A New Family Member and a Surprise Test

"Now, your name is..."

― "Keung?"

― "Kyak! Kyak-kyak!"

― "Keuuuung..."

― "Kyaaaak! Kyak! Kyak!"

Jeolmi and the polar bear kept making noises at each other. I wondered if they could actually understand one another. It sounded like Jeolmi was doing all the nagging, though... Regardless, once the summoning was complete, Mr. Lee Jong-wu and Grandfather Kang Yong-su approached slowly. Grandfather was busy observing the bear, which was slightly larger than him, looking fascinated.

"Hoho... I don't think that's just an ordinary bear."

"Indeed. It looks quite extraordinary, doesn't it?"

"Have you decided on a name, Shiro?"

"Ah."

Right, the name... I had to pick one. Jeolmi was named Jeolmi because he went around sprinkling snow like injeolmi powder, but what should I do for the polar bear? Bear-y? Bear-bear? They were easy to call, but weren't they a bit too plain? If I became an S-rank hunter later and introduced my familiar as, "I present the familiar of the King Legend Hunter!" only for the name to be "Bear-y"... wouldn't that be a bit funny?

"Bear... Bear..."

I was thinking hard, but no good ideas were coming to mind. All I could think of were silly things like "Bear-roll-bear-roll" whenever a bear rolled around.

"If it's difficult to decide, how about naming it after the boss from which the Magic Crystal dropped?"

Mr. Lee Jong-wu, sensing my struggle, offered a suggestion naturally. A boss, huh. Power Bomber Red...? Bom... Bom-bear... Bombe... Bombe it is. It sounded a bit like a game character, but it would be fine. It had a nice ring to it.

"I've decided! It's Bombe!"

"Bombe, that's a fine name."

"Oh, wait a second."

Once I picked the name, there was one more thing to do. Setting the gender. Jeolmi didn't have a gender until I assigned one, either. Ah, wait. Maybe Bombe already had one, so I should ask first. It would be too mean to change it on a whim. Even though my own gender had changed overnight.

"From now on, your name is Bombe. Got it?"

― "Keuung."

Bombe nodded as if it were a bother and flopped onto the ground. The way she let out a huge yawn made her seem incredibly lazy.

"Um... Bombe, do you have a gender?"

― "Keuung?"

Bombe tilted her head as if to say she didn't have anything like that, then shook it side to side.

"Then... since Jeolmi is a male, Bombe, you be a female!"

― "Keuung?!"

Mana drained out, and the snow that made up Bombe's body swirled around for a moment. When it settled down... there wasn't much change on the outside.

― "Keuung..."

― "Kyak-kyak!"

Jeolmi let out a sound like a human laughing, as if he were happy about something. No... but aren't female bears usually stronger? Or wait... are males stronger? Eh. They were friends born from my own ability anyway, so what did it matter? Maybe a moment would come later where Bombe would be happy she was a female.

"Shiro's abilities really have many unique aspects."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Usually, hunters who create familiars aren't this free. I never imagined you could set their gender in real-time with just a word."

"So... not everyone can do this..."

"Shiro, would you mind if Grandfather sparred with Bom...be for a moment?"

Grandfather, seemingly satisfied with his observation, approached me and patted my head. Grandfather and Bombe...? Even so, I didn't think she was quite at the level to fight Grandfather yet.

"I don't mean a fight to the death, but a test to see if Bombe can protect you well."

Aha, so he was deciding whether to allow me to continue my hunter activities based on Bombe's ability. Well, I was the one who suggested it. I just didn't expect to fight Grandfather directly.

"Th-then, is it just Bombe fighting? Without me or Jeolmi?"

"Yes. Since we are testing Bombe."

"Okay..."

It seemed Grandfather needed to be convinced that Bombe could protect me if there was any danger before he would permit my activities. I couldn't help it. All I could do was... even though she was just born, I had to cheer for our Bombe to be super-duper strong and make me a disobedient granddaughter for a moment.

Grandfather clenched his fist lightly and looked at Bombe. Bombe, who had been sprawled on the floor, scratched her head with a claw and slowly stood up.

"But... is it okay for me to send mana?"

"I will allow that much."

"Ah, okay!"

I spread my hands wide and poured mana into Bombe. Bombe's two shields glowed with a blue light, and she let out a "Hmph" as she exhaled cold air from her nose.

"Then, I'll give you a light tap!"

Grandfather smiled, looking intrigued. I always felt this, but while Grandfather was gentle and warm usually, he seemed to become full of fighting spirit once a battle started.

With a shout, Grandfather leaped and reached Bombe in an instant. Perhaps he was controlling his strength, as there was no wild spray of water like before.

BOOM!!

He had only reinforced his fist with a bit of mana, but it collided with the shield, creating a quite loud sound. But what was more surprising was that Bombe had easily blocked Grandfather's fist.

"Oh-"

Whoosh!

She didn't just stop at blocking the fist. The moment Grandfather's fist touched the glowing blue shield, it emitted a strong shockwave and cold air, just like the bombs of the Bombers. Grandfather, despite having attacked first, was pushed back quite ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a distance. On top of that, I could see frost forming on his fist.

"Hohoho, you have quite a bit of spirit."

Grandfather shook his hand to break the ice and took his stance again. This time, mana swirled around his fist in the form of a water spray. Could she block that...? Bombe looked stronger than I thought, but she shouldn't be at the level of an S-rank hunter yet...

As I sent an anxious look, Bombe tilted her head as if asking for more mana. What is this... if she were human, she'd have a very chic personality.

"Ugh..."

― "Keuung!"

I put strength into my arms and transferred my mana. Kwang! As Bombe stomped her foot, blue mana bloomed from her head and the feathers of her cape, absorbing light.

"Hoho! It seems you have your own tricks!"

Grandfather waited for a moment before leaping high. Mr. Lee Jong-wu was trembling in anxiety nearby, saying this wasn't an official training ground so they should take it easy.

Bombe rushed toward the leaping Grandfather. Her blue-glowing cape fluttered, unleashing a fierce blizzard. Just as the Bombers used explosions for propulsion, Bombe's body accelerated.

"Whoa...!"

Grandfather's fist and Bombe's shield collided head-on—water droplets and snowflakes scattered in all directions with the shockwave. I stumbled, enduring the wind alongside Jeolmi. For a moment, the snow mist obscured everything, but it slowly settled.

Bombe and Grandfather remained frozen in the position where their attacks had met.

"I think I can give you a passing grade for this."

"Gasp! Really?!"

Grandfather laughed "Hoho" and moved away from Bombe. He shook his hands as if to say it was quite a punchy experience.

As soon as Grandfather moved away, Bombe flopped onto the floor, sticking her tongue out and panting. No, Jeolmi was the same, why did they all act like puppies? Anyway...

"Can I keep going to the hunter academy?"

"Instead... you must promise me you'll study hard at home."

"Of course!"

I could solve elementary school work with my eyes closed. Well, subtraction was a bit tough if there were too many, but I was confident I was really good at multiplication.

Jeolmi, perhaps feeling my joy, seemed to be in a good mood too, as he stood his tail up and hopped around the ground. Cute little thing.

"The problem is... Bombe's living arrangements. Her size isn't suitable for a regular home."

Mr. Lee Jong-wu looked at Bombe, who was lying down and trying to fall asleep. I imagined Bombe entering Grandfather's house... that would be impossible, right? In fact, Grandfather himself was a giant over two meters tall; if Bombe came in too, the house would really be packed. Would we even be able to breathe?

― "Kyak! Kyak-kyak!"

"Hm? Jeolmi, what is it?"

― "Kyak kyaak!"

Jeolmi hopped down from my arms and kept explaining something while shaking his butt. It was normal not to know what he wanted to say, but...

'Why do I feel like I understand?'

The longer we spent together, the stronger my ability to grasp what Jeolmi wanted to convey seemed to get. It wasn't anything negative, so I took it as a good thing.

"You're saying I should just make her smaller?"

Come to think of it, Jeolmi was also a massive snow golem at first. I told him to get smaller, so he became a long-tailed tit, and then he grew into a magpie. Hmm... but as my familiar, it might not be great if I kept changing her form. It would be hard for her if her body kept changing after she finally adapted.

― "Kyak! Kyak-kyak!"

"Hm? Keep the species the same, but just make the size smaller?"

― "Kyak!"

"Then it would be fine?"

After interpreting Jeolmi's body language, it seemed I should keep her identity but just shrink her size. I didn't have a clear grasp of it, but I decided to give it a try.

"Bombe! Um... shrink down to this size!"

― "Keuung?!"

I imagined a small puppy and gauged the size with my hands. And instead of just saying "compress" or "get small," I used the word "grow younger." Then, a fierce blizzard wrapped around Bombe's body, and she shrank ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into a puppy-sized baby bear. Her head ornaments, shields, and cape also shrank with her. I guess they were part of her body.

― "Kki, kkiung."

"Gasp, her crying sound became cute too."

"Hohoho, indeed. At this size, I think we can bring her into the house."

"Hehe, I like it."

My family had grown. I didn't show it, but as the number of people I was connected to increased, I felt something soft and fluffy filling my heart. Back when I had an accident at the orphanage and was sent to a new one without any friends or adults to rely on... I don't think I ever felt that period of my life was particularly happy.

"For now, we will be heading back. Are the bodies of the hunters who were with Shiro alright?"

"Yes, they are all fine. One of our staff members who was at the scene was slightly injured, but it wasn't a major wound, so they said there shouldn't be any lingering effects."

"That's a relief, a relief indeed. Then, thank you for your hard work, Jong-wu. I'll be in touch again."

"Yes, take care. Oh, Shiro."

Mr. Lee Jong-wu knelt down and handed me something. It was a hunter badge with the Association's mark on it. It had a symbol with a feather, a triangle, and a shield inside a circle.

"What is this...?"

"It's a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mark indicating that you are a promising prospect officially certified by the Association among registered hunters. It's an achievement award for Shiro, who held her ground and saved people during the 3rd-grade gate incident. You did well."

"...!"

Overwhelmed with joy, I tapped my feet. Grandfather patted the top of my head with a satisfied smile. It felt like happy days were continuing one after another these days.

"Then, take care."

"You too, have a safe trip."

On the way to the car, holding Grandfather's hand, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I kept smiling from ear to ear, fiddling with the badge in my hand. I couldn't help it; my mouth just wouldn't stop curving upward.

***

"Shiro. Then, shall we start the test?"

"H-huh...!"

Ah, no. Se-eun Unni... I did say I would take the test at home, but...

"En... English?"

I was thinking of math... I'm not good at English...!