The Hunt for the Cowbear

"Oww... Damn, you're strong."

"Wow! As expected of Altor! Shirone is a mage, but he got thrown over in an instant!"

Arm wrestling had nothing to do with magic, but to them, the title of 'mage' seemed to hold great significance.

"Of course! Altor even hunted a bear before!"

Altor let out a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha! Shirone, you've really gotten weak, huh? You weren't like this before. This turned into a weird bet. I'll just pay for the drinks, Shirone."

Lumina helped Shirone up from the floor, her eyes filled with concern.

"Shirone, are you okay? Seriously, Altor, you're so reckless. How could you use that much strength?"

For once, even Altor's expression stiffened.

He understood their concern for Shirone, but criticizing the winner of a match was a direct challenge to his authority as a leader.

"Hah, it's fine. But Altor, you've really gotten stronger."

As Shirone quickly got back on his feet, a few gold coins rolled out of his pocket.

The eyes of the village kids widened in shock.

"Huh? Gold coins! Real gold coins!"

"What? Where? Let me see! Whoa, there are three of them!"

Even the kids sitting at the far end of the table rushed over, mesmerized by the golden glimmer on the floor.

Gold coins were a rarity in the slash-and-burn village, even among the adults. To kids who earned only small change from odd jobs, these golden coins might as well have been sacred treasures.

"Shirone, why are you carrying around three gold coins?"

Shirone scratched his head awkwardly.

"Just in case. I found a book I really want to buy, and it'd be frustrating if I didn't have enough money."

"Makes sense. Books are expensive."

Everyone knew that Shirone loved books. Even when he visited with Vincent, he always had one tucked under his arm.

Of course, the village kids had little interest in books, but the sight of those gold coins alone was enough to make them realize just how much support Shirone was receiving.

"Shirone, does that mean we can spend these however we want?"

Shirone hesitated.

He had never spent money carelessly before. As Altor had said, this was money he received from someone else.

"I don't really have much to spend on. With all the schoolwork, I often skip meals anyway."

"Come on, at least pay for the drinks! You lost the bet, after all."

"The bet? Oh... right."

Shirone had heard Altor say he'd cover it, but arguing further would only make things worse.

What was done was done. And as a leader, Altor was smart enough to go with the flow.

"Hahaha! Alright, then! I never thought I'd live to see the day Shirone buys me a drink! Guess I should drink a bit more, huh?"

The kids cheered.

"Shirone! Can you give me the money now? I've never even touched a gold coin before!"

"Me too! Let me hold one!"

While the others were excited, Lumina anxiously watched Altor.

Even if he cared about Shirone, Altor was still a dear friend.

'He knows Shirone didn't mean to cause this. That's why he's not getting mad.'

Even after joining the magic academy, even with more money than they could imagine, Shirone was still Shirone.

'He hasn't changed at all. Really.'

That consideration for others, even in the smallest things, was rare in a rough village like theirs.

As the noise over the gold coins continued, Lumina finally shouted.

"Enough already! Are you men or mice, fussing over a couple of gold coins? Let's talk about something else."

The kids, realizing the situation, slowly returned to their seats. Shirone was grateful for her intervention.

Sensing the shift, Martin changed the subject.

"By the way, did you hear? It showed up again on the back mountain yesterday."

"Yeah, I heard. At this rate, there won't be any wild animals left. How much longer is it planning to eat?"

"It's probably a pregnant cowbear. Their appetite is insane."

Cowbears were the largest of the gray bear species. When pregnant, a female could eat twice its usual amount, making them a nightmare for hunters.

Having done his fair share of hunting, Shirone showed interest.

"A cowbear crossed over? Aren't they supposed to live on the other side of the mountains? That's gonna be rough."

"Tell me about it. My dad's a hunter, but he keeps coming back empty-handed. There's barely any game left."

"Then why not hunt it down? With five people, a cowbear should be manageable."

"Everyone's out logging. It's lumber season, so there aren't enough people. But judging by its movement, it probably won't give birth here. My dad says if we wait a week, things should go back to normal."

"I see. That must be tough on your dad."

Altor's eyes gleamed.

"Hey, Bred. What if we hunted the cowbear ourselves?"

"What? Us? Isn't that too dangerous?"

"Hey! Who do you think I am? I've hunted red bears before! A cowbear is nothing!"

Altor saw this as a chance to regain his lost honor.

Shirone would leave eventually, but the other kids might not follow him like before.

And when it came to raw strength and hunting skills, he was leagues ahead of Shirone. This was the perfect opportunity.

Altor looked around at the group.

"What do you say? Let's help Bred out. That's what friends are for. His dad will be happy, too."

Bred hesitated before nodding.

"If you guys really would… I'd be grateful."

If he couldn't bring back a proper hunt, his family would struggle. His friends couldn't just turn away from that.

Besides, if Altor had taken down a red bear, a cowbear shouldn't be too hard.

The kids nodded firmly.

"Alright! Tomorrow, we hunt the cowbear!"

"Aaaaah! My blood is boiling! Don't worry, Bred, I'll put an arrow right in that bear's skull!"

"Idiot! You think you can? Let's just set up a trap and let Altor handle it."

Having rallied the group, Altor turned to Shirone.

"You're coming too, right?"

If he wanted to reclaim his leadership, Shirone had to be there.

Understanding that, Shirone actually felt relieved. This was a good chance.

"Alright. My father taught me a thing or two, so I can pull my weight."

"Great! Then, a toast!"

Foamy beer sloshed as the mugs clinked in the air.