Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch39

Chapter 39

"Mm..."

He'd barely managed to squeeze out an answer when an urgent voice came from behind.

"There you are, young lady!"

Startled, Malamute instinctively let go of Ber's hand.

"You disappeared—I was so worried!"

"S-sorry."

"Here, put this on."

Anna approached with formidable momentum and draped the shawl over Ber's shoulders. Then she took Ber's hand and led her to the center table in the banquet hall.

"It's still cold even in February. When you're human, you don't have fur, so you need to be extra careful not to catch a cold."

Ber nodded silently as she walked, then glanced back. She smiled brightly and waved at Malamute. Malamute stared blankly at her retreating figure, then lowered his gaze.

He stood there, quietly looking at his hand—the one that had shaken Ber's.

---

The banquet began.

At first, people ate at their own places—but once Theodor gave his permission, one by one they came to Ber.

They greeted her and kept feeding her greens, and before she knew it, she was full.

Anna, who had been sticking by Ber's side, started declining food on her behalf—when the hall door opened and the head chef appeared.

"It's ready."

"Good."

At Theodor's nod, the head chef bowed and began wheeling something in.

A massive cake, barely fitting on the tray.

The head chef and sous chef pulled and pushed it along—it stopped near Ber's seat.

"We'll set it down for you, young lady."

With those brief words, the huge cake was moved. Ber stared blankly at the white cake now before her and raised a question.

"Uh... today isn't my birthday, though."

"How about making today your new birthday?"

At the characteristic matter-of-fact voice, Ber turned—Theodor was there.

"The day you received your new name."

"......"

"Of course, if you're not comfortable, we can treat it as just a cake."

His added words were much softer, and a little hesitant.

Still gazing at the cake, Ber quietly shook her head.

"Th-that's fine. If today is my birthday... I'd be really happy."

She barely managed to say, smiling.

"Then you should blow out the candles."

Rib, seated across from Theodor, spoke up—and the head chef, waiting, immediately lit a match.

The eight candles pre-set in the cake began to glow.

Perhaps the light was too bright—her vision blurred. Ber wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and took a deep breath.

Hoo.

She blew out all eight candles with a strong breath.

At that moment, applause erupted.

Happy birthday, young lady. Congratulations. Everyone offered a word to Ber, clapping with smiling faces.

Tears threatening to fall, Ber covered her eyes with her arm.

A cake. A birthday celebrated by everyone.

She'd never imagined such a day would come again in her life.

---

The next morning.

After finishing breakfast together, the four went their separate ways according to their schedules.

Ferdinand went to the study for a private lesson with Heinz, and Louis and Alexei headed to the training grounds.

Ber had no particular schedule.

Pallas, who had appeared during breakfast, said she'd worked hard on humanization training and should rest—then vanished.

He seemed more tired than I am.

It felt like he might lock himself in the mage tower and not come out for months.

Ber left the dining hall and walked down the corridor.

Anna had worried unnecessarily about whether she could find her way back to her room. Perhaps because she hadn't adjusted to her human form yet, Anna had become even more overprotective than when she was a rabbit.

Of course, becoming human did make her surroundings look different and feel awkward.

As a rabbit, even walking down the corridor, she couldn't see the windows in her peripheral vision. But now, with just a slight turn of her head, she was tall enough to enjoy the scenery outside.

The snow piled white on the branches sparkled in the light. It was beautiful, like blooming luminous flowers.

"Ber!"

Someone called out to her as she paused by the window to admire the view.

It was Rib. She was waving from the end of the corridor, approaching with quick steps.

"Ber. Would you come with me for a moment?"

"...? Yes."

Ber nodded, confused—and Rib smiled. She bent down and fastened the scarf she was holding securely around Ber's neck. Then she took Ber's white hand and began walking.

Ber blinked, looking back and forth between Rib's back and their joined hands.

It felt a little awkward. But her hand was warm.

Ber instinctively squeezed Rib's hand back.

The place they arrived at was the entrance of Grizzly Castle.

The large iron gate, which restricted outsiders, was already open when they arrived.

Holding Ber's hand, Rib leaned forward, peering to the right beyond the gate. Her face, always wearing a motherly smile, now bore an expression Ber had never seen before—one of eager anticipation.

"She's coming, my lady."

Before long, a carriage stopped before the castle.

Someone descended, escorted by a knight.

A middle-aged woman with white hair and black eyes. Her face, so similar to Rib's, looked somehow familiar.

She walked silently to Rib and stopped. The two stood facing each other for a long moment. Then, with immense care—as if handling fragile glass—they embraced.

Burying their faces in each other's shoulders, the two soon began to cry.

Watching them weep silently, Ber realized belatedly:

That's the Countess's mother.

She'd seen her in the dream before humanizing—Rib's mother, weeping as she stroked Koko's wounds.

By the time Ber recognized her, the two were wiping their tears. Then Rib's mother looked at Ber and widened her eyes. She approached slowly and smiled—a soft smile that resembled Rib's.

"So you're Verdiana."

She bent her knees to meet Ber's eyes and slowly extended her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ber hesitated for a moment, then carefully took the offered hand.

"N-nice to meet you. The Countess's mother..."

As she hesitated over the right address, the woman chuckled and stroked Ber's head.

"You can just call me Grandmother."

Grandmother. That made sense. Since the Countess was now her mother, the Countess's mother would be her grandmother.

Though it was only natural, the fact that she'd been adopted still felt surreal—so the title felt unfamiliar.

"Mother. There's something I'd like you to witness with me."

At Rib's suggestion, Grandmother nodded—and this time, she looked at Ber and said:

"Ber, you too."

The three moved to the back garden.

The usually quiet garden was bustling.

With a creak, the back gate opened and two servants carried something out together. What they set down was a bed.

Several pieces of furniture had already been gathered in the garden. Beside them, a fairly large bonfire was burning.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, my lady."

Watching the exchange between Rib and the servants, Ber instinctively looked at the furniture by the fire. A familiar desk, wardrobe, and chair. She recognized them.

The furniture from Koko's room—the room given to Ber when she couldn't humanize.

As if checking her intention, Rib looked at Grandmother. Grandmother nodded, and Rib nodded to the servants.

Two servants nearest the fire lifted the desk. Fire and furniture—Ber leaped in place, blocking Rib's path and spreading her arms wide.

"No, Countess!"

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