Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch87

Chapter 87

Thwack!

With a dull sound, Pallas's head snapped to the side. He staggered but managed to stay upright. Touching his quickly swelling face, he spat out bloody saliva.

Pallas let out a dry laugh and murmured:

"I always knew the day would come when you'd hit me—but I didn't expect it to be today."

"...There's no way Ferdinand and Louis could have stopped Ber alone. You must have set up a barrier around the room, didn't you? You didn't want anyone to know she'd left. Because you sent her out yourself!"

"Yes. You and Rib would never have stood by if you knew."

"What have you done?! That imperial command—!"

Theodor cut himself off, biting his lip. He had no time to resent Pallas.

"Never mind. Just tell me where you sent Ber."

"Between Bjorn and Ruaalbero—Essen. It's safe, and close enough to the capital that she can easily find a carriage. Teleporting her directly to the palace would have consumed too much magical power."

"Essen..."

"At any rate, that girl makes so many demands—creating a magic letter for her was more draining than I expected."

Theodor was about to dash out of the room—but Pallas's next words stopped him.

"Save your strength. For her plan."

"...What do you mean?"

Meeting Theodor's now somewhat calmer gaze, Pallas gave a bitter smile.

"That's what I said—so calm down."

Before departing, Theodor had also asked Pallas to keep Ber confined to the castle. So Pallas had gone to Ber's room early that morning.

When he teleported inside, Ber—who should have been asleep—was sitting on the bed.

Seeing the white light emanating from her palm, Pallas called her name without thinking.

"Ber. What are you..."

Ber had her palm pressed to the cheek of Einja, who slept beside her. She was using spring's power to put Einja into an even deeper sleep.

As if anticipating Pallas's visit, Ber quietly gazed out the window and spoke:

"After returning to the castle, I thought it through. If you wanted to study Einja's secret art, you could have stayed in the capital alone. Yet you brought her all the way here."

"......"

"There was a reason Einja needed to leave the capital, wasn't there?"

If I never showed myself, Einja might have been taken to the Imperial Court in my place.

Pallas, as expected, gave no answer.

Just as she'd thought—the original's timeline had shifted from winter to summer.

Now, the time had come.

"This morning, the Count departed—likely for the Arctic wolves' territory. By striking Blashin, who have been offering Arctic hares to the Imperial Court, he intends to show he won't obey the imperial command."

"...You."

Only then did Ber turn to Pallas. He wore an expression of shock.

She had known not only about the imperial command, but also where she had originally been destined to be sent.

"Lady Pallas. Do you remember?"

With a faint smile, Ber asked:

"I asked you to help me protect Einja—and to help me."

Of course he remembered.

"I know. So help me."

"I've been able to survive this long because of the Count, the Countess, you, and my brothers. If I'd been alone, I'd surely have died by now."

"I'll say it again. I want to protect the people I love. Please help me, Lady Pallas."

But even after Pallas's explanation, Theodor's expression remained unconvinced.

"So you sent her away—just because a child asked?"

Pallas sighed softly. Still, this man treats his daughter like a child.

"You've already shown your defiance. The Imperial Knights will move soon. If they pressure Bjorn and seal it off, the North will be isolated—that's what Ber thought."

Theodor frowned—unable to believe she'd thought that far.

"...There's a way. The Knight Commander died recently; Sir Heinz Hedwig is now filling that position. So—"

"You're just like her. You've calculated that far. But it's shallow thinking. No matter how much he has the right to be commander through Hedwig blood, he was practically cast out. There's no guarantee the Imperial Knights will follow him."

"That's—!"

"Do you think the Grizzlies are the only house bound by a vow to the current Emperor?"

"...!"

Finally struck silent, Theodor clenched his teeth.

"If other houses' knights join in and completely corner Bjorn, the Grizzlies have no chance."

It was true.

Not just the Imperial Knights—other houses could easily be mobilized under the cause of saving the Empire's sun.

"You always lose your composure when it comes to Ber. She's better than you in that regard."

Ber was calm and collected—as if she'd known this crisis was coming from long ago.

I want to protect the people I love.

For that, I'll risk anything.

Once he'd fallen for that gaze, he had no choice but to stay by her side forever.

"I don't want to lose a safe haven either. That's why I decided to trust Ber."

Theodor turned to Pallas. His voice, saying Ber's name, was strangely soft and certain.

"All we can do is trust her—and support her from behind so she can succeed."

Having spoken as a parent, Pallas returned to his usual expression and smirked, pulling something from his bosom.

A mana stone.

The fist-sized stone occasionally flickered with a white light.

It was the same light he'd seen from the Arctic hare rolling in the snow that day.

Pallas smiled and declared:

"Her plan has a chance."

---

Around noon, the sleeping children all woke.

Everyone at Grizzly Castle was shocked to learn Ber had gone to the palace—but after Pallas's explanation, they quickly regained their composure.

Under Ber's plan, everyone began moving swiftly.

Only one person seemed unable to accept it—Einja.

Watching Theodor's large hands as he set a sword on the desk and tended to it, Einja finally spoke with anxious eyes:

"Isn't there a simpler way?"

Slowly finishing his work and sheathing the blade, Theodor met Einja's gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"I know Ber's power is overwhelmingly stronger than mine—she's Eostre's incarnation. But my magic is healing too. As long as it can solve the imperial problem, wouldn't it work?"

"You mean you'll go to the Imperial Court in Ber's place and heal His Majesty's illness."

At Theodor's words, Einja's face grew even paler.

So the reason the Imperial Court wanted Ber was the Emperor's illness... It was more serious than she'd thought.

But even so, Einja's resolve remained firm.

"Y-yes. I'll go to the Imperial Court now—"

"There's no need."

The refusal came back—cold, almost dry. Gripping her clothes, Einja asked:

"Why? Is it because you can't defy the imperial command? Because breaking the vow would bring a curse?"

Everyone knew the fundamental reason the Grizzlies were called the Emperor's puppet was the vow they'd made with him.

But Einja immediately wanted to take back her words.

Because Theodor's expression twisted frighteningly.

"I-I'm sorry! What I said just now—!"

"It's all right. No—rather, I'm sorry. That wasn't anger directed at you."

Regaining his composure, Theodor picked up a paper from the desk.

The imperial edict.

"This command has no effect."

Einja had no time to respond—Theodor held the edict over a candle and set it ablaze.

"Because this command is not from His Majesty."

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