“It sounds like a language, and yet, it sounds like a curse… They say it’s impossible to decipher.”
“They also say that a linguist who listened to this voice too long went insane.”
“Where did you say this was found?”
Ludbreed asked, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“According to the report, it was found in the deepest, innermost part of the dungeon,” the vassal replied.
In this world, monster-infested dens were, for convenience, called ‘dungeons.’ No one knew their origins or how they were created. They had existed since ancient times, and because they occasionally held treasures or holy relics, the Empire would conduct periodic subjugations.
But dungeons were primarily incubators; monsters bred within, and once matured, they spilled out into the human world. To prevent the endless multiplication of these horrors, dungeons were marked for destruction the moment they were discovered. Yet, even as one was cleared, new ones surfaced elsewhere, ensuring the cycle of violence never truly ended.
The voice was a stuttering, dragged-out rasp.
Bunny tilted her head. The sound was faint, but it pierced through the room, landing clearly in her ears.
“Luri, ancient Elvish is hard…”
“That’s right. It is, isn’t it? But you must learn this for your future self, little one. It will surely be helpful later… Please, tell us whenever you can understand it. That is the moment for you to step up!”
*Gasp.*
Right now! Bunny understands!
It’s Bunny’s turn to step up!
“Ahem.”
Bunny made a small sound and pushed her shoulders forward. No one paid any attention.
“…Ahem.”
Still nothing. Bunny, who had expected all eyes to be on her, pouted. Then, she clenched her fists and spoke clearly.
“They say save them!”
Kyriel, who had been sprawled out with Bunny in her arms, looking indifferent, stiffened.
Only then did every gaze snap toward Bunny. She flinched, instinctively clinging tighter to Kyriel. In response, Kyriel wrapped her solid arms around the child, holding her firmly. Bunny’s mouth softened into a relaxed curve.
*This is a good sign! It’s that night thing Luri talked about!*
As expected, Bunny is a genius.
“Did you just understand what it said?”
Ludbreed, frozen in place, shouted in a voice so loud Bunny jumped.
Kyriel narrowed her eyes. “I told you the child would be startled.”
“…”
Receiving a subtle rebuke, Ludbreed’s mouth snapped shut. That was only natural, given that Bunny’s face had gone rigid.
“*Ahem.* M, my apologies. I was startled… *Ahem.* Do you truly understand what this is saying?”
“Ye-es…” Bunny answered, her voice small and shrinking.
“What are they saying? Tell us.”
At Kline Yudia’s command, Bunny blinked and tilted her head.
“They say save them. We… are trapped… save u, s? I am the 127th Elf Chieft, ain… Ledet, o?”
Bunny diligently repeated the words. As she continued, the tension in the room spiked. A murmur swelled at the mention of the word ‘Elf.’
“Elf?”
“Ancient Elves?!”
“Is that not a race erased from history, vanished eons ago?”
“A legendary race that went extinct… are you saying they actually existed?”
“No, and this child is…”
“Isn’t this amazing?”
“Wait, does this mean this is the language the ancient Elves used…”
Gasps and sharp intakes of breath echoed around the room. Bunny puffed out her chest, exhilarated by the attention.
*As expected, Bunny is amazingly great.*
“But how does this child know the language of the ancient Elves…”
“…I see. Is it possible she’s lying?”
“No, but isn’t it strange that this child even knows what an ancient Elf is?”
The initial astonishment was quickly curdled by doubt. The vassals, suspicious of such an unbelievable claim, began to murmur. Bunny sensed the shift and her eyes widened.
*Gasp. If it stays like this, will Bunny be treated like a liar?*
“Could you tell us how you managed to understand this, Lady Bunny?” one of the vassals, dressed as a priest, asked cautiously.
Bunny stiffened. *I can’t say it honestly.*
*Hmph.*
Racking her brain, Bunny offered a bright, disarming smile.
“Bunny, actually, I hear the stones’ voices.”
“…Pardon?”
“How can a stone speak?”
“A stone? That sounds like a lie… It’s not even a living thing.”
As the whispering grew, Bunny’s pupils darted around. *No one believes me.*
“Actu……”
“Actu…?”
“Actually, Egg-ie told me! *Zzzing!* And like, my head went *flash, flash!* *Boom, bang!*”
Bunny spoke, thinking of the Heugyeomryong—in her opinion—growing rapidly in her room.
“Ohh…!”
“As expected.”
“It was thanks to the beast egg she summoned.”
“Come to think of it… she did predict the future before. It seems that beast egg is truly a precious item.”
Because Bunny’s few predictions had actually come true, the Judia Dukedom had been keeping strict security to prevent even the smallest bit of information from leaking. Anyone with sense knew internal attention had been focused on the Mansion Of Trials.
They all kept quiet, respecting the family’s orders not to burden the child, despite the uncertainty of the unhatched egg. There were even rumors that Kyriel Yudia had personally invested a significant sum into the Modern Trading Company, causing their stock prices to soar. Whether Bunny had influenced that or not remained a mystery.
“Hmm… so that quail egg, huh.”
“It’s an Egg-ie.”
Bunny promptly countered Kline’s words. At the child’s smart retort, Kline’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Is that so?” He rubbed his chin and chuckled, then stroked Bunny’s hair. “She’s precocious. If it’s true, it’s amazing, Father. She’s deciphered the ancient Elvish language. This could lead to breakthroughs in decoding the countless ancient documents and ruins that have remained shrouded in mystery.”
“So, is that everything? My niece.”
At the words of Salame Yudia, who wore a gentle smile, Bunny tilted her head.
“Umm…”
Bunny squirmed, leaning her upper body onto the table. She reached out and grabbed the crystal, bringing it to her ear.
“Our, area is being planted by the Seeds… and, it grew… and is becoming a Dun-geon. A labyrinth is growing in our land.”
*Static, bzzzt.*
Loud noises kept mixing in.
Bunny, her face serious, furrowed her brow intensely. Because she kept holding the heavy crystal, her arm began to droop. Kyriel reached out and took the crystal, holding it against Bunny’s ear instead.
“Will this do?”
“Yup! Thank you.”
Bunny bowed her head forward, then bumped her forehead against the table.
“Ouch!”
After that small cry, Bunny rubbed her forehead with her adorable palms. A moment later, after hearing the voice coming from the crystal, Bunny opened her mouth again.