Juu Sai Madoushi Chapter 33 (Patreon)

Bear House! House?

"But where the hell is the bear? If he's the hero of a storybook, he should have appeared by now..."

Alicia tilts her head as we walk along the path surrounded by flower gardens.

"Ugh...I hadn't thought about that at all, Jeanette, what should I do?"

"Oh, I'm the one who should be asking...!"

Jeanette panics, and Ferris is puzzled.

"I don't know, right?

"I don't know..." "I don't know anything! Yes, you're right... according to my theory, where there is honey, there must be bears!

Jeanette said with pride.

"Well, that's a good guess, isn't it..."

Alicia burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at? What are you laughing at?

"No, I'm just thinking that Jeanette has some pretty cute ideas."

"No, I was thinking that Jeanette has a pretty cute idea. I don't want to hear that from you, my rival!

Jeanette turns red.

"Well, Ferris, tell her."

"What? Jeanette, you're so cute!"

"Kya-- --------------------."

Jeanette was so shocked that she fell into a coma.

Her head almost hit the ground, and Ferris, startled, stopped her.

"Ferris says I'm so cute...he says I'm the cutest thing in the world and he wants to eat me..."

"Jeanette! You've got to get a hold of yourself!"

Jeanette mumbled in a swoon, and little Ferris struggled to hold her body up. I don't think I said that much, and I don't know why Jeanette collapsed, but I know I did something wrong anyway.

While the three of us were fussing by the side of the road, suddenly a voice came from nearby.

"Hmmm, you guys want to meet Master Bear?"

"Eh...?"

Alicia quickly turned to look in the direction she heard the voice, but no one was there.

"That's funny...I did hear voices..."

"I heard them too, but I'm sure I just heard them in my ears."

Jeanette gets up, slapping her hot cheeks with both hands to cool them.

I heard it too! We're all in on it together, aren't we!"

Ferris feels again how nice it is to have friends.

"No, it's funny that the three of us can all hear each other. ...Who's there? Don't hide, come out."

"I haven't been running and hiding from the beginning. I'm not running or hiding from the start. Look, it's right under your feet.

"Under our feet...?"

Ferris looked down.

There was a flower with a face on it, staring up at the three of them.

"Mr. Flower...? You were talking to me?"

"I'm not a flower!"

Hana was furious.

"What? Are you a human being?

"Of course not, Ferris, calm down.

"But..."

Ferris looked at Alicia and the flower's face and was puzzled.

"Oh...at all. Are you people only capable of looking at things in one way, like "human" or "flower"? That's why young people these days..."

Hana let out an exaggerated sigh.

"My name is Hana Hana Hana Hana Hana Hana. I'm not just a flower by any means. Calling me by my race name instead of my name is an act of disrespect, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

I don't know how to apologize..."

Ferris and the three others reflect in front of Hana. Alicia and Jeanette did not quite understand why they were being lectured by the flowers. If you put it that way, everything in this world is a mystery.

"Well, that's okay. You are young and will learn a lot from now on. I didn't know what was right or left when I was a week old. But after a month, you've blossomed into a magnificent flower, and I feel like I'm finally starting to see the world."

"Oh, well, in that case, we're older than you..."

"Shhh."

Alicia presses her index finger to Ferris's lips as she has a feeling that the sermon is going to be long.

Hana continues with a knowing look.

"So, you want to go to the bear's place, right? Then you should have asked me first. I'm a professional guide. Why didn't you ask me?

I didn't know..." "I didn't notice..."

"I didn't notice..." "I see. Well, that's all right. From now on, you can ask me for any help you need. I'm the face of this neighborhood.

"Yes."

Ferris nodded in agreement.

"The bears are all the way to the right from here, turn left at the valley, and go straight ahead. You can be sure of that by walking along the green paved path. But when you meet the bear, be sure not to be rude."

"Okay. Thank you, Hana Hana Hana Hana Hana Hana Hana."

"You already know my name!"

"Haha, no need to thank me. You don't have to thank me, it's a mutual thing. You can come and visit me anytime you want.

Yes, sir!

Whenever you have a chance... I'll be there.

Waving leaves in the air, Ferris and the other three bowed to the flowers as they walked away. They did not expect Hana to show them the way, so all three of them looked as if they had been tricked by a fox.

As they followed the path as they were told, they soon saw a large building ahead of them.

A structure taller than the school building of the magic school.

Thick walls surrounded the vast site, with towers sprouting here and there.

On top of the building, there was a passageway for guards, and the tower in the middle was decorated with a large flag, with a bear's face on the flag.

"Wow! So this is Kuma-san's home!"

Ferris claps his hands together and cheers, though.

"It's not really a house..."

"A castle, isn't it..."

Alicia and Jeanette looked up at the massive ramparts with wide eyes.

In front of the gate, a soldier in the shape of Alephbete was trying hard to tie his shoelaces. He seemed to be the gatekeeper, but he was having trouble reaching his shoelaces because of his short arms, and did not notice the Ferris group.

Ferris and his friends passed behind the gatekeeper and stepped into the castle's outer yard.

There were many unusually human-looking people there. However, like Ferris and the others, they had animal ears on their heads. They also had chains around their ankles and heavy-looking iron balls attached to the ends of the chains.

The people with iron balls were discussing something with serious expressions on their faces.

"We can't go on like this! We have to come up with something more interesting to satisfy the bear!" I guess... we'll just have to do a belly dance...""No! No! If he slips, it's over in an instant!" Then what the hell should I do...!"

Alicia approaches them, though she is hesitant to talk to them because they seem to be in such a desperate situation.

"Um...I'm sorry, where is Kuma-san?"

"!!! Are you from the outside world?

The man with the iron ball rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I am. I was told that if I come here, I can meet Kuma-san..."

"No! No! You shouldn't be here!"

"What...? What do you mean?

Jeanette's face is clouded by the man's fierce sword fight.

"Look at us! These nushis here, they gather people from the outside into their world in various ways, and keep them trapped in the castle! And every night they demand a funny show! And if it's not funny, they'll do it to you!

The man pointed to a large crystal doll.

No, upon closer inspection, it was not a doll. It was in the form of a beautiful woman, and had been crafted down to the smallest detail. Yes, it was as if she had once been a human being....

"No way..."

Alicia held her mouth with the palm of her hand.

"Oh, no way. He was my dear childhood friend. And that... that... that bear turned him to stone just because of a slip of the tongue..."

"Turned to stone?"

Ferris pales.

"Okay, get the hell out of here!" Yes! Don't sacrifice your children too!" The bears could come back at any moment!"

The people with the iron balls were talking hard.

But.

"What are you talking about?

As if a world-shaking sound could be heard, "something" approached with a ground-shaking sound.

A large shadow completely covered the people and Ferris and the others, and a bright red eyeball looked down on the world below.

It was... a huge, cloud-piercing bear gnome.