“…What?”
“Bunny is going to be a super big magic… yes, it’s gonna be great. Not scary at all. When the Black Dragon is born, it’ll be a super big ma… gician too.”
Bunny trailed off, placing her free hand on her waist and letting out a scoffing, “Hmph.”
At that confident declaration, Alan’s stiff face faltered, then melted into a laugh.
“‘Magician’?”
*Hahaha!*
The boy erupted into bright, ringing laughter. Bunny pouted, her lips jutting out at the sound that seemed to vibrate against the very ground.
“Why are you pouting? You ugly Bunny.”
“Bunny isn’t ugly. Alan is a dummy.”
Bunny narrowed her eyes into triangles, spun around, and marched forward with determined, heavy strides.
Alan watched her approach the massive, snow-white mansion. She didn’t look the least bit intimidated by the sprawling estate or the guards clad in heavy, ominous armor. He hurried to catch up, taking her hand again.
“Aren’t you scared of going into a place this big?” he asked.
“Nope.”
“Why?”
Bunny chuckled at his concern. As a super-strong demon child who hadn’t even turned to ash in the presence of holy light, she had nothing to fear in this world.
“Bunny is cute and super strong.”
She gave a thumbs-up and shrugged her shoulders.
*‘And even though it’s a secret to everyone….’*
Bunny, in fact, knew how to use magic.
*‘Bunny can go zap-zap with water.’*
The guards who spotted the pair hesitated. When they noticed Alan trailing behind her, their brows furrowed.
Ignoring them, Bunny kept hold of Alan’s hand and bowed deeply, just as she did every other day.
“Hello! Bunny is here to see the Young Master.”
The soldiers’ eyes widened at the sight of her polite greeting. Their expressions softened, if only by a fraction.
“Ah, I see. I’m not sure if Young Master Kyriel is currently in…”
“He is. He has remained in the mansion ever since the summoning ritual.”
There wasn’t a soul who didn’t know that Bunny and Alan were the wards of Kyriel Yudia. It had been quite the scandal—the sudden declaration that Kyriel Yudia would become the guardian of two collateral children.
“Then we shall escort you to Young Master Kyriel’s room.”
“Okayyy!”
Bunny trotted inside, trailing after the soldier. Alan followed awkwardly, his head bowed low, unable to bring himself to look up. He felt as though everyone would point fingers the moment he dared to meet their eyes.
*‘It must be nice to be her, not knowing anything.’*
A wave of melancholy washed over Alan as he looked at Bunny, who didn’t seem to carry a single shadow of gloom. Surely, she wasn’t a welcomed child, either.
He had heard the other children whispering and cursing during class: that Bunny was a bastard whose own parents didn’t even know she existed, that she and Alan had shamelessly stolen spots that weren’t theirs, and that the two outcasts were clinging to each other like rot.
In truth, Alan still suspected that Kyriel Yudia’s decision to become their guardian was nothing more than a cruel prank. Since that day, he hadn’t made a single attempt to contact them. Other guardians sent personal maids or, at the very least, gifts and gold to ensure their wards’ comfort. Kyriel Yudia had done none of that.
It was clearly just the amusement of a wicked adult looking to mock them.
*‘Even if I’m fine, this kid needs more help….’*
Bunny was surely blind to the cruelty of adults. Alan was the only one who understood. His resolve hardened.
*‘I’m the only one who can protect her.’*
What if they were just being summoned to be laughed at? Bunny would surely be devastated. If that happened, he would have to pull her away and comfort her.
“Whoa, what is that?”
“That is a vase.”
“Whoa. It’s super big! What is that?”
“That is a Phoenix, the divine beast summoned by the first Duke Yudia. It is also the symbol of the Judia Dukedom.”
“Phoeeeenix!!”
Bunny’s eyes sparkled as she stared at the crystal statue. She thought it would look really cool if she could ride on top of a giant Phoenix.
*‘Oh.’*
Bunny shook her head violently.
*‘Bunny is the Black Dragon!’*
*Hehe.*
Since she had tucked the egg into her pocket to keep it warm, it would hatch soon.
“We have arrived.”
“Whoa….”
Bunny stood before the magnificent door, mouth agape.
*‘Bunny… is a tiny bean.’*
Compared to the towering door, Bunny was infinitesimally small.
* * *
*Knock, knock.*
“Young Master Kyriel. Lady Bunny is here to see you.”
As the soldier knocked cautiously, a crashing sound echoed from inside—*thud, bang, clatter!*
Question marks appeared above the heads of Bunny and Alan, who exchanged a bewildered look.
“Young Master Kyriel?”
*Grrr.*
“Tell the kids to wait for a moment, and you may return….”
At the low, strained growl from inside, the soldier hesitated before slowly nodding.
“Yes, I understand.”
The soldier turned, looked at Bunny, and spoke.
“My lady, you may wait here for a moment.”
“Okayyy.”
“Then, it was an honor to serve you.”
The soldier bowed slightly to Bunny, ignoring Alan entirely, then spun and headed back the way they came.
Feeling the disdainful weight of that gaze, Alan’s head dropped even lower. As he stewed in his gloom, the doorknob clicked and the door opened.
“You’re here…?”
“Yes! Hello!”
Bunny bowed deeply. The child, whose waist was folded in half again today, peeked up and glanced at Alan.
Bunny’s mouth rounded into an ‘O’ as she saw Alan standing there, his posture rigid. She poked his side and gave a wink—or tried to, anyway, as both of her eyes squeezed shut.
Alan, momentarily taken aback, straightened his posture and offered a stiff, bitter bow after hearing her whisper, “Greet him!”
“Hello.”
As Alan offered the greeting, Bunny smiled contentedly. She stood on her tiptoes and gave Alan’s head a ‘pat-pat.’
*‘Praise for a job well done!’*
Luriel had said that’s how you get them to do well next time. Alan’s face turned bright red as he looked at the beaming girl. Unable to bring himself to be angry, he turned his head away.
“You both came together. I thought the soldier only announced one….”
Kyriel Yudia’s red eyes, which had been muttering low, narrowed.
Bunny blinked and nodded.
“Yup! The whole way here, they pretended Alan didn’t exist. A bad mister.”
Alan’s face flushed with shame at her words. He hadn’t even realized Bunny had noticed.
“Is that so?” Kyriel Yudia asked, crouching down in front of Bunny.
“Yes!”
“How did he pretend not to see him?”
“Uh… like, he only greeted Bunny, and, uh… like that. He pretended Alan didn’t exist. He kept glaring at him. And he was just like that.”
Bunny, lacking the vocabulary to articulate the nuance of the social slight, finished her blunt explanation.
“Hey! What on earth are you saying…!”
Alan quickly covered Bunny’s mouth.
But Bunny had already diligently described the ordeal, word for word. She had been taught that adult matters were for adults to handle. Luriel had said that an adult was necessary so a child could ask for help when they couldn’t solve a problem themselves.
And….
*‘Bunny can’t beat a big, burly knight.’*
Bunny was a mature child who could grasp the situation. And now, she had an adult who could solve her problems.
“Ah… I see. Daddy will have to scold them then.”
“Huh?”
“Hah?”
At Kyriel Yudia’s sluggish, listless words, bewilderment washed over both Bunny and Alan.
*Daddy.*
At that word, both of them gasped.
“I said I would be your guardian, didn’t I? Or did you only need my name?”