I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family - Chapter 43

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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 43

“Ber, what’s going on here? Are you all right? You had a fever again.”
Lui pressed his palm against Ber’s forehead, concern clouding his gaze. His hand, now distinctly masculine, bore calluses from training.
Ber’s eyes fluttered open in the dimness—Lui’s shadow had fallen completely across her.
‘We didn’t have much height difference before. When did he get so tall?’
Both Lui and Perdi had begun to shoot up at some point, surpassing her long ago.
“Ah, Miss. Good morning.”
Alexei, who had also grown, offered an awkwardly stiff greeting.
Ber muttered with a pout.
“You two were really cute when you were little.”
“Hm?”
“Anyway, I’m fine. It only happens for a bit and then goes away. All better now.”
Ber pulled back from Lui’s hand and her eyes soon gleamed with purpose.
“But I need to ask you for something, Lui.”
“Something?”
Lui tilted his head questioningly, and Ber nodded enthusiastically in response.
“Take me to the academy entrance ceremony too.”
“Eh?”
Lui blinked, confusion written across his face.
“You want to go to Perdi’s entrance ceremony?”
Lui’s reaction was understandable—it was Perdi, not Lui, who would be entering the Royal Academy this time.
“Yes. I heard you were going too, weren’t you?”
“Well, that’s true, but wouldn’t it be better to convince Perdi about this?”
“That’s exactly why it’s difficult, which is why I’m asking you. Let’s go convince Father and Perdi together.”
“Mmm…….”
She’d thought Lui would agree immediately, but he seemed to hesitate.
Just then, Alexei, who had been watching, spoke up.
“Miss, it’s a long journey from here to the academy. It will take a full two days of carriage travel to arrive.”
“Alexei’s right. And Ber, I’m planning to enroll next year, so I’m just going to see it, but you…….”
Lui trailed off. He knew well that Ber might not be able to attend the academy the way they could. Of course, Ber herself was fully aware of this as well.
Theodore and Ribe doted on Ber. She hadn’t left Biern in six years.
It was a bit stifling, but Ber didn’t truly resent living confined in the castle. After all, if she’d been captured by Baekrang that day, she would have been locked away in the Imperial Underground Chamber instead.
To live in such a vast castle with her own room, a tutor to educate her, and fresh vegetables to eat every day—
‘It’s honestly paradise.’
Regardless, that was Ber’s situation, and the Grizzly couple clearly hadn’t overcome their fear.
The terror of losing their newly gained youngest daughter again.
Having witnessed Coco’s death through dreams alongside them, Ber understood that fear. But she couldn’t remain trapped in peace forever.
‘Your Highness, Enya will be coming to the Capital in just two years.’
I need to start preparing.
“The academy is in the Capital anyway. I’ve never left the estate before, and I really want to see the Capital once.”
She deliberately said something to prick Lui’s conscience, and sure enough, his brow furrowed. Good, she was getting a reaction.
“What? Why shouldn’t I? You know how Perdi is—he’s so principled I can’t convince him alone. And Father is even worse.”
“…….”
“Just this once, okay? Lui. If you help me, I’ll do Heinz’s homework for you.”
Good, that should do it. Or so she thought.
“Mmm, no matter what…….”
But Lui proved more stubborn than expected. It seemed like he was starting to resemble Perdi.
Ugh. I have no choice. Time to bring out the big guns. Ber took a slow breath, steeling herself before opening her mouth.
“Really, really just this once, okay? Lui, big brother!”
She’d stretched her voice higher than usual, and now goosebumps ran across her skin. She squeezed her eyes shut.
She waited a moment, but no answer came.
‘Of course it doesn’t work.’
Ugh, so embarrassing.
She opened her eyes with a flushed face, only to find Lui’s figure gone from in front of her.
“What are you doing?”
Lui, who had already begun walking ahead, turned back to look at her.
“Let’s go settle this.”
A steely determination burned in Lui’s golden eyes.
“……Ah. Yes.”
Ber felt taken aback as Lui suddenly showed more enthusiasm than she did.

***

The three of them had gone to the lord’s study with high hopes, but.
“No.”
Theodore’s firm refusal fell over their three bowed heads.
“Ugh……! Why? Please tell us why!”
Lui lifted his head slightly in protest. But Theodore remained unmoved.
“It’s a long journey. Too dangerous.”
“That’s too short an explanation!”
Lui cried out at the brevity. Though Father was always like this.
“But if that’s the case, isn’t there danger for me too?”
“Of course the level of danger is different.”
Perdi, who had been listening quietly beside Theodore, interjected.
“You have Swordsmanship, I have Magic. Plus, we’re Fire Bears. We have more than enough ways to protect ourselves.”
Struck by the point, Lui’s words got stuck in his throat. Then Ber lifted her head.
“What, you’re looking down on a rabbit now? If I transform and hide, even Heinz can’t find me.”
“Ber, you! So that’s how you skipped out at the beginning of the month? Do you know how worried Heinz was?”
“Young master, Miss!”
As Perdi and Ber began bickering, Alexei lifted his head, trying to stop them.
“Enough.”
Theodore, who had been watching all four of them, uttered a single word.
“Ber. Wasn’t it just yesterday that you were struggling with Night Fever?”
“I’m fine now.”
Ber shook her head despite Theodore’s sharp gaze. Though she felt a bit guilty about it.
Truthfully, Night Fever had become her new concern lately.
It had happened a few times before. It wasn’t a cold, and there was nothing else physically wrong, yet she ran a fever.
Even though Night Fever only brought a light temperature, it was frustrating that it came every night, and recently it had lasted two to three days.
What was strange was that the fever only appeared at night; she was fine during the day. She’d been examined, but the doctors couldn’t identify any illness or cause.
‘It’s frightening, to be honest.’
She died of a cold in her past life, so if she’s heading in a similar direction……ugh.
Still, her daily activities weren’t affected, and most importantly, she couldn’t stay shut away in the castle recuperating forever.
She knew what was coming, so she had to do something. At least while I’m alive.
“Don’t worry, Father. It only happens briefly at night. During the day, it’s fine.”
“Travel continues at night too. Can you guarantee you’ll be fine even then?”
Ber’s words caught in her throat. She’d have to give up now. Theodore was about to drive the nail in, avoiding Ber’s gaze.
“It’s dangerous for you to travel far, so just stay in the castle——”
“I think it should be okay. Based on the pattern I’ve calculated so far, the fever won’t start until at least next week at the earliest. I can’t guarantee it, but……”
“…….”
Ber’s dark pupils gazed steadily into Theodore’s cold eyes. Theodore’s brow creased. His unwavering gaze seemed to radiate resolve.
“Why are you so determined to attend the entrance ceremony? Do you want to go to the academy too?”
“I just want to see the Capital once.”
“There will be other chances for that. Once your body recovers a bit more, we can go, all right?”
Perdi patted Ber’s shoulder and spoke soothingly. Ber couldn’t respond easily.
She wanted to tell him it would be safer to go now. By the time Lui enrolls, it might be too late. But she couldn’t explain all this. And even if she did, it would only sound strange.
As Ber fell silent, Perdi’s target shifted.
“Now that I think about it, Lui, weren’t you supposed to train Swordsmanship until this afternoon? And Alexei, too. Don’t you have the Knight Promotion Examination next year? Can you really afford to slack off like this?”
Under Perdi’s nagging, both of them groaned and fell silent.
They couldn’t resist the pointed criticism of Perdi, who was more conscientious than any other child in the Grizzly household and wielded the power of a Minor Earl.

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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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