Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch85

Chapter 85

His mother's blood ran thick in his veins. His beast lineage also came from her—he was born a red fox beast-person, a rare type even among foxes. Thanks to that, he had vast innate magical power and the talent to become an exceptional mage.

But he was not as strong as his mother or his brother.

His brother, who had inherited his father's imperial bloodline, had left a perfect impression on the nobles before dying. No one would be calm if the one succeeding him was a mere babe.

Perhaps because he'd always shown himself to be unreliable—Adrian, or rather Lucian, had to hide his true name and live in seclusion within the Renard family, unable to build a support base.

Though he was the sole heir to the Emperor's bloodline, Adrian was uneasy.

So he began building his foundation to inherit the throne. Aiding the Chancellor was part of that effort.

The spring's power the Chancellor sought—Eostre's incarnation—was surprisingly at the Imperial Academy.

The first candidate was Verdiana Grizzly. The second was Einja Oakley, who had entered under the Grizzly family's sponsorship.

In truth, Adrian had been watching Einja Oakley—a skilled herbalist who had appeared in the capital years ago, rumored to have improved several incurable cases.

But the moment he saw the Arctic hare beast-person at the Academy, he was half-convinced.

Vast magical power crammed into a small, white body. He'd never seen such brilliance.

One day, while investigating who at the Academy might be an Arctic hare, he saw a white-haired female student walking across the corridor—and more precisely, the dazzling light she carried.

Her name was Verdiana Grizzly.

Upon her admission, most rumors said she was a brown or polar bear, as the Grizzly family's youngest. But at some point, stories began circulating that Verdiana was actually a legendary yeti.

It was certain—she was hiding her true identity.

The intent was clear. If she were an Arctic hare with spring's power, it would align perfectly with the old legend.

And the clearest evidence was the Grizzly family's sponsorship of Einja Oakley.

With her healing power rivaling spring's, the Grizzlies must have stepped in to protect her.

Or—they intended to offer Einja Oakley to the Imperial Court in place of Verdiana.

Adrian himself had considered that possibility. If they couldn't find the incarnation, they'd at least need someone with similar power.

At any rate, Verdiana Grizzly was closer to being Eostre's incarnation. Adrian began investigating her.

What kind of person she was. What she valued most.

To confirm his suspicion, he needed to see it with his own eyes—her using spring's power.

Soon after confirming that Ber's priority was her family, Adrian knew an opportunity would come.

The Harvest Festival. In the magic duels, he would inevitably face third-year runner-up Ferdinand Grizzly. If he injured him during the match, Verdiana would surely reveal her power.

And everything went as Adrian had predicted.

An imperial command would soon be issued.

The Grizzly March Count, his wife, and their children all cherished their adopted daughter, Verdiana, more than blood family.

Surely, they would resist.

He could use Verdiana and the Grizzlies' resistance to his advantage.

To set right everything that had gone wrong.

---

Late at night.

In the quiet stillness of Grizzly Castle, Theodor watched Ber's sleeping face.

Still lit by candles—she must have fallen asleep talking late into the night with her friend. Ber and Einja, hands clasped, slept peacefully.

He wanted to protect that peaceful face. From the moment he decided to adopt her—no, perhaps from the moment they first met.

That resolve remained unchanged.

Hoo. Extinguishing the flickering candles, Theodor carefully closed the door.

Outside, Ferdinand and Louis were waiting.

"Guard her."

Theodor said heavily.

"Until I return."

Ferdinand and Louis saluted.

The next morning, at dawn.

Theodor, accompanied by the Sled Dog Knights, crossed the border between the North and the Arctic.

Thanks to summer's light snowfall, they crossed swiftly—and soon arrived before the White Wolf Blashin's castle.

The gates were already shut—they'd been spotted from the watchtower.

Reining his horse before the gate, Theodor called out without waiting for the White Wolves' response:

"Bring me the head of Blashin!"

The bear's roar sent the wolves scurrying inside. Soon, a voice came from atop the wall.

"I am the chief, my lord. To what do we owe this visit to such a distant—"

"Trembling even from a safe distance, unable to show your face—are all Blashin wolves such cowards?"

Cutting off his words, Theodor's fluent mockery twisted the chief's lips.

"Of course we are afraid—you've crossed the Arctic border at will with your knights."

"At will?"

Theodor snorted.

"The fault lies with you Blashin. I've come to give you a chance—a chance to pay for your sins."

"...Sins? I don't know what you mean. We—"

"You've been offering Arctic hares to the Imperial Court for quite some time. Among them, there was one you lost. I saved it from your hands and made it my adopted daughter."

"...!"

The White Wolf chief's eyes widened, and he clicked his tongue in dismay.

So the reports from his underlings—that they'd confronted a bear—were true after all?

"W-we are deeply grieved, but we are innocent. How could we have known you intended to adopt an Arctic hare?"

"Yes. You were merely offering ordinary 'animals' that couldn't humanize to the Imperial Court. Arctic hares that had nothing to do with the Grizzlies."

To the chief's surprise, the Grizzly Count readily admitted to the coercion. The chief's lips curled slyly.

"Then it seems we have no sin to pay for, my lord."

"We'll see. Unfortunately, that's not the only one."

"Pardon?"

"What about the information you leaked to the Pantera Viscount's house a decade ago—about my wife's route?"

"...!"

How did he know? The chief's face went pale.

No answer came. Theodor gritted his teeth.

Shortly after Ber's adoption was decided, Theodor had learned that the leak to the Pantera house had come from the Blashin family.

He'd wanted to destroy Blashin immediately—to annihilate not just the chief but the entire clan. Reining in that vengeance was no easy task.

But he held back.

To avoid losing another daughter—to protect Ber safely—he could postpone revenge any day.

"Because of that, I lost a child. Will you deny that sin too?"

"M-my lord, if I may be so bold—there's no evidence for what you're saying. You can't condemn us on your word alone—"

"I need no evidence."

Just as Theodor cut him off again—

Thudding footsteps came from the dense birch forest to the left of Blashin's castle.

Thud! Thud! Thud, kwoong!

Crack!

Felling three birch trees with earth-shaking steps appeared an enormous polar bear.

——!!!!!

With a roar beyond words, the bear charged the closed gate.

Kwaaaang!

The solid steel gate buckled.

"Co-could it be the Folle family...?"

The ruler of the Arctic, the Folle family head, was an aged female polar bear of immense size and strength.

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