Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch62

Chapter 62

That thought was brief—the rabbit crying and pressing its head with its front paws made Kaien realize the urgency.

Whatever it was before him—Arctic hare or not—he had to take it to a doctor.

He calmed the wary rabbit, carefully lifted it, and ran. He took care not to let his hands, cradling the rabbit, shake too much so its condition wouldn't worsen.

As he ran, he spotted an Imperial Academy uniform and brown loafers in a bush. A white jacket and skirt—a female student's uniform.

Did it belong to this one?

The uniform's owner.

Were there any Arctic hare beast-people among the nobility? If not, perhaps she had a powerful family's patronage.

Making quiet guesses, Kaien picked up the uniform and loafers. He checked the rabbit's condition—it seemed limp, unconscious. Kaien ran faster.

He wanted to save it. He wanted to help this child.

Because on the day he'd received help, a joyful future had come to him too.

He reached the infirmary, laid the rabbit on the bed, hung the uniform on the back of the chair beside it, and drew the curtain. Just as he came out, the nurse who had been away returned.

She asked his name, and he answered. To his surprise, the nurse recognized him—asking if he remembered that day two years ago, and whether he was still in pain. Kaien nodded quietly.

Leaving the infirmary, Kaien thought—perhaps that day two years ago had been similar. This time, he'd been able to give a small helping hand to someone like his past self, and a smile came to his lips.

Then, returning to the dormitory and showering, he realized:

...It doesn't hurt.

The scrape on his back from yesterday's swordsmanship training—which had stung even at the touch of water—wasn't painful at all. Only a short time had passed; the scab shouldn't have formed yet.

Checking his back in the mirror, the wound had completely vanished.

Kaien frowned. Staring into the mirror, he suddenly bent down.

He remembered the armor-fitting exercise not long ago—he'd forced ill-fitting greaves onto his legs, tearing his calf and drawing blood. That wound shouldn't have healed yet either.

But as he thought, there was no trace of it. As if it had never happened.

It was just like that day.

The day his lung disease had been miraculously cured.

As if all that suffering had been a dream—as if he'd never been ill at all.

Every doctor called it a miracle.

Yes. Just like—

"The goddess of spring will surely watch over you."

A miracle that could only be brought about by Eostre's power.

Someone who had brought him to the infirmary that day, two years ago.

An Arctic hare he'd happened to meet today, two years later.

Kaien's eyes flashed.

This was certainly an intuition he shouldn't ignore.

---

A week passed.

Spring's power hadn't acted up again. Thanks to that, she'd made it through the week safely. On Saturday morning, Ber received surprising news.

"A letter."

Her roommate Silva, with a languid expression, handed Ber a paper envelope. A sloth beast-person, Silva's movements were about five times slower than others'.

"Thanks!"

With a brief thank you, Ber quickly opened the letter. The envelope bore a familiar name in familiar handwriting.

「Theodor Grizzly」

A letter from Theodor had arrived.

「I heard from Lady Pallas. I've decided to support the child according to your proposal. I've sent her a separate letter. Since we haven't met officially, I thought you might like to say hello first. Regards.」

Reading Theodor's large, neat handwriting, Ber clenched her fist. I did it!

As Ber suddenly punched the air, she felt her roommate Silva's gaze. Haha, she laughed awkwardly and looked back at the paper.

「P.S. Winter is approaching. Take care not to catch a cold.」

A smile spread across Ber's face.

Whenever Ber sent letters every week, Theodor's replies seemed to get a little longer each time.

Thank you, Father.

Holding Theodor's letter to her chest, Ber closed her eyes.

---

At the same time.

Einja, sweeping the clinic floor before opening, was approached by the grandmother.

"Einja, here—a letter arrived for you."

"...A letter?"

The moment she took the envelope from Grandmother, Einja recalled.

"I'll give you time."

"If you wish for our family's help, please reply to the letter."

One weekend day.

A young girl, seemingly her age, had come and said those words.

"Magic that turns back time."

She was certain—she knew about her. Wearing an Imperial Academy uniform, she must be a noble. Perhaps from a family with ties to the Grizzlies.

It had been unsettling and frightening; she'd barely slept that night. But since then, nothing had happened to her, and the girl's words hadn't seemed hostile—so she'd managed to calm her worries.

"You need a shield. Someone to protect you."

She was right. Einja knew it too. Someday, someone would inevitably discover her hidden power. From the moment she'd decided to use it to survive, it was inevitable.

But her daily life now was so precious. Even if she lost it someday, she wanted to live in this moment.

So please—just a little more time. Give me time, Mother.

As if casting a spell, Einja examined the envelope.

The recipient's name looked suspicious: "To the Herbalist at 4th Street, 17." And beneath it, the sender's name—Theodor Grizzly.

Grizzly?

The northern March Count—the brown bear beast-person family Grizzly?

Could the girl who'd come to the clinic really be from the Grizzly family?

With the pieces falling into place, Einja hurriedly opened the envelope.

The letter was brief—the Grizzly family wanted to sponsor her. But the reason was unexpected:

「I am confident that your skill as an herbalist will greatly benefit the Empire in the future.」

Having expected to be asked to use her "time-reversing magic" for the Grizzly family in exchange for sponsorship, Einja felt her shoulders relax.

Perhaps because the tension had eased, a sudden sense of déjà vu struck her—and she quickly went upstairs.

In the back of her dresser drawer, wrapped in fine cloth given as payment for treatment, she kept it carefully preserved.

Two years ago—

A letter someone had left at the elderly couple's fruit shop. It had contained predictions of the future: a herbalist would come in two years, and in return for treatment, they should take in the homeless herbalist.

Thanks to that letter, Einja had been adopted as their granddaughter and was now living safely in the capital.

"......"

Einja unwrapped the cloth and took out the letter.

Despite being carefully preserved, the letter was quite worn—from reading it every day.

After being taken in by the elderly couple, she'd been given this mysterious letter—and had always believed it was a message her mother had sent for her.

Her mother had been gone for a long time. It was impossible, but thinking that warmed her heart and helped her endure each tiring day.

The letter from two years ago. The letter received today. Placing both papers on the desk, she compared them.

"...They're the same, after all."

She'd read the letter whenever she was struggling—so she couldn't miss it.

The handwriting was identical. Though the two-year-old letter was slightly rounder and softer, it couldn't be considered a different hand.

Which meant—

This letter that let me meet Grandmother and Grandfather...

Just as she reached her conclusion—

"Einja! You have a guest!"

At the grandfather's voice—one she'd heard before—Einja hurried downstairs.

Standing beside the old man was a girl in an Imperial Academy uniform.

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