Translator: Nox

Chapter 12

“Egg? Oh, the quail egg I summoned yesterday…….”

“Quail…? Yeah? Nooo. It’s a baby egg. The baby dwagon’s gonna hatch.”

Rubbing her nose, Bunny whispered as if sharing a big secret, and Kiriel Yudia tilted his head slightly.

“A dragon hatching from an egg this size seems pretty unlikely…….”

Rumble boom boom!

Flash!

Thunder and lightning struck tirelessly above Bunny’s head once again today. Bunny gazed up at Kiriel Yudia with droopy eyes, her face starting to crumple as tears welled up.

“Hwiiiing…….”

Kiriel Yudia watched Bunny mumbling ‘baby egg……’ and ‘baby dwagon……’ with a teary face, then turned his head slightly to look at the quail egg cradled preciously in both her small hands. Without realizing it, words slipped from his mouth.

“Maybe there’s a one-in-ten-million chance it could hatch…….”

At that utterly irresponsible mutter, gasps rose from here and there once more. They were shocked by Kiriel Yudia’s blatant lie.

Because Kiriel Yudia was famous for claiming that honesty was the virtue of the Yudia Ducal Family, which symbolized sanctity—and if a passing child asked, ‘Can I become like Sir Kiriel too?!’, he’d reply, ‘Even if you were reborn, it’d be impossible……’ before going on his way!

“Right?”

Not even knowing what a one-in-ten-million chance meant, Bunny was simply thrilled at the words that it could hatch and burst into a beaming grin once more. Kiriel Yudia’s eyes widened slightly.

‘She sure smiles nicely.’

Kiriel Yudia thought as he opened his mouth.

“Yeah, so why’d you tell me about the demon affliction?”

“Ah!”

Ahem.

Kiriel Yudia stared steadily at Bunny as she cleared her throat.

“Bunny’s shmart! And has a gweat egg too.”

“Yeah……?”

“Yesh! And gonna use king-sized magic too!”

With every word from Bunny, Kiriel Yudia’s head tilted ever so slowly.

In truth, those who inherited the Yudia Ducal Family’s blood couldn’t become mages. Holy power and mana were complete opposites.

“Yeeeah! So with Bunny around, king-sized pwprofit!”

Bunny stuck out her thumb proudly.

Then she tucked the egg back into her bag and squirmed something out, sidling up to place it gently on Kiriel Yudia’s palm.

It was a fairly heavy cloth pouch.

From the jingling sound, it seemed to be filled with coins.

“Does it all by herself, not tiwed at all, and gives allowance too!”

“Yeah……?”

So what was the conclusion of this long, rambling introduction?

Kiriel Yudia gazed down silently at the shabby old cloth pouch, still warm with the child’s touch, lost in thought.

“This is it, handsome uncle.”

Uncle……?

Kiriel Yudia blinked involuntarily at the refreshingly novel title.

“Wanna waise Bunny?”

“…What?”

“Wight now, special sale!”

Recalling how people had all rushed over and lined up when she said that at the market, Bunny said it emphatically.

“Bunny, future king big mage……!”

King……!

“Needs a pwotector!”

Realizing no one was lining up behind her, Bunny cleverly stood first in line behind the handsomest person, just as Luriel had taught her.

Swooooosh――

At Bunny’s words, the surroundings fell utterly silent. It felt like a fierce wind had whipped through the room.

Squatting with his chin propped on his hand, Kiriel Yudia stared at Bunny for a moment before chuckling softly.

“Need a protector?”

“Yeeeah. Bunny wants to be a gwown-up, but to be gwown-up, needs a pwotector.”

“Yeah?”

“Yesh.”

“But why me? There’s lots of other people.”

“Bwack haiw! Wed eyes!”

At Bunny’s words, Kiriel Yudia froze stiff.

“King-cool awesome!!!! Pwretty! Bunny wikes best.”

Kiriel Yudia’s eyes widened hugely at the additional words from the child gazing at him with sparkling eyes.

He’d heard creepy, unlucky, ominous things before, but cool and pretty? That was a first.

“And…….”

Bunny leaned her face in close, whispering as if sharing a secret.

“Uncle’s the most handsome. Uh…… impowtant stuff changes.”

“My eyes pretty?”

Kiriel Yudia stared at Bunny, who’d spouted something utterly incomprehensible, before asking.

“Yesh!”

His pupils dilated sharply for a moment at her immediate, unhesitating reply, then slowly contracted.

He nodded slowly.

“Yeah, then…….”

His voice trailed off lazily, laced with amusement as it returned.

“Shall I be Bunny’s pwotector……?”

At Kiriel Yudia’s words, Bunny’s eyes went perfectly round.

“Weally?”

“Yeah. Got nothing to do, no kids anyway.”

And that alien, subtle demon energy was nagging at him anyway, so it’d be better to keep her close.

‘That way, I can dispose of her right away if need be.’

If she was a demon child to begin with, it’d be best to nip it in the bud quickly without mercy.

“Uncle, now Bunny’s pwotector?!”

When Kiriel Yudia nodded once more with a relaxed expression, Bunny’s face lit up brighter than ever.

Kiriel Yudia’s eyes widened again.

‘Luri, genius!’

Just as Luriel said, she’d gotten a protector for real. There hadn’t been a single one until moments ago!

“Thanks a bunch! Bunny’ll serve you king-big super awesome!”

Bunny thrust her thumb up high.

Of course, Kiriel didn’t understand a single word.

‘When Bunny becomes a great big demon king, I’ll make sure she’s rich.’

With her business finished, Bunny bowed at the waist once more before whipping around—and pausing.

She’d locked eyes with Allen, standing all alone at a distance from the crowd.

His eyes seemed soaked in shock somewhere, or perhaps buried in betrayal.

“Ah!”

King Snake has no mom or dad either!

‘To be a gweat adult, needs mom and dad.’

King Snake wants to be a gweat adult too!

Having jumped to her own conclusion, Bunny blinked before hopping down from the platform and grabbing Allen’s hand.

“King Snake, come hewe!”

“Huh? What’re you……!”

Pulled firmly by her small hand, Allen hesitated before stumbling along awkwardly in her grasp.

“This is it, un…….”

Bunny paused mid-sentence.

‘Uncle… feels kinda far.’

Luriel said she had to get especially close to her pwotector.

“Kiriel. Kiriel Yudia…….”

As if reading Bunny’s mind from her sudden silence, Kiriel Yudia casually gave his name. He didn’t like being called uncle either.

No one would want to hear “uncle” from the kid who’d become their child.

“His Excellency Duke Rudbrid Yudia, Klein Yudia the First Holy Knight Captain, Saintess Salame Yudia, and Young Master Kiriel Yudia are entering.”

Bunny’s eyes sparkled as she cleverly recalled it.

“Young Master!”

“…….”

“Hewe, king sn—no, Allen needs to be gwown-up too, waise Allen too? Not bad! Wight?”

“Huh? Don’t say weird stuff, let go… Mmph.”

Smack!

Standing on tiptoe, Bunny clapped her small, maple-leaf hand over Allen’s mouth.

“Shhh. No bad wowds.”

Whispering softly in Allen’s ear, Bunny spun back around to face Kiriel Yudia.

“Okay? Bunny’ll talk pwetty and take good cawe! Bunny takes good cawe of sweet potatoes and potatoes too!”

Suddenly equated with sweet potatoes and potatoes, Allen gaped open-mouthed.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Kiriel Yudia silently turned to look at Allen at Bunny’s words, then nodded lazily with a drowsy expression.

“Do that.”

At Kiriel Yudia’s words, Allen’s eyes widened like saucers.

Kiriel Yudia gazed at Allen’s round eyes for a moment before slowly unfolding his crouched body.

Shocked stares came from all around, but the parties involved—Kiriel and Bunny—were utterly indifferent.

It wasn’t just the branch family attendees who were stunned.

Duke Rudbrid Yudia and Kiriel Yudia’s brothers looked equally aghast.

At the very least, anyone could tell this wasn’t a pre-arranged matter.

“Then thanks a ton! I’ll come again! Go safe!”

Bowing her head deeply, Bunny grabbed Allen’s hand and trotted toward the exit. Allen, whose head was much larger, trailed awkwardly behind, still caught in the child’s grip.

Unlike last time, with nothing added, the limp rabbit backpack’s limbs swayed with every wiggly step Bunny took.

“…Ah.”

Kiriel Yudia froze on the spot.

He’d meant to set aside a private space to ask if she needed anything, offer her a new room, ask if she’d come to the mansion, how much allowance she needed, and such—but he ended up just standing there.

As if that one phrase had been all she truly needed, the child left the party venue without so much as a backward glance.

Left all alone, Kiriel Yudia stood motionless in place for a long while.