The next morning, with most of the class groups having set up their tents solidly in the same location, there were a lot of students around who were starting to move. Among them were Ryo and the others.
"I don't like this anymore… this isn't at all what I imagined camping to be like… to start looking for ingredients again…!"
"Even if we complain here, we won't get any food."
"I know, but I just don't understand it!"
"For now, let's just get through the day."
It was at that time when everyone around us was discussing their plans for their upcoming activities as well with a friendly atmosphere in the air.
"I-it's a beaaarrrr!"
"Huh?"
"A-a bear?"
I saw one of the students running over, shouting out loud. When I looked closely, I saw a bear running at high speed behind him.
"A-a bear? And that's the same one that tried to eat me yesterday!"
"Seriously? Hey, Akira, you go ahead and lure it again! You can also beat it if you want!" Said Rin.
"That's ridiculous! Not even I call myself a bear-killing young noble!"
"Even if you can't beat it, you can be a decoy!"
"Ha, I've been deceived againnnnn!"
Even Akira, who was at the limit of his physical strength until a moment ago, was jumping up and down on the spot when the bear appeared. Then, it seemed that one of the students had gone to call the teachers, and Sawada-sensei and the other teachers came over.
"Hey, are you all okay?"
"Listen, students, get behind the teachers right now! When you move, make sure there are as many obstacles between you and the bear as possible!"
Fortunately, there are no students near the bear, so we manage to take shelter behind the teachers. However, the bear also came running after us.
"As expected, there's no one among the teachers who can use a hunting rifle."
"Hihihi… C-can I use this medicine…?"
"Yo-Yomikawa-sensei, calm down! Won't that kill us all if you use it?"
"Why is there a bear on our property in the first place? I'm sure we've got that area under control, but…"
"They probably came from the nearby mountains and breached the fence. We'll have to investigate that area as well…"
"Anyway, we'll just have to wait it out until the police arrive."
While the teachers were discussing this, Sawada-sensei, who was distracted by the students, fell down.
"Oops…"
"Sawada-sensei!"
Exposing an opening in front of the bear would be quite dangerous. Therefore, the other teachers hurriedly tried to help her up, but the next thing they knew, the bear was nearby.
"Guoooh!"
"…Oh my, we have a problem."
Sawada-sensei says such things in a carefree manner. If I look closely, I see that cold sweat is running from her forehead. She tried to slowly, slowly retreat from the spot, but the bear didn't even miss her movement.
"Gaaaah!"
"L-look out!"
The moment the agitated bear raised its thick arm and was about to swing down on Sawada-sensei─I found myself running.
"Yu-Yuuya-kun!"
Kaede, who was nearby, raised her voice with a surprised look, but by that time, I was already standing between Sawada-sensei and the bear. And then I catch the arm that is swinging down vigorously with one hand.
"Guo!?"
"Te-Tenjou!?"
Not only the bear, but also Sawada-sensei was surprised at my intrusion, and her eyes widened at the scene in front of her.
Ah… what's my excuse? It's not like I'm just a slightly athletic person anymore. But I can't just sit back and watch it happen when people are being attacked. I don't know how it's going to turn out, but well, it'll turn out the way it will!
The difference between dealing with monsters and dealing with wild animals is that for me, dealing with animals is not a big deal at all. After all, in another world, I even killed a fire-breathing bear… the devil bear.
"Gu-guoooohh!"
The bear, having its hand attack blocked, hurriedly raised its other hand and swung it down at me. But I caught the attack with my other hand and went into a four-handed stance.
"H-he's grappling with a bear!"
"What's happening?"
"What kind of a man fights a bear with his bare hands?"
As everyone's eyes widened at the unbelievable situation, I bounced the bear's arms up from the four-handed position to end it quickly and put my arms around its torso and hugged it as if it were a wrestling match.
"Guuooooo!?"
"Is he Kintaro?" [T/n: Kintaro is a hero boy of Japanese folklore, who befriended animals and had supernatural strength.]
"No, no, no, before that, how can he compete on equal strength with a bear?"
I lifted the bear as it was, while Ryo and Kaede both tsukomi at it together.
"Soryaa!"
"Guuoooooo!"
"H-he lifted iiitttt."
"Doseiii!"
I lifted the bear up and threw it straight into the distance. Then the bear flies off easily and falls down, rolling on the ground as it is, and then it faints. I lightly brush my hand away and call out to the bear that fainted.
"Phew… if you learn from this, don't you dare to attack people recklessly again, okay?"
"No, no, no, no, no! That's weird!" said everyone in unison.
All the people who were watching me and the bear were tsukomiing.
"Te-Tenjou! Are you okay?"
"Ah, Sawada-sensei. I'm fine, you know? What about sensei, are you okay?"
"Eh? A-ah, sensei is fine… and nothing is wrong! You have to take a check-up with Yomikawa-sensei right now!"
"Eeh? B-but really, I'm just fine…"
"Just get her to check on you."
At the urging of Sawada-sensei, who had an unusually serious expression on her face, I reluctantly decided to have Yomikawa-sensei examine me.
＊＊＊
I ended up having Yomikawa-sensei examine me, but when she found out that my body was all right, Sawada-sensei thanked me again.
"Thank you, Tenjou. If truth be told, as a teacher, I should be punishing you for committing such a dangerous act, but… this time, you saved my life. How about me as your reward?"
"Eh, I'll hold back…"
"Is that so? Well, then I guess I'll just wait patiently."
Um, I don't want you to wait too long… I thought it was the end of the matter for now since it was all taken care of to a certain extent, but there was still the biggest problem.
That was──.
"Guo…"
"What are we going to do about this bear?"
The bear has become completely docile. If it continues like this, it will be treated as a potential target for killing. Or, if it is lucky, maybe it'll end up in a zoo? As I was thinking about that, Kaori came over.
"About the bear over there… since we've had to go through all this trouble, we've decided to keep it at this facility.
"Eh? Keeping it!"
I was surprised by the unexpected words, and Kaori smiled at me.
"Yes. We have permission from the city, so there is no problem in keeping it. As a crime prevention measure, we would like to raise it as a watchdog, a guardian bear."
"Guardian bear…"
What a powerful word.
"How did you get the permit so easily?"
"That part… well… it's my father's power, so to speak…"
Political power is amazing. The bear also looked at Kaori with shining eyes, as if it understood Kaori's words.
"But… is it okay? Even though there was no damage, it's still dangerous to have a bear…"
"It's okay! If this bear ever attacks a person, we plan to eat it as delicious bear meat!"
"G-guo!? Ku-Kuma. Kumakuma."
"Didn't you used to say "Guooh"? Could that be a flattering voice? But even if it's a flattery voice, "Kuma" is strange!"
Although there are still many things to worry about, the bear is safe(?). It would be kept at the school's facility, and our field trip had ended.