"But why didn't the poison work on you, Yuna?" (Marne)
"Maybe it's because I have poison resistance." (Yuna)
It's all thanks to Bear Equipment, but I'd be in trouble if someone asked me to look into Bear Equipment, so I gave an evasive response.
"Poison resistance, huh" (Marne)
Marné-san looked at it suspiciously but didn't pursue it any further. After a while, Ellelaura-san arrived.
"Good work. So how is Corbeau doing?" (Marne)
Marné-san quickly asked Ellelaura-san as she entered the room.
"Corbeau still denies it." (Ellelaura)
"Even though we have all that evidence, he's still not giving up, huh" (Marne)
So far, there were the conversation between Marné-san and Corbeau (Including poisoning), the conversation between Corbeau and the men who attacked Marné-san, testimony and medicines from Lydia-san and her family, the families of the sick people who were also deceived just like Lydia-san, and testimonies from the pharmacists.
"Where is that Corbeau?" (Yuna)
"The guards have him in a cell now. I have used my authority to impose a gag order on him." (Ellelaura)
"The guards are under the lord's jurisdiction, you know. Well done." (Marne)
"I used His Majesty's name." (Ellelaura)
"You're using his name without permission, so I don't care if you get in trouble later." (Marne)
"He almost killed Marné-sama and Yuna-chan, so it's okay." (Ellelaura)
"I understand if it's Marné-san, but me?" (Yuna)
"Yuna-chan is His Majesty's favorite, you see." (Ellelaura)
Am I the King's favourite?
"If you say so, isn't it Flora-sama's?" (Yuna)
To be precise it's Kumayuru and Kumakyu.
"Hehe, His Majesty also cares deeply for you, Yuna-chan. If he hears what happened today, he'll be angry, you know." (Ellelaura)
What does that mean for a king?
"And what about Corbeau's father?" (Yuna)
"I sent out a message earlier. We are to meet at the mansion tomorrow." (Ellelaura)
"What's it about?" (Yuna)
"About the medicines his son, Corbeau, has made, his son's actions towards patients and pharmacists, and the attempted murder of Marné-sama who works at the Ministry of Magic." (Ellelaura)
"Will it not be covered up if reported?" (Yuna)
"We already have the evidence and witnesses, so there's nothing they can do." (Ellelaura)
Ellelaura-san and Marné-san then discussed the next steps. Then Ellelaura-san went back to work compiling evidence and testimony.
"Phew, I'm tired. I'd like Kumayuru and Kumakyu please." (Marne)
Marné-san asked as she collapsed on the bed. Since Marné-san and I no longer needed to hide, we decided to stay at an inn. I summoned Kumayuru and Kumakyu in cub forms onto Marné-san's bed.
"Oh, how soothing." (Marne)
Marné-san was holding Kumayuru and stroking his head. Marné-san had been busy recently, but she had been finding solace in Kumayuru and Kumakyu.
"You too." (Marne)
This time she was touching Kumakyu's stomach.
"Yuna." (Marne)
"What?" (Yuna)
"Thank you. Without you I would have died. I never thought that Corbeau would spread the poison. It was entirely my fault." (Marne)
When people are cornered, you never know what they'll do.
"It can't be helped. Because Corbeau was in the same room." (Yuna)
I didn't think they would spread poison when the person in question was present.
"Still, as a pharmacist, I should have noticed." (Marne)
"Corbeau said so too. It's a slow-acting, odorless poison so that it won't be noticed." (Yuna)
If Kumayuru and Kumakyu had been there, they might have noticed, but they weren't there at the time.
"Oh... how pathetic. I had gathered all that evidence and was even prepared to corner Corbeau." (Marne)
Saying that, she hugged Kumayuru. If she had been killed, we would never have been able to hunt down Corbeau. Dead men tell no tales. Marné-san didn't show it on her face until just now, but she seemed shocked.
"But now that Ellelaura-san has come, everything will be okay." (Yuna)
The next morning, Ellelaura-san, who was staying at the same inn, came to our room. When we left the inn, there were two carriages parked there.
"Both of you, get in this carriage." (Ellelaura)
Ellelaura-san turned her attention to the carriage parked in front of her.
"And what about that carriage over there?" (Yuna)
"Corbeau is in this one." (Ellelaura)
Apparently, it seemed like they're taking him along. Marné-san and Ellelaura-san got into the carriage and I also got into the carriage as Marné-san's bodyguard.
"So, Corbeau still denies it?" (Yuna)
"Yes, he says he's innocent. He thinks if he's taken to his father, everything will be okay." (Ellelaura)
It was really hard for him to give up. After a short swaying ride, the carriage came to a halt in front of the mansion. When we got off the carriage, a neatly dressed middle-aged man and woman were waiting for us. Could it be the lord of this town? Corbeau's parents? Ellelaura-san got off the carriage first, followed by Marné-san and then me. "Bear?" the middle-aged man said in a small voice. When his eyes met mine, he quickly looked away and towards Ellelaura-san.
"Ellelaura-sama, we've been waiting for you." (Corbeau's father)
"The matter is as I conveyed in my advance message yesterday." (Ellelaura)
"I'm sorry about my foolish son." (Corbeau's father)
The man bowed his head.
"D-Dad, don't be fooled!" (Corbeau)
Corbeau tumbled out of the carriage behind us. His wrists were tied and it seemed he couldn't get out of the carriage properly. Corbeau stood up and tried to run over, but was held back by knights on both sides. But, since he was referred to as "dad", he must be the lord of this town and Corbeau's parents.
"I'm not going to listen to you." (Corbeau's father)
"Dad!" (Corbeau)
The father ignored Corbeau and turned his attention to Ellelaura-san.
"Ellelaura-sama, as this place is not suitable, please come inside." (Corbeau's father)
Corbeau screamed, but the knight covered his mouth. The lord and his wife guided us into the mansion and into the reception room.
"I'm truly apologize for my foolish son." (Corbeau's father)
The couple both bowed their heads.
"Urgh." (Corbeau)
Corbeau growled behind us.
"First, may I ask you to verify the evidence?" (Ellelaura)
"Yes, thank you very much." (Corbeau's father)
"First, here is the recording that shows the orders to attack Marné of the Ministry of Magic." (Ellelaura)
The lord and his wife's expressions darken as they hear the conversation between Corbeau and the other men. As the conversation between Marné-san and Corbeau from the previous day continued, Corbeau's parents gradually become angrier. Ellelaura-san further explained Corbeau's evil deeds. They intentionally did not cure patients and instead sold drugs on a long-term basis. He bought medicinal herbs cheaply, was getting in the way of other pharmacists, and was selling ineffective medicines.
"You fool. Are you trying to ruin this household?" (Corbeau's father)
The father approached Corbeau and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
"Calm down" (Ellelaura)
At Ellelaura-san's voice, he shoved Corbeau away. From then on, Ellelaura-san began explaining one after another about Corbeau's evil deeds that he was unaware of. That he was putting pressure on the Commercial Guild and the Adventurer's Guild. He was using the roughnecks in the city to extort money from patients. Apparently, the men who attacked us were also involved in this incident. After all, he must have been doing something bad. The fact that he used the name of his father, the lord, for all of these things.
"You wretch" (Corbeau's father)
Corbeau's father became angry and punched him.
"You are banished from the Ferriton family. You will never again be allowed to pass through our gates or bear the Ferriton family!" (Corbeau's father)
Ellelaura-san ordered the knight to remove the cloth covering Corbeau's mouth.
"If you have something to say, that's fine." (Ellelaura)
"N-No, Dad. It's all a lie. It's all nonsense." (Corbeau)
"Why would Ellelaura-sama have to come all the way from the royal capital to frame you, a mere pharmacist?" (Corbeau's father)
"That is……" (Corbeau)
"Besides, we have all this evidence. Once we hear the testimony, I have no doubt you will be found guilty." (Corbeau's father)
"Are you abandoning your son?" (Corbeau)
"Our family is not so low that we would protect a criminal." (Corbeau's father)
He brushed off Corbeau that was trying to get close to him.
"I am sorry, Ellelaura-sama. It is my fault for not controlling my son. I will accept any punishment." (Corbeau's father)
"As things stand, I will not hold you responsible." (Ellelaura)
"But—" (Corbeau's father)
"He's an adult. His parents aren't responsible. However, the fact remains that the Ferriton family name was used. It is your fault for not realizing that. If you had listened carefully to the voices around you, you would have noticed." (Ellelaura)
"Yes" (Corbeau's father)
But that was difficult. If someone kept their mouth shut, their voice wouldn't be heard. And so, Cliff had made mistakes in the past too.
"Well, it seems they have been bribed, too." (Ellelaura)
Apparently, he had dealt with it without his father finding out. The story progressed to the point where there was no need for my or Marné-san's testimony. This might also be thanks to his father, the lord, being a decent man. Even if the parents were decent, the children could be terrible, and vice versa.
"Then I would like to apologize to anyone who has been harmed by my son." (Corbeau's father)
"You don't need to do that." (Marne)
Marné-san, who had been silent up until now, spoke up.
"Why?" (Corbeau's father)
"As Ellelaura said, this is Corbeau's_ fault. It's not the parents' fault. It's also the Pharmacy Guild's fault for not keeping an eye on them." (Marne)
So, there's the pharmacist guild, huh? I've heard that there's also a blacksmith guild, so I guess it's something similar.
"But—" (Corbeau's father)
"I'll make Corbeau pay for it from his assets. If you make a big deal out of this, it could shake up the town. If that happens, the other residents will become worried." (Marne)
Once you've been labeled an untrustworthy lord, it's hard to shake that label.
"If you feel bad about your son, why don't you go and make a medicinal herb garden and sell it to pharmacists at a fair price?" (Marne)
"A medicinal herb garden?" (Corbeau's father)
"There are some pharmacists who do it on their own, but if they can make it in the city, it will be useful in an emergency. However, it costs money, so few lords are willing to take the initiative. If you feel like apologizing, please turn your attention to future patients." (Marne)
"I understand. I will create a medicinal herb garden." (Corbeau's father)
Marné-san looked happy to hear those words. She might be happy if even a few more patients were saved by that herb garden.
Author's Note
They were decent parents.
I think it will end in a few more episodes.
Book volume 21 will be released on Friday, February 7th.
Please check the activity report for details such as the cover and distribution locations of in-store purchase bonuses.
*Posting will occur every 4 days.
*If I take a break, I will post a comment, and if I am suddenly unable to post, I will contact you via activity reports or X (formerly Twitter). (I'm sorry if I can't do this.)
*131st chapter of the "Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear" comic is currently available on PASH UP! neo (125th chapter of NicoNico Manga is currently available)
*Episode 23 of the "Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear" spin-off is currently available on PASH UP! neo (Episode 20 of NicoNico Manga is currently available)
If you have time, please check out the comic version.
[Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear to be released]
Book 21 released on February 7, 2025. (Next volume, volume 22, in the works)
The 12th volume of the comic was released on August 3, 2024. (The release date for the next volume, 13, has not yet been decided.)
Comicalized Gaiden Volume 3 was released on December 20, 2024. (The release date for the next volume, Volume 4, has not yet been decided.)
The 11th volume of the paperback edition was released on October 4, 2024. (The deadline for the campaign to win a big acrylic stand featuring Yuna and Shuri on the cover is January 20, 2025. 20 lucky winners will receive a prize.) (The release date for the next volume, 12, has yet to be decided.)
*Thank you to everyone who reports typos.
Some of the kanji have been corrected to match the book, so please understand that there are some parts that have not been corrected.
Translation Note
Thanks to TV.Station for the comprehensive suggestions.