Chapter 66
Whoosh—!
Whoooosh—!
The sword swung fiercely, relentlessly slicing through the air with savage sounds.
Late at night, Klein Yudia, who had been wielding a massive greatsword as big as his own body at the training grounds, roughly wiped away the dripping sweat with the back of his hand.
The enormous silver greatsword traced elegant arcs.
Planting his feet firmly on the ground, Klein put strength into his waist and swung the greatsword in a wide arc.
“It’s not a game. Daddy always eats rice with Bunny and Allen, pets them, and pats their backs too. Even if Bunny can’t do things well, he says it’s okay.”
“…….”
The sword slashed horizontally before suddenly flipping vertically, then carving a long vertical line.
“You’re not Daddy.”
“Luri said babies have to be loved to grow up big and strong. The kid who only listened to me grew up super small.”
Craaaack—!
The gale following the sword’s path instantly split a tree in two without mercy.
“Huff… huff…….”
He spat out ragged breaths and gritted his teeth.
Thud!
Klein Yudia stabbed his sword into the ground and slowly tilted his head back. Breathing heavily, he rubbed his sweat-drenched face.
“Kalbad was raised by Daddy. If he’s with you, Kalbad will stay small. Kalbad is so pitiful…….”
He couldn’t understand why those small, bold words with their uncertain pronunciation kept gnawing at his heart and irritating him.
Pulling the sword from the ground, he swung it once more.
Whoooosh—!
It was the moment he swung.
“Who’s the one who was really playing around?”
Boom!!
Whether it slipped from the sweat on his hand or his grip loosened for a moment, the sword flew through the air and embedded itself deeply into the broken tree.
“Tch.”
Klein Yudia clicked his tongue, breathing heavily.
After swinging the greatsword nonstop for hours, his heart pounded as if it would burst.
“…Father hates me. So I won’t go.”
Klein Yudia, who had slowly tilted his head back, stared blankly at the moon hanging in the sky.
Those with power had no choice but to be swayed by the world.
Klein had seen many like that. His older brother, his youngest sibling, his one and only little sister, and even himself—they had all lived being tossed around here and there.
Power, especially the power to protect others, was just that unenjoyable.
That was why he never allowed anyone close, never showed any openings, and lived that way.
He had spent most of his life on the battlefield and had been betrayed by those he trusted many times.
Had he loved?
Was it a child born from love?
Who knows.
It had been closer to a sense of duty.
When he came of age, the marriage proposals pouring in were annoying and tiring, so he went through with a marriage based on mutual understanding between families.
The child born from that.
The wife he had married couldn’t endure Klein’s indifference, left divorce papers behind, and fled the family. All that remained was him and his son, who was not yet even three years old.
Did he hate the child?
Not at all.
That wasn’t it.
Then, did he love him?
He didn’t know.
Even though he was born into a family that served the gods, his temperament was fiery, so he always took the lead in missions to subjugate demons. That meant he didn’t have much time with his child.
He was too busy wandering outside rather than taking care of the child.
So now, it should have been normal for him not to care whether that kid went to the youngest or did whatever.
Yet he couldn’t understand why his heart squeezed so tightly and his head felt so dazed, as if the child’s declaration of leaving him was some great shock.
“…I don’t know.”
Even if he figured it out, could he piece back together the already misaligned fragments?
After thinking long and hard, he retrieved his sword and returned to his room. The training grounds, scarred and littered with debris everywhere, seemed to mirror his heart.
Flicker.
Bunny’s eyes snapped open, and she giggled, huhu.
New house!
New bed!
No stinky smell!
That was right.
A few days ago, after having her key taken away, Bunny had moved yesterday into a new place called the annex.
They said it was the house where Daddy, Allen, Kalbad, and Bunny would live together.
Turning her head, she saw the plump Phoenix sleeping soundly next to her. Toto and Ma-gomi were sitting nicely beside it too. Bunny’s lips curled up in a pouty smile.
“Big Bunny.”
Not long ago, by coming in first place, Bunny had grown—and today, she was a bit taller than yesterday, becoming a much bigger grown-up Bunny.
Standing in front of the mirror, she stood on tiptoes and rubbed her short hand over her head, checking how much taller she was than yesterday, then clenched her fist tight.
“When Bunny grows as big as Daddy, she’ll be a super-duper big grown-up.”
But Bunny was still super small.
With a seriously troubled face, Bunny rubbed her chin and hopped down from the bed.
Knock knock.
Bunny, who had been about to head to the bathroom by herself like a big girl, perked up her ears at the knock and scampered over, hanging onto the doorknob to open the door.
“Melissa!”
“Good morning~! Miss. I figured you’d be up around now, so I came to help you wash up!!!”
“Bunny can splash splash splash all by herself.”
“But I want to splash splash splash for the cutest miss in the world, and help with oof oof, and chi-ka chi-ka too~”
At Melissa’s words, Bunny wiggled her cheeks and rubbed under her nose.
Her cheeks flushing red, Bunny giggled hi hi and nodded.
Melissa’s face melted at that honest expression, shy yet delighted.
How could such a cute creature exist in the world? She was so glad she had worked hard to get assigned as a maid.
“If Melissa does it because Bunny is too cute, there’s no helping it.”
“Yes, Melissa just likes Bunny Miss too too much. Now, arms up.”
“Arms up!”
Bunny raised both hands high.
Melissa chuckled softly and carefully undressed Bunny before heading to the bathroom together.
Scrubbed squeaky clean by Melissa’s gentle hands, Bunny’s hair was blow-dried fluffy by her touch before she could finally leave the room.
“Pink ribbon, sky blue ribbon. Which one would you like?”
“Sky rib-on!”
“Yes, sky blue ribbon it is. Oh, and Young Master Kiriel isn’t here today.”
Bunny’s eyes went wide as she poked at the sky blue ribbon Melissa had tied in her hair.
“Daddy gone? Why?”
Melissa paused, pondering how to answer Bunny’s question, and in that moment, Bunny, having imagined all sorts of things, gaped in shock.
Thud!
Rumble, flash!
A rock fell on her head, dark clouds gathered, and thunder and lightning struck wildly.—Bunny’s imagination—
“Did Daddy abandon Bunny?!”
Startled, Bunny opened her mouth wide.
“What? No, no way!”
Melissa jumped in surprise. Bunny’s imaginations always veered into strange directions, often making her heart drop.
“He just left for work for a bit. He said he’s going to the dungeon. It’s a dangerous one, so the direct family members won’t be here for a few days starting now. He wanted to tell you too, Miss, but he had to leave suddenly early in the morning while you were sleeping soundly, so he went without waking you and felt bad about it.”
“Um, Daddy earn money?”
“Um… yes.”
Melissa nodded after a moment’s hesitation, and Bunny nodded back enthusiastically.
That was when it happened.
“Miss Bunny.”
Lifting her head at the sudden voice—Levon stood there, looking a bit troubled, unlike his usual self.
“Levon!”
“Yes, this is Miss’s Levon.”
At Bunny’s call, Levon, with an utterly serious face, knelt on one knee and replied to the child.
“It’s nothing else, but His Highness the Crown Prince has come to visit, so I was wondering what to do.”
