I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family - Chapter 17

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 17

Back to where they belonged, he’d said.
Recalling Demirun’s words, Theodore let out a bitter smile. Could that rabbit truly have had any place that was originally hers?
When Theodore said nothing, Demirun tilted his head slightly and pressed him again.
“You have never made an exception, sir. Not a single Emergency Ration you’ve brought back has failed to return to nature. Yet you mean to make Nabom an exception?”
“Stop testing me.”
Theodore’s face remained expressionless as he rose from his seat.
“If you’d been there, you would have heard it too.”
That voice.
Theodore’s golden eyes fixed directly on Demirun’s.
Demirun’s hands clenched into fists without his realizing it.
Yes. He had certainly heard it.
A girl’s voice.
When I didn’t yet understand the situation, my lord was already parting through the avalanche toward the owner of that voice.
Toward the Arctic hare standing atop the snow-covered slope.
A demi-human in animal form cannot be heard by a demi-human in human form.
If there existed a being that could overturn such an obvious law, it could only be one who possessed Divine Power.
“As I suspected.”
At Demirun’s “as I suspected,” Theodore’s expression suddenly crumpled.
“Even for someone like me, that expression is frightening, sir. Since you won’t give me a proper explanation, I have no choice but to probe you like this.”
…….
“But how did you know I was testing you?”
When Theodore fell silent again, Demirun pressed him without backing down, urging a response.
“You should practice regularly, as you know. Sir, you speak far too little. Because of that, neither your sons nor Nabom understand your true feelings.”
Gazing at Theodore’s fiercely furrowed brow, Demirun smiled.
Even that expression, even that taciturn nature—all of it was noble.
“……I understand. I’ll be mindful.”
Theodore drew a deep breath.
“So does that clear things up?”
“Yes, sir. I understand perfectly that you have no intention of releasing Nabom. So whenever you have need of me, please do command me as you see fit…….”
Just as Demirun began to answer with an exaggerated bow,
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A noise far too violent for a knock, followed by urgent voices from beyond the door.
“Sir, no!”
“Father! You can’t!”
Crash, crash, crash—thud, thud.
The door shook, then cracked with a splintering sound of wood, and the doorknob fell clean away.
Through the two round holes appeared the faces of two boys—Ferdi and Louis.
“……Ah.”
Louis, the culprit who had just shattered the family head’s study door, uttered a single, hollow exclamation.
“P-please, sir! Don’t eat Nabom!”
Eyes squeezed shut, he cried out with desperate earnestness.
“I was in such a rush I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I’ll definitely fix this later. Please, sir—I’m begging you. Just this once, won’t you spare Nabom?”
Ferdi joined in with a bow. Louis followed suit, the doorknob still clutched in his hand as he bent low.
‘Hmm…….’
Demirun scratched his head, looking troubled.
It seemed the young lords had misunderstood his comment about being commanded at will.
It was an easy mistake to make. The two young masters didn’t know the truth about Emergency Rations. So this particular Emergency Ration truly was special to them.
“……Troublesome.”
Theodore exhaled heavily, his voice low.
At that quiet tone, both boys flinched.
‘If he skips the explanation, what shall I do.’
As Demirun’s eyes narrowed, Theodore strode toward the broken door.
Grasping the hole where the knob had been, Theodore opened the door and stopped before his two sons.
“Yes. Good timing. You two, come along.”
“……What?”
At Theodore’s cryptic command, Ferdi and Louis exchanged bewildered glances.

***

“H-have a good visit, my lord.”
Once Theodore confirmed that the rabbit Anna had handed him was settled in Ferdi’s arms, he turned and walked without a word. Ferdi held the rabbit close while Louis followed their father with an anxious gaze fixed on the animal.
The two boys’ eyes suddenly met in midair.
Wondering what they were imagining, the youths shuddered.
The rabbit—Nabom—tilted her head as she watched the boys and Theodore’s retreating form.
What is this?
When she turned to glance behind, Theodore’s aide, Demirun, was following along as well. He smiled faintly when he noticed Nabom.
Where are we all going?
After a long walk, they arrived at a building Nabom had never seen before.
‘There’s still a building I haven’t seen?’
How vast was Grizzly Castle, anyway!
As these thoughts crossed her mind, Ferdi and Louis came to a halt beside her.
“Why…….”
“The Separate Annex……?”
Both murmured softly, their expressions puzzled.
When Theodore turned to look back at them, the boys quickly resumed their steps.
They crossed the annex lobby and climbed the stairs, then turned down the right corridor.
At the far end of the corridor, there was a single door.
Theodore knocked and slowly opened it. As the hesitant Ferdi and Louis entered, Demirun bowed to the four of them as if to say farewell and closed the door.
‘This place is…….’
The room was dim.
Save for the curtains drawn across the window with only the slightest gap, there was no source of light.
A large bed sat against one wall.
“Ribe.”
As Theodore approached the bed and spoke the name, someone lying there stirred.
‘Whose room is this?’
Long hair flowed down from the headrest as the figure rose. A woman sat on the bed wearing something like a patient’s gown.
When Theodore met her eyes, she turned her gaze away.
In the dim room, it seemed her eyes passed over Nabom, who flinched. But they soon returned to Theodore. Nabom found herself exhaling in relief.
The woman nodded, and Theodore slowly walked toward Ferdi. Or rather—toward Nabom.
“…….”
Theodore looked down quietly at Nabom in Ferdi’s arms. Ferdi’s grip tightened. What was he thinking? Nabom swallowed dryly.
Louis tried to step in front of Ferdi, but Ferdi shook his head. Instead, he looked up at Theodore with determined eyes.
“F-Father, what business do you have with Nabom?”
“Put her down.”
At Theodore’s terse command, Ferdi, Louis, and Nabom all shrank back in unison.
Looking at their expressions, Theodore suddenly recalled something.

It was terribly true.
He hadn’t wanted to frighten his precious children with curt words at a moment like this.
His dear ones.
“……I won’t hurt the rabbit.”
At this unexpected remark, Ferdi’s expression softened in bewilderment. He gently set Nabom down on the floor.
Nabom blinked, looking between Ferdi and Theodore in confusion.
Theodore slowly knelt to meet Nabom’s eyes. Just as she wondered whether he meant to lift her up, she squeezed her eyes shut without thinking.
“Come along.”
With those gentle words, Theodore turned and walked toward the bed.
Nabom carefully followed his lead.
Theodore stopped at the foot of the bed and pointed toward Nabom as he spoke.
“Let me introduce you. A rabbit.”
At this sparse introduction, the woman sitting on the bed seemed to stifle a laugh.
“Let me introduce you. My wife.”
This time, he gestured toward the woman as he looked at Nabom.
The woman turned slowly and bowed to Nabom with elegant grace. Caught off guard, Nabom bowed in return.
‘Is she Ferdi and Louis’s mother?’

“To those of the Grizzly Family gathered here, I have something to say.”
Theodore’s declaration fell like a pronouncement.
“This Arctic hare demi-human, I…….”
Theodore paused.
Everyone, including Nabom, swallowed hard without meaning to.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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