# Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Bunny, who was pouting as she looked at those offering apologies, decided to forgive them like a mature adult.
Because good children don’t bother adults.
'If I make a fuss here, Bunny will be petty...'
To become an adult who isn’t petty, Bunny made an effort to hold back her sulking.
"Good job."
Bunny's eyes widened as she lay in Kiriel’s arms.
It was because of the rough hand that landed on her head with a tap.
"If it looks like you’re going to get hit again, just hit back.
You’re not the type to get hit without doing anything, right?
Got it?"
"…Yeah."
Bunny, who had gone limp, rested her cheek on Kiriel’s shoulder with a smile.
‘So warm...’
A human body is warm.
‘Luriel’s body was always cold...’
It was strange.
Humans were clearly supposed to be bad, yet their embrace was endlessly warm, which was surprisingly amazing.
"Alright."
With that single word, Kiriel gave her a rough pat on the back, and Bunny, who had been nodding off, finally let her head droop.
Kiriel Judias, looking down at those still unable to lift their heads in front of him, slowly opened his mouth.
"Next time, I’ll handle it myself.
When you see my daughter, lower your eyes."
"Pardon...?"
"I said, when you see my daughter, lower your eyes..."
Though spoken slowly, his words were sharp, and the entire collateral family quickly bowed their heads.
Since the establishment of the trial mansion, the ranking system had become more severe.
Not only that, but there had been an increase in internal rivalries among the collateral family members, all trying to raise their rank by even one.
Even if they didn’t make it into the official rankings, there were many benefits to enjoy if their rank increased, and the road ahead became smoother.
‘Exhausting.’
Feeling a sense of lethargy, Kiriel, holding Bunny in his arms, started walking with long strides.
He didn’t know what made her feel so carefree and at peace, but seeing how utterly relaxed she was, Kiriel, too, wanted to do nothing more than cuddle this warm, soft little being and take a nap.
Today, too, Bunny was serious.
With her short arms crossed, Bunny blinked as she stared at the enormous egg that had grown to her height.
Bunny gave the egg a little tap.
"Hey, Black Flame Dragon, when are you going to be born?"
Since it had gotten this big, she was sure a huge black flame dragon would be born.
Then, Bunny wouldn’t be an ordinary Bunny anymore but an amazing and wonderful Bunny.
She pressed her ear against the egg and waited for a response, but no voice could be heard.
Maybe it was inevitable since it was a baby black flame dragon!
Thinking that, Bunny pulled Luriel’s notebook from the pocket on Toto’s chest and jumped onto the bed, lying down.
Luriel’s notebook often had new entries or updates.
So every day before bed, Bunny would pull it out and check if there was any new story written in it.
Hmm.
"I see.
Then I guess I should punish them.
I'll just expel them all."
"Or, if anyone can prove my daughter is lying in front of the Scales, step forward.
If it's proven true, I will personally apologize."
Bunny helped.
This means we're friends now, right?
"Yes!"
Bunny nodded and answered energetically.
Second plan?
Bunny tilted her head, fluttering her legs while lying down, and flipped the page.
"Right awayyy!"
“Cute!!”
Bunny, who had been communicating with the book diligently, clenched her fist tightly.
“Sir...
Bunny fell into a trap.”
This was how she would make everyone fall deeply in love with her, just like the children at the orphanage.
Determined, Bunny nodded her little head repeatedly and read Ruriel’s notebook with great effort.
* * *
“Hello, Sir.”
“…Bunny?
What’s going on this early in the morning?”
For Kiriel Udia, waking up at 5:20 AM was way too early since he usually slept late in the morning.
As he opened the door, still groggy from the continuous knocking, Bunny was there with a big smile.
He wondered what she had been doing, as her hair was dripping wet and her clothes were loose and soaked, making him think she looked like she had been hit by a bomb.
“I love you, Sir.”
Bunny rushed over and clung to Kiriel's leg, making a bomb-like statement.
“Hmm…?”
What was this all of a sudden?
He felt a tickling in his chest from her saying she liked him, but he also wondered if this was appropriate at such an early hour.
‘...Raising a child is not an easy task.’
He had no idea what she was thinking.
Having not gotten enough sleep and suddenly being woken up, he felt a headache coming on as he stared blankly at Bunny, who then let go of his leg and quickly stepped back.
“Well, see you later!”
“...?”
It was as if she was turning away without hesitation, like a general who thought she had completed her task.
Kiriel, showing a rare look of confusion on his face, quickly reached out and grabbed the child’s hand.
“Wait, wait.
Little one.”
“Yup?”
“Did you come to say this?”
“Yes!”
“To say good morning at this hour?”
“Yes!
Morning greeting!”
Morning greeting...
Should he tell her that no one greets anyone at 5:20 AM?
After thinking for a moment, Kiriel sighed, looking at the damp child’s shoulders and clothes.
“What happened to make your hair so wet?”
He wondered if she had gotten splashed with water on the way here, and his brow furrowed slightly.
But Bunny trembled a little and put her hands on her waist, puffing her chest out.
“I was playing alone!”
“Playing... what?”
“I brushed my teeth and did my hair all by myself.”
“...Brushed, what...?”
Bunny, with sleepy eyes, chuckled and wiggled her short fingers like sausages, shaking them side to side.
“It’s super awesome!”
“...Who taught you to say that?”
“That’s...!”
Bunny’s eyes widened as she opened her mouth to talk about Ruriel but suddenly hesitated.
‘...It’s a secret.’
Bunny had to keep her secret.
She couldn’t tell the Sir anything.
Because Bunny had to trick the Sir into making him her dad, become an adult, and then leave this house as the great demon king.
Bunny wiggled her fingers and opened her mouth slightly.
“Once, Bunny had a pretty sister who took care of her.”
At Bunny’s words, Kiriel narrowed his eyes.
‘Was there a guardian?’
Well, if she hadn’t grown up in the orphanage since birth, there might have been a guardian.
He rubbed his chin as he thought and then chuckled.
“Okay.
By the way...”
He quickly picked up Bunny and took her to his room.
The cold room had only a bed and a desk in it.
Kiriel sat Bunny on the bed, went into the bathroom to grab a towel, and dropped it on Bunny’s head while sitting next to her to dry her hair.
“Why did you wash by yourself?”
“Because a grown-up should wash by herself.
Bunny is a grown-up.”
“What about the maid?”
“Maid?
Ah!
That’s not Bunny’s.
Um...
There are a lot of them.
The... the princess’s maid...?”
“It must be public…”
Kiriel replied in a drowsy voice.
Bunny’s head swayed this way and that under Kiriel’s touch.
Even though his touch was awkward and more like rubbing than gently drying her, Bunny didn’t complain at all.
“Yes.
The dinosaur is a maid.”
Seeing Bunny nodding seriously, Kiriel gave up on saying more.
“Come to think of it, that was the system below.
I completely forgot.”
Even though he had entered the testing mansion due to family rules, Kiriel had never been at the bottom rank in his life.
‘I should have assigned a maid to her.’
There wouldn’t be any knights.