translated by: yoomgichii
proofreader: cali
I didn't ask what old memories he thought. The big bear slowly held me with his stiff body that felt firmer than before. So far, I've been staying still while being held.
'I don't think it should be this time.'
It’s kinda awkward but I moved my hands and hugged the big bear's neck slightly. I could feel a more warm body temperature.
Me and the big bear too.
The big bear paused for a while, then started walking again while holding me preciously.
* * *
The little bear came back and cleaned up the tent. However, the little bear looked surprised while looking at me.
'What is it?'
Soon the little bear came closer while smiling, "Here, try this on."
“Wow, it’s new!”
Back in the orphanage, it’s given that I couldn't wear new clothes. Even in my previous life, I rarely wore new clothes.
The temple people gave me new clothes initially. But every night, the clothes kept getting torn and stained with blood and flesh due to the Cardinal’s whips. It eventually turned rugged. The clothes I wore under the armor were also worn out when I went outside the temple to fight the Demon King.
“Is this your first time wearing new clothes?” The little bear asked with a surprised face.
"Yesh." It's true that this is the first time in this current life.
"I awlso liwked the shoes. Thewre awre no howle, and they fit pewrfectly. It's not uncomfowrtable at awl. Thank you." I express my thanks while smiling.
I thought the little bear would boast about it but he instead only stroked my hair tenderly with an upset look.
The big bear approached and asked, “Can you use thermal magic?”
Thermal magic is a type of magic that can only be used on the caster themselves to warm their body. The people of the temple did not teach me that and said it unnecessary because a warrior has a strong body.
It’s not like warriors don't feel the cold and heat just because they are strong.
A female magic swordsman taught me thermal magic to keep myself warm back when I was in pain due to frostbite.
'She was a very nice person.' I remember how the magic swordsman used the two-handed sword toughly.
"No, I cawn't do that." (No, I can’t do that)
Thermal magic needs a lot of mana and I couldn't use it in my current state.
“It's a pity that there are no temperature maintenance artifacts that we can use. Yuliano, Did you buy a coat or something?”
"Yes. I bought it."
"Good job. Take it out."
The little bear took out a large and thick coat, hand-grip gloves, a scarf, and a fur hat from his spatial storage. I was happy with the new clothes but the more I wore them, the heavier and stuffy I feel.
“Is it uncomfortable? You still need to wear it though because you have to be careful of the cold. It's going to get colder soon."
I nodded.
“Come on, let’s go.” The big bear hugged me. It was still a bit awkward to be held by someone that I flinched a little.
The big bear gently stroked my back to reassure me then started flying away with magic. It’s too fast that I could not see well.
'It feels a little weird.' I never imagined that I would leave the place where I lived for over 6 years this way. It’s kinda regrettable that I couldn't punish those bad guys while it also feels a bit refreshing.
'I must visit again in 3 years.' I made up my mind again. However, because I was in a comfortable and reassuring embrace, drowsiness came.
'The big bear will be burdened so I can't sleep comfor-......'
But I still fell asleep deeply.
Chapter 2
"Dia, you have to eat." The little bear woke me up. We are somewhere strange and the big bear’s sitting in a chair while holding me.
"Ong?"
“It's a restaurant-ong.”
(TL: he said 식당이옹 (Shikdang-i-ong), imitating Dia when she responds with 옹? (Ong?) before.)
The little bear sat across from her. He laughed hard from his own pun. Of course I stared at his foolishness. Even the big bear stared at the small bear.
The little bear then made a flinched expression and diverted a new topic. “I ordered pork cutlet because I believe it would be delicious.”
“Pork cut-cutlet?” It was a very difficult word for me to pronounce at once.
“It's fried large pork that is coated with bread crumbs.”
"Ah I wemembewed, I ate that befowre." (Ah I remembered, I ate that before)
"Really? It seems like the foods from the orphanage aren’t that bad."
"No, the owrphanage's food ish awful. I had it at the Lowrd's cawstle." (No, the orphanage’s food is awful. I had it at the Lord’s castle)
"At the Lord's castle?"
"Un. I ate the lowrd’s leftovews." (un. I ate the Lord’s leftovers)
The small bear suddenly looked at me with sympathy. I got a little burdened so I raised my chin.
“Whewre is this?” (Where is this?) I asked while looking at the big bear.
“The village at the end of the next territory.” The big bear was expressionless as usual. His eyes seemed a little warmer though.
'How come that I can see the big bear's emotions better now?' It's been a while since I met him and it’s amazing. I just also noticed that I am now on the lap of the big bear.
“I'll sit on the chaiwr.” (I’ll sit on the chair)
Food will be available soon. If I am still seated here, it’d be uncomfortable to eat. I then moved down to the chair next to him. The big bear looked sad from what I did.
“Now, me and Yuliano are going to use an illusion magic with artifacts. Don't be surprised.”
The two pressed a certain part of the ring on their hand. The two look normal while the illusion magic is being triggered by the ring. After a knocking sound, an employee pulled in the tray.
Thanks to the illusion magic, the staff’s not scared by the size of the two bears. He just looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“Oh my, so cute. Here is a children's bear set.”
The clerk gave me a pink plate in the shape of a bear. The lettuce salad was stacked in a circle next to the circle-shaped pork cutlet. The salad has a smiling face drawn with ketchup. There were also round pickles cut in half and used as ears attached next to the pork cutlet.
"Is this the shape of a beawr’s face?" (Is this the shape of a bear’s face?)
"Yes. Isn't it cute? Here, please enjoy." The staff also gave the food to the two bears and went out.
I can feel my heart throbbing a little. This will be my first time to try such a cute food ordered just for me.
"I'll cut it." The big bear lifted the knife and quickly cut the pork cutlet into 20 pieces.
“You must chew it well.”
"Yeess...." Whenever I bite pork cutlets, I look at the salad with a smiling face.
I really like it.
"So cute." The little bear said that while the big bear nodded, agreeing.
"Un. Bear face shape is cute!” I loudly exclaimed.
“I’m not referring to that.” The little bear's eyes sparkled upon titling his head.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Do you want to eat more?"
"No. I'm fuwl." (No. I’m full)
The big bear and the little bear soon finished their meals.
“Stay here. I'll get the carriage.”
“Are we going by cawwiage, not by magic?” (Are we going by carriage, not by magic?)
“Yes due to some circumstances. After this, we’ll wind up the use of magic."
I was curious about the situation but I didn't poke further.
The big bear gently stroked my head and disappeared out the window. I looked through the window.
'It's very different from Spania Territory.'
The building’s large and the roadside is well-organized. People who come and go also have neat outfits and faces and above all, their facial expressions weren’t dark or bad.
“It's a lot nicer compawred to whewre I came fwrom. If it's a tewwrytowry near us, why awre they so diffwrent fwom us?” (It’s a lot nicer compared to where I came from. If it’s a territory near us, why are they so different from us?)
The Spania Territory where I lived looked like hell if its to compared to this territory.
"It's because of its Lord. The Lord of Spania territory where you live before is the worst garbage.”
The eyes of the little bear who used the illusion magic by pressing the button on the ring glowed darkly. "We have to get rid of him quickly."
"Why not do it now?"
"The Lord has a backer that’s a little strong."
"A backing? Who?"
Bearing a face expressing concern, “There is such a person,” the little bear replied.
'There is someone strong enough even the Duke can't get rid of it?'
The little bear smiled and looked at me. "You are really cute."
"Weally?" (Really?)
"Yes, look here." The little bear created a small mirror magic in front of my face. “Can you try smiling?”
The cheek that still has baby fat was with a faint pink color. The slightly widened small lips missing front teeth were revealed and the big eyes sparkled lovely.
'I wasn't like this before.'
Washed clean and wearing neat clothes emphasized my appearance. It was sort of awkward to smile but it was certainly cute.
'Somehow a little embarrassing...'
The little bear smiled brightly, "Dia, do you want to become my little sister?" He asked.
"You asked me to be your littwle sistewr just because I’m cute?" (You asked me to be your little sister just because I’m cute?)
“Of course, you are cute. But it's not just because of that. It's very close. Should I say it's like a younger sister? Be my sister. Okay?"
I immediately shook my head.
“Gasp! To say no right away! Dia, our family is really good! It's the Duke family!”
"Don't want to."
“You can have prettier clothes and shoes! You will be treated well!”
"No."
"You can also have bear-shaped food!"
I waver a bit by his statement but I firmly rejected it. "No."
"Candies too! No, you can eat as many desserts which are more delicious than candies as you want!"
This makes me waver more. But again, I steadily overcome the temptation.
The little bear, whose face turned sour after my repeated refusal asked. “Why do you hate it?”
I couldn't trust the two bears yet. Also, what kind of younger sister does he mean?
I answered roughly. "I hate nobiwity!" (I hate nobility!)
"Un? Why?"
"The Lowrd is bad!" (The Lord is bad!)
"I guess you hate all the nobles because the Spania's Lord is bad. But not all nobles are bad. Me and Father are nobles but we are good people.” The little bear pointed at himself with his hand and said confidently, having no shame.
I pretended not to see that and asked. "Are you tawlking about the Duke?" (Are you talking about the Duke?)
"The Duke?"
"Yuliano's dad." Well, I can't call him big bear.
"But my father is not a Duke."
"But you guyth mentiowned he’s fwom the Duke family.” (But you guys mentioned he’s from the Duke family.)
"So that's why you thought so. My father is not the Duke but my mother is. My father is the Duchess' husband."
The little bear pointed to his face with his hand. “Look at this, my hair is black and my eyes are gold. My mana is also colored black. These three are the characteristics of our family's direct lineage. You must have this color to become the Duke/Duchess.”
I suddenly remembered that my mana was also black.
"Then Yuliano's mother, the Duchess, also has that color?"
"Un."
Now that I think about it, I remembered the reason why the black leopard with golden eyes is used as a crest of the family. It’s because of its appearance.
'But the little bear is not a leopard but a bear though.'
Other than the color of his eyes and hair, the other parts resembled the big bear.
"Then what should I caww him? I mean Yuliano's dad. The Duchess' husband?" (Then what should I call him? I mean Yuliano’s dad. The Duchess’ husband?)
"No, you can call him Count. If you marry a Duke/Duchess you'll get the title Count.bRegardless if they don't have a territory."
"Un, so it is like that. Ah, so....." Due to the little bear being the Duchess' son, he is then an Earl.
It’s a law that commoners should use honorific words to nobles. Whatever my real status is, I am a commoner now.
'Now that I think about it, I've talked without honorifics so far but they're not angry.'
If it had been the Lord of Spania, he would’ve killed me as soon as he heard me speak without honorifics. It’ll be a cruel fate.
I decided to be polite to the little bear.
"Eawrl-nim!" (Earl-nim!)
"Ung?"
"Eaw-Earl, I shouwd adwess you like that, right? I-I shouwd tawk with honowrifics." (Ear-Earl, I should address you like that, right? I-I should talk with honorifics.)
The little bear had his eyes wide opened then closed his mouth trying to suppress laughter.
"Hmm. You don't have to call me Earl. Just call me by my name."
"Can I do that?"
"Of course. Or you can also call me brother."
"That's a bit...."
The little bear smiled but his face suddenly hardened. He put his right hand on the bracelet he’s wearing on his left wrist.
“That's weird. This bracelet is a set. You can track the other one who’s wearing the bracelet. Father is getting farther away, going out of town. What happened?”
"Should we go too?"
"But he said we should wait here."
"Let's go."
The little bear looked worried, but nodded. "Okay. Let's go."
The little bear paid the restaurant after using the illusion magic then came out and hugged me. It was still a little awkward but I hugged the little bear's neck with both hands.
The little bear opened his mouth for a while then soon he corrected his expression.
We entered a path without people. The little bear used invincibility magic and a magic that makes us undetected before he began running really fast.
We got out of town in less than 5 minutes. There was a forest full of large, leafy trees but then little bear still moves fast against it.
'Ah!'
And there’s me, who has more mana than the little bear. I can feel something happening through detection magic. I tapped the little bear's shoulder with one hand. The little bear understood my intention at once and stopped immediately.
I covered one side with my hands and whispered very quietly into the little bear's ear.
"100 meters in fwont, thwree bad guys." (100 meters in front, three bad guys)
The little bear nodded saying he understood it.
He lowered me to the floor, “Wait here because it can be dangerous.”
“No.” I started running fast towards the direction I just pointed at.
~**~
Hello~ it's me again and I'm back with a dose of siblings fluffiness(?). It's cute how he tried to lure(?) her with candies and stuff.
It seems like some of you guys are guessing that Dia is their daughter and sister. Well..... it's quite obvious, right? Let's just wait for more explanation╰(▔∀▔)╯
_*A bit of translator TMI.... as I translate this novel and DLBTD, sometimes i got confused while translating. As both novels are now in a stage of fluffiness with the older brother. And also both the MCs name are quite similar. Dia and Mia. So sometimes i was like 'wait isn't it supposed to be like this?' and it turns out to be the different novel ლ(¯ロ¯"ლ)*_
As always I hope you guys stay healthy and don't forget to vote and leave a comment. Thank you~
~Y❤