I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family - Chapter 8

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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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Chapter 8

The uninvited guests were two.
Ferdi and Louis stopped before the bed with bright smiles, synchronized their breathing, and spoke in unison.
“A gift!”
Crackle-crackle—bright yellow petals cascaded onto the bedding.
What the two had scattered were yellow dandelions. Proper ones with stems intact, their leaves soft and tender.
If you nibbled the straight stem like a stick of sugar cane, the fragrance of the dandelion flower at the tip would slowly drift upward.
And the moment the petals reached your mouth, a soft, fluffy texture unfolded alongside a sweet, delicate taste.
Gulp.
Just as saliva pooled anew in Na Bom’s mouth, something soft descended onto her head.
As her head tickled and she shook it gently, Ferdi’s voice came from above her.
“It’ll fall.”
“…?”
Lifting her head cautiously, she caught sight of Ferdi’s gentle face and slender fingers.
Then, soft as silk, something descended to cover one corner of her vision.
A bright yellow dandelion petal.
“Ah, good thing. It caught your ear instead.”
Ferdi laughed softly.
“This is my gift to you.”
“How do you like it! A Dandelion Crown just for you, little Snow. My brother’s really good at making things like this.”
Beside him, Louis puffed out his chest proudly. Ferdi, meanwhile, continued to study Na Bom’s expression with that gentle smile.
‘…’
Na Bom raised her front paws and touched the dandelion resting against her ears.
Her eyes felt dangerously close to tears.
Wearing the Dandelion Crown, Na Bom began eating the dandelions scattered across the bed.
What had been her plan after escaping Baek Rang?
She’d heard that among the Beast-humans living in the Capital, some kept herbivorous Beast-humans as pets.
To get to the Capital by any means necessary and become the pet of a kind Beast-human. That had been Na Bom’s plan.
Since she hadn’t managed it this far, Humanization would likely be difficult going forward. Na Bom would be satisfied just living long, even as a rabbit.
And if it’s you two, you’re absolutely qualified to be my owners!
“Eat it all, little Snow.”
“Yeah. It’s a shame, but you can eat the Dandelion Crown too.”
No, I pledge to serve you forever, Masters.
Just then, as Na Bom chewed happily on the dandelions, Ferdi watched her belly intently and spoke gently.
“You still need to grow a bit more, though.”
‘…’
Na Bom spat out the dandelion and shook her head vigorously, shaking off the Dandelion Crown.
“Huh? Little Snow, why the sudden change?”
“Didn’t you like the crown?”
Cancel that last thought.
She’d almost forgotten whose sons these little demons were!
As Na Bom turned her back on the two boys and expressed her disappointment with her entire body,
the door swung open and a white-haired grandfather appeared.
“So you were here, as I thought.”
“Heinz!”
“We’re caught.”
The moment the two boys caught sight of the grandfather—Heinz—they exchanged whispers, twisting their lips in dismay.
“You shouldn’t come in, Heinz.”
“Huh?”
“Only two people at a time can visit with little Snow.”
“Little Snow? Snow or no snow, it’s study time now!”
Heinz barked and strode into the room, stopping before the two boys.
“That’s enough playing around. I have to go chasing after you two the moment lessons start. How much longer are you planning to work this old man to death? I’m a tutor, not a nanny for young masters!”
Before the boys could even step back from Heinz, who was spraying spittle as he shouted, they were grabbed by the scruff of their necks.
“In any case, today we need to cover Hibernation, so there’s no time to waste.”
At that, Na Bom’s ears perked up sharply.
‘Hibernation?’
Didn’t that old man say he was a tutor?
If they’re covering Hibernation today, that means he’s teaching about bear hibernation!
Before Heinz could drag Ferdi away by the wrist, Na Bom pressed her front paw against the boy’s thin arm.
“…Little Snow?”
Pressing the boy’s slender wrist with both small front paws, Na Bom shook her head repeatedly. Then, with eyes as earnest as she could make them, she looked up at Ferdi.
Please, take me with you too!
“Ugh.”
Ferdi suddenly clutched at his chest and crumpled to the floor.
“Young Master Ferdi?”
“Heinz. I can’t go. I can’t leave little Snow.”
“What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden?”
Heinz’s critical gaze soon fell upon Na Bom.
“Ah, the Commander’s emergency rations.”
“That word is forbidden!”
Anna hurried over and folded back Na Bom’s ears.
Heinz looked at Anna and Na Bom, clicked his tongue, and spoke curtly.
“That’s no little snow. Looks like a shabby puppy to me.”
“Excuse me?”
“What?”
“Heinz just insulted little Snow!”
The air around him grew cold in an instant, but Heinz paid it no mind. Na Bom did not either.
Na Bom picked up a single dandelion from the bedding in her mouth, then stood up using all four of her legs—front and back—to hold it aloft.
Already known to be no ordinary rabbit, Na Bom had no hesitation in expressing herself.
“Hm?”
Heinz furrowed his brow.
The pure white rabbit was moving her feet frantically, expressing something.
Something was being drawn on the bedsheet—whether letters or pictures, who could say? So she used the dandelion as a pen, sketching something, then patted her small, round chest repeatedly.
“You want to study? You too?”
At Heinz’s question, the rabbit’s eyes widened and she nodded frantically.
How did he understand that?
Ferdi stared at Heinz with round eyes.
“I don’t know how old you are, but you haven’t managed Humanization yet. Do you really think you could understand what I’m teaching?”
“What are you saying, Heinz! Look, she understands what you’re saying just fine right now.”
“Little Snow wants to study? With us? That’s fine, but studying isn’t even that fun. Wouldn’t it be better if you just rested here?”
“That’s right, little Snow. You’ve never been to the young masters’ study room before. A strange place wouldn’t be good for you.”
Despite the dissuasion of Louis and Anna, Na Bom shook her head firmly.
Information about hibernation was essential. And seeing places beyond this room was equally important.
‘I absolutely need to learn the layout of this castle.’
This was an opportunity she couldn’t afford to miss if she were to escape!
Na Bom leaned against the bed railing and thrust her face toward Heinz.
How long had it been since she looked up at him with such desperate longing? Heinz placed his hand over his chest and averted his gaze.
“Don’t stare at me like that. This old man’s heart is weak.”
‘…?’
He uttered something incomprehensible and abruptly turned his back.
“What are you doing? Let’s get going. Young Master Ferdi, Young Master Louis. And.”
Heinz turned as he spoke.
“Rabbit. You come along too.”
The faces of the two boys and one rabbit brightened at once.

***

“Now, do you understand the reason bears enter Hibernation?”
As Na Bom and Ferdi nodded, Louis—who had been staring blankly—belatedly nodded as well.
“Next, the duration of hibernation. Bears can sleep for up to six months or longer. However, Beast-humans don’t sleep for such extended periods. The bear Beast-humans of the Grizzly Clan enter Dormancy for anywhere from one to two months at most.”
Na Bom’s dark eyes flashed.
Even a month at minimum—that’s more than enough time to escape!
“Of course, they don’t remain in deep sleep the entire time.”
At the hopeful note in his voice, Na Bom’s head whipped toward Heinz.
“Bear hibernation isn’t true sleep but rather dormancy—a prolonged state of rest. Even during dormancy, external stimuli can wake them, and they may move about. So it’s best not to disturb a dormant bear. If you’re careless…”
After the brief pause, Heinz slammed his hand on the desk and roared—”RAAAAAAGH!”—thrusting his face toward Louis and Na Bom.
Na Bom jumped in surprise, while Louis giggled with delight.
“Heinz. Don’t scare little Snow.”
“Ahem.”
Heinz cleared his throat and returned to his usual stern expression.
Meanwhile, Na Bom swallowed hard alone.
‘I see.’
She’d thought they’d be in a deep, unconscious sleep. When the time came to escape, she’d have to move carefully not to disturb them.
“As for other animals that enter hibernation besides bears, we’ll cover that next time.”
“Yes! Whew, finally over!”
The moment Heinz finished speaking, Louis jumped to his feet.
Na Bom, meanwhile, quietly arranged her front paws together and lowered her head deeply toward Heinz.
‘I got important information, so I should show my gratitude.’
Heinz cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.
“No need to thank me. It’s my job.”
He spoke curtly, then watched Louis bouncing on the window ledge and muttered to himself.
“At least his attitude toward lessons is far better than the other one’s.”
Heinz clicked his tongue softly. Then he asked Na Bom again.
“Well. Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
Ferdi’s eyes widened as he looked at Heinz.
Heinz, being nocturnal, complained of fatigue during the day and always left promptly once lessons ended. He rarely volunteered to entertain questions.
After careful deliberation, Na Bom stretched her front paw to point out the window. Then she used both hind legs to form a triangle above her head, then drew a circle.
‘I have no idea what she means.’
Ferdi furrowed his brow as he studied Na Bom, but Heinz quietly nodded.
“So you want to tour Grizzly Castle. Shall we go now?”
“I’ll ask the Lord’s permission and be right back.”
Anna, who had been watching the exchange, left the room.
Ferdi remained frozen in astonishment, his mouth hanging open.
“I’m supposedly a tutor specializing in young Beast-humans. I should understand at least this much.”
“…I see.”
Ferdi felt a surge of both admiration and some inexplicable competitive spirit toward Heinz.
I need to work harder to understand what little Snow is saying too.

***

“Have an escort accompany them, and send Heinz Hegwig as well.”
Anna, having received the Lord’s permission, departed from Theodore’s office.
Theodore quietly turned his gaze toward the window. Then, in the empty office, he spoke to someone unseen.
“Thank you for coming.”
As Theodore slowly turned, the figure of an animal appeared in a corner of the office.
“Pallas.”
He spoke the name while staring into the black pupils ringed by golden irises, and the animal’s gaze met his.
The speckled pattern dotting its head made it resemble a young tiger at first glance, but its body was small.
The animal, which had been sitting with its paws atop its thick tail, began to move.
Slowly, as the cylindrical creature shifted, its luxurious fur rippled. Soon its small form began to warp and reshape itself into human shape.
With Humanization complete, he snapped his fingers, and clothes swirled around his body.
“You summoned me out of the blue—I wondered what it could be.”
Gray hair, left loose for the moment, was slowly gathered up in a knot. The man gazed out the window.
“So you found it after all.”
The man looked down at one of the Beast-humans gathered in the garden—or more precisely, at one creature among them.
A small, pure white rabbit.
“A rabbit bearing the Power of Spring.”
Pallas—a serval Beast-human and a great mage of the North—smiled quietly.

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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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