I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family - Chapter 31

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 31

‘…Pallas.’
Na Bom gazed up at Pallas’s face as she took in the room they’d been brought to and the figure of Reb lying on the bed.
At her gaze—as if asking how he’d read her mind—Pallas lifted the corners of his mouth ever so slightly.
“Every time we train, you disappear toward the auxiliary building. Surely you don’t expect me not to notice?”
Then, as though he’d never smiled at all, his expression hardened back to its usual severity as he posed his question.
“You seem eager to visit this place often. Why is that? I understand you’re at an age when you’d miss your mother’s embrace, but as you can see, Reb is mostly asleep. She can’t hold you.”
A question laced with Pallas’s characteristic mockery. Yet Na Bom found it neither frightening nor unpleasant. She simply fell into thought for a moment.
Mother. It would be a lie to say she didn’t miss her mother from her past life or her current one.
But she had already received such love from her mother in her past life. Fifteen years of care—the kind that must have been agonizing for any person. How could all that relentless devotion be called anything but love?
So it was clear.
I want to give back the love I received to someone.
‘Pallas. I’m not someone the Countess loves.’
At her sudden words, Pallas’s brows furrowed.
‘So I think it should be fine for me to come often.’
A sound answer, Pallas thought, and he let out a low chuckle.
“Yes. You understand the Curse correctly.”
‘Yes!’
To Pallas’s words—whether praise or not—Na Bom nodded brightly.
‘It’s something that Lui, Ferdi, and even the head of the family cannot do. I can do it.’
She clenched her fist as she spoke, but then paused to gauge Pallas’s expression before continuing.
‘Since everyone is in hibernation right now, I’m the only one who can visit the Countess, aren’t I?’
The rabbit straightened her back as if to say, Leave it to me, drawing her small fist up to her chest.
It was as though the reason Reb’s family could not visit her had nothing to do with the Curse at all.
“…Yes. I see.”
Pallas exhaled as if speaking flatly, then raised his hand. It descended onto Na Bom’s small head and began to move slowly.
Pallas’s touch as he stroked the rabbit was awkward but warm.
“Now go and greet Reb.”
With that, Pallas set Na Bom down on the floor. The rabbit, as if she’d been waiting, scurried toward the bed.
She grasped the bedsheet with her front paws and steadied herself with her hind legs. As she began to stretch out her front paws toward Reb, Na Bom paused and looked back at Pallas.
‘Since I’m not someone the Countess loves, it should be all right for me to touch her, correct?’
At the incisive question, Pallas smiled again, much as he had before.
“Yes. You may touch her. As much as you wish, as long as you wish.”
He added something that seemed laden with meaning and nodded.
Na Bom stretched out her paw without hesitation. The rabbit’s furry foot came to rest on Reb’s pale hand.

“Mom’s here, Na Bom.”

The warmth of her mother’s hand, which had held hers with such delight, came back to her.
The Countess surely wanted to see someone other than me, but still.
No one should be alone. It would be too lonely.
Na Bom pressed down on Reb’s hand with both front paws and spoke.
‘Hello, Countess.’
She uttered the words that would never reach Reb and bowed her head. Strangely, her eyes grew heavy.
Even with her eyes closed, she felt it—a brilliance blazing beyond her eyelids.
But before she could discern the source of that light, Na Bom slipped into sleep.

***

Reb Poller was a polar bear humanoid.
In truth, the Arctic and the Northern Territory had long been in tension.
The Grizzli family of brown bear humanoids had settled in a foreign land as immigrants with no foundation in the Empire, yet they had become rulers of the Northern Territory through sheer might.
The fear shared among humanoids living in the Arctic was that such a family might invade at any moment and seize territory for expansion.
But Grizzli—or at least Theodor Grizzli, whom Reb had met—was not a man who loved war.
She thought of him as an excellent Count who cherished the Northern Territory, which the Emperor had given them as a gift upon recognizing them as people of the Empire, and who sought to protect it faithfully.
It was because Theodor was such a man that Reb accepted his proposal of marriage.
But her parents were not of the same mind. Reb left the Poller family without ever managing to convince her parents to accept the marriage.
Having taken the Grizzli name, Reb began a new life as mistress of the brown bear household.
She bore two sons who resembled Theodor perfectly, and finally, a daughter who resembled herself.
A white, delicate, and adorable youngest daughter—Coco.
Whenever she looked upon her daughter’s face, the faces of her parents wavered in her memory. Perhaps when she met this daughter who resembled her, she might reconcile with her parents after all.
And so, when Coco turned three, Reb made her decision: she would visit the Arctic with Coco.
“Mom!”
Six-year-old Lui clung to Reb as she tried to climb onto the Sled with Coco in her arms.
“Mom, why do we have to go? It’s warm today, so let’s play with Coco in the Garden instead!”
For some reason, Lui had been clinging to Reb’s legs like this since early morning.
She’d mentioned this trip before, yet he was throwing a tantrum now. She thought she ought to scold him, but looking at those sparkling eyes, she felt nothing but affection.
“Lui. I told you a month ago. Stop your fussing and come here.”
Ferdi pulled Lui away with his small hand. Lui let out a wistful cry as he finally separated from Reb.
“Safe travels, Mother.”
Ferdi bowed his head.
Such impeccably mannered words from a seven-year-old—it seemed impossible. Yet those eyes still held a hint of longing, which reminded her he was still just a child, and brought her comfort.
Reb embraced both Ferdi and Lui, stroking their hair as she smiled.
It was the moment they entered the Mountain Path leading to the Arctic.
The Vice-Captain of the Sled Dog Knight Order, who rode at the front, raised his hand to halt the Sleds and dogs that followed.
With the crunch of snow underfoot, humanoid forms emerged. Five of them. All were armed.
Reb’s nose instinctively drew in the air. They seemed to be a musk deer pack.
Why were musk deer humanoids here at this time? Had they encountered them by chance during travel?
As non-predators, they typically avoided conflict, and when battle did occur, they employed their characteristic tactic of having only a few front-line soldiers arm themselves.
To see such a small number of them armed was strange. Something felt off.
Whether he’d read Reb’s thoughts or sensed the same unease, the Vice-Captain turned to her and placed his hand on his sword hilt. But Reb shook her head.
This was the crossing between the Northern Territory and the Arctic. To engage in battle with Arctic humanoids here without care could escalate the matter in unpredictable directions. Besides, she had already sent word to the Arctic humanoids beforehand, receiving permission for safe passage.
“This is the Countess of the Grizzli family. She has already obtained permission to pass through this road to visit her family home, so any threatening action—”
The Vice-Captain was explaining this politely when suddenly.
Whee! A terrible sound of air being split, and something struck the dog humanoid following behind with a sickening thud. Yelp! At the agonized cry, she turned to see a dog bleeding bright red, an arrow lodged in its body as it collapsed.
Reb hid Coco’s face within her embrace and surveyed the surroundings.
Five of them perched in the trees. Behind them, ten more concealing their presence. Including those blocking the path ahead, there were twenty in total.
What was happening? Musk deer humanoids weren’t a race that attacked others without reason.
“Protect the Countess!”
The humanoid members drew their blades. As they began to clash with the humanoids blocking their path, the Sled dogs rushed out and began systematically incapacitating the humanoids surrounding them.
She heard the enemy cry out perhaps three times.
Whee!
Again, that terrible sound of air being split as an arrow came flying.
An arrow aimed directly at Reb’s chest. Clang! Metal scraped against metal as two arrows were intercepted by the members, but the third one could not be avoided. Reb was struck by an arrow in her shoulder.
Reb gasped in pain and hunched forward. With Coco hidden in her embrace, she quickly retreated behind the Carriage. She transformed, concealing the sleeping Coco beneath the Carriage.
A massive polar bear unleashed a powerful roar that threatened all the attackers. Reb fought them off desperately. It was only when their momentum began to wane that Reb realized, too late.
Their target had never been her. It was her youngest daughter, Coco.
A humanoid concealed in the brush, drawing back a bow.
The Arrow flew toward the spot beneath the Carriage where Coco was hiding.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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