179 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Eyeless Duke and Fiancee 179
Ronnie, avoiding his mother's gaze, headed towards the open space and glanced down at Mini.
He had brought her along because he knew his mother wouldn't let him go out without her sister, but she was still a nuisance.
As if sensing his gaze, Mini looked up, met his eyes, and smiled brightly.
"Brother, going to the mountain?"
"Shh! Mini! Mother might still be listening."
Ronnie quickly put his finger to his lips.
"Okay!"
When they reached the open space, children were gathered, chattering noisily. Some were drawing on the soft ground.
"Ronnie, Mini!"
Joseph, a freckled boy with brown hair, waved his hand enthusiastically.
"Joseph! Let's go to the mountain."
Joseph stared at Ronnie with wide, surprised eyes.
"The adults told us not to go!"
"What wolves are there these days? It's all a lie. Let's go play in the mountain."
"I'm not going. I'll get in trouble."
Joseph shook his head, looking scared.
"Tch, coward. Anyone want to go to the mountain with me?"
Mini, who was standing next to him, raised her hand high.
The other children avoided eye contact and pretended not to hear.
"Cowards. If I go and nothing happens, will you come with me to play in the mountain next time?"
"Ah, okay."
Joseph reluctantly nodded, and the other children followed suit.
"Let's go, Mini."
"Okay!"
Ronnie grabbed Mini's hand and confidently turned towards the mountain.
The mountain was perfect for playing war games because of its many geographical features.
Jumping over rocks and sword fighting with tree branches made him feel like a knight of the Duke's Castle.
Above all, the mountain had their secret cave.
As they were climbing the mountain, Mini suddenly stopped.
"Brother, brother. Rabbit."
"What about the Rabbit?"
Mini shook their clasped hands wildly.
"Five fingers!"
Mini spread her five fingers wide.
For Mini, who couldn't count all the numbers yet, five fingers was the biggest number.
So, she wasn't saying that the Rabbit had five fingers, but that the Rabbit was that big.
"No way! There's no Rabbit that big."
Ronnie interpreted his sister's absurd words and frowned.
That was because the things Mini usually pointed at with five fingers were houses, cows, and ancient, hundred-year-old trees.
"There!"
When he turned his gaze to where Mini was pointing, he saw a cabin, a shelter for hunters.
And in front of it...
"...!"
Ronnie unknowingly gripped Mini's hand tightly.
"I was right, wasn't I? Five fingers!"
Mini said innocently, but Ronnie was so surprised that his sister's words rang in his ears.
The Rabbit was as big as the cabin's pillar!
His heart pounded involuntarily.
It was a major crisis in his nine-year-old life.
So, that was why the adults told them not to go to the mountain, because of that Rabbit.
He had never seen such a big Rabbit in his life. No, he had never even heard of one.
Was it a real Rabbit? It looked like a Rabbit because it was white and had long ears, but...
"Brother! Let's go see the Rabbit!"
Mini, still young, didn't seem scared even after seeing the huge Rabbit. As Mini tried to pull him forward, Ronnie stood his ground.
"No way."
"Why?"
Mini asked, her big eyes wide.
Ronnie couldn't bring himself to tell his sister that he was too scared to go, so he made up another excuse.
"Mother told us not to go to the mountain."
"We are in the mountain."
Mini stared blankly as if to say, 'What are you talking about? We're already in the mountain.'
Ronnie avoided Mini's gaze with an awkward expression.
"This is still the front of the mountain. We haven't gone deep yet. You have to listen to Mother."
"Who?"
"...Joseph?"
"Joseph is a coward. Brother is a coward?"
The words he had said to Joseph earlier came back to him.
So, that was why his mother told him to be careful what he said in front of Mini. He had a big realization in his nine-year-old life.
"I'm going to see the Rabbit!"
Mini let go of his hand and ran forward.
"Mini!"
At that moment, a person dressed in black suddenly appeared in front of Mini.
Mini looked up at the person with a startled expression.
The person, who had covered everything but their eyes, warned in a low voice.
"No one is allowed to enter here."
Ronnie quickly grabbed Mini's hand and pulled her back.
A person covered in black clothes was very suspicious.
"Is that really a Rabbit?"
Ronnie wanted to ask bravely, but his voice trembled.
"I cannot answer."
The person in black, a man, answered gruffly in a thick voice.
It wasn't an answer to his question, but Ronnie gained a little more courage from the fact that he had said something.
"Why are you here?"
"I cannot answer."
He could see the white Rabbit glancing at them.
When his eyes met the Rabbit's silver, shining eyes, Ronnie felt his heart drop to the floor.
"Rabbit, hello!"
Mini, who was standing behind him, waved at the Rabbit as if she was happy to see it.
The Rabbit snorted at the sight.
Can Rabbits snort? Ronnie was seriously contemplating, but his sister was brave.
"Rabbit. I'm Mini. Hello!"
Every time Mini spoke, the Rabbit's ears perked up.
"You are Rabbit. I am Mini!"
His sister remained brave. She pointed at the Rabbit and herself, chattering as if she was teaching it her name.
The Rabbit snorted once more and went into the cabin.
Ronnie stared blankly at the spot where the Rabbit had disappeared.
"What you saw today is a secret. And don't come here again."
The man in black, who spoke in a cold voice, disappeared in an instant.
Ronnie was startled and looked around. Mini, also surprised, turned her head around and around, looking for the man.
"Did the man leave?"
"Y-yes. Let's go too."
Ronnie came to his senses and pulled Mini's hand.
"Aren't we going to see the Rabbit?"
Mini glanced at the cabin with a disappointed expression.
"The man told us not to go near it. Let's go down quickly."
"Hmph. I want to say 'Hello, Rabbit!'"
"Mini. If you don't listen to me, I won't take you out to play anymore."
Mini's big eyes trembled.
"Hmph. I like Brother."
"Yes. I like Mini too. So, let's go."
"Okay."
Mini followed Ronnie with a sulky face.
\ \ *
During dinner, as the family gathered harmoniously and ate soup, Ronnie raised his head.
"Mother."
"Yes?"
"Is the reason you don't want us to go to the mountain really because of wolves?"
The woman's brown eyes trembled slightly. The husband, who was cutting bread next to her, hardened his face and pursed his lips.
"Mother, Rabbit!"
Mini, who was holding a round piece of bread in both hands and tearing it apart diligently, suddenly shouted.
Ronnie, startled, glared at his sister.
"Mini!"
The woman seized the opportunity to change the subject.
"Does our daughter like Rabbits?"
"Yes! Rabbit! Five fingers!"
"You saw five Rabbits?"
The husband stroked his daughter's head and joined the conversation.
"No, sigh."
Mini sighed deeply as if she was frustrated and shook her head.
"Mini, eat your bread. Eat a lot."
Ronnie gave her his bread to keep her mouth shut.
Mini, who loved bread, was quickly distracted by it.
As he watched his parents look at Mini eating her bread happily, Ronnie asked again.
"Mother, is it really because of the wolves?"
"Yes. Wolves are dangerous, so you must never go to the mountain."
"Go mountain!"
Mini, who was eating her bread diligently, suddenly raised her head.
Ronnie quickly put the bread he had set aside for himself into Mini's mouth.
"'Don't go to the mountain' is what you have to say. Mother is worried."
At Ronnie's words, the woman nodded and spoke to Mini in a coaxing tone.
"Mini. You mustn't go to the mountain. Okay?"
Mini rolled her big eyes and nodded as she chewed on her bread diligently.
Ronnie secretly sighed in relief, unbeknownst to his parents.
Although his bread had been taken away by his brave sister, he had maintained the peace of the family.
