Translator: Nox

Chapter 55

“Peep?”

“Uh-huh. All gone.”

The Black Flame Dragon, perched atop Bunny’s head as she lay prone, let out a small cry before tumbling off with a plop, landing softly on the pillow.

“Bunny sleep too.”

She slipped under the covers, laid Toto beside her, hugged Ma-gomi tightly, and closed her eyes.

She had practiced sleeping alone many times, so Bunny was no longer scared of the night.

‘It was just a wittle bit scary back then…….’

Anyway, she was becoming a fine adult now, so it wasn’t scary at all anymore.

“Goodnight, Toto. Ma-gomi. Bwick Fwame Dwagon.”

“Peep!”

Bunny, buried up to her neck in the blankets, closed her eyes.

Then she reached up and lightly touched her head, which so many people had petted today. Human hands were warm.

‘What a nice day!’

So today had been a fun, feel-good day for Bunny.

‘Bunny, get first place tomorrow and get praise from Daddy.’

Surely everyone would gape at Bunny and realize how amazing she was.

‘The real protagonist always shows up in the moment of crisis.’

The Black Flame Dragon would unleash tremendous power in a dangerous moment too.

Hee hee.

Bunny kicked her legs a couple times under the covers before drifting off to sleep.

---

And the next day.

The long-awaited Ranking Determination Battle.

As contestant number one, Bunny stepped confidently onto the stage.

“Go, Bwick Fwame Dwagon!!”

“Peeep!!”

With a triumphant expression, one hand on her hip, Bunny pointed her index finger at her opponent and issued her booming command. The Black Flame Dragon—sparrow—shot off like an arrow,

thud.

roll roll.

only to collide straight into the holy relic summoned by her opponent and tumble to the ground.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

From the branch family members to the servants, over a hundred spectators fell into simultaneous silence.

“Bwick Fwame Dwagooon!!”

“Peeeep…….”

Bunny rushed to the dying-sounding Black Flame Dragon, scooped it into her arms, and cried out.

“Uh… um, sorry.”

“Huh?!”

The opposing boy scratched the back of his head awkwardly, glancing at Bunny and the surroundings.

Then he grabbed the back of Bunny’s collar as she hugged the Black Flame Dragon on the ground, hoisted her up dangling, and dropped her outside the training grounds with a plop.

“…Ah. B-Bunny miss out of bounds! Young Master Gladis wins!”

No sooner had the flustered judge’s voice finished than Kiriel descended from the upper seats, quietly picked up Bunny, and returned to his seat.

“…Hwahng.”

It was a bitter, bone-deep, heroic defeat—or so Bunny thought.

“Daddyyy. Bunny twied so hawd but couldn’t…… Hwahaaang…….”

Bunny wailed almost sobbing, clinging to Kiriel’s leg and burying her face in it.

Luri said Bunny draws big ones every time! Luri’s a liar……

“Hwahiiing…….”

She’d practiced every day.

Now the Bwick Fwame Dwagon could even drop apples!

First place was impossible.

Kiriel’s eyes trembled faintly as he gazed down at Bunny bursting into aggrieved sobs.

He forced a nonchalant expression and spoke flatly.

“My daughter’s still too young for that.”

“Bunny not a babyyy…….”

Hwahaaang.

More disconcerting than the tears and snot staining his leg were the endless drops pouring from his child’s eyes, so Kiriel hurriedly reached out.

‘She’ll die of dehydration at this rate.’

Tears wouldn’t actually cause dehydration, but as a first-time dad, Kiriel had no idea. He just knew young children were fragile.

“Want some pudding? Or choc… no, chocolate? Of course, there’s chocolate cookies too, and candy or juice.”

Having foreseen Bunny’s defeat, Kiriel—on Levon’s advice—blurted out the list of treats he’d prepared.

Levon, at his side, placed various items on the table beside the chair.

“Bunny not a baby…….”

“Juice?”

“Apple juice……?”

“Of course, miss.”

Levon filled a cup with apple juice and personally placed it in Bunny’s hand.

Bunny put the straw in her mouth and slurped it down.

“It’s good, but wife is bittew.”

Levon and Kiriel’s bodies jerked once each at the sound of Bunny sighing heavily and slurping her apple juice. At the same time, a small sound burst from somewhere in the upper seats.

“…Pfft. Ahem.”

“Hm?”

Bunny turned her head to see a dark-skinned man chuckling loudly.

‘I know this guy.’

Because Bunny was a genius who remembered everyone she’d ever seen.

Definitely……

“Kwain Yudia!”

Bunny pointed at the man and said.

The man, who’d been bowing his head with shaking shoulders, looked up and grinned.

“Oh, you know me?”

“Yup. When I drew Bwick Fwame Dwagon, you were next to Daddy saying it was good. And… you’re Kawbad’s daddy who said bad things to Bunny!”

Bunny nodded firmly and shouted proudly, making Klein’s eyes widen before he chuckled.

“That Kalbad brat said mean things to you?”

“Yup. To Awwen too.”

“Ahh, I get it. He thinks he’s all that just because he summoned one divine beast. Can’t even take care of himself, that guy. He’s so full of himself it’s already a headache. Tsk. If only I hadn’t raised him like that.”

Klein rubbed his temple lightly with his thumb, his expression crumpled as if it really pained him. Bunny tilted her head slightly.

“I’ll give him a proper scolding later.”

Bunny, staring at Klein, nodded. As long as he didn’t say bad things, it was fine.

“Now, the next match is……!”

Watching the shouting judge, Bunny turned her gaze quietly to the training grounds. Much bigger kids than her were coming out, battling each other with divine beasts and holy relics.

Unlike Bunny, they fought for a really long time.

“Daddy.”

“Yes.”

“Is Daddy numbah one?”

“Probably.”

“When will Bunny be numbah one?”

Kiriel Yudia paused at Bunny’s question, glanced down at her, and gently stroked her head.

“Hmm. Maybe when you’re a little bigger than now?”

“Grow up fast and be numbah one and become a gweat aduwt quick.”

“Why?”

Bunny, watching the House of Trials kids battling with huge sparkling divine beasts, blinked quietly at Kiriel’s question.

“Then I can do evewything awone without being wiwed. And save wotsa money… and meet peopwe Bunny wikes.”

Kiriel quietly stroked her head at Bunny’s calm, subdued voice.

He knew the life of this five-year-old had been quite tumultuous, but hearing it like this still didn’t sit right with him.

“Even without being number one, lots of people like my daughter.”

Despite his inexpressive, endlessly stoic face, Kiriel’s voice held sincerity.

Bunny knew it. Liars and honest people were different.

‘But Bunny’s not human…….’

Humans would end up hating Bunny in the end.

Daddy, Grandpa, Allen.

All of them.

Daddy hated demons, and Bunny was a demon. The next Great Demon King, even.

So, just like Luriel said, if she melted everyone down all soft and gooey beforehand, maybe when Bunny became the super huge Great Demon King later, they wouldn’t hate her.

Bunny nodded instead of answering. Because this was something she couldn’t tell anyone.

She’d pinky-sworn with Luriel. Never reveal that Bunny was a demon.

Even if it came out… she had to hide that she was destined to become the super huge future Great Demon King.