Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch109

Chapter 109

After checking the wolf's pulse with her hand, Ber finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Ah..."

She stroked the wolf's head and smiled.

"I'm so glad, Kaien."

The moment she whispered those weak words, her body tilted. As she collapsed to the floor, light emanated from her.

A small Arctic hare poked its head out from the neckline of her dress. Having spent all its strength, its ears drooped low.

Draped in the dress like a blanket, the rabbit seemed to have fallen asleep. Beside it, the black wolf slowly opened its eyes.

As if to check on the rabbit's condition, the wolf tried to move its paws—but couldn't summon any strength. Instead, it twisted its head and gently licked the rabbit's eyelids.

Only after its face became damp did the rabbit's nose begin to twitch.

The rabbit reached out a weak paw and pushed the wolf's mouth away—I'm fine, so stop licking me.

The wolf's tense shoulders slowly relaxed. Finally relieved, it curled up, cradling the small white rabbit.

Burying her face in the wolf's black fur, the rabbit quietly closed her eyes.

Watching the rabbit and wolf fall asleep with such peaceful expressions, Pallas let out a gasp.

"Truly... she performed a miracle."

A proud smile lingered at the corner of his mouth as he stroked the rabbit's small forehead.

---

With the true mastermind captured, the situation was quickly resolved.

The Chancellor, Sylvain Serpierre, was imprisoned in the imperial dungeon. The Imperial Knights who had sealed the palace believing his orders were the Emperor's, and the noble houses that had joined them, prostrated themselves before the Emperor and Crown Prince in confusion.

It was perhaps natural to mistake an edict bearing the golden seal for an imperial command. Thus, the Emperor chose leniency for most of the knights and nobles who had unknowingly participated in the rebellion.

Only one house—the Vertier family, who had rashly suspected the Crown Prince and attempted to kill the Knight Commander—could not escape punishment.

Vertier's title was reduced to baron, and half his territory was confiscated. Above all, the family's honor was so damaged that they would never again wield influence in Albero's political sphere.

Even with leniency, the reputations of the noble houses involved in the incident plummeted.

Meanwhile, some forces restored or even solidified their standing.

Knight Commander Heinz Hedwig, who had doubted the imperial command and planted spies within the palace.

The young viscount of the Noirel family, who had volunteered as a spy and risked death to protect the Emperor.

The great mage of the North, Pallas, and the Grizzly family, who had shielded the Crown Prince, broken the barrier, and played the greatest role in rescuing the Emperor.

But the one whose reputation reversed most dramatically was the Crown Prince, Lucian Adrian de Albero.

The prince, long believed to be hidden deep within the palace, had built his own power base and even gained the support of the Renard family.

Rumors also circulated that he had not been hidden in the palace due to the Emperor's overprotection, but had chosen to stay with the Renards himself—to win over the family that resented him and expand his shallow support base.

Neither the Crown Prince nor the Emperor denied the rumors, so many accepted it as truth—and public opinion quickly shifted to recognize him as the next ruler.

Meanwhile, rumors of the Emperor's failing health began to spread—saying the reason he had been sealed and had his golden seal stolen was due to age-related illness.

But as if to refute the rumors, the Emperor appeared in public just days after the incident, looking robust, and declared:

To prevent such a situation from recurring, he, Cieldor himself, would issue no imperial commands until his death.

And so, one week passed since Sylvain Serpierre's attempt to assassinate the Emperor.

Late at night.

Footsteps echoed through the silent palace corridors, descending several flights of stairs to the deep dungeon.

Kkiik. The iron door groaned open, and a pair of shoes stopped before the cell bars.

The flickering candlelight fell upon the visitor's shoes.

There was no need to confirm who he was.

The Chancellor kept his head bowed in silence—

As if he had no right even to greet the Emperor.

"Sylvain, raise your head."

"...I cannot. Please withdraw your command."

"Very well. Then listen as you are."

The Emperor's voice descended upon him.

"What do you think was the reason I let you take the golden seal and seal me away?"

At the unexpected question, the Chancellor's eyes widened.

"Was it old age weakening my health? My body, and perhaps my mind as well?"

"......"

"No—neither is the true reason."

The Emperor shook his head and looked down at him.

His tangled gray hair seemed darker than usual.

"Perhaps you too sensed it—I always felt a debt toward you. For one reason."

The Emperor paused, inhaling as if to gather difficult words.

"Because I knew of your feelings for Rosalie."

"...!"

The Chancellor finally raised his head.

His golden eyes trembled with shock. His pale face turned ashen.

And yet, the Emperor looked upon him with a faint, inexplicable smile.

"Before I set my heart on Rosalie—long before—you loved her. I knew."

The Emperor—Cieldor—was recalling the distant past.

"But I never intended to let her go. How could I? That woman, like sunlight itself."

Like sunlight.

The Chancellor's eyes also seemed to drift to the past.

"Without Rosalie, I would never have known—that loving someone could be so warm... and so heavy."

Heavy.

Yes. After Rosalia's death, for both Cieldor and Sylvain, their feelings for her remained a cherished memory and a heavy burden.

"With such feelings, you watched over Rosalie all those years. You supported me. I was grateful. So I trusted you."

"......"

"Like a brother. Perhaps like myself. I trusted you, Sylvain. So I still can't believe it."

Cieldor quietly gazed into Sylvain's golden eyes.

"That you betrayed me."

"......"

Cieldor's eyes had always been like a clear sky. But now they were different.

"I will set aside my debt and affection—and punish you solely by imperial law."

His eyes, cold as a deep abyss, met his.

"So that when you meet Rosalie again in heaven, you need not feel ashamed."

"...Yes, Your Majesty."

Barely managing to answer, Sylvain bowed his head.

He could no longer look at Cieldor—even his gaze felt like a sin.

The Chancellor wept silently.

Long after the Emperor had left the dungeon.

---

Ber opened her eyes.

She looked around in bewilderment—everything was white.

Not snow, not sunlight—just an expanse of white, and she stood alone.

Where is this?

Just as she tilted her head, a voice came.

"Hello."

She turned sharply.

In the empty space, a girl now stood—a face achingly familiar.

"...Me?"

Ber's eyes widened—the girl smiled.

It was astonishing.

The girl looked exactly like her—Verdiana Grizzly.

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