Ranker's Return

‘Where is he?’

A small bear with white fur like snow was wandering around the forest of Bung Bung Island and looking for someone.

“Child, where are you?”

Eventually, the white bear failed to find them with her eyes, so she made a sound and started to call for them instead. After walking around for five minutes, the white bear finally found what she was looking for.

“What are you doing here?”

The white bear stopped in front of a small brown bear.

“Huh? Sister!”

The brown bear raised his head.

“What’s wrong with your face? Did you not eat again?”

The white bear sat down next to the brown bear and her paws turned the brown bear’s face back and forth.

“I ate. However, I didn’t eat much because it didn’t taste good.”

The brown bear shook his head.

“I told you that you should eat it even if it isn’t delicious.”

The white bear let out a sigh and swung her paws through the air. Then a black gap was created in the place where the claws scratched and passed. The white bear stuck her paws in between it.

“Let’s eat this.”

The paws of the white bear that had slipped through the gap was holding a piece of meat full of blood.

“Meat, meat!”

The brown bear rejoiced when he saw the meat. His eyes that were like dead fish came alive.

“Wait a minute. I’ll cook it for you.”

The white bear dissuaded the brown bear, who was about to rush over immediately. Then she started to prepare the meat. She picked up a stone that was the right size and used magic to make water and clean the stone. Then she heated the stone by making a fire with magic. The meat was placed on the stone and made a wonderful noise.

“Delicious...”

The brown bear drooled at the sight of the meat being cooked.

“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”

The white bear showed pity for the brown bear.

“I think I’ve been starving all day...”

Upon close inspection, his cheeks looked slightly dented.

“I had a bit of lunch...”

“Lunch? What about breakfast?”

“I had breakfast. Dad secretly cooked meat without Mom knowing.”

The brown bear replied with a smile.

“Ah... really?”

The white bear was dumbfounded for a moment, but held it in. She never uttered the words that came to mind.

“It is the time when you are growing, so you have to eat well. Even if the meal isn’t delicious, you have to eat it, okay?”

Instead, she spoke very very softly.

“I understand, Sister.”

The brown bear nodded and shrugged.

‘Delicious meat, meat.’

He already couldn’t hear the words of the white bear very well. He let it enter one ear and flow out the other. He focused his whole mind only on the sound of meat being cooked.

The corners of the white bear’s mouth flinched when she heard the word ‘Sister.’ It was only for a short time. The corners of her mouth soon rose.

“It is done. You can eat now.”

The white bear worked hard to lower the corners of his lips and extinguished the fire. Then she pushed the stone with the meat in front of the brown bear.

“I will enjoy it.”

The brown bear nodded to the white bear and held out his paw toward the meat.

‘He eats well.’

The white bear looked at the brown bear and smiled. The way he ate in a hurry was just cute in her eyes. The brown bear ate meat for a long time before suddenly raising his head to stare at the white bear.

“What is it? Do you want me to cook more?” the white bear asked with a puzzled expression.

“It’s okay, I’m full.”

The brown bear shook his head from side to side.

“I just suddenly became curious.”

“What are you curious about?”

“There is no place to get this type of meat on Bung Bung Island. I just wonder where they come from for you to cook it every day like this.”

The brown bear had searched all over Bung Bung Island for meat, but he couldn’t find any beasts where he could obtain meat. Meanwhile, the white bear always had meat.

“Ah, you were curious about that. It isn’t from Bung Bung Island. I’m not looking for it here, but somewhere else. There are many beasts there.”

“Somewhere else?”

“Yes, the continent.”

The brown bear’s eyes were filled with curiosity.

The continent—he wondered what type of place it was. Until now, the world of the brown bear had only been Bung Bung Island.

“No, it is dangerous.”

The white bear could read the thoughts of the brown bear. It was obvious what he was thinking.

“Dangerous?” The brown bear hesitated. The white bear wouldn’t lie.

“Yes, it is very dangerous. There are many monsters and humans.”

“Monsters? Humans?”

“Yes, didn’t you learn about it from Uncle and Auntie?”

The brown bear nodded at the white bear’s words. He heard it often from his parents.

Monsters and humans—lifeforms that existed outside of Bung Bung Island. He was always told to be careful because it was dangerous.

‘Is she getting meat from such a dangerous place?’

“Sister,” the brown bear stared at the white bear and called out to her.

“Huh?”

“Thank you. You always take care of me.”

The brown bear sat down and bowed his head.

“Be careful.”

The white bear hurriedly pushed the brown bear’s head. If he went down a bit further, then his fur would’ve touched the meat.

‘It is rewarding.’

The white bear, Leah, grinned.

***

Time passed and the brown bear, who seemed like an immature child, got his name due to a connection. However, it wasn’t just a name. Tang-E’s growth was very bizarre. It was an unparalleled speed in the long history of the Marionette Bears. It was too fast even if he had signed a ‘contract,’ which was magic from ancient times.

Naturally, the way those within the tribe looked at the brown bear changed. It was from just a cute child to a pillar that would support the next generation of the tribe. However, there was one person who looked at the brown bear with unwavering eyes.

“Tang-E, where are you?”

The white bear, Leah, looked exactly the same as before as she wandered through Bung Bung Island in search of the brown bear.

“Tang-E is here.”

A brown bear, or now a golden bear, Tang-E appeared from among the bushes.

“What were you doing?”

Leah approached Tang-E in an instant. It was like space was folded.

“Sister, I was waiting for you.”

“Me?” Leah cocked her head. Did this mean he knew where she would look for him and waited?

“Why didn’t you come to see me?”

“I just thought you would come to me. It is because it has always been like that. In any case, that isn’t the point.”

Tang-E stopped talking and dragged Leah somewhere.

“I will cook meat for you today.”

Tang-E was ready to cook meat at the place where he took Leah. He just needed to set fire to the firewood and he would be able to cook the meat.

“I’ve been saving meat.”

Tang-E moved his paws to his chest, took out the meat he had stored in his subspace, and lit the firewood.

‘He has really changed...’

Leah couldn’t hide her puzzled expression. She heard that there had been a big change in Tang-E in the last few months when she hadn’t seen him. She just never imagined it would be this much.

‘Subspace magic and fire magic! I think he has enough magic power...’

It was as if the Tang-E she knew before was gone.

“Sister, didn’t you say it before?” Tang-E opened his mouth as he looked at the burning firewood.

“Me? What?”

“The continent is dangerous.”

“Ah... I did.”

She remembered. She definitely said that before.

“It was true. The continent is dangerous.”

“That’s right, it is dangerous.”

“That is why I’m even more grateful to you.”

Tang-E’s words ended here, but Leah could tell the meaning of the words.

‘By the way... there seems to be a misunderstanding.’

The continent that Tang-E knew was clearly different from the continent that Leah knew. Leah was active only in the Hejin Great Mountain Range on the continent. That place was enough to get meat for Tang-E.

‘In any case, well… it doesn’t really matter.’

Any misunderstanding of this type was good.

“By the way, it looks like you’ve done this more than once or twice?”

Leah was amazed to see Tang-E’s perfect fire control.

“Now I can’t eat well at home. I eat a lot outside,” Tang-E replied with a hesitant expression. It was an expression that showed he said something that shouldn’t be said.

“Then will you do it often in the future?”

Leah patted Tang-E’s head like she didn’t care.

‘I should get more meat from Master dude.’

“Okay, Tang-E will do it often.”

Tang-E smiled and nodded. Leah found Tang-E cute like this.

***

Reina entered the office and paused momentarily. There wasn’t a person in the office, only two bears.

“Tang-E, where did Hyeonu go?” Reina asked as she approached Tang-E, who was stamping hard.

“He went out because something happened. He will probably be back in a little while,” Tang-E replied without even giving Reina a glance.

“You don’t know what is going on?”

“Tang-E doesn’t know. Master dude has many secrets of his own.”

“I see.”

Reina gently nodded.

“By the way... aren’t you getting along well with Master dude these days?”

Tang-E put down the seal in his hand and slowly raised his head.

“How do you know that?”

Reina looked at Tang-E with a surprised expression.

“Do you think I’m stupid? I have this much sense.”

Tang-E raised an eyebrow.

“My older brother noticed it.”

Gom-E hugged Tang-E.

“I also heard it from Master dude. He said you ate together a while ago.”

Tang-E exposed what he had heard from Hyeonu. Of course, he didn’t mention what Hyeonu said about Reina. He just gave the nuances.

“It is very good to eat often with Master dude.”

“Why is that?” Reina questioned Tang-E’s words.

“Think about it. The faces of the people who can eat with Master dude.”

Tang-E looked like she was pathetic.

‘People who eat together?’

Many faces passed through Reina’s head. Yeongchan, Jin Sijong, Gang Junggu, Kale, Mason, etc.

‘There aren’t many people?’

There weren’t many people that came to mind.

‘Does this mean I’m part of that line?’

Reina continued to speculate on her own while Tang-E spoke again, “In particular, it is important that Master dude took you somewhere. It means the human who usually doesn’t like the hassle in the past is buying the meal and suffering.”

Reina’s expression changed strangely after hearing Tang-E’s words. It looked like she liked something but she was trying to suppress the emotion.

“So pretty human, why don’t you go out a bit more actively?”

“Actively? How?”

“Do I have to tell you that?” Tang-E’s eyes narrowed.

“No, it is okay. I’ll take care of it.” Due to this sharp gaze, Reina couldn\'t help avoiding Tang-E’s eyes for no reason. Then she started to think in earnest about how to get closer to Hyeonu.

‘How can I teach you something I don’t know, stupid human?’

Tang-E saw this and secretly sighed with relief.

‘I am trying like this, Master dude.’

Tang-E smiled proudly when he thought of Hyeonu who had disappeared somewhere.

‘I hope it will go well.’

Tang-E hoped and hoped again. It was so that his efforts wouldn’t be in vain.