Translator: Nox

Chapter 19

“And about what you summoned. I’ve never seen an egg like that hatch before, so I’m not entirely sure. Whether the egg itself is a sacred object or a divine beast will be born from within it.”

At Ludbrid Yudia’s lengthy explanation, Bunny let out a soft chuckle, puffed out her chest proudly, and declared,

“The Humble Dragon will hatch.”

“…The Humble Dragon…….”

Ludbrid Yudia gazed with slightly clouded eyes at the quail egg in the child’s hand, which had grown to the size of a chicken egg.

“…I see.”

Watching Bunny’s sparkling eyes, Ludbrid quietly picked up a pen and paper.

[Sacred Item: Egg of the Humble Dragon]

With slightly deadened eyes, Ludbrid quietly stared out the window as he wrote the words, then pushed the documents and pen far away before opening his mouth.

“Shall we have some snacks? I’ll have some juice brought as well.”

The moment Ludbrid Yudia casually suggested it, Bunny snorted with a smug hmph and laughed.

“Bunny’s not a baby anymore, so she doesn’t drink juice like that. She’s a splendid grown-up.”

Having splendidly evaded the trap question, Bunny replied with her cheeks twitching.

Gulp.

Of course, she couldn’t help swallowing hard at the sweet aroma wafting temptingly. Ludbrid Yudia wasn’t one to miss that obvious gesture.

“Then I’ll wrap some up for you to take with you?”

At Ludbrid’s words as he slightly opened his mouth, Bunny paused for a moment. The child’s gaze fell on the plate in Ludbrid Yudia’s hand.

“That’s all? Last time, she got in huge trouble for eating the snacks in front of her without permission.”

Bunny hesitated.

‘It should be fine if I don’t eat it right in front of him, right?’

She’d eat it in her room!

Less than ten seconds later, having made up her mind, Bunny thrust out her hand with a beaming grin.

“Yess!”

It wasn’t eating it right away, so it was safe!

Totally fine!

Ludbrid Yudia covered his face with his hand for a long while before calling the butler and giving an order.

“Pel, fill a basket with these and have it delivered.”

“Yes, Master.”

It was the moment when Ludbrid Yudia’s ironclad rule—never giving anything beyond the standard supplies to children taking the trials at the House of Trials—was broken.

* * *

Lately, the grand market in Ludbrid’s ducal territory had a famous attraction that was causing quite a stir.

It was none other than the astonishing, innovative, and incredibly cheap snack called ‘honey-pickled sweet potatoes.’

It had become so renowned that every merchant in the nearby markets had tried one.

A snack sold by an utterly adorable little girl that also tasted amazing? Honestly, there was no reason not to eat it.

Every morning, Bunny would chop sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces, gather them in a bowl, and take them along. Then, the youngest kitchen apprentice cook, Luca, would fry them and coat them in the sauce she’d gathered by pickling.

Bunny would then pack them into bowls, sell them with Allen, and return home with a tidy profit.

Rustle rustle.

Late at night, Bunny slipped out of her room, having piled up her pillow and blanket to make a mound. With her Rabbit Backpack on her back, she shook her head side to side and tiptoed into the ducal family’s garden.

The key ingredients for the ‘honey-pickled sweet potatoes’ that Bunny brought to sell were, of course, sweet potatoes and honey. She procured all the materials herself.

She always got the sweet potatoes from the market, and since there were no bees nearby to make honey, she extracted sap from trees just as Luriel had taught her.

Fortunately, there were a few trees in the garden near the House of Trials that Luriel had said were suitable for drawing sap from.

Bunny set down her empty jar near the tree and opened the lid. She placed her small hand on the thick trunk, closed her eyes, and murmured,

“Tree, I’ll just take a tiny bit.”

A very faint light spread from Bunny’s hand and began seeping into the tree.

“Pongpong Magic!”

Pongpong Magic was one of the spells Luriel had taught her.

It was a spell that drew moisture from an object touching her hand and made it bubble up from her palm.

Sap began bubbling out from the tree and springing from Bunny’s hand.

“Hmph.”

Grinning, Bunny started filling the jar with the sap bubbling from her hand—first one jar, then another, and finally one more, completing a full three jars.

“Just a tiny bit more. Sorry.”

Luriel had said this liquid was the tree’s nutrients for growing tall and strong, so she shouldn’t take too much.

That was why she could only use Pongpong Magic exactly three times per tree.

With fewer and fewer trees left she could use, it was about time to find a new way to earn money with the coins she’d saved up.

The moment Bunny plopped down on the ground, securely closed the jar lids, stuffed them into her Rabbit Backpack, and hopped back to her feet—

“Miss, young lady.”

“Eek!”

At the sudden voice, Bunny, who had been sneaking around, jumped in fright and staggered.

“Oh dear, that’s dangerous……”

A long, sturdy arm reached out and carefully caught Bunny, steadying her upright.

Thump! Thump!

“Young Master……?”

Bunny’s mouth fell open in shock.

“What are you doing out here so late without sleeping……?”

A voice laced with drowsiness softly brushed her ear. Bunny gulped nervously and stole a glance at him.

‘I was supposed to keep the magic a secret……!’

What now?

With trembling eyes, Bunny looked up at Kiriel. His eyes curved into gentle crescents.

“I-I couldn’t sleep, so I’m taking a walk!”

“A walk?”

“Yess!”

Kiriel stared at Bunny silently for a long moment. Her eyes darted about uncertainly, and her throat bobbed repeatedly with nervous swallows.

At last, Kiriel smiled faintly and nodded.

“I see…….”

Kiriel didn’t ask anything further. Bunny’s expression softened slightly with relief.

“But it’s too dangerous to wander alone at night, so no more of that from now on.”

“Yess! I won’t next time!”

Bunny answered vigorously. Kiriel chuckled softly and stroked her head a couple of times.

‘They all like it when I answer well!’

Bunny’s cheeks flushed a soft pink at the praise.

“I’ll walk you back. Let’s go to your room.”

“Bunny can do it by herself just fine!”

“Don’t you want me to walk you back?”

At Kiriel’s question, Bunny froze, then widened her eyes and shook her head side to side.

“I dooo!”

“Come here.”

Kiriel took Bunny’s hand and strolled leisurely along the path. Soon, they arrived back at the House of Trials, and in front of Bunny’s door, Kiriel let go of her hand.

‘He must not have seen anything after all.’

Just as Bunny sighed in relief and tried to squeeze through the slightly ajar door into her room—

“Bunny.”

“Yess?”

Kiriel Yudia smiled softly with his usual languid expression.

“You know magic?”

Rumble!

Flash!

As always, thunder and lightning crashed around Bunny today too. Her mouth dropped open. With trembling eyes, Bunny flapped her lips and shook her head.

“N-No, I don’t……? I-I don’t know any Pongpong Magic……?”

Kiriel Yudia’s lips curved slightly. Bunny stole nervous glances and gulped down her tension. Her fluttering eyelids looked pitiful.

“I see, I must have been mistaken. Hurry inside and sleep.”

“Y-Yes! Good night!”

With her usual odd farewell, Bunny dashed inside, shut the door, and even locked it with a hop.

Kiriel Yudia stared at the door Bunny had gone through, narrowing his eyes.

People of the Yudia family cannot use magic. Conversely, mages cannot wield holy power. The two forces cannot coexist.

And the Orb of Selection used in the Yudia Ducal Family’s summoning ritual does not react to anyone of Yudia blood unless they possess holy power.

Thus, having holy power should mean she cannot use magic.

But Bunny had used both. It was impossible.

Or rather, it had been impossible in history—except for exactly one person.

“What could it be.”

Narrowing his eyes, Kiriel Yudia rubbed his chin and slowly turned away.