He bent down.
He reached out.
He picked up the little fellow, which was only about the size of a gas cylinder, and set it on his knees.
"You little rascal..."
Haimo reached out and rubbed those two round bear ears.
"You haven't even grown all your fur yet, and you already want to be an adventurer?"
"Rawr!"
It seemed to have picked up on the teasing in Haimo's voice.
The cub let out an indignant cry and nuzzled its head against Haimo's chest even more vigorously.
In those eyes.
There was a humanlike longing that did not belong to an ordinary wild animal.
It was an instinctive pursuit of strength.
And an eagerness to keep pace with everyone else.
"..."
Haimo rubbed the cub's furry head.
But his gaze passed over it.
He looked toward the big fellow lying in a corner of the hall, which had not come over, though its beady eyes had been watching them longingly all along-the black bear, Fierce Man.
It had not come over to act cute and seek affection like its cub.
But those beady eyes had been watching them longingly all along.
When it saw Haimo turn his gaze toward it.
"Rrr..."
Fierce Man let out a low whine from its throat, lifting its huge head slightly before lowering it again somewhat timidly.
That cautious longing was no less than its cub's, if not greater.
"..."
Come to think of it.
These two bears.
Were neither natives of this world nor the mindless monsters in the Dungeon that turned to ash upon death.
Instead, they had crossed over from S-14 World along with the others.
They were flesh and blood.
And even possessed an intelligence that rivaled a human's.
In that case...
Haimo stroked his chin, his fingers brushing through the