# Chapter 20
Chapter 20
While out for a brief walk, I stopped when I saw the child fiddling with magic, extracting something from a tree and putting it into a container.
If this is a demon child, I should kill them immediately.
If they possess the unique ability to use both magic and holy power, I should report it.
Either way, their life won’t be an easy one.
But perhaps I can choose to not care anymore.
Worrying about this is tiring and drains my energy.
"Hey, Bunny!
Wanna raise me?
If you do it now, it's a clearance sale!"
"Bunny, future great grand mage…!
Looking for a guardian!"
I could have ignored the child's offer and simply observed from a distance.
‘Was I crazy?’
Maybe I was bewitched for a moment.
The small child, a bit scared, sparkling, filled with a faint hope, desperately reaching out with those clear pink eyes that held not even a trace of darkness.
Their upright gaze, was so different from mine.
“Bunny wants to grow up, but they need a guardian to become an adult.”
"Okay, then… Shall I be Bunny’s guardian?"
He blinked slowly with a calm face.
‘Come to think of it, I am the guardian.’
Kyrie Yudia chuckled.
“I haven’t even heard them call me ‘Dad’ yet.
Ending it now would be too soon.”
I’ll keep watching for a bit longer.
Nothing's certain yet, and the child is cuter than I expected.
‘Though, I wonder what they were doing earlier.’
They seemed to be gathering something like sap.
As he pondered, yawning, he slowly walked back toward the main estate, tilting his head slightly.
‘Now that I think about it, they never once asked for help.’
Though Bunny said they needed a guardian, they’ve never come to me.
Well, except that one time they briefly showed up to hand me some inexplicable money wrapped in an old cloth, and then disappeared right after.
‘Kids are hard to understand.’
Scratching his head, he continued walking.
The world remained as dull, boring, and dreadfully monotonous as ever.
‘The kid’s too well-behaved.
It wouldn’t hurt if they acted more like a child.’
Kyrie Yudia thought that and chuckled.
His casual wish came to fruition the very next day.
“…What did you say?”
"I received word from the secret guard you had stationed.
Miss Bunny and young master Allen were detained by the territory's guards."
Kyrie’s eyebrows twitched at the servant’s sudden report.
"What did the guards arrest those kids for?"
“…Apparently, they were caught selling unauthorized, illegal food."
For the first time, the unflappable Kyrie Yudia froze.
At the same time, his sharp mind recalled the image of Bunny happily gathering tree sap.
"The guards say a guardian must visit, so should we reveal the family name and send one of the maids or knights?"
As the servant suggested this course of action, Kyrie Yudia slowly stood up.
“…No, I’ll go myself.
Tell Rebon to come along too."
He stood with a rare look of disbelief.
For the first time in years, Kyrie Yudia’s heavy body moved beyond his room or the temple.
"As I mentioned, to sell food, you need a permit.
Of course, taxes must be paid, and you need a commercial license from the merchant guild."
Bunny, sitting on a metal chair in the musty room, trembled slightly.
She couldn’t understand a word the guard was saying.
“…….”
"Tsk.
What kind of parents send kids this young out to earn money?
Give me your father or mother’s contact details.
Otherwise, you’ll end up a slave in prison."
The guard’s words, spoken with a hard face, made Bunny swallow hard.
Her imagination began to run wild.
If she told them about the duke’s family, they’d contact them, and the duke himself would have to come here.
‘Hah!
My daughter wasn’t a genius Bunny, but an annoying Bunny… Even worse, she couldn’t earn any money!
Not only can she not summon the Dark Dragon, but she also can’t handle this on her own!
What a troublesome child.
From today, you’re not my daughter anymore!’
‘Hmph.
We don’t need a slave in our family!
What a disgrace!
Get out of my house!’
In her imagination, Kyrie Yudia and Ludevread Yudia turned their backs on Bunny and Allen, walking away.
— This was all in Bunny’s head — She had read plenty of stories like this from the books Luriel used to read to her.
‘If they find out I’m from the Duke’s house, it’ll be a disgrace!’
She might lose her guardian, and even get kicked out of the Duke’s family.
"Be honest, and it’ll only end with a fine."
Sniffle.
At the guard’s threat, Bunny’s eyes filled with tears.
‘A fine…?’
Suddenly, another light bulb went off in Bunny’s mind.
Money!
‘Bunny has money!’
She swallowed again and carefully placed her elephant piggy bank and the top-quality holy stone she had bought earlier on the table.
"Bunny has money… Bunny doesn’t have a mom or dad…"
Her voice was filled with sadness and trembled as she spoke.
The guard turned his head away, covering his mouth in silence.
"Bunny has money… Bunny doesn’t have a mom or dad…"
Drip, drip.
Tears fell like chicken poop as Bunny began to cry, and the guard slowly turned his head away, speechless.
"Bunny… If I become a slave, I’ll be useless… I’ll get kicked out… Whaa…"
Luriel had said it.
Slaves get locked up, beaten until their butts turn red by bad people, cry all day while chopping onions and leeks, and they don’t even get a towel but have to clean with rags.
They only get disgusting meals like bell peppers and paprika.
"Hey, why are you making the kid cry?!"
Allen grits his teeth and glares fiercely at the guard.
Ready to summon his divine beast at any moment, Bunny, startled, grabbed Allen's clothes and shook her head.
Allen paused.
"Don’t worry!
I’ll get us out of here!"
"Nooooooo….
Whaa!
Stay still, you idiot…!"
Why was Allen shouting when they needed to get out of here quietly?
Bunny was frustrated with Allen for not following her plan.
"Bunny’s not crying anymore.
Whaa…"
As tears streamed down her face, Bunny rubbed them away with her sleeve, shaking her head.
The guard rolled his eyes.
He had just intended to scare the kids, call their parents, and end it with a warning and a small fine.
Now, the situation had become complicated.
“This is the money Bunny made… I spent a little on a holy stone for a baby… Whaa… I’ll pay the fine…."
“Alright, alright.
I won’t tell your parents, so stop crying, kid.”
“Promise…?”
“Y-Yes, I promise.”
Sniffle.
"Okay…"
Sniffle.
After hearing the guard’s promise, Bunny rubbed her eyes and wiped her nose.
“You don’t have parents?”
“No…”
Bunny nodded weakly, sneaking glances at the guard.
‘Luriel was right!’
A woman’s tears really do make men crumble!
The guard finally gave in to Bunny’s tears.
Hmph.
No one can beat Bunny.
Phew.
Pretending to wipe away sweat, Bunny rubbed her eyes and glanced at Allen, grinning.
Allen stiffened and quickly turned his head, his earlobes bright red.
Knock, knock.
With the sound of a knock, the door swung open.
Bunny, her eyes red and puffy, turned her head quickly and gasped.
"Bunny, Allen."
It was Kyrie Yudia.