Chapter 572:
The Bear Explains
SELEIYU STARTED TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING that had happened over the last decade. She began with the night her mom had been killed and her hazy memory of the man. She told her father about how there was a chance the man would appear again on her sixteenth birthday, and that the man had threatened her brother’s life if she told anyone. She told him how, in order to protect herself and avenge her mother, she had taken up the sword and learned magic.
Soon, she got to today. She explained how her brother had been kidnapped and the letter she had found in her room. She said she came here alone, just like the letter said to. That’s when I cut in to tell him how I had seen her leave and followed her because something felt off. Her father listened in silence as Seleiyu talked about everything she had felt until now.
“I’m sorry. I thought that you wanted to become strong because your mother was killed in front of you. I had no idea that you were doing this in case the man who killed Shulia might return.”
“Well, I told you that it was for my own self-defense, Father.”
“When I read your letter, it seemed as though you were prepared to die. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing both you and Keith, so I came as quickly as I could.”
“Father...”
“I’m sorry you were in such pain.”
“It’s not your fault, Father. Mother’s death was like a nightmare. It was all too real, but I couldn’t comprehend what was happening at the time. Even though I was young, I knew that if there was even a chance what the man had said was real, there was no way I could tell anyone. All I could do was prepare for my sixteenth birthday by learning how to fight with a sword and use magic.”
It was a long time, even just imagining it. I think I would’ve started to lose my mind. But now, after years of carrying that burden, she could finally let it go. Seleiyu was only sixteen. She was finally able to start her life.
“Now, that man is...”
Seleiyu gulped and looked straight at her father before she began to speak.
“I killed him.”
Seleiyu’s father stood from his chair and slowly walked over to her. She froze. But then he gently hugged her.
“I am truly sorry,” he said.
“Father...”
Seleiyu’s eyes teared up. I was glad, genuinely glad. But I kind of felt like having a girl dressed in a bear suit next to them kind of spoiled the idyllic family moment.
After that, Seleiyu and I told the (heavily redacted) story of what had happened here.
“He controlled the monsters...and she defeated them all on her own...?”
In the end, we couldn’t hide the monster corpses outside, so we had to tell him that I’d defeated them. At first, he couldn’t believe it, since he had seen the monsters himself, but he accepted it after Seleiyu explained and he saw my rank C guild card.
Of course, we didn’t tell him about the wyrm or wyverns. The monster controlling was already unbelievable enough, so we didn’t need to pile on.
“Actually, Yuna, the man said he threw the mana gem into the lake, but how did you find it?” Seleiyu asked the question as though she’d just remembered. I couldn’t explain that, of course.
“You can’t ask a lady to reveal her secrets.”
“A ‘lady’...?”
Hey, even in a bear suit, I was still a young lady, darn it.
Seleiyu looked unconvinced, but she didn’t press. Maybe she sensed I didn’t want to talk about it.
We put a bow on the conversation with that. It seemed like Seleiyu’s dad didn’t really believe all of it yet, but Seleiyu and Keith were safe, so he didn’t push us for more.
“Yuna, was it? Thank you for saving my daughter.”
He bowed his head to me.
“I’m glad Seleiyu and Keith were safe.”
That was the most important thing. But now we had to talk about what to do next. Especially regarding the monsters outside the bear house. I offered to dispose them, but Seleiyu’s dad shook his head.
“You both must be exhausted. I’ll leave my two guards here, and we’ll ask the Adventurers’ Guild to handle the monster disposal.”
“Father, I heard something from Yuna. Around this time of year, because the man was practicing his monster controlling powers, the monsters always disappeared and the adventurers stopped coming.”
“Yes, I received a report to that effect. We should be able to ask the guild staff to handle it. There should be enough to dispose of the monsters.”
Right, the guild staff in Crimonia helped with monster harvesting too. They were twiddling their thumbs right now, so they’d probably be ecstatic to have something to do. Though if I were in their shoes, I’d rather have a break.
“But how will we explain all this? I’ve promised Yuna I would keep her involvement secret.”
I really didn’t want to deal with all this, so I’d asked her not to tell anyone.
“If the person who slayed the monsters doesn’t come forward, then whoever finds the monsters may claim them. We can keep silent about her. And if I order it, nobody will ask further questions.”
Well, he was the feudal lord, after all. People probably wouldn’t push him for answers. He went on to say that they could convert the disposed-of monsters to a financial award and give it to me. Well, more money was always useful, so I’d be happy to take it.
Finally, we headed home.
“I’ve gotta go change, so can you wait outside for a bit?”
Seleiyu’s dad understood and left carrying Keith on his back. Seleiyu left after him. Once I confirmed they were both gone, I started to pull off my bear onesie.
“Haaah...”
It was good to cool off. Wearing a uniform under the onesie really was a bad choice. I was sweating. I’d have to take a bath later.
I put my onesie into my bear storage and left my bear house. Then Seleiyu came by again.
“I’m sorry, Yuna, but could you show the man’s face to Father?”
Apparently, he wanted to see it before they headed back. The casket lid was pretty firmly set in place so it wouldn’t fall off.
I turned my back to Seleiyu and walked over to the casket. But then Kumakyu, Kumayuru, and Seleiyu all cried out.
“Cwoon!”
“Yuna!”
I turned around.
“What?! Is it a monster?!”
“No! Your skirt! Your skirt is flipped up!”
Kumayuru and Kumakyu surrounded me from behind as Seleiyu ran over and fixed my skirt for me.
“Wait, did you see it?!”
“No! I didn’t see the bear!”
“?!”
Then she had! I instantly turned red. I fled into the bear house to get away. Seleiyu had seen my bear panties.