The child's gaze went straight to the bowl of stew.
He jumped off the bed and rushed toward the food—but then, it seemed, he noticed his presence.
He backed away all the way to the wall.
Even with his back pressed up against it, the boy's eyes never left the stew.
He kept flicking his gaze between Jihl and the food, clearly torn by inner conflict.
Eventually, tears began to spill from his eyes.
His stomach kept growling loudly. Drool overflowed from his mouth and his tail whipped left and right with large, exaggerated motions.
If he's that hungry, hungry enough to cry over it, then he should just eat already.
Realizing just how deeply the child distrusted him, Jihl let out another big sigh.
"Eat."
Leaving those words behind, he exited the room.
Surely, if he weren't there, the boy would eat.
When Jihl entered Colonel Faith's office, he was met with a sharp glare.
"What is it? You've come again? Are you properly taking care of the child?"
"..."
Jihl couldn't help but wonder when exactly he had become the child's caretaker. It didn't seem like a task appropriate for a lieutenant.
"A dedicated caretaker should—"
"Perfect timing. A report has come in from the Royal Medical Institute."
The colonel cut him off and began speaking before Jihl could finish his sentence. As a result, he missed his chance to ask that someone else be assigned as the child's caretaker.
The rabbit-eared child, believed to be a companion of the dog-eared boy, was in a critical condition. He had been slashed with a sword from his shoulder to his abdomen. He had lost a lot of blood and was unconscious—his condition was grave. If he had been a human child, it wouldn't have been strange if he had died instantly. That was how resilient beastmen were.
Even so, the situation was still dire and required urgent medical attention. However, the medical facilities in the fortress were inadequate to deal with it.
As an emergency measure, the child had been sent to the Royal Medical Institute in the capital, which had both the proper equipment and skilled personnel, via teleportation magic.
It seemed the progress report on that child's condition had just come in via a magical transmission.
When Jihl knocked and opened the door to his own room, the child had already finished eating. Both the plate and the bread basket on the table were completely empty. The plate was spotless, without even a scrap of stew remaining—he had probably licked it clean.
When Jihl approached, the boy timidly stood up and gave him a deep bow.
"Th-th-thank you for the meal. Th-thank you very much."
Jihl nodded and gestured for him to sit. The child still seemed frightened, but even so, he didn't run away and instead sat back down on the sofa. It appeared that, somehow, he had stopped seeing Jihl as a threat.
Yes, food is the key. With children, food is everything.
Seated on the chair across from the boy, Jihl nodded to himself in satisfaction.
"Let me ask you again. What's your name?"
"B-Bao Bei."
Fidgeting with the hem of his oversized shirt, he still managed to answer. It was a significant improvement. Food was truly powerful.
His tail still drooped low, as if reflecting his lingering anxiety, the tip trembling faintly from side to side.
"You've got a scary face, so don't keep staring people in the eyes. They'll think you're glaring at them."
The meddlesome words of his father suddenly echoed in Jihl's mind. With that, he shifted his gaze to focus casually on the boy's upright ears and continued his questioning.
"How old are you?"
"Three! Ah, but beastmen grow up faster, so I'm already big!"
As if this was the most important point, he leaned forward and emphasized it strongly.
Jihl quickly covered his mouth with his hand and averted his gaze toward nowhere in particular.
What is this adorable creature?
"A-a-and, uhm, uhm,..."
He seemed to be trying desperately to say something.
"What is it?"
When prompted, Bao Bei seemed to steel himself, he tightly pressing his lips together before asking, "Judy? Is Judy okay? Where is Judy?"
As he asked, his large blue eyes welled up, and in the next instant, tears burst forth.
"I'll tell you now. Use this to wipe your face."
Jihl took out a handkerchief and pressed it to the boy's face. The handkerchief puffed out and completely covered his small face. His tiny hands held the cloth and scrubbed away the tears.
"Judy is the rabbit-eared child, right?"
When Jihl confirmed, Bao Bei nodded his head emphatically in return.
"He was badly injured, so we sent him to the Royal Medical Institute. A message came saying his life was saved."
Bao Bei's face instantly lit up. His expression changed so rapidly it was endlessly captivating to watch.
"Thank goodness! Judy was saved! Thank goodness! Judy had so much blood… Bao Bei… Bao Bei… was so scared… I'm so gla… hu-nyaa…"
Just as he rejoiced, he began to cry again, his eyes brimming with fresh tears. What a busy child. Still, his tail was swinging against the sofa. Jihl judged this to mean he was happy.
"Even so, the injuries were severe, so he'll need to stay at the Royal Medical Institute for a while to continue treatment. It'll still take time before he can move around again."
"Is that place far? Bao Bei… can't go to see him?"
"If you go by carriage from here, it takes ten days. It's not an easy trip."
"That far…"
Bao Bei's ears and tail drooped pitifully.
"But you don't have to worries! Because he will get better soon!"
His ears and tail shot up again. He sulked on his own and got his spirits back up on his own. Jihl couldn't take his eyes off him. Were beastman children always this straightforward and entertaining?
"What about Uncle? Is Uncle Wilde far away too, like Judy?"
"You mean the fox-eared man? He only had broken bones and bruises, so he's being treated here. Do you want to see him?"
"Yes!"
Bao Bei nodded his head vigorously.