I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family - Chapter 41

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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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Chapter 41

“Grandfather.”
Heinz looked up from checking Louis’s homework, his brow furrowed, and turned to face Ber.
“Are you from the Hegwig Family, Grandfather?”
“That is correct, but how did you know?”
“I only just realized it when I saw that you’re a white owl humanoid.”
So it was confirmed.
That Grandfather was Heinz Hegwig.
The reason Ber had been startled by Heinz’s animal form stemmed from the original story. In the novel, the white owl humanoid appeared in the latter half of the narrative.
The heroine, Enya, had been demanded to be surrendered as the Sled Dog Knight Order under Theodor’s command surrounded the hero Adrian’s mansion.
Even when the secondary hero Kaien joined the resistance, they eventually surrendered when the Imperial Knight Order’s forces appeared moments later.
The empire desired the Power of Eostre that the heroine possessed. Until they obtained it, they could not kill her outright. Enya convinced the hero and secondary hero to let her negotiate with the empire.
The person who had led the heroine away as she walked obediently out of the mansion was none other than the commander of the Imperial Knight Order himself.
Heinz Hegwig, head of the white owl humanoid Hegwig Family.
The name had stuck in Ber’s memory because of its similarity to a certain owl’s name from a famous novel, combined with the setting of being a white owl humanoid.
But she never imagined that Grandfather Heinz was that commander.
‘……Wait, hold on.’
Something didn’t add up.
Why would a military commander be working as a tutor for a remote northern count’s family? Shouldn’t he be commanding the knight order in the capital?
In the original story, it had been stated that the position of military commander was traditionally held by successive heads of the Hegwig Family. If that was the case, then Grandfather might not be the eldest son.
Typically, men born as second or third sons rather than the firstborn of a noble house could not inherit the title and had to find their own path in life—becoming knights, marrying into another family as a son-in-law, starting a business to run a merchant company, and so forth.
Ber had read enough romance novels to know at least that much.
It seemed that for some reason, he had eventually become the military commander by the novel’s latter half. But he already looked quite elderly—how had that come to pass? He’d only appeared briefly in the scene where the heroine was taken away, so there was no detailed information about him.
Regardless of that mystery, the real problem was…….
‘The Grizzly Family is completely pro-imperial!’
Theodor, who even earned the nickname “the Emperor’s bear puppet” and never refused any command from the throne.
Heinz, who had taught the children of such a Theodor, would eventually become the military commander.
It made sense now why the Sled Dog Knight Order had stormed the hero’s house alongside the Imperial Knight Order. The two orders must be cooperating.
But.
‘It’s better to stay away from the imperial court.’
Ber was certain of this because the heroine and the empire were in an adversarial relationship.
She didn’t know the exact reason why the empire had desperately pursued the heroine. It was either because they wanted to bring her under their control, wielding the Power of Eostre, or because they feared that power and wanted to eliminate her.
Why was she only guessing when she’d read the original work?
Because I never saw the ending of The Taming of the Wild. I thought we were approaching the climax where the hidden mastermind would be revealed and the hero and heroine would be together, but then “Na-bom” died.
‘I’m certain there’s a final villain in the imperial court, but……’
So she also didn’t know what ending the Grizzly Family and the Sled Dog Knight Order faced in the original story.
Basically, novels are kind to their protagonists. Even if they stumble through hardships along the way, a happy ending awaits them in the end.
In other words, any force that opposed the heroine would pay some price—great or small—in the conclusion.
‘Which means Theodor can’t remain the Emperor’s bear puppet.’
As for how to create distance between them, Ber honestly had no clear plan yet.
“Miss.”
Noticing Ber’s shoulders rising and falling in a steady rhythm, Heinz spoke up.
“Are you finding the lesson content difficult? We haven’t even properly begun yet.”
Louis turned to Ber with the expression of someone who’d found an ally, but Ber shook her head.
“But why have you been like that since earlier, Miss?”
Heinz looked intently at Ber’s face once more.
Ah. Had today’s shock been written all over her face?
“If Miss is troubled, the young masters cannot concentrate properly, can they?”
“Is something worrying you?”
“Is studying difficult for you?”
The moment Grandfather finished speaking, the two boys sitting on either side of Ber examined her complexion closely.
It was becoming clear that she wouldn’t be able to brush this off with a vague excuse. Noticing their concern, Ber decided to just broach the subject directly.
“No, it’s not that. It’s just…… I’m frightened.”
“Of what, may I ask?”
“Today we’re learning about the imperial court, aren’t we? So I remembered something. The rumor that Count has never once refused a command from His Majesty.”
The atmosphere in the study room grew slightly heavier.
The image of Theodor, called the Emperor’s puppet, was generally negative. Though there were few sentences describing him in the original work, even within those sparse descriptions, it was difficult to find positive words.
Only two emotions filled those sentences: fear and contempt.
“Does Miss fear Count Grizzly?”
As Heinz asked this, a bitter smile played at the corners of his mouth. Ber shook her head firmly.
“I’m not frightened of him.”
Of course, she had been at first.
A small creature like herself couldn’t help but be terrified of a predator, especially with how the original work had described him.
But that was no longer the case.
“Count saved me.”
She knew well the story of how Theodor had annihilated an entire house and its guard knights in a single night. She understood exactly why.
Even the author who had given Theodor such a tragic backstory and made him a villain opposing the heroine deserved to be resented for it.
“What frightens me is His Majesty the Emperor. I’m afraid that someday he might command something terrible of Count, and then Count would have to…….”
If the hero, heroine, and secondary hero all turned against you, it was the same as the entire world turning against you!
“Ber is worried about Count, isn’t she.”
As Ber’s thoughts multiplied and her words trailed off, Ferdi suddenly began stroking her head.
The expressions of the three people looking at her had brightened noticeably.
“Don’t worry! Dad is really strong. Honestly, he looks a hundred times stronger than Nook.”
Louis also straightened his chest and spoke with pride.
“That’s right. I can’t even imagine Father losing.”
“I agree with that assessment. Count is the strongest knight in this empire.”
“But……!”
Even with the confident fire burning in all three of their eyes, Ber could not be reassured.
“What if Count receives a command he cannot fulfill? Could he refuse an order from His Majesty the Emperor then?”
This was the crucial point.
If he could at least refuse the command to bring in the heroine, there might be some room for mitigation.
But Heinz did not readily nod his head.
“Hmm…… That would be impossible. The head of the Grizzly Family cannot refuse an order from His Majesty.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Cannot refuse? At the tone suggesting it was physically impossible, Ber’s expression grew grave.
“Do you recall the promise Count made to Miss?”

“Did Count swear an Oath of Absolute Obedience to His Majesty?”
“Indeed, Miss has excellent comprehension.”
Heinz nodded quietly and began to explain the oath.
Roughly eighty years ago.
A foreign people dwelling in the Northwestern Border of the Empire entered imperial territory.
The Grizzly clan. They possessed the blood of mighty brown bears but harbored no love of conflict. The clan desired coexistence, yet the empire’s people grew wary. It was the instinctive reaction of humanoids.
Into the clan’s existence amid the empire’s fearful and contemptuous gaze, it was the Emperor himself who extended a hand.
By granting them the title of count and lands, and tasking them with defending the Northern Region, he welcomed them as imperial subjects.
It may have been merely the Emperor’s shrewd political calculation. After all, what he granted was not the fertile lands of the Southern Region nor the mines of the west, but the harsh mountains of the north.
Yet the head of the Grizzly Family at that time felt great gratitude for the Emperor’s modest kindness. A noble title and lands granted by the Emperor—no one could easily take them away.
So the Grizzly Family’s head decided to express his thanks to the Emperor.
And thus was born the Oath of Absolute Obedience.

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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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