TBF 03

Chapter 3

Holding her breath, Nabom quietly peeked through the gap in the door hinges.

Two people had entered the room.

“Then we’ll handle the matter as you instructed…”

The first was a sharp-looking man whose voice was calm and emotionless. He was speaking to another man—a broad-shouldered figure wearing a cloak trimmed with animal fur.

The second man wasn’t listening at all.

He lifted the blankets on the bed, looked underneath it, opened the wardrobe, and searched every corner of the room.

As though he were looking for something.

Gulp.

The moment Nabom swallowed nervously—

“What are you doing, Your Excellency Grizzly?”

The slender man called out to the broad-shouldered man.

Grizzly.

The instant she heard that name, Nabom understood.

She knew where she was.

And she knew exactly who the man searching for her was.

“Your Excellency, we’re already making proper preparations for hibernation. So please don’t do anything unnecessary.”

“Unnecessary?”

The man asked lazily as he walked toward the door.

Without hesitation, he pulled it open.

And found the little creature hiding behind it.

“You shouldn’t secretly hide emergency food in your bedroom.”

A slow smile spread across his face as he looked down at Nabom.

…Ah.

I would’ve been better off getting caught by the wolves.

The man’s name was Theodor Grizzly.

He was a brown bear beastman who appeared in The One I Tamed Was a Fox.

He was the classic “Lord of the North” character.

As the head of House Grizzly, Theodor was known throughout the Empire as the Emperor’s loyal hunting dog.

If the Emperor ordered something, Theodor obeyed without question.

People even joked that he wasn’t a loyal dog…

He was a puppet.

The Emperor’s teddy bear.

Since teddy bears didn’t exist in this world, it was probably just the author’s joke.

It was funny when I read the novel…

But now…

It’s terrifying.

As the Northern Count, Theodor protected the northern frontier while constantly fighting in civil wars and battles against invading nations.

The novel even mentioned an incident where he broke into a noble estate alone one night and slaughtered every guard knight and the lord of the estate.

The reason was never revealed.

But since he was the Emperor’s loyal servant…

People assumed it had been an imperial assassination order.

Those bloody achievements had eventually earned him the title of frontier lord.

A monster no one could reason with.

A beast capable of tearing apart any other beastman.

A blood-crazed killer.

And somehow…

She had been picked up by him.

As emergency food…!

Pinned against the wall by Theodor’s gaze, Nabom couldn’t even breathe.

After quietly looking down at her for a while, Theodor slowly crouched.

Then he raised one enormous hand.

Nabom jumped in fright.

The strength left her legs.

She curled into a tiny ball on the floor and trembled violently.

But…

Nothing happened.

No blow landed on her head.

No crushing paw came down.

After waiting for several moments, she cautiously raised her head.

Theodor was simply holding out his open hand.

Silently waiting.

…?

What’s that supposed to mean?

While she froze in confusion—

“Here, here, here…”

A strange sound reached her ears.

To her surprise…

It was coming from Theodor.

With a completely expressionless face, he was making exactly the same sounds humans used to call puppies or kittens.

Nabom stared blankly.

After hesitating for a long while…

She slowly stepped onto his palm.

Who knows when those weird kissing noises might suddenly turn into a roar…

His hand was unbelievably huge.

Her entire body fit comfortably inside one palm.

“You’re getting far too attached to your emergency food.”

Attached?

He’s obviously just playing with me!

As Theodor gently poked her nose with one finger, the slender man beside him continued,

“If I were you, I’d be too sad to eat it later.”

Even after hearing those horrifying words…

Theodor didn’t react at all.

He simply continued moving his hand.

The slender man clicked his tongue and smiled bitterly.

Almost as though he pitied Nabom.

You bunch of insane psychopaths…!

Nabom squeezed her eyes shut.

I really would’ve been better off with the wolves.

Unlike what the Arctic rabbit tribe believed…

The Baekrang no longer ate Arctic rabbits.

The reason was simple.

They had eaten rabbits for generations.

Yet none of them had ever gained the power of spring.

Or become any stronger.

The Baekrang had long since abandoned the idea of obtaining mysterious powers.

Instead…

They chose something much more reliable.

Money.

House Blashin, the ruling family of the Baekrang, had made a deal with the Imperial Family.

They handed over Arctic rabbits suspected of possessing the power of spring.

In return…

They were paid.

The Imperial Family had also concluded that simply eating rabbits wouldn’t grant Eostre’s power.

So they didn’t eat them.

Instead, they had imperial court mages determine whether any rabbit was truly Eostre’s incarnation.

The Baekrang had already given up.

But the people at the top of the Empire still refused to let go.

They had completely misunderstood.

The true owner of the power of spring wasn’t an Arctic rabbit.

It was a squirrel beastman.

The heroine of the novel—

Ainya.

Until Ainya was taken to the Imperial Palace, the Arctic rabbits were merely kept alive inside cages.

Perhaps staying quietly inside her cage would’ve been the safer choice after all.

“You’re going to wear out its fur at this rate.”

Despite the slender man’s complaint…

Theodor continued rubbing Nabom’s face.

Feeling the rough calluses on his fingertips, Nabom swallowed hard.

Grizzly is loyal to the Emperor…

Did he appear in Baekrang territory because of an imperial order?

Perhaps the Imperial Family suspected the Baekrang of secretly eating the rabbits despite their agreement.

Whether she’d be sent to the Imperial Palace…

Or swallowed whole as the brown bear’s emergency food…

She didn’t know.

But if I’m going to die either way…

I don’t want to be toyed with like this!

Without thinking, Nabom glared at Theodor as he folded and unfolded one of her ears with his fingers.

Even in the dim room…

His golden eyes gleamed brightly.

Hic!

Seeing a predator staring directly at her made her hiccup again.

“What is this, Rune?”

Theodor asked the slender man.

Rune answered,

“It seems rabbits hiccup as well.”

Suddenly…

Theodor grabbed the loose skin on the back of Nabom’s neck.

He lifted her effortlessly until she was hanging in front of his face.

Terrified, Nabom kicked and struggled with all her might.

Theodor simply watched her.

Nothing she did made any difference.

Eventually…

She gave up resisting and hung limply.

“She stopped.”

As he spoke those mysterious words…

Theodor slowly lowered his hand.

More precisely…

Toward his mouth.

Don’t tell me…

Is he finally going to eat me?!

She prepared herself.

The moment an opening appeared…

She’d kick him right in the face.

But—

Instead…

Theodor gently placed her back onto the bed.

…I’m alive.

Watching Nabom visibly relax, Rune let out a quiet sigh.

After bowing to Theodor, he left the room.

Silence filled the bedroom.

Then Nabom suddenly realized—

…Huh?

My hiccups stopped.

I have to escape.

Blink.

I have to get out of here somehow.

Blink.

Fighting to keep her heavy eyelids open, Nabom shook her head.

Her ears stood upright for a moment…

Before drooping back down again.

How am I supposed to escape like this?

She lay on the enormous bed.

Beside her, Theodor rested with his eyes closed.

Every small scar covering his sun-tanned face sent chills down her spine.

At first glance…

He looked asleep.

But he wasn’t.

His huge hand continued gently stroking her back.

Each time his callused palm brushed across her fur, goosebumps spread over her body.

The gentle touch…

Of a bloodthirsty killer.

She had never experienced such vivid terror before.

She was frightened.

And yet…

Why am I so sleepy?

Her eyelids kept drooping on their own.

She fought against sleep…

Until she finally opened her eyes again.

The room was much brighter.

Morning had come.

She blinked her round black eyes.

The moment she realized the predator beside her had disappeared—

“Good morning!”

A cheerful voice rang out.

Nabom looked up in surprise.

A young woman dressed as a maid was smiling brightly right in front of her.

“My name is Anna. I’m your emergency food’s personal maid. I look forward to taking care of you.”

Before Nabom even had time to process this new face…

She found herself being carried into a bathroom.

Anna gently began washing her.

Watching the rabbit blinking in confusion at everything happening around her…

Anna couldn’t help smiling.

It was such a warm, gentle smile that, even in this terrifying place filled with predators, it almost melted Nabom’s heart.

Maybe… this big sister isn’t a predator?

That hopeful thought lasted only a moment.

“Oh my. It seems this emergency food injured its hind leg.”

Hearing those four ominous words again—

Emergency food.

Nabom’s heart nearly stopped.

Anna carefully removed the bandage around her injured leg.

Then she smiled brightly.

“It has healed a lot already. I’ll just replace the bandage with a clean one.”

…?

While Anna wrapped on the fresh bandage, Nabom looked at her wound.

It was true.

The injury had already healed considerably.

It didn’t even throb anymore.

Maybe… it wasn’t as serious as I thought.

“What’s wrong?”

“Does it still hurt?”

“…”

Hearing the genuine concern in Anna’s voice…

Nabom hesitated.

Why is she talking to me like this?

Does she… know I’m not an ordinary rabbit?