Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

~Edited

Bear-san, Makes Bears

The water magic performance was over, and next was the wind magic.

Unlike water magic, wind magic cannot create form. So, it releases a blade of wind toward the lake. The wind blades create a single line, two, then three. Some students made a circle, while others made a small whirlpool, or drew a picture and used the lake as the canvas.

“We might need to back up a little to see it better, don’t we?” (Yuna)

Behind us was higher, so it was easier to see the surface of the lake. Other people started to move. We followed their lead.

“That one is good.” (Yuna)

Speed is important because if you do not draw quickly, the lines you draw will disappear. Most of the time, students draw figures. Well, you can’t draw complicated pictures. Wind is almost impossible to change direction after it moves. It is possible to make a kind of curve by bending it at the moment it moves. We can draw a circle by applying this idea. Since it is impossible to make a full circle, we swing our left and right arms to draw a semicircle, and a beautiful circle is formed. It’s a beautiful effect.

Afterwards, the students’ figurative art continued to be drawn on the canvas lake.

You can do it on the ground, but it looks beautiful because it’s on the water.

That’s a pretty inconvenience for the creatures in the lake.

Well, with all this magic, the fish should’ve fled already.

Euphalia students have a lake to practice in, but did the students in the royal capital practice in the pool?

“That was fun.” (Yuna)

“Yes.” (Noa)

The wind magic was over, so it was time for fire magic.

Many students struggled to form fire. They make circles, move their hands, and write letters. So different magic has different uses.

“Oneesama didn’t come out.” (Noa)

“Yeah, I think she’s going to participate with different magic.“ (Yuna)

Shia did not appear in the fire magic section. But she didn’t say she wouldn’t participate, so she should be joining in the next one, earth magic.

Finally, the earth magic competition took place. I wondered what will they do with the earth magic, and they said they perform in front of the lake.

Earth magic seems to be the main focus of this event, and the students all lined up side by side. Among them was Shia.

“Oneesama!” (Noa)

Each student started their creation all at once using magic. As the students started making something, the surroundings became more excited.

“Ah, Oneesama, she’s making a bear.” (Noa)

She’s right. Among the students making all sorts of things with earth magic, Shia was making bear statues.

Moreover, they’re not based on a real bear, but a cute bear as if I had made it.

“U~u, that’s not fair. I was the one who’s going to make a bear.” (Noa)

Noa pouted when she saw Shia made bears earlier than her, even though she just declared it.

Surprisingly, it was well-received, and there were people were gathering in front of Shia’s bear statue.

Applause breaks out when everyone completes their respective clay objects.

And then, it was destroyed, and people expressed their disappointment.

Now that the production magic at the lake was over, we moved to the school grounds. When we were about to reach the grounds, Shia came to us.

“Oneesama is terrible. Why do you make a bear first!?” (Noa)

“Eh? What?” (Shia)

Noa suddenly said that, so Shia was confused.

I explained to Shia my earlier conversation with Noa.

“Noa intended to make it first after she learned magic, but you made it sooner than her.” (Yuna)

“Oneesama is unfair.” (Noa)

“But why a bear though?” (Yuna)

“Actually, I’ve been practicing since I saw the bear Yuna-san made for us at the school festival.” (Shia)

I remember making a bear statue for them during the school festival to advertise so that they could sell cotton candy.

“So, I thought, since Noa is watching, maybe she’d be happy, I’m sorry.” (Shia)

Shia apologized while patting Noa’s head.

So that’s why you kept it a secret until now.

“I can’t stay mad when you say it like that. Oneesama, the bear you made was adorable.” (Noa)

“That means both of you are so much alike.” (Yuna)

“I think I was just influenced by Yuna-san.” (Shia)

I don’t want to be told that.

However, it’s hard for me to say that I did not influence Noa’s love for bears and Shia making bear statues. Well, Noa’s love for bears was definitely influenced by me.

I tried to change the subject by asking about a different topic.

“So what are you going to do next?” (Yuna)

“Next is the team competition. Everyone in the school will get together and have a match.” (Shia)

That’s the one she mentioned yesterday.

It’s supposed to be the last part of the magical exchange meet.

According to Shia, a flag would be set up in each camp. You can use magic to burn, cut, or smash the enemy’s flag, any way you can. You must destroy the flag only with magic. Also, you were supposed to protect your flag with magic against the enemy’s magic.

While listening to Shia’s explanation, we arrived at the school grounds.

Six flags stood at either end of the grounds.

The six flags were separated from each other, and a circular white line was drawn around each flag pole.

Shia said the defenders must enter one of the circles and protect the flag from the attackers.

“So if all the attackers attack one by one, the attackers have the advantage.” (Yuna)

“The rules are: The attackers must aim only at the flag. No more than two attackers are allowed. But there is an exception to that.” (Shia)

In any case, if the attackers are able to knock down the opponent’s flag, he or she must leave the grounds. Then, the defending student whose flag was taken down can also become the attacker, and the two can attack together.

And if two students attacked and knocked down the flag, those two students must leave the grounds.

In other words, each time a flag falls, the number of students decreases.

If the school’s main force was placed on the attacker’s side, the defender becomes weaker. On the contrary, if the attackers were weak, they would not be able to take down the flag.

In addition, if you knock down the flag, you have to leave the ground, which was a tricky thing to do. If a student’s weak defense was destroyed by an opponent’s strong attack, the student with a strong attack must leave.

I recall something similar in a game.

How to win by the smallest margin of power will be the deciding factor.

This was a surprisingly thoughtful game. It depends on which student gets the flag and which student joins him or her.

It’s an interesting encore to the event.

After finishing her explanation, Shia went to join the other students. So Noa and I move to secure a place to watch.

“But I also think this as kind of practical thing.” (Yuna)

“It’s practical?” (Noa)

“The protectors of the flag are the escorts. The attackers are trying to defeat the enemy leader?” (Yuna)

“When you think about it that way, yes, indeed.” (Noa)

Noa and I secured a place where the entire grounds could be seen.

Looking at the grounds, teachers from each school were talking to each other.

It seems that they were having a bit of a problem. Rather than a dispute, they were discussing what to do.

“What happened?” (Yuna)

I can’t hear what they were talking about from here.

The teacher went to where Shia and the other girls were and started talking. Then Shia took the teacher and moved a little away from the other students. Shia started talking with the teacher, and she glanced at us. The teacher looked at us too.

What does that mean I wonder?

“Oneesama, she’s looking at us.” (Noa)

She’s definitely looking here. Shia, who talked to her teacher, came to us.

Then she opened her mouth.

“Etto, Yuna-san. Would you like to participate in this team match?” (Shia)

“Me?” (Yuna)

“Yes.” (Shia)

That team game would be split into men’s and women’s matches. And we were supposed to have a girl’s match 12 vs. 12.

12 players, 6 on the attacking side and 6 on the defending side.

But I heard that some of the children were unable to participate due to the excessive use of magical power, because of what they did earlier.

So it seems that they were discussing what to do with the number of people.

They were discussing whether to match the number of students the royal capital has or play the match as is despite having one less student.

Euphalia Academy does not want to reduce the number of students. Students who were able to participate could not participate. They want to avoid that. But it was also not polite to have a match with the royal capital, who was lacking a participant.

“So we were wondering if you would be interested in joining us, Yuna-san.” (Shia)

Shia looks apologetic.

“Shia, you know me, right?” (Yuna)

“Yes, but I couldn’t think of any other way. Well, Yuna-san, if you could, just do it appropriately…” (Shia)

I don’t want to be told that.

If I participate, I will not be able to do such things properly.

As a former gamer, I like these kinds of games. Since yesterday, I have been feeling the urge to try it. But if I participate, I can imagine myself playing seriously.

Above all, I am a sore loser, and I cannot accept defeat because I’m holding back. I am sure that I will be aggressive and use large-scale magic.

“But I’m not a student at the school. Won’t they find out right away?” (Yuna)

That is the biggest problem.

“That’s okay. There are a lot of students in the school. No student remembers all the faces and names. Also, since the teacher is Shugu sensei, so he knows you, Yuna-san.” (Shia) (シューグ)

“Shugu sensei?” (Yuna)

Even if I was told the name, I don’t remember it.

“Yuna-san, you’ve already met once.” (Shia)

She said that he was the teacher who greeted Shia and her group during the training.

When I look at the grounds, it might be the teacher at that time.

“Mother told me to talk to my teacher if Yuna-san did something.” (Shia)

“Eleanora-san…” (Yuan)

She thought I would do something, so she prepared insurance.

I’m grateful, but does she think of me as a troublemaker?

“That’s why Shugu sensei knows Yuna-san, so it’s okay.” (Shia)

“That makes him extraordinarily aware that I’m not a student, doesn’t it?” (Yuna)

I greeted him before as an adventurer.

“It’s okay, he knows, and I got permission.” (Shia)

It seems that was what Shia and the teacher were talking about earlier.

“But.” (Yuna)

My power is a cheat. I can’t be mixed up with the students who have practiced diligently.

“Yuna-san, I also want to see you and Oneesama working together.” (Noa)

Even Noa was saying so.

I’ve been wanting to try it since I saw Shia and the others competing yesterday.

“Yuna-san, please.” (Shia)

Shia puts her hands together.

It’s easy to say no. But I’d feel sorry for Shia and the others if the event didn’t end well.

“I understand. But I don’t know how to hold back, so I want to be on the protecting the flag side. If I use large-scale magic as the attacker, it will be messy.” (Yuna)

I can adapt to my opponent if I’m just protecting the flag. If I’m on the attacker’s side, and my magic got deflected, I may likely get pissed off and use powerful magic.

“Thank you, Yuna-san.” (Shia)

Shia looks happy.

“So, Yuna-san. What would you like your name to be?” (Shia)

“Name?” (Yuna)

“Do you want to call yourself as Yuuna as you did at the school festival? The teacher knows your name, but the students don’t.” (Shia)

Shia was certainly right. But then again, that name was not a pseudonym.

Even though I thought of it out of the blue, I have no sense of style.

“Yeah, you’re right. Then Yuuna, please.” (Yuuna)

I, in my school uniform, shall be Yuuna.

“Okay, then Yuuna-san, let’s go.” (Shia)

“Oneesama, may I come closer?” (Noa)

“Sure.” (Shia)

“Thank you.” (Noa)

Noa and I followed Shia to the grounds.

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Author’s Note:

Sorry for the delay.

The concept of a team battle was more difficult than expected. It took a lot of time and effort.

Since the plot was decided only as a team battle, so it was quite difficult to write.

So I decided to have a match with a few special rules.

Battle Royale is impossible (lol).

Everyone, when you write a , you should write a solid plot. Or else, you will have a hard time later. (I did write the plot, though. lol)

[Notice] Kuma 11.5 volume will be released on 1/25. The first printing number is quite small, so if any readers are thinking of buying it, I hope they will pre-order it.

Also, I have written in the activity report where the autographed books will be distributed. Thank you for your continuous support.

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