Chapter 67
“Crown Prince, Your Highness?”
Who’s that?
‘Crown Prince… Crown Prince….’
Because she’d only ever thought of him as the big boss of the humans, Bunny’s eyes went wide a beat late as she remembered the sparkling golden hair.
“How about you and I get married when Bunny and I grow up?”
“What’s mawwiage?”
“It’s when Bunny and I spend our whole lives together happily, side by side. No fighting, sleeping in the same bed, holding hands, talking things over together.”
“F-Fowevah fighting and holding hands?!”
The future big boss of humans!
Bunny’s subordinate after mawwiage!
Bunny’s!
Finally remembering everything, Bunny grinned broadly.
“Big boss!”
“Yes?”
“Bunny and the future big boss should get mawwied.”
“Yes?”
“Yes?!”
The air cracked with a sound at the words spoken by Bunny, who was beaming brightly, and a heavy silence soon descended.
* * *
“Hello, Bunny.”
“Hewwo… Ah. Hello, Noel!”
As Bunny entered the drawing room guided by Levon, Roel strode over with a wide smile and clasped her hand tightly.
“Why’d you come?”
“I heard all the direct descendants of the Yudia Ducal Family had gone off to war… so I thought if it wasn’t today, there might not be another chance.”
Every time he’d sent word that he wanted to visit, not only had it never reached Bunny, but Kiriel Yudia had intercepted them all.
He suspected it was probably because he’d blurted out something as lighthearted as marriage in his impatience.
‘I should have been more careful….’
Thanks to that, he hadn’t been able to come see her even once since they parted. The moment he’d heard the news today, he’d sent no message but had rushed out of the imperial palace right after eating—that was why.
“I missed you.”
At Roel’s words, Bunny tilted her head.
He missed her? Why?
Bunny’s eyes narrowed. Roel was the future human big boss who knew her secret, so she had to be careful.
“Why?”
“Because I like Bunny, of course?”
“You like Bunny, Noel?”
“Yeah.”
“You all gooey for Bunny?”
“Gooey…? Hmm, probably?”
He wasn’t entirely sure what gooey meant.
Roel smiled prettily to himself inwardly. The nuance seemed to be asking if he liked her a lot.
Sure enough, Bunny puffed out her chest proudly.
“Do you like chocolate by any chance? I brought some famous chocolate from the imperial capital….”
When Roel held out the neatly wrapped box, Bunny’s eyes widened as she pointed at it with her finger.
“That’s the pop-pop chocowate!”
“Huh? Yeah, that’s the name. You know it.”
“Uh-huh. Bunny bought some with advance money the first day it came out and nom-nommed it all up.”
“Oh dear….”
Roel clicked his tongue regretfully upon hearing Bunny boast.
‘No point bringing it after all.’
Thinking he’d wasted time for nothing, Roel lightly crooked his finger.
A servant standing behind took away the chocolate Roel had brought.
“Throw it out.”
“Huh? Why throw it away? Pop-pop chocowate is yummy.”
“Yeah? But if Bunny won’t eat it, it’s pointless. I don’t like sweets much anyway.”
With a bored expression, Roel took Bunny’s hand, sat her on the drawing room sofa, and plopped down right beside her. He kept holding her hand.
“By the way, doesn’t Bunny want anything? Like a wish or something. I heard it was your birthday… I want to give you a gift.”
‘Bunny wants to expoww the human wowld.’
But if she said that, her identity as the evil demon queen would be revealed, so no.
Having thought it over, Bunny shook her head firmly.
Honestly, there wasn’t much she wanted.
She, the commendable Bunny who was growing into a fine adult, knew well that wishes like wanting to see Luriel or her mom or dad couldn’t come true.
Bunny glanced at Roel, who was smiling at her sadly while holding her hand.
“But why’d you come?”
“I told you, because I missed you. Didn’t Bunny miss me?”
“Hmm… Yeah.”
The future human big boss who had her weakness in his grasp?
She didn’t really miss him.
Thud!
At Bunny’s cold reply, Roel looked at her with a shocked expression.
What kind of life had he lived until now? A life where everyone looked up to the boy and praised him as amazing.
After his illness had seemingly vanished completely, people had flocked to him, desperate to get something more out of him.
The same people who hadn’t even glanced at his face before.
“I… I see.”
Roel answered awkwardly.
Of course, he had no intention of backing down here, but hearing outright that she hadn’t missed him was a bit of a shock.
“Oh! Speaking of which, isn’t Young Master Kiriel’s birthday coming up soon? Have you decided on a gift?”
“Birthday? The day Daddy was born?”
At Roel’s words, Bunny’s eyes went wide as she asked.
Roel smiled slyly at Bunny’s sparkling pink eyes and opened his mouth.
“Yeah. Though, I’ve never heard of Young Master Kiriel celebrating his birthday, so he’ll probably skip it this time too.”
Bunny tilted her head thoughtfully as she listened.
“He doesn’t eat yummy stuff?”
“Probably.”
“Why?”
“The day Young Master Kiriel was born was the day his mother… Hmm. But is it okay to tell a kid something like this?”
He’s nine this year, Roel muttered softly.
“Bunny not a baby.”
Bunny said with a pout.
Roel paused, then quickly nodded.
“Right, Bunny’s not a baby. Anyway, Young Master Kiriel’s mother passed away the day he was born. That’s why I’ve heard he never celebrates his birthday.”
“…Even when he was a baby?”
At Bunny’s question, Roel hesitated.
Looking a little flustered as he rolled his eyes, Roel met Bunny’s expectant gaze and cleared his throat softly before speaking.
“Well…. I wasn’t that young, so I’m not sure, but probably not?”
Bunny blinked.
“Babies need lots of happy birthdays….”
Never having been celebrated even once—that was kind of sad.
Lost in thought with her lips pursed like a bird’s beak, Bunny clenched her little fist.
“Yeah. This time, Bunny will do happy birthday for him.”
If Bunny prepared a super cool, amazing gift and did happy birthday, surely Daddy would like birthdays again.
He’d like yummy chocowate too.
‘Hmm. But can’t buy that chocowate anymore.’
And she wasn’t even sure if Daddy liked chocowate.
In that case….
“Bunny’s decided!”
Bunny jumped up from her seat and stood tall on the sofa as she declared it, making Roel’s eyes go wide.
“What’s your decision?”
“Bunny do happy birthday for Daddy’s birthday. Tomorrow, sneak out and buy surprise gift.”
Bunny puffed out her chest proudly.
Because the number one Bunny now had lots of money.
‘Don’t need to make money with Luri’s best secret method anymore.’
Daddy had once explained that the bracelet Grandpa gave Bunny had a ton of money inside.
“I’m gonna go buy a surprise gift? Tomorrow?”
“Uh-huh.”
At Bunny’s nod, Roel quickly spoke up. He instinctively felt this was his last chance to get closer to Bunny.
“Where to? There’s a big shop in the imperial capital—want to go together? I’ll guide you.”
“Hmm….”
Bunny crossed her arms and looked at Roel.
“When you go anywhere from now on, don’t go alone—always go with someone. If anyone talks to you, ignore them.”
“Because Bunny’s a special kid who drew a special phoenix… bad people might try to kidnap you, so you can’t go alone.”
“If you get caught, you’ll be locked in a tiny prison forever, eating hard bread and getting used over and over with the phoenix.”
“No chocowate, no chocowate cookies. Locked in a stinky room, working all the time, all the time.”
“So when you go anywhere, even if it’s not with Daddy, make sure to bring someone with you.”
Remembering Kiriel’s earnest advice, Bunny snickered.
‘Bunny, good widdle kid who listens to Daddy.’
Thinking that, Bunny nodded quickly.
“Otay. Wet’s go tomorrow!”
At Bunny’s permission, Roel’s face lit up. Finally, he’d gotten time alone with her.
“Then I’ll come pick you up tomorrow. That okay?”
“Uh-huh. Bunny sneak out for surprise gift, so shh and go.”
“Got it. I’ll come here, then—shall we sneak out together?”
“Uh-huh!”
At Roel’s whispered words, Bunny stuck out her thumb. She was delighted that he got it right away with a snap.
“Bunny find out what Daddy wikes most.”
Clenching her fist and declaring her ambition, Bunny grinned.
But Bunny didn’t know. That “bring someone with you” meant at least an adult.
‘Bunny get big points with surprise gift for Daddy. Make him all gooey. He won’t hate Bunny watew either.’
‘Chance to score points with Bunny.’
Average age: seven.
It was the day the two children’s schemes diverged.
