Bear and Tiger (3): Rewind to the Start of the Contest
Rewinding time just a bit. Back to the moment right before the contest began.
"I'm thinking of taking one of those two with me."
After Goma and Hwan had left to hunt, I looked at the two chiefs and said so.
"And who might you be to claim one of them?"
The Tiger Tribe Chief, with a hint of displeasure in his tone.
"Might I ask what business requires such a thing?"
In contrast, the Bear Tribe Chief responded with utmost politeness.
Hmm. The Tiger Tribe Chief's attitude rubs me the wrong way from the start... but I shouldn't judge everything on that alone.
"I've been gathering talented individuals for a special purpose, and those two seem suitable. It's for a very important matter, so I'd appreciate your understanding."
"Gathering the capable... but that child knows nothing but fighting."
"She's a prime candidate for our next chief. It would be troubling if you took her."
The two chiefs each raised their objections, refusing my proposal.
Hmm. Well, I half-expected that. Especially since they're said to be the strongest in their tribes. No way they'd hand them over easily.
"Hmm... I was planning to take the loser of the contest between them. But with how they bicker, wouldn't merging the tribes afterward cause problems?"
Two people of equal strength. If one wins and one loses, keeping them in the same tribe... anyone can see how troublesome that would be. No need to explain it.
Equal power breeds conflict.
"That is..."
"Indeed, you're right, but..."
The two chiefs couldn't refute my words. They must have thought the same.
"So, here's an offer you won't be able to refuse."
"An offer we can't refuse...?"
"Just who the hell are you to say that?"
The Tiger Tribe Chief kept distrusting me. Well, a little kid like me bossing them around must look ridiculous on the surface.
So, in cases like this, you let your abilities do the talking.
"Let's just say... I came down from the heavens above."
I snapped my fingers lightly, and in the blink of an eye, the two chiefs and I were high up in the sky.
"Wh-what is this?!"
"S-so high...!"
"No need to worry about falling. We're floating by my power."
The two middle-aged men flailing their arms in midair was pretty comical, but I didn't let it show.
Mocking a potential trading partner would be a bad move.
"Now, let me make the offer again. Will you entrust the loser of the contest to me? Of course, it won't be for free."
I grinned as I spoke.
Two middle-aged men hovering in the open sky with nowhere to stand... they couldn't refuse this.
It'd be weirder if they did.
"If you accept, I'll bestow a blessing upon the winner."
"A blessing...?"
"A blessing from the heavens...!"
"You'll have to decide what kind of blessing yourselves. How about it? Do you accept?"
The two chiefs pondered my words, and after a short while...
"We accept. Hell, we just have to win!"
"The risk of losing is great, but the gains from winning are even greater. No reason to refuse."
The two chiefs showed their resolve.
Win, and the merged tribe loses a source of trouble, plus they get a heavenly blessing—a huge boon.
Lose... well, it's a big loss, but integration was doomed anyway if they lose.
A few extras on top of that wouldn't matter much.
And so... the two chiefs had wagered big on the outcome of the contest.
With that, the two chiefs had bet big on their daughters' contest.
"One win, one loss...! We can't lose the final round...!"
"Do your best, Goma! Everything rides on your victory...!"
Leaving the chiefs' desperate cheers behind, the two beastkin girls prepared for the final contest.
"For the final round... let's make it an endurance contest."
"Endurance...?"
"What the heck is that...?"
Well, endurance was just an excuse, really.
"Before we start, tell me your most hated foods."
"Huh? Our most hated foods?"
"Why all of a sudden...?"
"I have a use for them. Oh, and no lying. I'll know."
At my words, Goma looked a bit guilty. Sneaky little thing.
That dumb look must just be her image.
Bears are pretty clever animals, after all.
"Me... um. Honestly, I can eat anything, but if I have to pick the one I hate most... mugwort, I guess. The smell bothers me..."
Hmm. Mugwort. Good thing I'd prepared a ton just in case.
Wait, with this setup... is Hwan's hated food garlic?
"I-I hate all veggies..."
Oh, not quite.
Well, garlic hasn't reached this area yet anyway.
Can't hate what you don't know.
"But if I have to pick the worst... ramps. The smell that stabs your nose before you even make them into namul..."
Ramps namul? The kind you make into pickles and eat with meat?
Ah, right. No soy sauce or anything here yet, so no pickles.
I quickly checked wiki info on ramps...
Hmm... hmm?
Mountain garlic? So "ramps" was a nickname, and the real name is mountain garlic?
What is this? In the end, it's mugwort and garlic...
A slightly different garlic, but still.
"Then... for the endurance contest, you'll survive deep in a cave eating only your hated food."
"Eugh... so that's why you asked?"
Goma's face crumpled instantly.
That hated, huh? Well, with her appetite that packed on all that meat, force-feeding her only the stuff she hates... yeah, it'd suck.
"Exactly. Whoever lasts longer in the deep cave eating only their hated food wins."
In the Dangun myth, they make the tiger eat mugwort and garlic... but honestly, that's so unfair.
Bears are omnivores, but tigers are carnivores.
Impossible for the tiger from the start.
So, I'll prepare each one's hated food accordingly!
"If you can't take it anymore and leave the cave, or pass out, you lose. Ready?"
Goma and Hwan both nodded.
Hmm... their eyes burn with determination. Strong wills.
But first...
"Can't have you full from the eating contest. Gotta make it fair—equal conditions."
They'd stuffed themselves in the previous round, bellies full.
I placed hands on their shoulders and pushed mana inside, extracting all but the minimal nutrients from their bloated bodies.
At the same time, Goma's plump figure slimmed down noticeably... but that's minor.
Yeah. Minor.
"What is this?"
"Gotta be equal conditions. Separate from the last contest."
"Ah... aaaah..."
Goma sadly poked her now-flat lower belly.
Hmm. Did she like her chubby tummy?
To me, she looks better slim like this.
"Alright, into the cave we go."
Now, which one—bear or tiger—will emerge victorious from the cave?
Mugwort rice cakes, ramp namul, and rice before them, Goma and Hwan let out heavy sighs.
But with nothing else to eat, for the sake of victory, they forced down their hated foods.
To outlast the other.
To endure just a little longer.
A day passed, then two, time dragging on.
Deep in the pitch-black cave, losing track of time but holding on somehow...
But after over 20 days, the limit came.
Perhaps from the extreme conditions, Hwan—whose beastly instincts overpowered her human intellect—began baring her fangs bit by bit.
Being more beast than human as a beastkin must have been the issue.
"Grrrrr..."
And so, driven by instinct, Hwan lunged at the weary Goma across from her.
"That's far enough."
I appeared right above the beastly Hwan, mounted her, and pinned her down.
"Kyaaang!!!"
"Calm down now."
Pinned beneath me, Hwan could only thrash and howl helplessly.
"Eat this first."
I conjured a well-grilled chunk of meat and shoved it into her mouth.
Normally, you shouldn't feed fatty meat to the starved, but Hwan wasn't truly starving—her mental limit had hit first.
The hefty piece entered her mouth, and instinctively, she chewed and devoured it.
Hmm. Up close like this... she really just looks like a big cat.
After wolfing down the meat, the wild glint in Hwan's eyes faded, reason returning.
"The final contest goes to Goma. Time to head out."
Goma, surviving over 20 days on mugwort cakes alone, let out a feeble cheer.
Hmm. Yeah, being denied your favorite foods is torture in itself.
"Hwan, now that you're back to your senses, let's go. The winner's decided."
Regaining her sanity, Hwan could only bow her head weakly.
