The Baby Bear of the Black Fox Mansion - Chapter 2

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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 2
* * *
“……Father.”
“What is it, my son?”
Hair dark as pitch, coarse and bristling.
Ears that stood upright at the crown, now drooping slack.
Eyes the color of amber, bright and gleaming.
“The books say bears give off such a sweet honey scent their noses ache from it—yet all I smell is this foul, rotten stench.”
The beautiful boy resting his chin against the carriage window rattled on in a bored drawl.
House Noctis, the Fox clan.
Its patriarch, Zerpeon Noctis, and his heir, Lisar Noctis, had come to the Vernear Territory for a regular assembly held by House Bernear, and now, a week later, were making their way home.
“Ah, yes……. The old tales do speak of such things.”
The dark-haired man with long black hair falling to his waist—smiling, cheerful-faced—widened his narrow black eyes in a gentle, yet utterly indifferent tone.
His soft voice was kind, but that was all it was.
“Too bad. They say bears with a sweet scent bring fortune and can cure any illness whatsoever.”
“Lisar, don’t stick your face out the window. Your mother will have my head if she finds out. Close it at once.”
Lisar poked out his lower lip.
“Very well.”
“Besides, that’s ancient history. Nothing but rumor and hearsay.”
“……Hmph.”
Just as the boy, answering curtly, was about to shut the window—
Sniff, sniff.
A sweet scent drifting from somewhere, and—
“Squeak, whimper.”
A small cry.
Perk, perk.
The boy’s nose twitched, and his drooping ears suddenly stood rigid, perking upright.
Lisar craned his head out through the window.
“Lisar.”
The man watching his son commit such a reckless act felt the corners of his eyes lift slightly.
“……Father.”
“Didn’t I tell you to close the…….”
“No, it’s not that. There’s a bear cub stuck in the mud over there?”
“The mud?”
“Yes, right there.”
Lisar pointed with his finger.
Zerpeon narrowed his brow and looked out the window.
“Good heavens.”
“Whine, squeak.”
Sure enough, a small bear cub was sinking into the marsh with a bucket clamped in its mouth.
Each time it thrashed, it sank deeper.
Watching the thrashing grow weaker, it seemed clear the creature would drown if left to its fate.
“Stop the carriage.”
Zerpeon halted the carriage and hurried down.
Drawing near the marsh, Zerpeon pulled two leaves from an inner pocket and tossed them skyward.
As his fingers moved in a light gesture, the leaves stretched instantly, transforming into thick logs in the air.
Soon the logs shifted and splashed into the marsh, surfacing with the limp bear cub resting atop them.
“Lisar, bring some water.”
“Yes.”
The cub was so buried under the marsh’s mud that its shape was barely recognizable.
Lisar bounded off in a sprint.
“Here.”
The boy returned with a full bucket of water from the servants who had followed behind, and with a grunt, set it down beside his father.
“Good work.”
Zerpeon stroked his son’s head once.
Lisar’s perked ears trembled.
Zerpeon gently poured water over the cub’s body, washing away the thick mud coating it.
The creature, which had seemed quite plump under its crust of mud, proved quite small and frail once clean.
“It’s still breathing.”
“Should we leave it here?”
“…….”
Zerpeon’s gaze swept slowly across their surroundings.
Staying here for a night would mean they hadn’t yet left the Vernear Territory, and the sky was still bright with daylight.
“There’s no reason for the bear to leave the Vernear Territory in the first place.”
Sniff-sniff.
At his gentle voice, Lisar rolled his amber eyes and wrinkled his nose.
Unlike other bears, this one carried a sweet scent.
‘They say a sweet-scented bear brings good fortune.’
If that were true.
‘Good things would only happen as long as this one’s around.’
Perhaps they would discover a golden field, or find a way to solve the strange phenomena occurring in fox territory.
Or maybe his mother would recover.
Lisar’s eyes gleamed as he pointed with his index finger at the beige cub lying on its side, breathing in ragged gasps.
Was it because it was still young?
Its fur lacked the deep color of the other bears he’d seen throughout the week at House Bernear.
“But this one is far too small and thin to be a bear. Don’t you think it’s been mistreated? All the bears I’ve seen before were plump, if not downright enormous.”
Lisar pressed his case.
“…….”
When his father fell silent, Lisar, who had been glancing around eagerly, dumped out a bucket filled with mud that had been dredged up along with the cub.
From within it, he managed to pull out a single piece of clothing thoroughly soaked in mud.
“Look. There are clothes and belongings here. It’s clear this one was in the middle of leaving home.”
“Lisar.”
Zerpeon pressed his fingers to his forehead.
“A sweet-scented bear brings good fortune. This one is giving off an incredibly strong sweet scent.”
“Taking another race away from their territory without permission is illegal.”
“Then we can just ask once this one wakes up.”
Faced with his son’s stubbornness, Zerpeon narrowed his brow.
Kneeling on one knee, the man examined the cub slowly. A gem embedded in its forehead caught his eye.
‘A gem in the forehead…….’
Could it be a direct descendant of House Bernear?
“Hmm?”
Or was it not a gem after all?
It was far rougher than a gem, and lacked any luster…….
‘A stone?’
His lips tightened slightly.
“Ah….”
He’d heard the rumors.
That a child had been born in House Bernear carrying a stone instead of a gem.
The one called the “Failure of House Bernear”…….
Zerpeon’s eyes narrowed.
House Bernear had been a family specialized in Barrier Magic for generations.
They had been tasked with maintaining, managing, and repairing the barriers and shields that surrounded the empire, making them one of the Four Major Races representing the realm.
The source of that Barrier Magic was the Guardian Stone, granted only to House Bernear.
Direct descendants of House Bernear are born with various gems embedded in their foreheads.
And depending on the grade of that gem, the power of their Barrier Magic varies—a peculiar characteristic of their race.
To be born carrying a stone instead…….
“…….”
He had thought Lisar was being stubborn.
‘But I can’t deny this either.’
“Mew.”
Just then.
The cub opened its eyes with a small whimper.
* * *
Flutter.
Blink. Blink.
As Miel’s eyes opened, the memory of sinking into the waterlogged ground came rushing back, and she thrashed her limbs wildly.
“Mew!”
“Easy, little one. Calm yourself.”
Pat.
At the tender hand stroking her back and the soft voice, Miel stilled.
Perk, perk.
Small, rounded ears twitched.
Miel lifted her head slightly, realizing she was no longer sinking into the swamp, and sprang to her feet on all fours.
Swish, swish.
A black tail wavered before her eyes.
When Miel looked up, she saw an adult with black hair and a child with pointed black ears perked forward.
Shake, shake, shake!
Standing on four legs, Miel shook her whole body furiously to shed the water.
‘They saved me!’
Good people!
Miel bowed her head deeply forward—
Tumble.
She lost her balance and rolled once.
“Woof?”
“Can’t you do Humanization yet?”
At the gentle voice, Miel shook her head side to side with an ‘Oh!’ trembling slightly.
Miel squeezed her eyes shut.
Poof!
Her body grew larger.
Miel raised both hands to vigorously knead and tuck in her perked ears before looking at Lisar Noctis with a bright smile.
Their eyes met.
Pale, flawless skin.
A petite frame.
Wide, round eyes.
Still-full baby fat not yet faded.
“Thank you for saving me!”
Cheerful and courteous voice.
When she smiled brightly, her honey-colored eyes gleamed.
Whoosh.
In an instant, something popped—and Lisar Noctis flushed crimson from his neck to his earlobes.
While Lisar Noctis parted his lips uncertainly, Zerpeon Noctis spoke first.
“There are many such swamps in this forest region, little bear. Best to be careful.”
“Yes!”
“Where were you headed alone at this hour?”
“To House Panda!”
At Miel’s words, Zerpeon Noctis stilled.
House Panda?
They were a rare, tiny minority race that lived hidden in the south, outside the Vernear Territory.
With neither combat ability nor special powers, and being an endangered species, they were so insular that they never left their own domain unless summoned by House Bernear’s patriarch—
Zerpeon Noctis rubbed his chin.
His slender, gently curved eyes studied Miel.
“Why are you going there?”
At Zerpeon Noctis’s question, Miel glanced left and right before drawing close to him.
When the child gestured and he crouched to meet her gaze, Miel whispered a secret in the smallest voice.
“Actually, Miel… isn’t a child of House Bernear.”
……
Well, anyone could see that was true.

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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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