Every animal is cute when it is young.
They say they survive by winning their enemies’ pity with that cuteness.
No matter how vicious an animal may be, most of them radiate lethal cuteness when they are babies.
"Kkyu?"
Just like the owlbear cub in front of me right now.
It had merely tilted its head, yet I felt a massive blow to my heart.
If I had to describe the owlbear cub, this was exactly it.
A ball of fur that looked fluffy at a glance was staring at me with its eyes opened wide and round.
An adult owlbear’s face was vicious beyond measure, but the cub’s face was incredibly gentle.
But this was the wild. Even an owlbear would have trouble surviving here as a cub.
Then what was I supposed to do now?
"Jjyu-jjyu-jjyu-jjyu. Jjyu-jjyu. Come here."
"Kkyuu."
What else? Pet it once, obviously.
When I crooked my fingers, the owlbear tilted its head before slowly approaching me.
Then it pressed its nose against my hand and began sniffing it. An instinct unique to beasts.
While the owlbear sniffed me, I slowly moved my other hand.
Sseuuk—seuk—seuk—
"Kkyung?"
A head pat with hands—something a four-legged animal could never do.
The owlbear cub opened its eyes wide at the sensation it had never felt before and looked at me.
Its round, almost perfectly circular eyes, and the tufts of fur rising over its head like an owl’s.
How could there be such a cute creature? It was only about the size of a medium-sized dog, too, so it did not seem particularly threatening.
"Gorong. Gorong."
Perhaps my touch felt good, because the owlbear closed its eyes and made a peculiar sound.
I diligently petted the little one’s head, then quietly entered the Gallery.
Title) Found an Owlbear Cub
Wild Grylls
(Photo of an owlbear cub)
(Photo of an owlbear cub)
(Video of petting an owlbear cub)
(Video of an owlbear cub smiling)
I killed its mother and came out, but this little guy was there. Seriously cute.
Reply: Fucking adorable lololol
Reply: Look at how soft and fluffy that fur is
Reply: Definitely different from an adult;;
Reply: You killed the mother of something like that? You’re seriously a bad guy.
Reply: Orphan-maker, damn
Reply: Orphan-maker lololololol
Reply: Lololololol
Reply: Lololololol
Reply: Grylls. You’re an orphan too, did you really have to make one?
Reply: Wild Grylls) Its mom was trying to kill me, and I have to survive too;;
Reply: Well, survival does come first lol
Reply: Heavenly Demon) It certainly is adorable. I would like to hold that little ball of fur just once.
Reply: Princess Chaenggu) Exactly-yong. Just like me.
Reply: Heavenly Demon) ?
Reply: ?
Reply: ?
Reply: Princess Chaenggu) What the fuck. If you’ve got a problem, let’s throw down-yong.
Reply: Heavenly Demon) Impudent wretch. I want to hold you and make you burst.
Reply: Don’t Abandon the Hero) I’ll ban you for three hours!
Reply: Wild Grylls) ??? No. Why?
Reply: Don’t Abandon the Hero) Cute things require at least ten photos and three videos!
Reply: Wild Grylls) That rule existed?;;
Reply: Don’t Abandon the Hero) I just made it!
Reply: Wild Grylls) Teacher?
Reply: The Orange Badge’s authority, damn
Reply: Tyranny!
Reply: Lolololol
Reply: Lololol
Reply: Then can I upload my face? I’m cute lol
Reply: Don’t Abandon the Hero) Posts that induce disgust get banned!
Reply: Lololololol
Reply: Lolololol
Reply: Look how decisive she is lololol
Most people gave the owlbear cub glowing reviews.
Well, it would not be strange for anyone’s heart to melt at the sight of such a ball of fur.
But the wild was always ruthless. I found one particular comment.
Reply: What does it matter if it’s cute? You have to kill it anyway.
Reply: Why would you kill something that cute?
Reply: Boo. Trash!
Reply: No, fuck. Or are you going to raise it? The moment it gets hungry, it’ll eat Grylls first.
Reply: Ah, I heard about it. A noble who raised an owlbear went on vacation for a bit, came back, and got eaten.
Reply: Holy shit. Can you even raise one?
Reply: Feed it well, and its loyalty is insane. Don’t feed it, and you become the food lol
Reply: Lololol
Reply: Besides, this is the wild. How are you going to raise that thing?
Reply: Do you really have to kill it? It’s so cute.
Reply: Looking at how small it is, it might have just been born.
I looked at the owlbear after reading those comments.
The owlbear was rubbing its face all over me, apparently enjoying my touch that much.
Just looking at it made my gloomy mood melt away, but a wild animal was still a wild animal.
Owlbears in particular had such ferocious appetites that they frequently even ate their owners.
"Kkyuuung. Kkyung."
This cute little thing? I looked at it with pity.
Speaking coldly, it would be safest to kill it with my own hands.
You could ask why I could not raise it, but I already had more than enough on my plate.
Even wealthy nobles found them difficult to raise, so what about me?
’It’s hard to get food at the auction house, too.’
If it were not, I would have bought it for myself already.
It was a shame, but there was nothing I could do. Still, killing it felt unpleasant.
It would be better to send it back into the wild. That was what I decided.
Reply: Wild Grylls) I’ll send it back into the wild for now. It’s hard enough just keeping myself fed.
Reply: You don’t have any sense of responsibility?
Reply: Wild Grylls) Fuck, its mom tried to kill me. What responsibility?
Reply: That is true.
Reply: Quick agreement lololol
Reply: Just buy meat at the auction house. Grylls, aren’t you rich?
Reply: Wild Grylls) If that were possible, I would have bought it and eaten it a long time ago.
Reply: No, seriously;; You’re rich. You can’t afford to feed one kid?
Reply: Wild Grylls) I’m asking why I have to raise it in the first place;; I’m saving money too, just in case.
Reply: How much money do you have?
Let’s see. How much money did I have again?
I had received quite a lot of money from Allfather last time, so I was not exactly strapped for cash.
But raising even one animal took an enormous amount of money.
Especially when it was not a dog or a cat, but a mountain-sized ’bear.’
It was still a cub, but that appetite was not going anywhere.
Reply: Wild Grylls) I do have plenty, but investing it in this is a little...
Reply: Are you an idiot? You can take the owlbear around like a guard.
Reply: Wild Grylls) What are you talking about?
Reply: You know how strong owlbears are, right? Once it becomes an adult, there’s nothing more dependable than one. Just treat it like a guard knight and take it with you.
Reply: That... makes sense!
Reply: No lie, that’s actually really good.
Reply: It would be better to raise it.
That comment was extremely convincing. I looked at the owlbear.
This cute ball of fur would grow into that savage monster.
And as long as I could satisfy its appetite, its loyalty would be extremely high.
’...And I am lonely, too.’
I had the Gallery, but it could not compare to interacting with a living creature.
I met the owlbear’s gaze as it stared at me with eyes full of curiosity.
Using this little guy as a guard did not seem like such a bad choice after all.
Even if I ran short on money, I could sell mandrakes or hunt Golden Frogs.
’But what does it eat?’
Bears were omnivores that even ate rotting carcasses. But this thing was an owlbear.
To find out what owlbears ate, I made a post in the Gallery.
Title) What Do Owlbears Eat?
Wild Grylls
Just what the title says.
Reply: It’ll probably eat pretty much anything?
Reply: Like the comment above says. You can think of its diet as the same as a bear’s.
Reply: Wild Grylls) Does it like honey?
Reply: It’ll fucking love it lololol
Good. Then should I give it some as a test?
I entered the auction house and searched for honey.
Just in case, I did not forget to carefully read the reviews.
Apparently, this was a place that had operated an apiary for three generations. Their proof was quite a sight.
Reply: How do we know that’s real honey?
Reply: (Photo of a face swollen from bee stings)
Reply: Ah, yes;; I’ll buy two jars.
Reply: That proof is solid lololol
Something like that. Thanks to it, I was able to buy it without any hesitation.
After purchasing the honey, I also bought a large spoon. A wooden spoon.
Then I scooped up some honey with the spoon and offered it to the owlbear cub.
"Kkyuu?"
"Try it. It’s tasty."
"Keung-keung. Keung."
Perhaps because it had never seen honey before, the owlbear cub was wary.
I could not help feeling that the honey dripping ttuk-ttuk from the spoon was such a waste.
Still, perhaps because its sense of smell was developed, it soon opened its mouth wide.
"Yam."
"Is it good?"
"..."
The little guy took one bite of honey and paused for a moment.
"Kkyuuuuu!"
"Uh, uh?"
"Kkyuaaa!"
It let out bizarre cries and began greedily devouring the honey.
Startled, I put the jar down on the ground and backed away a couple of steps.
"Chyap-chyap-chyap-chyap!"
"..."
It really was enjoying that.
It was fascinating to see such a long tongue emerge from that short beak, too.
The owlbear cub was utterly absorbed in the sweetness of honey, which it was tasting for the first time in its life.
I did not even get a single bite. I should have taken a bite before giving it away.
Anyway, it was a relief that it seemed to like it. It would take a while to finish all of that.
’What should I name it?’
The little guy I had decided to raise for my survival and peace of mind.
I had never raised a pet before, but I knew that names were important.
’It’s a fluffy ball of fur, so... Fluffy?’
Was that too thoughtless? Still, there was no name more fitting than that.
Asking the Gallery to name it felt like it would be... a bad idea.
I felt like every sort of bizarre name would come pouring out.
"Fluffy."
"Chyap-chyap-chyap-chyap!"
"Fluffy?"
"Chyap-chyap-chyap!"
Was it not looking this way because it was busy eating honey?
Well. I had named it already, so I could make it recognize the name gradually.
Before that, I should upload some photos. How could I keep something this cute to myself?
Title) Picked a Name
Wild Grylls
(Photo of an owlbear cub eating honey)
Its name is Fluffy. I named it that because its fur is fluffy. No objections accepted.
Reply: You really put zero effort into names lololol
Reply: How is that any different from calling it Yellow? Lololol
Reply: For real lol
Reply: Wild Grylls) Then you guys come up with one lol
Reply: Heavenly Demon) How about Wonmo (Round Fur), meaning round fur?
Reply: Wild Grylls) Teacher?;;
Reply: No surprise coming from a fossil lololol
Reply: The name does roll off the tongue. Wonmo!
Reply: From now on, your name is Wonmo lol
Reply: Sword Matstar) Fluffy isn’t bad either, though? It’s cute.
Reply: Wild Grylls) You can’t think of anything else?
Reply: Sword Matstar) Is it female or male?
Reply: Wild Grylls) Hold on.
The moment I saw that comment, I carefully went around to the owlbear’s rear.
Then, when I lowered my head, two round little eggs came into view.
It was obviously male. There was no surer method of checking than that.
Reply: Wild Grylls) Male.
Reply: Sword Matstar) Alexander II. How about it? Cool, right?
Reply: Wild Grylls) ;;;
Reply: Isn’t that a general’s name?
Reply: Yeah, it’s the name of a famous Messiah general lol
Reply: If it were female, it would have been Alexandria lolololol
Reply: Princess Chaenggu) How about Naldo-yong?
Reply: Who’s Naldo?
Reply: He exists. A Chaeyu football player.
Reply: Princess Chaenggu) You caught me-yong lol
Reply: What do you mean, caught? Lololol
Reply: Look at that shamelessness lol
Reply: Praise the Sun) Sultan, go go. He’s obviously got the face of a king.
Reply: From where? That pig?
Reply: Praise the Sun) Pigs are originally one of the faces of kings, too.
Reply: Really?
Reply: Praise the Sun) Yeah, I swear on my son.
Reply: Why are you betting your son? Lololol
See? Every kind of bizarre hybrid was coming out now.
Rather than ask the Gallery, I would be better off just calling him Fluffy myself.
But the Gallery did not seem to have any intention of letting that happen.
Reply: There are a lot of names, so it would be better to decide by vote.
Reply: Fluffy, Wonmo, Alexander, Naldo, Sultan. Five options?
Reply: Anything else to add? If not, I’ll post the poll right away.
Reply: Wouldn’t it be better if Grylls posted it?
Reply: No, no, no. Definitely not. He’ll obviously pick Fluffy.
Reply: Wild Grylls) ??? I’m the owner, so why are you deciding on your own?
This was absurd. I was the one who had decided to raise him, so why were they naming him however they pleased?
But who were the Gallery users? People who did not listen to anyone else, not even with one ear.
Naturally, the vote began with my opinion completely ignored.
Owlbear Cub Name Vote
Fluffy: 1%
Wonmo: 39%
Alexander: 21%
Naldo: 19%
Sultan: 20%
By majority vote, the name has been decided as Wonmo! Ddang ddang ddang!
Reply: Heavenly Demon) You all have a good eye. I am pleased.
Reply: Sword Matstar) No. Why did Wonmo win? That old-fashioned name?
Reply: Princess Chaenggu) I cannot accept this-yong.
Reply: Praise the Sun) What a shame. He has the physiognomy of a king.
Reply: Wild Grylls) No. I said he’s my pet, didn’t I? Why are you deciding on your own?;;
Reply: Heavenly Demon) If you dislike it, name him whatever you wish. This lady shall respect your opinion.
Reply: You can feel the disappointment through the post;;
Reply: Grylls. An Elder is asking you like that, and you’re going to refuse?
Reply: If you refuse, you’re seriously a bad guy.
Reply: Wild Grylls) ;;;
What a fucking situation.
Now I had no choice but to name him Wonmo.
On top of that, the Heavenly Demon had helped me many times, so it was difficult to refuse her.
I rubbed my face and let out a sigh. What was the Gallery, anyway?
’Still, Wonmo isn’t a bad name... is it?’
Wonmo.
It was the sort of name they might give in an old countryside village.
It felt folksy to the point of seeming almost simpleminded.
’Still, at least it isn’t Dolsoe.’
Hmm. Would Dolsoe be better instead? I had no idea.
I looked at the owlbear cub that was still eating honey—the little guy who was now Wonmo—and quietly opened my mouth.
"Wonmo."
"Kkyu?"
No. You did not lift your head before.
Why were you lifting your head at the name Wonmo?
I stared at the owlbear cub, Wonmo, with a dumbfounded expression.
The more I looked into those round eyes, the more at peace I felt.
’Ah, whatever.’
I moved closer to him. Honey dripped ttuk-ttuk from his beak.
Then, while stroking his head, I firmly imprinted it on him.
"From now on, your name is Wonmo. Got it?"
"Kkyu!"
The little guy smiled brightly as though he liked it.
Why?
Meanwhile, around the same time.
"Hehe."
The Heavenly Demon, Yoo So-wol, wore a satisfied smile.
Because Wonmo, the name she had suggested, had become the owlbear cub’s name.
The Gallery was already clamoring for more pictures of Wonmo.
That was how powerful Wonmo’s impact was. What could be more satisfying than this?
’To receive such an enthusiastic response even in the Gallery. Grylls must be pleased, too.’
If Grylls had heard that, he would have foamed at the mouth.