Kuma ch 325

 

325 Bear-san Replaced the Magic Stones.

 

 

Beyond the door, there was a large room.

The first thing we saw after entering the room and what draws the most attention was the object in the center that looks like a silver cup. There’s water flowing down from the cup. The water flows into a place like a circular pond.

It seems that we’re in the right place.

We walk towards the center of the room.

In front of the cup, there is a stairway and in front of the stairs, there is a pedestal with a height of about 1m. Looking at the pedestal, a magic stone is inlaid.

Karina goes straight up the stairs and stands in front of the cup. I wondered what’s going on, so I followed her.

The size of the cup was about 1m in diameter and when you look inside, a magic stone that seems to have been broken was submerged into the bottom.

The broken magic stone seems to be using its last force to squeeze water.

 

[We should replace this magic stone.] Yuna

 

That’s the reason why we came here.

 

[Yes, Yuna-san. It really took us some time to get here, but now that we’re here, we can finally replace it.] Karina

[Okay, let’s replace it now.] Yuna

[Yes. Then I will stop the water, so please wait.] Karina

 

Karina went down the stairs and stood in front of the pedestal, in front of the stairs. Then she placed her hand on the magic stone at the pedestal. When Karina puts in her magical power, the magic stone glows pale and when Karina releases her hand from the magic stone, the light also disappears.

 

[Now we can remove the magic stone.] Karina

 

Looking back at the cup, the water that had been flowing stopped.

 

[You can stop the water?] Yuna

[Yes, this is the first time I’ve done it, but I received an explanation from my mother when I came here before with her. though it was really nice that the water stopped.] Karina

 

Karina climbed up the stairs and returned in front of the cup. Karina rolled up her sleeves and tried to grab the pieces of the broken magic stone submerged into the bottom of the cup.

I offered my help, but Karina stopped me.

 

[Plesae let me do it. I made it this far thanks to your hard work. But I believe that this is my role in the Ishrit family.] Karina

 

I’ll consider Karina’s feelings and watch over her.

Karina puts her hand in the water. Then, she carefully picks up the broken pieces of the magic stone one by one. From large pieces to small pieces.

For many years, this magic stone supplied them with water. Karina picks up the broken magic stone with gratitude and put it in a cloth bag.

The water came out of this magic stone was enough to be able to create a lake. It’s easy to dismiss it with a word <Fantasy>, but it’s really amazing.

 

---

 

While Karina is picking up the magic stone pieces, I decided to explore the room.

When I look at the entrance, the door was closed. I don’t remember either me or Karina closing it, so it closed automatically then.

It looks like the crystal plate is the key and you can’t enter without it. If I install the Bear Gate, I can easily come here regardless, but I’ll never come here again.

I don’t think it should be the other way around. They’ll never need an adventurer again.

 

I went down the stairs and looked at the floor. It’s what should’ve been called a magic circle on the floor, but there’s a groove like an image carved all over the floor. Is this the magic circle that amplifies the water magic stone?

The magic circle was also connected to the wall and a magic circle with a meaningless figure was carved on the ceiling. It seems that the whole room was the magic circle that amplifies the water magic stone.

If we didn’t go to a normal route and instead smashed the walls as we move, the magic circle that’s amplifying the water magic stone would’ve been destroyed. I’m glad I didn’t do it. If I did, the lake wouldn’t come back even with the Kraken magic stone in place.

Even so, it’s such amazing magic. It would have been interesting if I could use magic that can duplicate this and amplify the other places, but it is unlikely to be possible.

 

After confirming my surroundings, I walk around where the cup was in the center. The water that’s falling from the cup was transparent, it’s so clear.

I wonder if this water will flow to the town. There’s quite a distance, how will it go there? (TN: You’re asking that now?)

When I check behind the cup, there’s a door over there.

2 entrances?

Shouldn’t there be only one correct answer?

There is a pedestal next to the door. There is a dent on the pedestal and there is a dent where the crystal plate will most likely fit. When the crystal plate was placed, will the door open just like the entrance?

 

[There is an exit.] Karina

 

Karina replies from the top of the stairs as I walk around in front of the door.

 

[Exit?] Yuna

[Yes, we can go home from there.] Karina

 

The entrance and exit were separated. Is there any reason behind that?

I went around the room and came back in front of the stairs.

 

---

 

Karina, who had finished picking up the broken pieces of the magic stone, descended the stairs and came to me.

 

[Sorry for the wait.] Karina

 

When I look at Karina, I notice that her hands and clothes are wet. Well, of course, you will get wet if you put your hand in the water. I took out a towel from the Bear Box and gave it to Karina.

 

[Thank you.] Karina

 

Karina wipes her hands, arms, and clothes with the towel. I think it would be useful to have dry magic at such times. Even if I could actually use it, it would be unnecessary magic for me as someone wearing a costume, like a bear playing in the water.

But wasn’t it convenient for drying long hairs?

 

[Thank you, Yuna-san. I’ll wash it and return it to you.] Karina

[It’s ok. It’s not dirty and it’ll dry quickly.] Yuna

 

When I got the towel back from Karina, I put it on Swaying Bear’s back.

<Kun-n>

Swaying Bear looked at me like he’s trying to say something. I thought that Swaying Bear’s back could dry it quickly because it’s warm, but it didn’t seem to work.

Well, I can dry it any time, so I put the towel back in the Bear Box.

 

[Yuna-san, may I have the magic stone?] Karina

 

She asked me with serious eyes. She seems to be nervous.

I took the Kraken’s magic stone out from the Bear Box and gave it to Karina.

Karina received it with both hands and with great care as to not drop it.

 

[It’s heavy. To think that this magic stone has the fate of the city. It would be scary if I could replace the magic stone, but still not get water.] Karina

 

Karina’s hands were shaking while holding the magic stone. I touched Karina’s hands while she’s holding the magic stone.

 

[Yuna-san……] Karina

[It’ll be alright. You did your best so far. If you place it there, everything will be fixed.] Yuna

 

Karina nods, then slowly went up the stairs and stopped before the cup. She exhaled a little and slowly submerged the Kraken’s water magic stone into the cup.

Karina is staring at the magic stone in the cup.

 

[Karina?] Yuna

[I’m sorry.] Karina

 

When I call out, Karina came down the stairs.

 

[After that, we should be able to activate the magic circuit.] Karina

 

Karina went in front of the pedestal. Then, with a tense atmosphere, she placed her hand on the magic stone at the pedestal.

Karina deeply inhales, then exhales. Her hands were full of power, she cast her magic on the magic stone at the pedestal.

Then, the magic stone at the pedestal glows pale and the magic circle on the floor also shines.

The light spreads throughout the room and the room was surrounded by a dazzling light.

Then, the light gradually disappears.

 

---

 

When I looked at Karina, I noticed something. Tears ran down on her cheek.

 

[Karina….] Yuna

 

I turn my eyes to the point where Karina is gazing. Beyond that, there was the sight of water flowing out of the cup.

 

[Oh, that’s good.] Yuna

 

Karina saw the overflowing water and she’s overflowing with tears.

She’s watching the water overflowing from the cup without wiping her tears.

 

[It’s good for the city. Thank you, Yuna-san,.] Karina

 

Karina thanked me with teary eyes. I gave her a towel to wipe her crying face.

 

[Hey, stop crying.] Yuna

[Yuna-san……] Karina

 

I wiped her crying face, but Karina started crying even more on my chest. I’m sure she must’ve been tense until now.

The broken water magic stone, the exhaustion of the city’s lake, losing of crystal plate map, her father’s injuries, the massive monsters, and the residents leaving the town. Various misfortunes just piled up.

Karina wasn’t responsible for everything, but she felt responsible for when she dropped the crystal plate.

However, the crystal plate was found and the installation of a new water magic stone was completed. The water has also returned.

Everything was over.

 

At last, it feels like the weight on Karina’s shoulder has been unloaded.

As Karina cries, she keeps calling for my name. Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear were also worried about Karina.

Then, Karina quietly stops crying.

 

[Thank you, Yuna-san. Swaying Bear-chan and Hugging Bear-chan as well, thank you.] Karina

[Are you okay now?] Yuna

[Yes, I’m sorry for crying so suddenly.] Karina

 

She rubbed her reddish eyes.

However, a big smile spreads on the face.

Karina was delighted to see the overflowing water. The scene seems to be the best for Karina. But the water was overflowing so much.

That was absolutely impossible with just the Kraken’s magic stone alone. The magic circles in this room (which may be in other rooms as well) amplified it.

I thought it would be interesting if this magic system could be utilized, but this is impossible for me.

Karina was staring at the water for a while.

 

[It’s okay now. It won’t stop.] Yuna

 

I’m not really sure about that, but I said it to Karina to reassure her.

 

[Yes.] Karina

[Then, let’s head back and report to Balima-san.] Yuna

 

We can’t stay here forever. Balima-san may be worried and I have to report too.

 

---

 

We went to the door behind the cup. We’re going home from here.

It feels awkward to think that we won’t be going back the way we came from. I want to sleep on Hugging Bear, but I can’t sleep on Hugging Bear next to Swaying Bear while Karina is looking at the map.

Karina placed the crystal plate on the pedestal near the door and poured her magical power.

Then the door opens and I can hear the sound of something opening at the end of the door as well.

It’s not just 1 but 2.

 

[Yuna-san. over here!] Karina

 

Karina removed the crystal plate.

There is a staircase at the end of the door, so we went down.

After a while, the sound of the door closing from behind can be heard. As expected, it seems to close automatically. We went down the stairs a little and into the pathway. Then down the stairs some more. We walked a little further on a passage.

When we exit the passage, we’re at the entrance to the labyrinth.

 

[And we’re back!] Karina

[What’s this? The return trip was so quick and simple?] Yuna

[Yes.] Karina

[Isn’t it strange? Shouldn’t we use this path when we go there?] Yuna

(TN: A question to every Tomb Raider puzzle.)

[As for that, I thought about it as well when I passed here for the first time.] Karina

[I mean. It took us about an hour to get there. And it’s just a few minutes to return? Isn’t it strange?] Yuna

 

I rocked Karina’s shoulders.

 

[Please stop, Yuna-san. Even if you asked me that…] Karina

 

I stopped shaking her, but I’m not satisfied.

And then we left one of the myriads of entrances and after a while, we heard a sound of something moving in the hole.

 

[Perhaps the path was blocked, I think.] Yuna

 

Is it because they don’t want us to use this road?

But isn’t this enough?

The replacement of the magic stone was successfully completed.

 

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Author’s Note:

I thought about exiting using a slide to the exit, but it was surreal when I thought of the scene in which Balima and the others were sliding, so I decided to use normal stairs and passages.

There are only a few desert chapters left.

The beach arc really seems to be on winter. w

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While translating…