Kuma Short Stories 2

Third Short Story – Big Sis Bear-san, Orphan’s Perspective (Commemoration Of The Second Year Anniversary)
Hello, Gentz here. I used to be an adventurer, but I was now working at the Adventurer’s Guild.
One of the reasons I retired from adventuring was that the two members of my party married each other, but, right around that time, I also got invited to work as the guild’s storehouse keeper.
The daughter of the previously mentioned married party members was right in front of me now.
「And that’s how you cut it.」
「I see.」
This little girl was dismantling a wolf with a knife; her name was Fina. She was the legacy of my two party members, Terumi and the now deceased Roi. Terumi was bedridden with an illness; we went to the doctor, but it seemed that there was no other way to treat her other than to just suppress the illness using medicine.
Since her mother couldn’t work, Fina worked to take care of her mother and little sister.
The only thing I could do for them was to give Fina a job; I tried to give them money, but Fina refused.
She didn’t want to accept it because she wouldn’t be able to repay the favor and she didn’t change her mind even after I told her that she didn’t have to repay it at all.
Instead, I gave Fina a job, so she could pay for the medicine herself.
It was sadly impossible for Fina to work everyday since there were days when we had nothing she could do. I really wanted to do something to change this situation, but I wasn’t able to. I couldn’t protect Roi’s precious daughter, nor could I save Terumi; I really was a worthless man.
One day, Fina came to the guild accompanied by a girl wearing a cute bear suit. Fina told me that this girl had saved her from the wolves, which had attacked her in the forest.
I scolded Fina, of course. If something had happened to her, what should I say in front of Roi’s grave? What should I tell Terumi, who was already depressed because of her illness? I was very grateful to the Bear Missy, who had saved Fina.
Soon after, the Bear Missy became an adventurer, and she brought in a lot of monsters she subjugated but not dismantled. Contrary to her appearance, she seemed to be an excellent adventurer. Like, when some adventurers decided to pick a fight because of her clothes, she made short work of them.
Fina also seemed to take a liking to her, so I decided not to talk too much about her clothes.
Today, she had brought the monsters she had killed again. There were a lot of adventurers who dismantled the monsters on their own, but some adventurers found it a pain and left it to the guild. The missy seemed to belong to the latter group and couldn’t dismantle the monsters; that was when I got a good idea.
I would ask the Bear Missy to leave all of her dismantling work to Fina.
The guild’s profit would diminish, of course, but if it could make Fina a little happier, I didn’t mind being scolded.
Also, the more time passed, the more the Bear Missy became infamous for her strength; it would become harder and harder to make this request.
She luckily accepted my request and Fina became her exclusive dismantler. Every time I saw Fina, she was talking really happily about her work, as the Bear Missy allowed her to take some meat from the wolves she dismantled.
The meat was nutritious, and missy also told her to buy bread and vegetables with the money she earned. I couldn’t thank this missy enough.
Although, there was a time when my heart almost stopped when I heard that Bear Missy had brought Fina with her on a Tiger Wolf subjugation. I really hoped she wouldn’t take Fina to such dangerous places ever again.
Still, killing two Tiger Wolves… Wasn’t missy a bit too strong?
Fina was really happy when she successfully dismantled them; it was a good experience for her.
A few days later, Fina came to my house in tears.
She told me that her mother’s illness had worsened, and so she came to me because she didn’t know what to do. I was happy that she relied on me, but I couldn’t really do anything…
I went to see Terumi, but she was suffering and was barely able to speak. I noticed she had lost a lot of weight, too. She apologized and thanked me for taking care of them, but those words weren’t the ones I wanted to hear.
I couldn’t bear with the situation anymore and rushed out of the house. I needed a doctor. Many doctors have examined her already, though. Even if I got a doctor, he would just shake his head and tell me there was nothing he could do. I was powerless and couldn’t do anything for them.
When I returned to their house, Fina wasn’t there anymore, and I only saw her sister, Shuri, embracing her mother while crying. It seemed that Fina also left the house after I rushed out.
I just held Terumi’s hand and tried to keep her awake. Was there really nothing I could do!?
As I was biting my lower lip to the point where it almost bled, Fina returned with the Bear Missy.
Why would she bring the Bear Missy?
Just as they approached, Terumi’s consciousness cleared up a bit.
She apologized again and even said she was entrusting her daughters to me. I couldn’t keep my tears in anymore. Couldn’t I have done something before the illness became this bad? Had I really done everything I could have?
I might have only been running away from reality by just giving some assistance to her family, and believing I helped and did all I could, yet, in reality, I wasn’t able to do anything. I wasn’t able to save her. I was full of regrets, but it was too late to change anything now.
As I was dwelling in self pity, Bear Missy clapped her hands.
She then said some incomprehensible things and when she touched Terumi, missy’s hands shone.
It looked like the light of the great priests. Terumi was wrapped in this light and her expression softened; it was an unbelievable sight. After missy used a magic-like chant, Terumi rose up from the bed.
I just witnessed a miracle. Terumi’s illness was cured. Who would believe something unbelievable like that?
I suddenly felt relieved and tears started to pour from my eyes.
Terumi, who returned to her energetic self, anxiously asked how much this treatment would cost. She was right, when missy used something so mystical, of course, it would cost us a lot of money.
The Bear Missy sent Fina and Shuri buy food, and now only the three of us remained here. Did she want us to talk in private, without Terumi’s daughters?
Bear Missy then proceeded to say that Terumi and I should live together, and we just stared at her with our mouths open.
Well, it was true that I loved Terumi, but this was a completely different story.
Yet, Bear Missy managed to corner us.
She said it was for Fina’s sake, that this family needed someone to support them, and also noticed the fact that I liked Terumi.
「You like her, don’t you?」
She was right on the point. If I got together with Terumi, I would be able to take care of her and her family. I felt bad for Roi, but I confessed to Terumi.
「…………」
A short silence followed, and Terumi’s cheeks turned red.
I forgot to breathe while waiting for her response.
Terumi thanked me and accepted my confession with a smile on her face.
Today was a great day.