Chapter 448

Bear-san, Talks To Sakura-sama.

At the far end of the large room, a girl dressed in a white miko

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costume sat alone.

Sakura-sama, Im back. (s.h.i.+n.o.bu)

s.h.i.+n.o.bu. What about your injury? (Sakura)

The girl dressed in a white miko costume stood up worriedly about s.h.i.+n.o.bu.

Im fine. Im fine. (s.h.i.+n.o.bu)

s.h.i.+n.o.bu did some forward somersaults and backflips on the spot.

Shes really agile like a ninja.

Thats good then. (Sakura)

The girl sat back down, seemingly relieved.

s.h.i.+n.o.bu and I walked up to the girl. There was a cus.h.i.+on in front of the girl, and she asked me to sit down.

Yuna. Ill introduce you. This is Sakura-sama. (s.h.i.+n.o.bu)

My name is Sakura.

Sakura greeted me with a serious look on her face, different from the age-appropriate expression of concern she had just shown for s.h.i.+n.o.bu.

Her age doesnt look much different from Finas.

The expression she had shown to s.h.i.+n.o.bu earlier was gone, and she was looking at me with her beautiful face and dignified bearing, her back straight and clean.

She is a mysterious girl with long black hair that hangs over her white miko costume.

But I didnt think that the miko who had the prophetic dream was such a little girl.

As you probably know, Im Yuna, and this is Hugging Bear.

I also introduced Hugging Bear which I am holding.

I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable, Yuna-sama. Im sorry for calling you out like this. (Sakura)

Sakura apologized in a tone unusual for a child, thrust her hands in front of her, and bowed her head so deeply that her head touched the tatami.

Thats enough. Please raise your head. (Yuna)

I dont want to look like Im making a child get down on her knees. Sakura slowly raised her head at my words.

Thank you very much. (Sakura)

That doesnt mean Im going to accept your request just yet. I just came to talk to you because s.h.i.+n.o.bu risked her life for you. (Yuna)

Also, I was curious about the prediction.

Yes, Im grateful to s.h.i.+n.o.bu for taking on this dreadful role. (Sakura)

Thats not true. Compared to Sakura-samas hards.h.i.+p, mine was nothing. (s.h.i.+n.o.bu)

Thank you, s.h.i.+n.o.bu. (sakura)

Sakura smiled at s.h.i.+n.o.bu.

When Sakura looked at me, she had a nervous expression on her face. I wonder if Im that nervous. Im not a mascot, but I dont think Im nervous about what I wear.

Sakura lets out a small breath and opens her mouth as if she has made up her mind about something.

Yuna-sama, may I hold your hand? (Sakura)

My hand? (Yuna)

I tried to make my bear puppet crunch. But Sakuras reaction doesnt change from her serious expression. It seems that she doesnt want to just touch my bear puppet.

Yes, if its not too much trouble, please. (Sakura)

Sakura bowed her head.

Its not going to be weird, is it? (Yuna)

Yes, itll not be strange. I promise you that. (Sakura)

Thats fine. (Yuna)

Oh, thank you very much. (Sakura)

When I gave her permission, Sakura stood up and came over to me. She sat back down in front of me, grasped the bear puppet I offered her with a nervous expression, and slowly closed her eyes.

Sakura, holding my bear puppet, did not move. Shes quietly holding my bear puppet.

After a minute or so, Sakura didnt move, and just as I was about to call out to her, tears spilled from her eyes.

Wha-, what happened!? (Yuna)

I panicked. I didnt expect her to cry when she held my hand.

Warm magical power. Beautiful magical power. Its definitely the same light I felt in my dream. Finally, I am able to grasp it. (Sakura)

Sakuras hand, holding my bear puppet, grasped it stronger. Her hand was small and weak. But I can feel that she doesnt want to let go of my hand.

Finally. Finally. (Sakura)

Sakura didnt even try to wipe her tears away, but firmly held my hand to keep it from escaping.

I didnt know what to do, so I looked at Sakura, and her eyes slowly opened.

Her expression changed from tears to a smile.

Im sorry, because it was what I was looking for, but I couldnt grab it. (Sakura)

Sakura let go of my hand and wiped her tears.

I was worried until I got confirmation. But Yuna-sama is definitely the light of hope in my dreams. (Sakura)

How do you know all that? (Yuna)

Its the light I dreamt about so many times, the light I tried to grasp so many times. I felt the same thing from Yuna-sama. Im sure of it. (Sakura)

Sakura replied strongly.

Then she smiled happily.

Sakura thanked me, moved away from me, and sat back down to her seat.

So you can really see premonitions in your dreams? And you can see everything? (Yuna)

No, I can only see what concerns me. Also, I cant see everything. What I can see are just glimpses, I cant do it freely even if I want to. On the contrary, I can see things even if I dont want to. (Sakura)

Can you only see your future? (Yuna)

Yes, I think I can see a future in which I am involved. (Sakura)

Apparently, she cant see other peoples future.

I dont think I can ask her to look into my future.

Can I ask you a question? (Yuna)

Yes, if I can answer. (Sakura)

What will the future hold if I dont help? (Yuna)

The seals will be broken, the monsters will be resurrected, and many people will be killed before my eyes. (Sakura)

What happens to the monsters after theyre resurrected? (Yuna)

I dont know. I also died at that moment. After that, they may have been defeated. There may have been more damage. But since Im dead, I wont know what will happen in the future after that. (Sakura)

Does that mean youve seen yourself die many times?

You didnt run away? Or rather you didnt escape?

This girl had experienced her own death, over and over and over again. But in the midst of it all, she found a light of hope, which happened to be me. A light that she could not grasp for a long time no matter how desperately she searched for. I felt like I understood the reason for her tears earlier.

But in that desperate dream, I found a light. The light was far away, but I felt a warm glow. The light wavered, and when I looked closely at it, I saw that it was in the shape of a beast, with a person on it. (Sakura)

Then she looked at Hugging Bear.

I was riding Swaying Bear, though.

I decided to call the light of hope, but I didnt know how to. The light wavered and moved freely. I tried my best to catch it, but I could not. But one day, I realized that it was coming from the direction of the sea. (Sakura)

Thats the same as what s.h.i.+n.o.bu told me earlier.

His Majesty the King has deployed his army to greet the person riding the beast coming from the sea. But the glimmer of hope vanished. He immediately pulled out his soldiers. (s.h.i.+n.o.bu)

Sakura repeated to me the story that s.h.i.+n.o.bu earlier narrated to me.

Eventually, s.h.i.+n.o.bu came into contact with me, the one riding the beast.

How do you know that the visions in your dream have changed? (Yuna)

I dont know how Sakura was able to see changes in the predicted path.

It depends on the will of one who has great power. (Sakura)

What do you mean by that? (Yuna)

Its like the power of the king. If the king moves, the country moves. First, I knew that the light would appear from the sea riding on a beast. So, not knowing how dangerous the beast would be, the king prepared his army to deal with it. But in my dream that night, the light went away and disappeared. Even though I cannot change the future by myself, it can change if someone with power makes a move. (Sakura)

If you find out that a group of monsters will be attacking you, the future wont change even if Sakura, who doesnt have the power to defeat the monsters, confronts them personally. But if the king moves his army, the future will change, it seems.

I heard from s.h.i.+n.o.bu that I had to fight Jubei-san to measure my strength. Didnt the king believe the words of Sakuras hope? (Yuna)

Sakura shook her head.

Not the king, but the n.o.bles and the keepers of the old lore. They dont like strangers entering our land. Some of them did not like the idea of asking for help from something they did not understand. His Majesty the King could not listen to my words alone (Sakura)

Sakura bowed her head as if it were difficult to say.

So thats how it got so messy.

Its true that only Sakura knows what a ray of hope was. But for the rest of them, if they were told that a beast was coming from the sea, they would, of course, be suspicious.

And they dont even know what that person was capable of.

Then came along a girl dressed as a bear riding a bear.

After that, this power of mine was kept secret and only a few people knew about it, which made approaching Yuna-sama difficult. (Sakura)

Sakura looks apologetic.

So, just to be sure, are you really going to ask me, someone dressed like this, such an important task? Arent there other people who are going to complain? (Yuna)

My outfit is a bear costume. Generally, I dont look like I can defeat a monster let alone a group.

Youve defeated Jubei in a serious fight. I wont let anyone complain. If they still doubt Yuna-samas power, then theyre just a fool who doesnt understand the importance of the nation. (Sakura)

Sakura tightened her grip on the small hand on her lap.

I dont think she really wanted us to fight each other.

This was evident in the expression on s.h.i.+n.o.bus face when she walked into the room.

Now I want to help the girl in front of me.

If they were going to ask me to do it, they should have had Sakura approach me from the very beginning.

The first time was a mistake. She told the king, and thats why it turned into such a big mess.

If Sakura had come to see me in person, I may have listened to her.

And if she had spoken to me in such a serious way, I think I may have taken the job if I could.

But when I think about it, my strategy guides were children?

Like with Fina, the Black Viper, the problem of the orphanage, Noas request involving 10,000 monsters, Misas birthday party, Karina in the desert. Everything involves children.

Apparently, I have a soft spot for children.

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Authors Note:

I apologize for the delay in posting.

The reason is the red text in the bookwork.

If there is a sudden delay in the future, I will write about it in the activity report.

If you put it in your favorite user, it will be easier to understand.

So thats how Sakura cried in Yunas arm.

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Translators Note:

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Ill translate

Shrine Maiden

to

Miko

from now on because of convenience!