Chapter 16
“Snowy didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one who took her outside. I wanted to eat wild berries with her, so…”
Louis took a shaky breath before lowering his head.
“It was all my fault. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”
He kept apologizing over and over without raising his head.
His mother had returned covered in blood.
His father’s face had been completely lifeless.
His older brother had cried silently.
If I hadn’t thrown a tantrum, Mom and my little sibling could have left earlier. Then they never would have met those bad people.
If only I had been stronger… I could have protected Snowy… I could have protected Mom and my little sibling.
Drops of tears fell onto the back of Louis’s hand resting on the floor.
Nabom gently pressed Theodore’s hand with her little paw.
Blinking in surprise, Theodore loosened his grip.
Seizing the chance, Nabom jumped free.
She landed perfectly in front of Louis and climbed onto his trembling shoulder.
Her tiny paw gently stroked his head.
“Snowy…?”
Louis turned to the rabbit with tear-filled eyes.
The moment he did, Nabom quickly pulled her paw away.
What was that?
I touched him again.
Just like when Louis had cried in his sleep.
Her body had moved on its own.
She didn’t know why she kept doing this.
But somehow…
She understood.
She knew the feeling of wanting someone to forgive you.
Even when you know that some tragedies happen through no one’s fault…
You still wish someone would forgive you anyway.
Just then—
“Louis, you little rascal!”
Another loud voice came from the doorway, making Nabom jump.
“I told you to stay in your room and reflect! You’re scaring Snowy!”
It was Ferdy, walking toward them while scolding Louis.
His expression was much stricter than when he usually nagged, making Nabom stiffen slightly.
“S-Sorry.”
Louis’s shoulders drooped as he stepped away from Nabom.
Actually, the one who had frightened her was Ferdy.
That only made Nabom feel a little guilty.
“You really are…”
Ferdy muttered before biting his lower lip.
Then he slowly raised a hand.
Louis squeezed his eyes shut.
Nabom instinctively shut hers as well.
But nothing happened.
Instead…
Warmth wrapped around her whole body.
She cautiously opened her eyes.
Ferdy was hugging both Nabom and Louis tightly.
“I… I’m sorry too. I wish I’d realized sooner that you two were missing.”
His voice trembled.
He pulled them even closer.
“I’m just… so relieved you’re both safe.”
“…Sniff.”
Louis began crying again.
Soon, Nabom heard quiet sniffles from Ferdy as well.
“Young Masters…”
Watching them with teary eyes, Anna walked over and gently stroked the heads of all three.
Still dazed, Nabom looked up.
Her eyes met Theodore’s.
He silently watched his two sons, the maid, and the rabbit embracing one another.
“…”
He was smiling.
It was incredibly faint—
Almost impossible to notice.
But after living in Grizzly Castle all this time, Nabom could recognize it.
There was no mistake.
A small smile rested on Theodore’s lips.
Nabom stared in complete shock.
A strange thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Maybe…
Maybe these predators… won’t eat me after all.
She frowned in confusion.
For a tiny prey animal like herself, it was an utterly unbelievable thought.
*
After wiping away his tears, Louis bowed once more to Theodore and Nabom.
As punishment, he swore that he wouldn’t take a single step outside the castle until he was given permission.
Theodore silently nodded.
Louis immediately saluted him like a soldier reporting to his commander.
His posture was so perfect that Nabom unconsciously stood on her hind legs and straightened up as well.
Soon afterward, the doctor arrived to examine Nabom.
The doctor was an elderly turtle beastman.
Even in his human form, a few scales remained visible on his skin.
His hands moved quickly as he examined her from every angle.
For a turtle beastman, he was surprisingly agile.
“She has no fever and no wounds. I believe Rabbit Lady is perfectly healthy.”
“…”
Of course, that was only because Theodore was watching the examination with an overwhelmingly intense stare.
Why is he looking at him like that?
His eyes seemed to say,
If you do anything suspicious, you won’t leave here alive.
As a rabbit, Nabom should have been more afraid of the turtle.
Instead, Theodore’s icy gaze sent chills down her spine.
“I-I swear on my life as a doctor! I’m telling the truth! Please believe me, Your Grace!”
When Theodore remained silent, the doctor turned pale and pleaded desperately.
Only after Theodore gave a brief nod did the doctor finally sigh in relief.
“T-Thank you for trusting me. I’ll examine the Second Young Master as well.”
The doctor seated Louis beside Nabom and began checking him over.
His hands focused mostly on Louis’s face.
Louis’s face was a little—
No, actually…
Quite swollen.
“If he doesn’t wake up… it’ll be really bad…!”
That’s because of me…
Remembering everything that had happened in the snowfield and inside the cave, Nabom’s hind legs trembled.
Her cheeks grew hot with embarrassment.
Feeling the rabbit staring at him, Louis looked over.
“Snowy, I’m fine!”
He proudly clenched his fist.
“In fact, after I woke up, I felt even better than usual!”
Louis smiled so brightly that he almost looked foolish.
The heat in Nabom’s cheeks faded.
…Does he not remember anything?
Was that… the perfect crime?
The snow-white rabbit wore a dark little grin.
To Louis, however, she simply looked adorable.
But why did I suddenly become so sleepy back then?
Louis fell into thought.
He had desperately searched everywhere for Snowy.
When he finally came to his senses, he had somehow wandered into a place unfamiliar even to someone like him, who knew the northern lands well.
He had been terrified.
What if I never find Snowy again?
What if I lose her… just like I lost Coco?
His anxiety had made his heart pound so violently that his chest hurt.
Fighting back tears, he clenched his fists and searched frantically through the snow-covered bushes.
Then—
“Louis!”
A voice suddenly echoed from somewhere.
Louis froze.
It was the clear, high voice of a young girl.
He had never heard it before.
Turning instinctively—
He saw Snowy running straight toward him.
As if…
She had called his name.
Tears nearly burst from his eyes.
The moment he hugged Snowy…
An overwhelming wave of sleep crashed over him.
His racing heart calmed.
The crushing pain in his chest disappeared.
All the tension drained from his body at once, and he collapsed into the snow.
His swollen hands from searching and his legs buried in the snow suddenly didn’t feel cold anymore.
It was like lying beneath the warm spring sunshine just before waking from hibernation.
Wrapped in that comforting warmth…
Louis closed his eyes.
When he woke up again—
He was already back at Grizzly Castle.
Before he even had time to worry whether Snowy was safe, he climbed out of bed.
His body felt unbelievably light.
Standing before a mirror, he saw countless scratches and a face swollen red.
Yet instead of pain…
He felt overflowing strength.
He almost wanted to run straight to the training grounds and start swinging a sword.
…How strange.
Still…
Everything had turned out alright.
As the doctor continued his examination, Louis reached out and gently stroked Nabom’s head.
Smiling brightly, he thought,
I’m so glad… Snowy is safe.
*
After Louis’s disappearance…
Preparations for hibernation were in full swing throughout Grizzly Castle.
In the kitchens, the brown bear servants worked nonstop preparing food to store for hibernation, along with emergency rations in case something unexpected happened.
The Sled Dog Knights increased the intensity of their training.
Meanwhile, the family head was busy finishing everything that needed to be settled before entering hibernation.
“I’ll have these documents sent out before the end of today.”
At Demirun’s report, Theodore silently nodded.
However, Demirun, still holding the documents under his arm, seemed to have one more thing to say.
“However, Your Grace… I believe one matter still remains unresolved.”
“Unresolved?”
“Yes.”
He paused.
“It’s about Lady Snowflake.”
Theodore’s hand, which had been moving across the documents, came to a stop.
“It has already been a week since the Second Young Master’s incident. Lady Snowflake returned without any injuries, and the injury to her leg healed long ago.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Meeting Theodore’s calm yet piercing gaze, Demirun slowly took a breath before speaking.
“Isn’t it time… to return Lady Snowflake to the place where she originally belonged?”
