Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch36

Chapter 36

"Co-Count?"

Na-bom called out uncertainly—but Theodor held the girl silently in his arms for a long while before finally releasing her.

Resting his hands on her shoulders, he gazed at her white hair, her white face, her black eyes—then slowly opened his mouth.

"Humanization. Congratulations."

"Thank you..."

As Na-bom answered reflexively, he carefully examined her small body and asked:

"Have you been well? Is anything hurting?"

"Yes, yes! I've been well, and I'm perfectly healthy!"

Na-bom quickly puffed out her chest. If anything felt off after humanizing, perhaps it wasn't proper humanization. In truth, there was nothing wrong—but for the sake of adoption, she felt she should answer more firmly.

"...I see."

Theodor let out a relieved sigh. But his expression still seemed somewhat dark.

It was strange. With the Countess's curse lifted, why did he look so bittersweet?

"I'm sorry."

"...Pardon?"

At the sudden apology, Na-bom tilted her head—and Theodor's hands gently enveloped hers.

Very carefully. Preciously, as if handling fragile glass.

"And truly, thank you."

She'd heard similar words when embraced by the Countess. Na-bom stared blankly at the large hands holding hers.

Rough hands, scarred and calloused, close to war—yet stroking her hands more gently than anyone.

Was it her imagination?

Theodor's eyes, always dry, seemed a little moist today.

---

"Oh my!"

After adjusting her clothes and standing Na-bom before the mirror, the tailor let out a shriek-like exclamation.

Unable to take her eyes off Na-bom in the mirror, the tailor twisted her body.

"This outfit is so adorable my heart might burst..."

She reached toward Na-bom's cheek—but feeling Anna's cold gaze, she lowered her hand.

"Ah, no, it suits you perfectly. Hohoho. How do you like it?"

"We'll take it."

Anna cut off the tailor and nodded with a firm expression. Watching them, Rib burst into laughter.

Na-bom, too, had been looking at her reflection—then whipped her head around.

There are so many clothes.

She'd already tried on over ten outfits, and the tailor seemed to have brought at least sixty.

After waking up and finishing a light breakfast, the Countess and tailor had entered her room, and this had ensued.

Before she could even be measured, they'd started dressing her. When she asked Anna what was happening, she learned that the Countess had already given her measurements to the tailor.

When had they been taken? She didn't even know. She didn't know her human size—or even her rabbit size.

Half-doubting, she started trying on clothes—and they fit perfectly, as if they'd always been hers.

That was fine. She was grateful. But surely they weren't planning to buy all of these?

"Try the sky-blue one as well."

At Rib's order, the tailor began changing her clothes at incredible speed.

A sky-blue dress adorned with fluttering white lace. Accented with pink ribbons—clearly a lovely style.

...Would such clothes suit me?

The only clothes she'd ever known were white hospital gowns.

Of course, as a young child, she'd been interested in princess dresses. But after wearing one her mother bought as a surprise gift, she'd quickly lost interest.

In her past life, she was literally skin and bones—such clothes could never suit her.

Na-bom's shoulders slumped.

"How does it look?"

Rib didn't answer. Instead, she picked up a white scarf from the hanger and approached Na-bom.

After draping it around her, Rib quietly gazed at her face—then smiled brightly.

"It suits you perfectly."

Not a trace of falsehood. The words from the Countess's lips were not empty flattery.

Na-bom, face flushed red, looked into the mirror.

Was it her imagination? Or because of the Countess's words? Truly, a little—no, more than she'd expected—the sky-blue dress seemed to suit her.

"I'd also like to tie your hair, if you'll let me?"

"Y-yes, of course!"

Still red-faced, she nodded frantically and offered her head to Rib.

With a soft chuckle, Rib whispered thank you near her ear, then sat on the chair before the mirror. She patted her lap.

"Here. Sit."

At the unexpected offer, Na-bom clutched the hem of her dress.

Sit on the Countess's lap? Her? Was that allowed? She'd been offered adoption, and she'd succeeded in humanizing—but she still wasn't the daughter of this house, and—

She wasn't Koko.

"Perhaps it's... a bit much?"

When Rib met her eyes with a sad expression, Na-bom frantically shook her head.

"Ah, no! I'm just—honored, that's all."

At the word that tumbled from her small lips, Rib laughed.

"Snowflake knows big words."

"D-do I?"

Scratching her head shyly, Na-bom averted her gaze.

Though her life was short, she'd lived to fifteen and read many novels—knowing such words was only natural.

"You don't need to feel honored. I want to do this."

"Then I'll—excuse me."

In the end, Na-bom sat very carefully on Rib's lap.

Rib began brushing Na-bom's hair herself, with a comb handed to her by Anna.

The comb gently glided through her hair, parting it. After brushing all of it, she divided it into two sections and brought them forward.

"Your hair is long. Since humanization came late, you couldn't have cut it."

Unsure whether it was a soliloquy or a question, Na-bom simply nodded.

"You can cut it later, if you wish. But today, I'll tie it for you."

Rib seemed genuinely happy.

She brushed up the two sections with the comb.

Holding a lock of hair, she discussed with the tailor and carefully chose hair ties. The inside of the box reflected slightly in the mirror—seemingly another sixty or so hair ties.

What Rib chose was a hair tie with fur adornments similar to the scarf she'd wrapped around Na-bom's neck.

Wrapping the hair tie just enough not to hurt, she adjusted the fur decoration—then met Na-bom's eyes in the mirror and smiled.

"All done."

"Th-thank you."

Na-bom blinked blankly, looking at her reflection.

To be honest, she still wasn't accustomed to her human form—it hadn't even been a week since she'd succeeded.

So everything seemed wondrous. Her large black eyes, her white skin and hair, the dress full of fluttering lace, and the Countess's smiling face with her hand on Na-bom's shoulder.

Na-bom quietly shook her head. Her twin-tied hair swayed.

She noticed the Countess also had her hair tied. Rib's reflection caught her eye.

White hair. Same color as mine.

In the mirror, her eyes met the Countess's. Her bright smile was so dazzling that Na-bom carefully looked away.

And in the direction she turned, she noticed something strange.

More precisely—two heads reflected in the mirror.

Na-bom startled, rising from Rib's lap. At the same time, her body began to glow white.

"Snowflake?"

Rib reached out toward her. What landed in Rib's hand was a snow-white rabbit.

Hah!

Na-bom's ears perked.

She must have animalized from sheer surprise!

Back   Next