🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 15
The child stretched out a trembling arm and pointed beyond the hill.
“If you go this way… there’s a cave… Louis is there.”
“…”
“Please… save him.”
The voice was weak and shaking, but Theodore immediately recognized it as the same voice he had heard in his mind.
The child’s fingertips gripped Theodore’s fur tightly. His desperate gaze seemed to beg for an answer.
Theodore nodded.
“I heard you.”
The child’s eyelids slowly blinked.
“We heard your voice.”
As if he could actually hear Theodore’s words even in his beast form.
“That’s a relief.”
A faint smile slowly spread across the child’s lips as he let out a long breath.
Soon, his eyes drifted shut.
A soft, rhythmic breathing followed.
Then the child’s body began to glow and crumble away.
In Theodore’s arms now lay a small white arctic hare, curled into a ball.
*
“…standing by…”
“From what I can see, there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong…”
“But just in case, a thorough examination…”
Voices echoed faintly through the darkness.
As she felt something soft beneath her feet, Nabom thought hazily.
I definitely fell from the hill.
But where did I fall afterward?
It was somewhere as soft as this cloth…
Warm, too.
At that moment, the darkness slowly brightened, and Nabom opened her eyes.
“She—she’s awake!”
“Really?”
“Lady Snowflake has awakened! Inform the family head immediately!”
Hurried voices filled the room, followed by the sound of someone sprinting out the door.
It’s kind of noisy.
Where am I?
“Lady Snowflake! Are you alright?”
A face suddenly appeared directly in front of her.
Startled, Nabom shot upright.
Anna?
Anna was staring at her with a worried expression.
Only then did Nabom realize.
Ah… this isn’t the mountain.
A bed that felt enormous to a rabbit.
This was undoubtedly the bedroom of Theodore, head of the Grizzly family.
The moment she realized that, her eyes widened.
Louis!
She cried out instinctively.
Is Louis okay?
But Anna didn’t answer.
Only after pressing her foot anxiously into the bedsheet did she realize something strange.
Right.
Normally nobody can hear my voice.
Not humans in their humanoid forms.
And not beast-form shifters either.
Then why…
Why could Theodore hear me?
“Please save him.”
“Please save Louis…!”
At the time, Theodore had come charging through the avalanche as though he had truly heard her desperate plea.
And after that…
Nabom narrowed her eyes.
Her memory was blurry.
The only thing she could clearly remember was—
“We heard your voice.”
After hearing those words, everything went black.
Maybe she had simply fallen asleep once the tension vanished after meeting Theodore.
After all, a giant bear capable of breaking through an avalanche couldn’t possibly fail to save Louis.
And the fact that she was back in this room meant those memories hadn’t been a dream.
“Lady Snowflake? Can you hear me?”
Then perhaps beast-form shifters could hear her thoughts now?
Theodore had been in bear form then.
That’s right.
Anna was in human form now, so naturally she couldn’t hear—
“Lady Snowflake!”
Anna suddenly leaned closer.
Startled, Nabom jumped straight into the air.
Anna easily caught her in her arms and smiled brightly.
“You’re as energetic as ever. Thank goodness.”
Anna’s voice trembled slightly.
As she laughed softly, she rubbed at the corners of her eyes.
Her eyes looked suspiciously moist.
…Is Anna crying?
Why?
Without thinking, Nabom stretched out a hand toward her face.
Then suddenly froze.
She stared at her own arm—
No.
Her paw.
Huh?
…Hand? Arm?
Why had she thought that?
Feeling a strange sense of discomfort she couldn’t explain, Nabom wiggled her paw.
It was still the same furry rabbit paw as always.
She shook her head.
That doesn’t matter right now.
Louis comes first.
Groaning inwardly, she began trying to figure out how to ask Anna to take her to Louis.
“The doctor will arrive soon, so just wait a little—”
Anna had barely started speaking when—
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
BANG!
The door flew open.
Theodore had arrived.
“M-My lord, you’ve come—”
Before Anna could finish greeting him, Theodore strode over and lifted Nabom straight out of her arms.
Waaaah!
Nabom kicked frantically in surprise, but Theodore’s huge hands held her securely.
“Are you alright?”
He checked her stomach.
“Let’s see.”
He turned her around and inspected her back.
“Any injuries?”
He grabbed her front and back paws and examined even the tiny paw pads.
“Does anything hurt?”
Carefully stroking her ears, he leaned in close and scrutinized her head and face.
His expression was so serious that Nabom’s paws trembled.
“M-My lord, I think Lady Snowflake is frightened.”
“…Ah.”
Only then did Theodore seem to realize it.
“I see.”
He gently placed Nabom back onto the bed.
“Please don’t worry. She doesn’t appear injured, and the doctor will examine her shortly.”
“Yes. You’re right.”
Theodore let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair.
Watching her usually stoic master speak more than twice his normal amount, Anna smiled silently.
…?
Suddenly Theodore knelt beside the bed.
Nabom blinked.
In the ensuing silence, his lips moved.
Did he have something to say?
“I’m sorry.”
The words that finally emerged were completely unexpected.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t find you sooner.”
Nabom’s little triangular mouth fell open, exposing her front teeth.
Seeing the rabbit’s stunned expression only made Theodore’s face twist with even more complicated emotions.
Slowly, he lowered his head.
“Thank you… for saving Louis Philippe.”
“…”
Nabom remained frozen.
The shock just kept coming.
But as Theodore continued bowing his head without looking up, another thought entered her mind.
The head of the Grizzly family feels guilty toward me?
And grateful?
Tap.
Tap-tap.
Nabom reached out and poked Theodore’s head with her paw.
Only then did he look up.
This is my chance!
Excuse me. If you’re grateful, then please don’t eat me.
She projected the thought just as she had during the avalanche.
But Theodore didn’t react at all.
Not even a blink.
As expected, he couldn’t hear her.
Then I have no choice.
Nabom tapped her chest repeatedly with her paw.
Then she crossed both paws into an X.
“…”
Theodore stared blankly.
Nabom repeated the gesture.
She changed it up.
Tap chest.
Make an X.
Shake head.
Again and again.
But Theodore merely tilted his head in complete confusion.
This is so frustrating!
After experiencing actual communication once, relying on body language felt even worse.
Nabom began pounding her chest rapidly.
“Her chest seems uncomfortable. Has the doctor not arrived yet?”
That’s not it!
Growing even more frustrated, she started smacking the bed.
Theodore immediately leaned in close again, his expression grave.
“I’ll take her there myself.”
Then he grabbed the scruff of her neck and lifted her.
That was when—
“Don’t do it, Your Grace!”
A frantic shout came from the doorway.
Theodore turned while still holding Nabom.
A young boy rushed in and threw himself against Theodore’s leg.
“Don’t eat Snowy…!”
The boy looked up desperately.
It was Louis.
Louis! You’re safe!
Relief flooded Nabom.
Then she replayed Louis’s words.
And instantly turned pale.
Wait.
Was I just about to get eaten?
Terror washed over her.
Frozen stiff in Theodore’s grasp, she could only stare.
At that moment, Louis collapsed to his knees on the floor.
