I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family - Chapter 78

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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 78

The Swordsmanship Tournament had concluded.
She’d expected Louie to be disappointed about losing his chance at the title, but instead he remained flushed with excitement even after the competition ended.
Clearly, he’d been impressed by Kaien’s skill. They’d agreed to celebrate Kaien’s second-place finish with a meal together, though Louie proved reluctant to leave his side for even a moment.

The Harvest Festival was the Imperial Academy’s celebration, spanning the Swordsmanship Tournament, the Magic Competition, and a Ball.
The Magic Competition followed the day after the Swordsmanship Tournament.
Which meant this time it was Perdi’s turn to be cheered for.
“Oh? Senior!”
As Ber was settling into a seat in the Spectator Seats with Enya and Sylva, Louie called out cheerfully to someone.
“Kaien, sir! Over here, over here!”
The moment Ber realized who it was, her expression went rigid. Why did he have to actually bring him over here—couldn’t they have just exchanged greetings?
“Louie, I had a seat elsewhere……”
“Ah, you can see much better from here. Isn’t that why you came—to cheer for my brother?”
“Well, yes, that’s true, but——”
Kaien replied with an awkward expression, glancing sideways at Ber. The moment their eyes met, she lowered her head stiffly.
“Ber, this is Kaien, the Swordsmanship Tournament champion. Is it alright if we watch together with him?”
At Louie’s question seeking permission, Ber simply nodded without a word. While Louie introduced Kaien to Enya and Sylva and secured their approval to join, Ber kept her head bowed the entire time.
Why was she acting like this? Ber gripped her knees tightly.
The expression Kaien had worn while watching her during the Swordsmanship Tournament kept surfacing in her mind, making it impossible for her to even look at him.
In this awkward fog, Ber began watching the Magic Competition.
Unlike Louie, who radiated enthusiasm from the opening match, Perdi showed little fervor for the Magic Competition.
“I’ll be back soon.”
With a languid expression, Perdi waved to the group before slowly ascending to the Competition Arena.
That made sense. Ever since childhood, Perdi had been interested in solitary study and research, never particularly drawn to competing against others.
‘Perhaps he simply has no real interest in offensive magic.’
Yet the results contradicted her expectations.
Perdi began stringing together victory after victory.
“As expected, Brother’s amazing!”
Hearing Louie’s booming cheer, Ber shook her head slightly.
Indeed—Grizzly’s younger brother was a true talent among talents.
At the same time, shrieks of excitement erupted from the Spectator Seats behind them. Between squeals and cheers, she caught fragments of phrases about the Magic Department’s precious jewel.
‘So this is how Perdi is known.’
Ber felt a pleasant warmth mixed with an awkward cringe. She clenched her fists and gazed up at Perdi in the arena.
Students competing in the Swordsmanship Tournament had worn practical competition robes, but those in the Magic Competition dressed more elaborately.
There was a rule allowing participants to wear Wands and enchanted garments to boost magical power and defense, which seemed to make movement less convenient.
Perdi wore his usual Wand and a cloak with mana-enhancement properties—a relatively light ensemble that paradoxically made him look like a precious jewel. The female students’ voices grew noticeably louder than they had during the Swordsmanship Tournament.
The matches continued until they reached the semifinals.
The students who’d been squealing fell silent before this particular bout.
This was a match between the top ranks.
Fourth-year Rank 1, Adrian Lenar, versus third-year Rank 2, Perdinando Grizzly.
In the original story, the Harvest Festival had been written around Adrian and the secondary male lead Kaien’s confrontation, so she’d never expected the top rank to be Adrian. Yet the casting made sense.
A fox-eared mage with weaknesses in close combat had defeated a wolf-eared warrior trained in swordsmanship. That Adrian held Rank 1 was entirely believable from that alone.
The arena stretched horizontally, wide and long. As Adrian and Perdi faced each other across the distance, the referee stepped back and raised a Wand—the signal for the match to begin.
“Perdinando.”
Even though the match had started, Adrian spoke to Perdi with Wand still lowered.
“I wanted to face you later, not now.”
“That doesn’t sound like you, Adrian. You’re the fourth-year Rank 1—surely you’re not afraid of a mere third-year Rank 2.”
“No, that’s not it. Just a shame, really.”
Adrian added the words alongside a bittersweet smile.
“I suspect this will be over rather quickly.”
With that provocation, Adrian’s expression melted back into his characteristic easygoing charm.
Soon after, Adrian gestured his fingers in a “come on” motion, as if to say try your best. Perdi responded with a faint smile and immediately began casting his magic.
As Perdi swung his Wand, a massive stone creature began forming. The golem grew so enormous it would fill half the space beneath the arena. Remarkably, the stone golem bore the ears and paws of a bear.
It was impressive from the very start—Golem Magic of such excellence that even students from other departments gasped, let alone those from the Magic Department.
Perdi pointed his Wand at Adrian. The commanded golem immediately rushed forward and swung its fist at him.
Boom! With a thunderous crash, the golem’s fist struck Adrian with tremendous force.
Before the audience could even gasp, the golem’s right arm tore away and flew toward the ceiling. Adrian had torn off the entire arm with Wind Magic and hurled it aside.
Bang! The golem’s arm shattered part of the Barrier stretched across the roof before tumbling into the Spectator Seats. Fortunately, the massive limb quickly lost cohesion and crumbled into sand-like particles, so it caused no harm to the spectators.
The mages stationed beside the Spectator Seats repaired the ceiling’s Barrier, then began examining the one protecting the audience section. Unlike the Swordsmanship Tournament, the Magic Competition involved large-scale attacks, so Barriers were erected everywhere except the arena itself.
The audience fell even more silent. This was a completely different level from the previous matches.
Now came Adrian’s counterattack. As Adrian traced a large circle with the tip of his Wand, flames erupted. With Wind Magic layered atop, the fire transformed into a spinning vortex that hurtled toward Perdi.
It was immense—heat washed over even the Spectator Seats in a wave.
The golem’s remaining arm shielded Perdi, but it began melting in the intense flames. While maintaining control of the golem through mana, Perdi triggered another spell.
A torrent of water burst from the tip of his Wand with tremendous force. Like a raging river, a towering column of water pushed through the flames and the golem simultaneously.
“Tch.”
Just as the golem, driven back by the water, was about to collide head-first with him, Adrian threw himself to the left.
He’d dodged so frantically that he couldn’t interrupt his spell. The vortex of fire still pouring from Adrian’s Wand spiraled upward.
Crack! With the sound of fracturing, the ceiling’s Barrier shattered again. The mages repairing it moved their Wands urgently.
The close combat continued.
The golem, which had been melted away by fire and water, began bounding around the arena again, while Adrian’s Wind Magic carved holes in the Barrier surrounding the arena floor.
As Adrian evaded the golem’s attacks, he chanted silently under his breath. Since his chant grew longer without magic triggering, Perdi realized with certainty what was happening: Adrian was preparing a spell far more powerful than the fire vortex.
‘I have to finish this before his chant completes.’
Perdi quickly devised a strategy—magic potent enough to strike hard with a relatively brief incantation. He moved his Wand and began speaking a short spell.
From the tip of Perdi’s Wand came a flash of electricity. In the next instant, golden Lightning Bolt descended from the golem’s raised hand.
Boom! The entire Grand Hall shook as the lightning crashed down directly in front of Adrian.
The referee was about to raise his Wand, thinking the match was decided, when light erupted from Adrian’s direction instead.
His chant was complete.
What Adrian’s Wand unleashed was no ordinary flame. It was magma—fire that melted everything it touched in an instant.
Crash! The golem, engulfed in the inferno, shot skyward and collided with the Barrier across the ceiling. Crack-crack-crack! The Barrier fractured once more. The impact was powerful enough to shake the Grand Hall’s very structure.
The moment the golem began melting away——
Whoosh. The golem, instantly transformed to sand, tumbled onto the Barrier surrounding the Spectator Seats. Perdi had severed the mana tethering him to the golem.
But because the spell had been so massive, Adrian couldn’t halt its execution in a single moment.
In that opening, Perdi hurled magic at Adrian’s Wand. If Wind Magic could knock the Wand from his grip, the match would end.
But in that instant———
Crack! Crash!
As the Barrier shattered, part of the Grand Hall’s ceiling collapsed.
And it was falling directly toward Perdi’s head.

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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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