Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch23

Chapter 23

The Malamute blinked his wide eyes.

She meant: You're a retainer of the Sled Dog Knights, so of course you can run that well! But he couldn't understand after all. If it were the old man, he might have gotten her gestures.

But I can't humanize yet, so there's no helping it.

"Born a half-baked creature..."

...Yes, that's right. I can't blame him.

Just as Na-bom's ears began to droop—

The Malamute's cheerful laughter echoed in her mind again.

—That's true. I am training as a retainer.

This time, Na-bom blinked.

Oh, he understood.

The Malamute chuckled hehe, as if a little embarrassed. Then he pressed another paw print into the soft snow.

—I love winter, and the Head Chef's cooking is delicious too, so I'm always full of energy!

The Head Chef's cooking. Yes, I feel the same.

At the new topic the Malamute brought up, Na-bom nodded vigorously in agreement.

—Do you like the Head Chef's cooking too?

......

At the Malamute's question, the taste of this morning's fantastic greens came alive again. Soon, drool began streaming from Na-bom's small mouth.

The Malamute barked Arf! and began licking Na-bom's face all over.

Her face quickly became wet with her own drool and the Malamute's. Na-bom glared at him with narrowed eyes, but the Malamute paid no mind, bouncing in place.

—You like it too! Hey, hey, this is actually a secret.

The Malamute pressed close to Na-bom and began whispering.

—Actually, during hibernation season, Grizzly Castle's food gets even better.

Even better than usual?

So that's why it was so delicious today?

—We dogs are loyal, but we still need rewards to keep our spirits up. The Head Chef's cooking plays a big part in our loyalty to the Grizzly family.

The Malamute, who had been lying still whispering secrets, began tapping the snow with his front paw as if he couldn't contain himself.

—During hibernation, even more delicious food comes out, so we can patrol harder and protect the castle!

Shouting this, the Malamute jumped up and began circling Na-bom.

Na-bom shook off the snow spraying onto her face and trembled.

A polar bear that doesn't hibernate and even boosts the sled dogs' morale...

So this is how they guard the castle—by capturing both people and dogs' hearts. There was no way she could have escaped such an ironclad defense.

Some might think it absurd that food could strengthen loyalty.

I would have thought that too.

Before this morning's meal, that is.

But with that food, she truly understood.

Na-bom nodded with a deeply serious expression.

Soon, the bouncing Malamute stopped and widened his eyes.

—Snowflake?

Na-bom, who had been sitting quietly in the snow, suddenly stood on two legs and made the same gesture as before.

A motion like drawing a sword from a sheath at her left hip.

Then she circled around the Malamute on two legs.

—I don't really get it, huh?

As the Malamute tilted his head, Na-bom struggled to climb onto his body. The Malamute instinctively lay down, and Na-bom climbed onto his back.

Then she grabbed the fur at his nape with her front paws and gently kicked his flank with her hind paws.

Like a knight riding a horse.

—Oh! Now I get it!

The Malamute whipped his head around to look at Na-bom on his back and shouted.

—You want us to patrol too!

As if to say correct, Na-bom tapped the Malamute's head.

Being always energetic and approachable with everyone, the Malamute would surely spread the word excitedly about today's events. And if that happened—

I can show that I'm not just a freeloader eating during hibernation.

She'd certainly work hard at humanization training—but if she failed, the adoption might be canceled.

Even if adoption fell through, she might still be taken in as a pet, so she needed to build up good deeds starting now.

Besides, if she could also repay this morning's meal, that would be killing two birds with one stone.

—Okay, great! We can't go outside the castle, so we'll patrol the inner grounds!

Na-bom nodded emphatically.

—Let's go! Hold on tight!

And so the puppy with the rabbit on his back raced across the garden, running along the castle wall.

"Hmm."

Watching them from afar, Pallas murmured thoughtfully.

For mastering animal movements, that method wasn't bad at all.

---

The next day.

Beneath a gray sky that looked ready to snow at any moment, Na-bom rode atop the Malamute.

As they ran along the left wall of the inner grounds, Na-bom tapped the Malamute's flank.

—Huh? What is it, Snowflake?

Before he could look back, Na-bom's front paws grabbed his cheek and turned him to the right. The Malamute laughed and immediately changed direction.

—Got it. You want to go this way, right?

Maybe Snowflake has a talent for sled-dog driving. Her commands are so decisive, it's really...

—I love it!

Arf!

Barking in excitement, the Malamute ran as Na-bom directed.

They hadn't gone far when Na-bom pulled the fur at the Malamute's nape—a signal to stop. Understanding, the Malamute slowed down.

Once he stopped, Na-bom hopped off his back.

She walked toward the castle wall without hesitation.

—Is there something there?

As he asked and turned to look, the Malamute spotted it too.

A hole in the wall.

Smaller than the Malamute's face, but large enough for Na-bom to fit through—a hole easy to overlook.

—There was a hole here all along! How did you see it? You've got great eyes.

At the Malamute's admiration, Na-bom slowly shook her head.

She'd never known such a hole existed.

It's just...

She felt like there was something she shouldn't pass by, so she'd changed direction.

As if drawn by something, Na-bom approached the hole. Soon, her small tail twitched upward.

There's something there.

Beyond the hole, a dense forest. Beneath a large tree, something lay collapsed in the snow.

A black... dog?

—It smells similar to us.

The Malamute, also peering through the hole at the fallen animal, murmured.

—But...

Just as the Malamute frowned and tried to add something, Na-bom tried to push her face through the hole—as if to go outside the castle.

—No!

The Malamute cried out urgently and reached his front paw to grab Na-bom. But she was more stubborn than he'd expected.

Grunting as she tried to squeeze through the hole, the Malamute pushed her back, somewhat roughly, guiding her inside the wall.

Finally blocking the hole, the Malamute leaned his face toward Na-bom and said:

—I can't let you outside. Those are His Lordship's orders.

At the words "His Lordship's orders," Na-bom stopped in her tracks.

She suddenly recalled the vow Theodor had made. He must have given the knights orders before going into hibernation.

To keep her safely inside the castle.

......

Her chest felt oddly ticklish—so she pressed her paws into the white snow for no reason.

—It smells similar to us, but it's an unfamiliar scent. And being outside the castle might mean it's an enemy.

The Malamute's eyes sharpened slightly.

Yes.

She'd nearly been caught in an avalanche. She shouldn't recklessly go outside the castle in this winter. For safety's sake, staying here was right.

But—

...I can't stop thinking about it.

That dog seemed to be calling her.

Just as Na-bom looked up at the hole again—

Hwiik. A sudden wind blew from behind. When she turned, Pallas was standing there.

"Puppy."

Looking down at them without a word, Pallas spoke in a flat tone.

"You will inform the knights about this hole."

But even at Pallas's command, the Malamute only blinked. Whining as he looked between Na-bom and Pallas, Pallas said again:

"Right now."

A tone of finality rarely heard from him.

The Malamute barked Arf! and ran off toward the inner grounds.

"Now then."

Pallas's mouth slowly curled as he turned to Na-bom.

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