Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch52

Chapter 52

At the news that Ber had woken, Anna went around the castle gathering everyone.

Soon, Ber's room was filled with those who had traveled to the capital, along with Rib and Anna.

"Huh...? Ferdinand, why are you here too?"

Ber tilted her head at Ferdinand's bewildered face among them. He snapped:

"Because you—!"

He started to shout, then sighed with a sad expression.

"Because you collapsed. I couldn't just stay in the dormitory."

"...What?"

She'd collapsed? Her? She had no memory of that.

As Ber blinked, Alexei nodded and said:

"You collapsed in front of the infirmary, young lady."

With trembling hands gripping his collar, he added:

"You even vomited blood."

"It seems she's lost her memory."

A voice came suddenly from the doorway. Pallas approached Ber.

"Lady Pallas, is Ber all right?"

"Yes. To give you the conclusion—she's fine."

Pallas answered Theodor's question immediately. Then, as if examining her, he placed his hand on Ber's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"There's nothing wrong. If anything, one could say she's become healthier. Ber, how do you feel right now?"

"...I don't feel any discomfort. I think I feel... lighter inside."

Despite Ber's answer, the faces around her were still full of concern. Ber gave an awkward laugh and said:

"I'm really fine, okay? I don't remember collapsing, but I'm truly fine. Don't you trust Lady Pallas?"

She herself was bewildered, but calming everyone seemed like the priority. Pallas also chimed in.

"After examining the blood on Alexei's clothes, it was determined that what she vomited was dead blood. In other words, it was blood that needed to leave her body."

"B-but then why did Ber faint?"

"That's right. Besides, the young lady remained unconscious for two days even after arriving at the castle!"

Despite Pallas's explanation, Louis and Alexei objected, unconvinced.

Ber was equally surprised. Two days after arriving at the castle—that meant at least four days had passed since she'd fainted.

At the lingering unease, Pallas sighed.

"This is what happens when you don't explain the whole story. Do you understand?"

Pallas said, as if scolding, and looked at Theodor and Rib.

"We can no longer hide it. Make a decision now."

"......"

At Pallas's firm words, Theodor and Rib exchanged glances and slowly nodded.

"I'm truly sorry, Ber. There's something we haven't told you."

Following Rib's words, Theodor spoke:

"Ber. The power of spring resides within you."

"...Pardon?"

Words so astonishing she couldn't believe them.

"You are Eostre's incarnation."

---

Only Theodor, Rib, Pallas, and Ber remained in the room.

While Pallas was shooing everyone out, saying the four needed to talk, Ber wore a dazed expression.

What is this sudden nonsense?

It was so different from the original story that she wondered if she was still dreaming. Because Einja was Eostre's incarnation.

Knowing the original plot, she'd sent a letter to the elderly couple to prepare a safe haven for Einja. With effort, she could change the predetermined course. But the core setting that defined Einja's character—"Eostre's incarnation"—wasn't something she could alter.

"Count, I don't understand what you just said. The idea that Arctic hares are connected to Eostre's power is an unsubstantiated superstition."

"I thought so too."

Pallas answered Ber's question on Theodor's behalf.

"Seeing you changed my mind. Because I saw the power of spring within you."

"You saw...? You can see the power of spring?"

"As a great mage, I can perceive it with these eyes. Given the flow of power, by now you should likely be able to see it too."

At Pallas's matter-of-fact reply, Ber was speechless, her mouth hanging open. Pallas sighed again and continued:

"It seems you don't remember, so I'll explain. I heard you found a dog collapsed under a tree and took it to the infirmary. Immediately after, you lost consciousness after vomiting blood. And you likely had a dream."

How did he know? Ber could only stare at Pallas.

"The being that appeared in your dream—you healed them and collapsed. And you woke up four days later. Being unconscious for that long means the patient's condition was quite severe. Or it was a congenital illness."

Severe and congenital—the same characteristics as Kaien's lung disease. And the person who appeared in her dream was the same person...

"The beast-person you healed should now be free from their illness. Given the loss of power, it's certain—spring's power completely cured them."

"...Completely cured?"

Ber frowned and asked. Something was wrong.

"Yes. Eostre's power is the power of spring. It's a healing power that can bring spring anywhere."

"B-but Eostre's power is the power to return things to spring."

Yes. The ability to turn back or accelerate the time of a target to spring. That limited power was why Kaien had kept Einja confined—to continuously advance the time of his lungs.

"Return?"

"Yes—the power to return or accelerate time to spring... that's what I heard."

Ber added, but Pallas only tilted his head as if hearing it for the first time.

"It's somewhat different. According to tradition, Eostre is a goddess who brings spring to cold lands and bestows spring upon the frozen."

"......"

Ber's hand gripped the bedsheet.

What was going on? The setting was completely different from the original.

Had she been mistaken? No, that couldn't be. Perhaps Pallas was mistaken.

"Ber."

Calling her name as she slipped into panic, Pallas placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Spring's power can cure any illness—even curses. Just as Rib was freed from her curse."

"Yes."

Rib, who had been silently listening, approached Ber.

"It was you who healed me, Ber."

"Pardon? Lady—the Countess's curse was cured by Lady Pallas."

"Healing magic alone cannot erase a curse. And you remember, don't you? On the day you healed Rib's curse, you also had a dream."

Ber was speechless. It was exactly as Pallas said. The day she'd first succeeded in humanizing, she'd dreamed of Koko.

When she'd thanked Pallas for removing the curse, what had been his response? Surely...

"No. It's all thanks to you."

He'd said that.

"Eostre's power seems to have a characteristic of resonating with its target. After using a great deal of power, you can glimpse the target's heart through dreams. That's one of the traits I've observed while watching you."

The long explanation continued, but Ber still looked unconvinced. Pallas sighed and glared at Theodor and Rib.

"It's all your fault. You kept putting it off, and now things have become so tangled."

"...I apologize."

Theodor and Rib bowed together.

Pallas muttered, "What are you doing, so unlike yourself," and clicked his tongue.

"There's no help for it."

With a reluctant murmur, Pallas slowly extended his index finger. It swept through the air, grazing his own wrist.

Soon, a red line appeared on his white wrist. Beads of blood formed, then began to drip.

"La-Lady Pallas!"

Ber cried out, her face pale. But Pallas looked calm.

"Such a small wound is nothing to worry about. After all, Eostre's incarnation is right before my eyes."

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