Chapter 18
“I have decided to accept this Arctic hare beastman as the adopted daughter of the Grizzly family.”
A heavy silence filled the bedroom.
Ferdy and Louis stared at each other with wide eyes and hanging jaws before slowly turning toward Theodore.
“…What?”
They could only ask that one short question.
Nabom was just as shocked.
Adopted daughter?
What is this man talking about?
Instead of saying, “She’s just a rabbit. Send her to the Imperial Palace immediately,” he was saying he wanted to adopt her? As the adopted daughter… of the Grizzly family?
Unlike the three stunned children, however, Theodore and his wife looked completely calm.
“I don’t think there’s any reason to be so surprised. The rabbit has more than enough qualifications.”
Still expressionless, Theodore looked at Nabom.
“She is the benefactor who saved the life of Louis Philippe Grizzly, a member of our family.”
“…!”
The moment Theodore spoke his full name, Louis immediately lifted his head and nodded over and over, a bright smile spreading across his face.
“If anyone disagrees, raise your hand now.”
Ferdy and Louis looked at each other, shook their heads vigorously, and saluted at the same time.
“No objections!”
After watching the two brothers, Theodore turned toward the bed.
The woman—his wife—silently shook her head as well.
Theodore gave a solemn nod.
“Then there are… no objections.”
He slowly walked toward Nabom.
For some reason, the way Theodore looked at her seemed strangely aggressive.
His eyes were filled with satisfaction, as though he had finally obtained something he had wanted for a very long time.
His golden eyes shone brighter than usual, making Nabom instinctively take a step back.
How could she possibly believe this?
If he had said she could stay in the castle forever…
Or become the family’s pet…
That would at least make sense.
But adoption…?
And it was you who saved Louis! I only rolled him around in the snow!
Just then, Theodore stopped in front of her and suddenly bent down.
His face came so close that Nabom’s retreating feet froze in place.
“Yes. It’s only natural that you can’t believe me.”
“To you… I must be nothing more than a fierce predator.”
For some reason, those quiet words sounded lonely.
As Nabom blinked in confusion, Theodore slowly knelt on one knee.
Like a knight swearing loyalty before his lord, he looked steadily at her before reaching out his hand.
His touch was so careful that Nabom didn’t even realize she had been lifted into his arms.
Holding the tiny rabbit close, Theodore lowered his head.
Closing his eyes as though performing a sacred ritual, he spoke.
“I, Theodore Grizzly, swear that I will never bring harm to the life I now hold in my arms.”
Another unbelievable sentence left his lips.
Then Theodore gently pressed his forehead against Nabom’s.
At that moment, brilliant golden light suddenly rose from the floor.
It gathered around Theodore and Nabom before slowly surrounding them both.
The dazzling light gradually sank into Theodore’s body.
He slowly raised his head and looked into Nabom’s black eyes, as if confirming something.
His golden eyes seemed slightly warmer than before.
But Nabom could only stare with her mouth hanging open.
…This.
She knew.
She knew exactly what the magical scene she had just witnessed meant.
A sacred oath.
There was a setting called Oaths in Raise Them Well.
Some beastmen could become stronger by making a lifelong vow they would uphold with absolute loyalty.
Beastmen who swore loyalty to the Imperial Family or noble houses gained power through these oaths.
The Sled Dog Knights serving the Grizzly family had probably become stronger through the very same kind of oath.
But an oath was a double-edged sword.
Whether intentionally or not, the moment someone broke their promise, they would lose all the strength granted by the oath.
Not only that—
They would also suffer the Curse of the Oath.
The curse was powerful enough to ruin a person’s life.
And Theodore had just taken such a dangerous oath.
…Why?
Nabom had become so stiff she couldn’t even blink.
Seeing her frozen like a stuffed toy, Theodore spoke awkwardly.
“I should have explained sooner.”
“You were never emergency food from the beginning.”
“You are…”
His golden eyes slowly shifted as he carefully searched for the right words.
“I brought you to this castle… because I wanted to save you.”
If someone asked whether he had hoped for the brilliant light hidden inside the rabbit—
He couldn’t deny it.
But more than that…
“I didn’t want to see you dragged away by the wolves.”
“I simply wanted to save your life.”
Nabom’s little triangular mouth remained wide open.
He hadn’t rescued her to send her to the Imperial Palace.
Not to eat her as emergency food.
Not to keep her as a pet.
He had simply wanted to protect her?
What is he talking about?
Didn’t Theodore know that the White Wolves had always offered Arctic hares to the Imperial Palace?
He was famous enough to be called the Emperor’s teddy bear.
Or…
Was he still mistaken, believing she was the incarnation of Eostre?
Was that why he wanted to adopt her?
“I hope… you’ll trust me a little now.”
As Theodore gently placed Nabom back on the floor, he softly stroked one of her ears.
The gentle touch finally stopped the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her head.
Theodore had sworn an oath never to harm her.
The Curse of the Oath was so severe that, in the worst cases, it could even kill the oathbreaker.
She couldn’t continue doubting him after such a vow.
Even so…
She still couldn’t understand why he would go that far.
“But if we’re going to complete the formal adoption process, there’s one condition.”
Nabom’s ears immediately stood straight up.
“While we are in hibernation, you should spend that time practicing until you can fulfill it.”
“Lord Pallas.”
As Theodore quietly called the name, movement came from deeper inside the room.
Something crawled out from beneath the bed.
Each step of its short legs made its round, furry body and tail wiggle.
Brown and gray fur.
Black tiger-like stripes.
Sharp yellow eyes that seemed able to see straight into someone’s soul.
That’s…
“We meet again after quite some time.”
The moment she heard that slow, familiar voice, Nabom was certain.
It’s the animal I met in my dream!
The round animal suddenly began glowing.
Moments later, it transformed into a human.
Clothes that seemed to appear from nowhere wrapped around his body, and his long ash-gray hair tied itself neatly behind him.
“I wonder if you still remember me.”
Stopping in front of Nabom, he smiled.
“Allow me to introduce him.”
“For about the next month, the Grand Archmage who will teach you how to transform into a human… Lord Pallas Manul.”
“…”
The sudden flood of information overwhelmed Nabom.
So… that wasn’t a dream?
Adoption?
An oath?
A Grand Archmage?
Human transformation?
Everything started spinning before her eyes.
“S-Snowy!”
Just as Nabom collapsed, Louis quickly threw himself forward and caught her.
What is happening?
Seriously… what is going on?
When Nabom opened her eyes again, she was lying in her own bed.
Looks like I fainted.
She stretched out on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Even though it had all happened to her, she still felt completely dazed.
After everything that had happened today…
That was only natural.
…Wait a second.
After organizing her thoughts, life slowly returned to her eyes.
Isn’t this actually an opportunity?
Until now, she had only thought about escaping this castle.
But Theodore had no intention of sending her to the Imperial Palace.
Nor did he plan to eat her.
She was now…
A rabbit protected by the head of the strongest noble house in the Empire—
A rabbit protected by an oath.
Not a pet.
An adopted daughter under the family head’s protection.
Maybe… staying here is actually the better choice.
“But if we’re going to complete the formal adoption process, there’s one condition.”
To be officially adopted…
She had to learn how to transform into a human.
And Theodore had even hired a teacher for her.
Didn’t that mean he truly believed she had the potential to transform?
That’s right.
Last time, I even managed to speak.
Alright.
I’ll do it.
I’ll learn human transformation!
Changing her mindset completely, Nabom clenched her little front paw into a fist and proudly raised it into the air.
“Hm?”
Suddenly, she noticed a red stain on the bottom of her paw.
Curling into a little ball, she stared at it.
She rubbed it against the blanket several times.
Tiny red particles came off, and the stain quickly disappeared.
…What was that?
