TBF 12

Chapter 12

“Three servings, please, Chef.”

“So it seems you’re having breakfast with Lady Snowflake again today.”

As Anna nodded, the white-haired chef busily began preparing the meal.

“How is Lady Snowflake’s leg? I’ve been using only the finest ingredients to help her recover.”

“I think she’s completely healed. She was running around the snowfield just fine.”

“That is certainly good news.”

The chef smiled as he quickly finished cooking and arranged the dishes.

“Still, I can’t help feeling a little disappointed.”

But as he handed the tray to Anna, his expression quickly turned bitter. Anna looked much the same.

“…Yes. If she’s fully recovered, it means the Lord will soon send Lady Snowflake back. Back to where she originally belonged.”

Theodore Grizzly.

The head of the Grizzly family had a rather unusual hobby: rescuing injured small animals, nursing them back to health, and then releasing them into the wild.

Because of his cold appearance and taciturn nature, the entire Empire misunderstood him, but Theodore possessed a warmer heart than anyone else.

Even so, he was still the head of a count’s household.

Perhaps because he carried the responsibility of an entire family, Theodore always returned every life he rescued to where it originally belonged. Animal or beastkin, it made no difference.

It was his unbreakable rule.

“In any case, until a decision is made, I’d like to feed her the best food possible.”

“You’ve already done more than enough, Chef.”

Balancing all three trays at once, Anna gave a respectful nod.

Three servings.

For Young Master Ferdi, Young Master Louis, and Lady Snowflake.

The thought that this precious daily routine would soon come to an end made her heart ache.

Why had she grown more attached to Lady Snowflake than to the other emergency rations?

Was it because she had become so close to the young masters?

Or perhaps…

She’s just so adorable.

Maybe that was why.

Being around her somehow filled one corner of Anna’s heart with warmth.

A gentle smile on her lips, Anna knocked on the door.

“Lady Snowflake, Young Masters. Breakf—”

Bang!

Before she could finish speaking, the door flew open from inside.

“Young Master Ferdi?”

Ferdi burst out of Nabom’s room.

His face was deathly pale.

“Anna. Th-they’re gone.”

“Excuse me?”

“Louis and Snowflake disappeared…!”

As he shouted the shocking news, Ferdi pointed toward the window.

The curtains whipped violently in the blizzard pouring through the open frame.

***

It happened while Nabom was frantically searching for the second cub.

A sound reached her ears amidst the howling wind.

Footsteps.

She quickly hid beside a rock and waited to see whether another animal was approaching, but she sensed nothing.

Maybe the sound had come from farther away.

Her hearing had definitely become much sharper after turning into a rabbit.

Just as she cautiously continued deeper into the forest—

A familiar scent suddenly tickled her nose.

Louis.

Nabom sniffed the air repeatedly.

Instinctively following the scent, she tilted her head.

How is his smell still here in the middle of a blizzard?

A moment ago the air had been filled with nothing but the smell of snow and wind.

Had she simply gotten closer to him?

Whatever the reason, she ran.

For some reason, she felt certain.

If she trusted her nose and kept going, she would find Louis.

Bounding through the birch forest path, she soon spotted the back of a boy through the thick curtain of falling snow.

Without realizing it, she shouted.

Louis!

At that very moment, Louis spun around.

As if he had actually heard her voice.

Nabom froze for an instant.

Then she saw Louis’ eyes widen as he ran toward her.

Apparently he had sensed her presence.

“Snowflake!”

Louis scooped her up and hugged her tightly.

“Thank goodness. You’re safe. Really… thank goodness.”

Rubbing his flushed cheek against Nabom’s fluffy face, he repeated those words over and over.

He seemed so relieved that his knees suddenly buckled.

He collapsed onto the snow-covered ground while still holding her.

As he gently stroked her head, Louis let out strained groans, as though fighting against something.

“That’s strange…”

Nabom tilted her head in confusion.

Louis’ eyelids kept drooping.

“Why am I so sleepy?”

Nabom’s eyes widened.

Sleepy?

Here?

All of a sudden?

“Let’s rest for a bit, Snowflake. If we keep going left from here… there’s a cave…”

His voice faded.

Then Louis collapsed face-first into the snow.

Still in his arms, Nabom froze in shock.

Louis lay motionless on the cold, snow-covered ground.

As if he had simply fallen asleep.

Louis! Louis!

She smacked the back of his hand with her paw.

No response.

She was about to slap his cheek when his body suddenly began glowing white.

His form distorted.

Then, from beneath the discarded clothes left behind like an empty shell, a furry brown face poked out.

…Animal transformation?

First he suddenly got sleepy.

Now he had transformed?

What in the world was happening?

Even after becoming a bear cub, Louis didn’t wake up.

Panicking, Nabom hopped around him.

Meanwhile, the snow continued to fall.

White flakes piled onto Louis’ dark brown fur.

Finally forcing herself to calm down, Nabom shook her head vigorously.

We can’t stay here.

Having spent years in the Arctic in her previous life, she knew better than anyone.

Snow was beautiful.

But it could also be terrifying.

If he kept sleeping here, he could freeze to death.

Louis!

Calling his name, she nudged him repeatedly.

Wake up! Wake up already!

This time she slapped his face.

Still nothing.

Just how deeply asleep was he?

Fine.

If she couldn’t wake him up, she’d have to move him.

Planting her hind legs firmly into the snow, Nabom lowered her body and pushed against Louis with her front paws.

Nnghhhh!

She strained with all her might.

It was useless.

No matter how young he was, Louis was still a bear cub.

The weight difference was simply too great.

With her tiny rabbit body, she couldn’t budge him.

While stomping the snow in frustration and desperately thinking of a solution, an idea suddenly came to her.

She opened her mouth and bit down on the front of Louis’ clothing.

Chomp!

Then she pulled with every ounce of strength she had.

Nghhhh!

The clothes slid across the snow.

And because Louis was lying on top of them, he slid along as well.

That’s it!

Having found a method, Nabom focused all her strength into her jaw and paws and began dragging him forward.

He said there was a cave if we kept going this way…

Nghh!

After taking another step, she looked up.

Far in the distance, she spotted something resembling a huge roof.

There.

I can do this.

Ignoring the trembling in her legs, Nabom narrowed her eyes.

I have to repay the dandelion debt before I leave.

Seriously.

The moment she renewed her determination and stepped forward—

Was it her imagination?

The strength seemed to return to her shaking legs.

Her jaw no longer ached.

Her teeth stopped creaking.

It felt as though some sort of booster had activated.

Excited, she kept moving forward.

But only for a short while.

Just before reaching her goal, Nabom collapsed where she stood.

The booster ended fast.

Panting heavily, she slammed a paw against the snow.

It was frustrating.

She was far stronger than in her previous life, but as a rabbit, there were still limits.

Fortunately, she didn’t have time to wallow in self-pity.

Following the towering cave roof downward with her eyes, she noticed something.

The cave entrance sat at the bottom of a sloping incline.

The ground was covered in snow.

If she pushed from behind, Louis could slide all the way down.

Nabom immediately got back up and gathered the last remnants of her strength.

She dragged Louis to the top of the slope and carefully adjusted his position.

Perfect.

Then she gave him a cautious push.

Thanks to the incline, the bear cub’s body slid forward with surprising ease.

Exactly as planned.

Unfortunately, she celebrated too soon.

Louis began accelerating.

Before she knew it, he was completely beyond her control, rolling down the hill.

At this rate he’ll hit that tree—!

Nabom sprinted downhill and planted herself in front of the tree, spreading her paws wide.

Her eyes burned with determination.

She was going to catch him herself.

THUD!

A loud impact echoed through the forest.

Snow showered down over Nabom’s head.

She squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself.

But no impact ever came.

Slowly, she opened one eye.

Oh.

Fortunately, Louis had crashed into a mound of snow piled up in front of the tree.

The snowbank had collapsed, scattering snow all over Nabom.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she shook the snow off her fur and hurried over.

Louis had become…

Half snowman.

Perhaps because he had rolled all the way down the hill, his face was completely covered in snow.

It was hard to tell where his eyes, nose, or mouth even were.

When Nabom glanced back at the slope, she noticed something else.

Along the path Louis had rolled down, a series of bear-cub face prints had been stamped into the snow like seals.