that big can fit?" I don't need to explain about the bear box, so I just leave it at that. Then, I use soil to cover the toxic substance the snake expelled to prevent contact. This should ensure it doesn’t disperse into the air. Once the snake is dealt with, Mane approaches Zect and Lydia. "Apply this to your feet or clothing." Mane offers them a bottle filled with liquid. "And this is?" "Is this the stuff you threw at the snake?" Lydia looks at the bottle. "Yes, it's a liquid with a scent that repels snakes. I can't have you being attacked; it would be troublesome." "Something like this... Could you sell it to us? It would make passing through this cave much easier." "Sorry, but I can't sell it here. If you want it, you'll have to order through the Ministry of Magic." "The Ministry of Magic?" "I work at the Ministry of Magic. That's why I can't conduct personal sales." The two look at Mane with disbelief, likely because she appears so young. "So personal sales aren't possible?" "I conduct research funded by the nation's money. I can't sell what I've developed privately. If it gets discovered, I’d be fired." When she puts it like that, it makes sense. Selling something developed with company funds privately is obviously unacceptable. Even I, who have no work experience, understand that doing it with materials purchased with national funding would be inappropriate. "Though I can't sell it, you won't need to pay for the portion we're using now." "Much appreciated." The two thank her and apply the liquid to their feet and clothing. This should keep the snake at bay. Personally, I’d be glad if there were also a potion to keep bats away.