Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch28

Chapter 28

"Though Rib gained immense power through the vow, she ultimately could not save her daughter. In return, Rib was afflicted with an incurable curse."

What kind of curse was it?

As Na-bom asked quietly in the settling silence, Pallas's expressionless face shifted slightly.

"Rib swore to protect her beloved daughter with her own life. The backlash is obvious."

Pallas's golden eyes slowly traced over Rib lying on the bed.

"Shortening of lifespan. And a curse that prevents her from touching those she loves."

Na-bom turned her head to look at Rib's face.

Faint tear tracks remained near her eyes. The face of Louis, crying in his sleep, seemed to overlap with Rib's.

"Rib cannot speak to those she loves, nor touch them. For the remainder of her shortened life."

Unable to gaze at the bed any longer, Na-bom's eyes quietly fell to the floor.

"I'm sorry, Mother..."

Louis had been crying, saying he was sorry to his mother—to Rib.

Were Louis, Ferdinand, and Theodor all unable to meet Rib, despite wanting to, because of the curse? Perhaps Rib herself had asked them not to come.

Louis had cried from loneliness, no doubt. But if that were all, he wouldn't have said I'm sorry.

Perhaps Louis—

Felt responsible for the death of his little sister, the youngest of the Grizzly family.

Was that why he'd choked back tears and apologized over and over?

She didn't know why his sister had died. It was too delicate to ask Pallas.

But surely, it was no one's fault in the Grizzly family.

Just like her own death.

"Unnie!"

At the sudden image of her younger sister, Na-eul, Na-bom squeezed her eyes shut.

Perhaps—maybe—Na-eul also felt responsible for her death.

Was she crying in her dreams, apologizing to her, just like Louis?

She'd wanted her mother to feel relieved.

No more missing amusement park trips because of her. No more quitting jobs to care for a sick daughter. No more working late into the night for hospital bills.

So she'd thought they would be at ease, free, happy.

She'd hoped so. But was that impossible?

Just as she herself still longed for her mother, father, and Na-eul.

"Was it Rib?"

A voice sounded from beside her head, and Na-bom opened her eyes.

"The one you wanted to meet."

Perhaps so. Na-bom nodded quietly.

"Why?"

Pallas asked the short question without taking his eyes off Rib.

"Why go out of your way to meet someone who is only dying?"

......

"You, so full of young life—why?"

Na-bom could not answer.

Without saying a word, she stepped back from the bed.

Yes—she shouldn't have come here uninvited. An outsider like her.

It was just—she'd felt called. A strong instinct that she had to go there.

Perhaps because someone like her was there.

Gazing at Rib, lying on the bed unable to open her eyes, Na-bom thought.

---

The next day.

Na-bom was having breakfast in the snow with the Malamute.

Observing humans was important, but Pallas's humanization training also required getting used to observing animal meals.

The Malamute tore into his meat with gusto, and Na-bom matched his pace with a voracious hay-eating display.

It was a more wild way of eating—food placed on the snow rather than in bowls.

Na-bom chewed and swallowed her hay. The Malamute swallowed his meat at nearly the same time.

It was so delicious that Na-bom trembled and rubbed her face in the snow without thinking.

—Mmm! Delicious!

The Malamute said, scattering snow with his front paws.

—The Head Chef's cooking is the best!

At the Malamute's admiring praise, Na-bom nodded frantically as she chewed her hay.

Half a month had already passed since the brown bears entered hibernation.

Time was drawing near, yet she still couldn't humanize—impatience gnawed at her—but while eating, those worries all flew away.

Na-bom buried her face in the snow and chewed her hay in a daze. Snow clung to her cheeks and mouth, but she didn't mind at all.

The Malamute watched her quietly.

—Can I try some too, Snowflake?

At his words, Na-bom snapped her head up.

Her small, snow-covered face turned to the Malamute. The white rabbit nodded with food still in its mouth, and its long ears swayed with the motion.

—Yes!

With a cheer, the Malamute moved his mouth toward the hay pile—then paused.

The rabbit's small front paw was holding the hay.

A hay bundle extended toward him.

—Th-thanks.

With a strangely shy voice, he thanked her again, then took the hay she offered.

Na-bom stared intently as he chewed.

Feeling her gaze, the Malamute's heart raced—he ate the hay with his head lowered.

—Hmm... Not really my taste, but maybe because it's the Head Chef's cooking, it's edible.

He gave his honest impression—and as he swallowed, Na-bom began stomping her hind legs on the snow.

She seemed angry, so the Malamute quickly changed the subject.

—Sorry, sorry! You shared with me. If you want, you can try some of mine?

Saying this, he offered a small piece of meat to Na-bom. It was a round, dried organ piece beside the red meat.

—Uh.

The moment he gave the meat to Na-bom, the Malamute felt a pang of worry.

—Ah, my mistake! Herbivores shouldn't eat—

But it was too late.

Na-bom was already chewing the organ meat.

—S-Snowflake, no!

He cried out and pressed her small face with his front paw—but soon a gulp was heard.

The Malamute paled and jumped in place.

—Sp-spit it out! Hurry!

He called urgently and gently bit her scruff, lifting her. Shaking his head vigorously, the rabbit dangling from his mouth also swayed wildly.

He repeated spit it out several times—

Suddenly, his body was lifted. Startled, the Malamute released Na-bom. But she didn't fall.

Someone's hand had lifted both Na-bom and the Malamute.

"That's fine to eat—leave her alone."

Looking up at the voice from above, a familiar old man was looking down at them.

Old man!

Calling out without thinking, Na-bom clung to Heinz's forearm with her front paws.

"...Hmph."

With a short laugh like a snort, Heinz quietly stroked Na-bom's head.

He then set both animals down in the snow. The Malamute looked at Na-bom's face with concern.

"Arctic hares occasionally eat animal organs."

At those words, the Malamute whipped his head toward Heinz.

"Since they primarily eat a plant-based diet, they can become protein-deficient. Think of it as a special supplement."

—I see! Wh-what a relief.

Arf! The Malamute barked shortly, panting with his mouth open. A relieved smile hung at the corners of his mouth.

But Na-bom herself was even more surprised. Sitting in the snow, she covered her mouth with her front paws.

"That reaction—so you didn't know either."

Na-bom nodded blankly, and Heinz's eyes narrowed. Kkeung, he hummed and shook his head.

"You really don't know anything. About yourself, nor about beast-people."

Na-bom's gaze, which had been fixed on Heinz's eyes, dropped to the floor. Seeing her shoulders slump, Heinz cleared his throat and added:

"So I'll teach you."

At his words, Na-bom looked up at him with wide eyes, tilting her head.

"About the beast-people of this Empire. Starting today, from me directly."

As Na-bom stared open-mouthed and blinking, the Malamute barked near her ear.

—That's great, Snowflake!

Then he rubbed his brown-furred cheek against her white-furred one.

Yes!

Na-bom nodded vigorously.

The warmth from their rubbed cheeks radiated heat.

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