Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch22

Chapter 22

—So, have you finished your meal?

Na-bom nodded without thinking.

—Then shall we get going?

At the handsome voice—so unlike his appearance—and his words, Na-bom tilted her head.

—Have you already forgotten?

...?

—I told you I'd help you humanize.

At the word "humanize," Na-bom finally understood.

Humanization training. How would it proceed? And—could she actually humanize?

Lost in thought, she slowly walked toward Pallas. But Pallas didn't wait for her.

—Stop dawdling and let's go.

Huh?

Pallas opened his mouth wide and grabbed Na-bom by the scruff with his long fangs. Dangling from Pallas's mouth, Na-bom reached her front paws toward Anna.

"You're going to humanization training, right? Have a safe trip!"

S-save the rabbit!

"Lady Pallas is a truly remarkable person. Trust her and work hard at your training, Snowflake-nim!"

Na-bom, flustered at being bitten by another animal for the first time, flailed about—but Anna remained calm.

She'd been sending SOS signals to Anna, who waved with a smile—when suddenly the scenery changed, and Na-bom froze.

Wh-what? Where is this!

—Don't panic. It's just the garden entrance, isn't it?

Pallas set down the wide-eyed, frozen Na-bom and spoke.

Na-bom blinked her black eyes and looked around. The entrance to Grizzly Castle's inner grounds, overlooking the garden. She was truly there.

Magic, I suppose?

So this is what teleportation from novels actually felt like. Dizzying.

Just as Na-bom shook her head and got up—

Ugh?

With a chapchap sound, something licked her face. Na-bom barely opened her eyes to find a smiling puppy, tongue out and panting, right before her nose.

A Malamute...?

—Snowflake, long time no see! Let's play!

The Malamute bounced before her, barking excitedly.

Why is he here? This isn't a good time.

Na-bom looked back and forth between the Malamute and Pallas with flustered eyes. Then she drew an X with her front paws toward the Malamute.

Playing with you would be fun, but humanization training is more important.

"No need to refuse. I called this puppy."

Turning at the voice, she saw Pallas had transformed into human form, standing there. Looking down at Na-bom with emotionless gray eyes, Pallas added languidly:

"For humanization, you must first become familiar with your beast-person nature. That is, mastering animal movements is also important."

That meant...

I can play with the Malamute?

"Yes."

The moment Na-bom asked herself, an answer came as if it were natural.

"Playing with the puppy before you. That is today's humanization training."

I see...

After nodding involuntarily, Na-bom realized something was amiss.

Just now—had she exchanged words with this person? A humanized beast-person—with her?

S-surely... no, Lady Manul—can you hear my voice...?

"Yes. I can hear your voice."

Na-bom's mouth fell open.

It was true.

When she'd tried again with Theodor and Anna, they seemed unable to hear her at all. Why could Lady Manul hear her?

—What! I want to hear it too, Snowflake's voice!

At Pallas's words, the Malamute, who had been panting beside them, spun in place and began barking.

Pallas stared coldly at the suddenly rambunctious Malamute and asked:

"Why is this one suddenly causing a commotion?"

...?

Na-bom tilted her head for a moment.

She could hear the animalized Malamute's voice, but Lady Manul couldn't hear the Malamute's voice even though they were in the same state?

—The Malamute says he wants to hear my voice too.

"I see."

Pallas, having understood Na-bom's inner explanation without fail, replied briefly and added:

"Unfortunately, the puppy won't be able to hear it. It is only because I am a great mage with vast magical power that I can."

...I see.

Kkiing.

At Pallas's explanation, both Na-bom and the Malamute drooped simultaneously.

Watching the drooping rabbit ears and puppy tail indifferently, Pallas slowly opened his mouth:

"If you can humanize, both bears and dogs will be able to hear your voice."

Na-bom's ears twitched—then suddenly shot skyward.

Yes, that's right. Once I can humanize, many things will be resolved!

Smooth communication! Essential for surviving ahead!

Then I'll play hard today, Lady Manul!

Na-bom stomped her paws with determination and jumped in place.

Pallas, watching her with narrowed eyes, suddenly said:

"...You may call me Lady Pallas."

---

At the words "humanization training," the rabbit quickly ran out onto the snowfield.

The puppy chasing after her soon overtook her, kicking snow in all directions before stopping. The rabbit shook off the snow and circled around the puppy.

The laughter of the two animals darting across the garden seemed to reach his ears as well.

Yes. It's not a voice just anyone can hear.

An inscrutable power of unknown origin.

Unless one was a mage with vast magical power like himself, even observing it was difficult.

By using mana stones or sacrifices to enhance magical power, one could detect the power of spring—but only briefly. If such attempts were repeated, the mage would lose their sight.

She likely hasn't yet become aware of her power.

Pallas's gray eyes followed Na-bom.

And yet, in that state, she'd transmitted her voice even to those without magical power.

"I definitely heard it."

Theodor had said that, lowering his gaze as if retracing his memory.

"Both humanized and animalized beast-people—everyone present heard the rabbit's voice."

That small rabbit had overturned in an instant what was akin to divine providence and natural law.

By what principle could such a thing be possible?

The power of spring, barely observable even by him—a great mage who had lived over a century—he himself couldn't grasp its true nature or characteristics.

But—

"And when I caught the falling rabbit."

Theodor's gaze, which had been directed at the floor, soon met Pallas's eyes directly.

Not the light captured by eyes enhanced with magic to recognize Eostre's incarnation, but by Theodor's own eyes.

That dazzling light was sucked into the rabbit's body in an instant. And then—

"The rabbit... had become human."

She'd fallen into Theodor's arms in human form.

The small white rabbit, who couldn't even transmit her voice to animalized beast-people, let alone humanize.

What that phenomenon signifies is...

Perhaps his guess was the key. To confirm it, naturally...

It would be best to guide her naturally.

Pallas silently followed the clusters of light clearly visible even in the white snow.

The corner of Pallas's usually expressionless mouth—rose just slightly.

---

Na-bom's frantic movements gradually slowed.

Chasing the Malamute as he ran farther away, she eventually sat down in the snow, panting.

Since becoming a rabbit, she'd come to enjoy running.

In her past life, she couldn't even get out of bed on her own—so walking and running with two legs, or rather four paws on the ground, felt truly refreshing.

But even so—

It's fun, but tiring...

A rabbit didn't have the stamina to outrun a sled dog.

Catching her breath, Na-bom looked up—the Malamute, who had run far ahead, was gone.

Bark! Bark!

Hearing barking from behind, she turned—the Malamute was running toward her frantically.

Kicking snow all over Na-bom's body, the Malamute flopped down beside her.

As Na-bom shook herself off, the Malamute's laughter echoed in her mind.

—You really need to build up your stamina.

At that dismissive remark, Na-bom, who had been catching her breath, sprang up.

Standing on two legs in the snow, she glared at the Malamute, then mimed pulling something from her left hip with her right front paw—and pointed at him.

Back   Next