The Baby Bear of the Black Fox Mansion - Chapter 55

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

Episode 55
* * *
The next day.
Zeros Nordic, who had departed slightly later than planned to meet Miel at the hour of her waking, saw those who had come to see them off.
“Farewell!”
“What a shame. I think it would have been such a joy to spend more time together.”
At Tao Linden’s words, Miel burst into bright laughter. Her mood was wonderfully high.
This time, she might actually get to meet her mother and father.
“Miel doesn’t like bamboo, you know.”
Miel sidled close and whispered the words in the softest voice to Tao Linden.
Tao Linden’s eyes went wide, and then he erupted in hearty laughter.
“Ah, so that’s how it was! Next time you visit, I’ll treat you to delicious fruit instead of bamboo.”
“Yes!”
Miel answered and was moving toward Zeros Nordic when—
“Miel!”
“Hmm?”
It was Yao Linden.
“Wait, hold on. Since you’re leaving… here’s a gift!”
The boy thrust something into her hands. It gleamed like a jewel.
A jewel of the most beautiful green light caught her gaze.
“…!”
Lisar, watching from the side, felt his eyes widen sharply.
“What’s this?”
“This is something like a Guardian Stone that’s been passed down in our village. It’s a stone that wishes for safe travels, so keep it with you always.”
“Safe travels?”
A stone that says goodbye!
“Yes. It was so much fun! Come visit anytime. And if you ever feel like living here, just say the word. I’ll let you live with us.”
Yao Linden, pleased to have gained what felt like a dear younger sister, spoke with genuine warmth.
“Ah, okay. I understand….”
“Miel! We need to go!”
Suddenly Lisar wedged himself between the two and swiftly turned Miel around, pushing her toward Zeros Nordic.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“We have to get going! If we dawdle, we’ll end up sleeping rough and eating grass. Come on, Miel.”
“Ugh, I don’t want that.”
“Right? That’s my girl! Baby bears need to stay healthy. Travel safe and come back! I’ll be waiting!”
Lisar gave Miel one final push into Zeros Nordic’s arms. She exchanged light farewells with Jerfeon and Valen Noctis before leaving the village.
“Well, since this is urgent, shall we hurry?”
“Hmm?”
“Ever ridden on a Pure One before?”
Zeros Nordic grinned and transformed with a soft pop into a massive Pure One, settling Miel on his back.
“Press yourself flat and hold on tight, little Moon Bear.”
“Little Moon Bear CEO.”
“…Right. Little Moon Bear CEO.”
Thud!
The moment the enormous Pure One’s feet struck the earth, carrying the tiny child upon his back, there was nothing left but empty ground.
* * *
“Wooooow!”
As the massive Pure One bounded forward so swiftly that breathing grew difficult, Miel burst into delighted laughter.
She was having the time of her life.
‘This is incredibly fast.’
Even bounding through mountains, he wove smoothly around obstacles with ease.
‘Miel could never run this fast in the mountains.’
The leaps were incredibly high, the speed incredible.
And he kept running!
“Whoa!”
In the moment Miel’s grip loosened and she began to slip, the Pure One skidded to a sudden halt.
Pop!
With that sound, the Pure One instantly transformed back into human form.
Just before Miel tumbled to the ground, Zeros Nordic caught her easily in his arms.
The child nestled against him with familiar ease.
“Is it hard, little one?”
“No?”
“No? Your grip’s completely gone slack.”
He glanced up at the sky, where sunset was already beginning to bleed across the horizon.
If they didn’t find a village soon, he’d end up sleeping rough with the child.
He didn’t mind, but the boy was still so young.
Zeros surveyed his surroundings, trying to gauge where they were.
‘There should be a village nearby…….’
There wasn’t.
This area was completely barren.
To reach the next settlement, they’d need to travel for hours more, which would put them arriving in the dead of night.
‘I wasn’t thinking.’
He hadn’t considered that the boy would need to sleep.
They’d stopped to rest and eat along the way, but pushing him further through the open air didn’t seem wise.
“Baby Moon Bear, do you think you could sleep outside tonight?”
“Yes!”
Miel nodded enthusiastically.
“You’re spirited.”
“A baby bear looking for its mom and dad is supposed to have adventures.”
In other words, he was excited because it felt like an adventure.
‘It’s good that he’s so eager.’
Zeros carried the child and made his way up the mountain path, searching for a suitable shelter for the night, until a cave caught his eye.
He unpacked the light supplies he’d brought, spread them on the ground, and folded the blanket several times into a thick layer that he draped over Miel’s shoulders.
“Stay here for a moment. I need to prepare some things. Don’t go anywhere.”
“Okay.”
Zeros stopped as he was leaving the cave and turned back to Miel.
“Don’t leave this cave under any circumstances. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Go out and you’ll meet wolves again.”
“……!”
At Zeros’s warning, Miel’s eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously.
“Good boy.”
He patted the child’s head once before leaving the cave.
He gathered firewood and skillfully built a fire, then brought back useful items and arranged them on one side.
He fetched water from a nearby valley, boiled it, and let it cool.
He could drink it raw, but he didn’t want the boy getting sick.
“Wow…….”
Each time Zeros returned, Miel’s mouth opened in amazement as more and more things accumulated in the cave.
Thud!
He dropped a wild boar in the cave and let out a long sigh.
“One huge boar.”
“That’s right. One huge boar.”
He chuckled and drew his short sword to clean it, then paused.
‘Is this not something the child should see?’
He glanced at the boy briefly, then hoisted the boar onto his shoulder again.
“I’ll go clean it. Stay here for a moment.”
“Okay.”
Miel bounced on his feet.
Crackle, crackle.
Watching the flames dance, he suddenly remembered something he’d forgotten.
‘Draconian!’
Miel took out a stone he’d brought along in his bag, just in case.
‘No, my wrinkled heart.’
Holding it in his hand, Miel shook it gently. As expected, it was lighter than a pebble and showed no response.
“Draconian?”
Draconian hadn’t appeared either.
‘He said something at the end…….’
But he’d been too frightened then, running away without properly listening.
‘Did Draconian achieve Ascension and go to heaven?’
Miel looked around. Fortunately, there were no ghosts here.
“Sigh.”
She breathed out softly and rubbed her cheeks.
“What do I do with this?”
If Draconian had disappeared, didn’t that mean this wasn’t needed anymore?
Should she put it back where it belonged?
Miel stood absorbed in thought, arms crossed.
[What do you mean what—you keep it.]
At the sudden voice, Miel’s eyes went wide.
“Huh?!”
The stone had spoken!
[Not the stone, though. It’s me. Me! Draconian!]
Wait—Draconian had become a stone and was reading her mind?
[No, I’m not reading your mind. But I can hear you somehow. What is this? I can hear your thoughts.]
Miel blinked.
‘How is the stone talking?’
She heard the sound of a sigh in her head.
[Looks like you and I are connected somehow.]
“Draconian, you’ve turned into a stone?!”
[No!! Wait a minute, I’m trying to get out of it now…….]
Draconian made strained, groaning sounds.
[Damn it, how do I get out of this thing? How?!]
There came the sound of something being struck repeatedly, then Draconian let out a shriek before venting his frustration at considerable length.
Yawn.
Miel gazed at the stone with sleepy moon-bear eyes, then casually slipped it back into her bag.
[Hey, is it really necessary to look that drowsy about someone else’s misery?!]
Ah, caught.
She was just pushing the stone deeper into her bag when—
[Don’t you dare put me in there!]
Draconian was a chronic complainer.
With no choice, Miel pulled it back out.
[Damn it! I want out! I have to find the rest of my body! And you’re the one who’s going to do it!]
“Me?”
[Yeah. You’re the only one I have left to ask.]
At Draconian’s words, Miel’s eyes widened, and then her expression softened into something almost smug as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.
“Fine, fine. If Draconian absolutely needs me, I suppose I have no choice.”
The moment Miel answered—
Gleam!
The Dragon Heart flared with light, then seeped smoothly into the back of Miel’s hand.
“Wha……?”
Then, a translucent pattern slowly emerged.
It was a strange, delicate design—a dragon rendered in the shape of a heart.
At the same moment—
the translucent pattern suddenly darkened to black, and then Draconian appeared before her.
Miel’s eyes widened slightly.
“Oh, it’s you.”
Draconian’s eyes flew open wide.
[What’s going on? What just happened? What did you do?!]

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