Chapter 06

Why didn’t I think of that? Bears hibernate!

Nabom clasped her tiny front paws together and closed her eyes.

Dear God, thank you.

If they were devouring that much salmon before hibernation, it had to mean the bears would soon fall into a long sleep.

She didn’t know exactly how long bears hibernated, but surely it would be more than enough time for her to escape.

They’ll only eat salmon… right?

With mountains of salmon piled up like that, there was no way they’d bother eating someone as tiny as her.

That’s right. Surely that’s how it is.

How long had she been repeating that to herself like a prayer?

Before she knew it, Nabom had arrived in the Great Hall of Grizzly Castle.

More precisely, she was sitting on top of the enormous dining table.

Of all places, she was right in the middle of a table covered with plates of food meant for bears.

Thank you, my foot.

Can a god this cruel really be allowed to exist?!

“Kyii! Kyii-kyii! Kyaaah!”

Overwhelmed by sorrow and despair, Nabom threw back her head and cried.

That’s right.

Rabbits cry too.

When they’re angry or feel threatened, they can make sounds like this.

But to the predators gathered around the table, the sight of Nabom crying with her little buck teeth exposed and mouth stretched wide was simply fascinating.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Louis, you shouldn’t be noisy at the dinner table. And copying her is rude to Snowflake.”

“But she’s cute.”

Ferdi and Louis, seated on either side of Anna, chatted casually with Nabom between them.

The people gathered around the Great Hall’s long table weren’t just members of the Grizzly family.

The family and their servants all shared meals together.

Everyone seemed delighted to be there, as though they had been looking forward to this moment.

When Theodore, the head of the household, nodded, everyone bowed their heads in thanks.

Then forks immediately descended upon the steaming salmon dishes.

Stab! Scrape, scrape.

The sounds of cutlery echoed throughout the hall.

Nabom flinched nervously.

Right now, everyone was focused on the salmon.

But who knew when they might suddenly decide she looked appetizing?

Especially that brown bear.

Theodore.

People even attached the respectful honorific -nim to the words Emergency Rations when addressing her.

There was no doubt she was the lord’s emergency food supply.

Driven by instinctive fear, Nabom unconsciously began backing away.

“Emergency Rations-nim.”

At that moment, a chilling voice sounded beside her ear.

Nabom whipped her head around.

Not the Grim Reaper.

Anna.

“Here. This is probably better than salmon.”

Anna held out some leafy greens.

Since Nabom had been staring at the salmon dishes so intensely, Anna must have mistaken her fear for hunger.

She didn’t really want to eat anymore, but she reflexively bit into the leaf.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

As she chewed absentmindedly, her anxiety seemed to ease a little.

They said I’m still too small to be emergency rations. They won’t eat me until I get bigger.

More importantly, Anna scratched under her chin every time she fed her.

It felt surprisingly nice.

After several more leaves, Nabom frowned.

Huh?

Something felt different.

Normally she could easily see her hind feet while sitting.

Now her belly was so puffed out that she could barely see the tips of them.

Wait…

Have I already become one full serving of emergency rations?

Just as panic set in—

“Anna.”

A deep voice came from across the table.

A huge man with a thick black beard was glaring fiercely at Anna.

“You’re standing far too close. Refrain from such presumptuous behavior.”

“My apologies, Commander.”

Anna rose and bowed crisply.

“As her personal maid, she seems particularly comfortable around me.”

But the commander’s expression only twisted further at her added explanation.

“You know as well as I do. This is the first time an Emergency Rations-nim has ever been invited to the lord’s table.”

“I am aware.”

“If you’re aware, then bring that tiny, adorab—”

He coughed.

“—Emergency Rations-nim closer to the lord immediately.”

The moment the order was given, Anna reached out.

Still frozen from the commander’s glare and her newly swollen belly, Nabom failed to dodge.

A moment later, she was delivered directly in front of Theodore.

Now she was stuck in the middle of the table with nowhere to run.

“I see. So that’s why the young masters call her Snowflake.”

“So white… and round…”

“Urgh!”

“That fluffy white fur. It must be incredibly soft.”

The retainers seated beside Theodore leaned in close.

One clutched his chest while frowning intensely.

Another stared at her with trembling hands and crazed eyes.

The muscular men were each at least twenty times her size.

Their attention alone was terrifying.

But there was something even worse.

“…”

Theodore was staring at her.

Silently.

Without saying a word.

As though he were deep in thought, examining her from head to toe.

Her fur stood on end.

Nabom was certain.

He’s deciding whether to eat me or not…!

Once she reached that conclusion, her decision came quickly.

She clenched her trembling little paws.

Just then—

“Emerg— I mean, Snowflake-niiim!”

The commander who had been glaring at Anna held out another leaf.

But Nabom didn’t notice the fresh greens.

Nor the strangely high-pitched voice.

Hyaaaah!

With an internal battle cry, she threw her entire weight into both front paws and smacked the commander’s arm away.

Unfortunately, she put in too much force.

She tumbled straight off the table.

Thump!

She tried to land on her hind legs but instead crashed onto her backside.

“Kyaaaah!”

Theodore shot to his feet.

“Catch the rabbit.”

The moment the order left his mouth, every retainer rose simultaneously.

A short, decisive command from their lord.

Countless predators suddenly turning their attention toward her.

Nabom forgot the pain in her leg and leapt.

She ran.

Ran desperately.

She crashed into table legs.

Smashed into serving trays and sent plates shattering.

She searched frantically for an exit.

Naturally, she never heard Theodore’s next words.

“The rabbit injured her hind leg. If she keeps moving, the wound could reopen. Catch her quickly.”

“Yes, sir!”

The retainers’ eyes widened.

It had been ages since they’d heard their lord speak such a long sentence.

Everyone sprang into action to capture the rabbit.

Unfortunately, their enthusiasm only made things worse.

Slipping between reaching hands and broad bodies, Nabom darted through the gaps.

She jumped onto a nearby man’s shoulder.

As he tried to grab her, she launched herself into the air.

A moment later she landed on a window frame.

Bang!

The half-open window swung wider from the impact.

Nabom squeezed through the opening.

“Snowflake-nim!”

Urgent voices echoed behind her.

She never looked back.

Stretching her body as far as possible, she flew toward the garden outside.

Then—

Thunk!

One hind leg caught on the window frame.

Her body suddenly dropped.

Nabom plummeted straight toward the ground.

Poof.

The impact wasn’t nearly as painful as she expected.

Slowly opening her eyes, she found herself surrounded by green.

The ground beneath her felt soft and thick with earth.

Get up.

I have to get farther away.

But despite her instincts, her eyelids kept drooping.

For a rabbit whose nose had been overwhelmed by the scent of predators all day, the fragrance of grass felt like a warm bed.

Plop.

Her exhausted body tilted sideways.

“Snowflake-nim!”

A distant voice called out.

“Rations-niiiim!”

Someone was desperately searching for somebody.

The concern in their voice was unmistakable.

Who are they looking for?

Who could make them sound so frantic?

“Where are you, Snow Rabbit?!”

At the booming voice of the Grizzly family’s second son, Nabom suddenly became alert.

They’re looking for me?

She couldn’t understand why.

Is there some reason I can’t disappear?

Maybe losing the lord’s emergency rations carried some kind of punishment.

That wouldn’t be good.

“We could’ve gone to the amusement park today! Why did it have to be today?”

“You can’t even transform into a human? It would’ve been better if you’d never been born.”

I don’t want anyone suffering because of me.

“It’s all your fault, sister!”

“Why do I have to be treated like this? It’s all because of you.”

I don’t want to be anyone’s burden anymore.

Nabom clenched her tiny teeth.

She tried to force herself upright and escape the sea of green surrounding her.

Then—

…?

Suddenly her vision brightened.

At the same time, the scent of a predator washed over her.

Slowly, Nabom opened her eyes.

Through her blurry vision, pushing aside the grass, appeared the face of a gigantic brown bear.

Theodore.