# Chapter 6
Chapter 6
The morning of the summoning ritual arrived.
Bunny, who had read books all night and only fallen asleep in the early hours, got out of bed with puffy eyes, rubbing them with the back of her hand.
Still groggy, Bunny, clutching Toto, wobbled out of bed and moved around, struggling to shake off sleepiness.
She set Toto on the bed's headboard, pulled up a chair, and grunted as she opened the window.
Then, she hopped off the chair and, using her tiny hands, neatly pulled and straightened the messy blanket she had covered herself with while sleeping.
Thanks to pulling and adjusting the bed's four corners from early in the morning, the bedding was now neatly arranged.
“Yawn…….”
Wiping away a tiny tear with her sleeve like a grown-up, Bunny stood on a step stool at the sink and managed to brush her teeth, even though it was something Ruriel found bothersome.
After thoroughly washing her face with cool water that tingled her whole body, Bunny dried her hair and body on a towel spread on the floor, rolling around on it while holding onto its edges.
Wrapping herself in the towel, Bunny took a new one, placed it on her head, and gently dried her hair before opening the wardrobe.
“Hmm…….”
Today… she wanted to look stylish!
Wearing the light blue dress given by the orphanage director and pinning the hairpin received from a friend at the orphanage, Bunny nodded in satisfaction.
Staring at the two towels hanging loosely, Bunny kicked them aside and pushed them into a corner.
Lastly, she tied the string of her encouraging big bear doll around her back, completing her look.
“Bunny, perfect.”
Smiling happily, Bunny nodded.
Water dripping from her improperly dried hair dampened her shoulders, and the loosely tied bear doll's waist was bent backward, almost dragging its head on the floor, but Bunny thought it was perfect.
“Bunny is a genius.”
What if all the dad candidates line up because she's too much of a genius?
Thinking this, Bunny hid the notebook she had read all night back into Toto's pocket and tucked Toto and the elephant under the blanket.
“Let’s go.
Magoma!”
Bunny walked forward with her encouraging big bear doll, also known as Magoma, and thought about the previous night.
"Wow!
What should I do?"
“
"Wow, did Ruri know that Bunny would come here?!"
"Indeed, Ruri.
An amazing genius recognized by the genius Bunny!"
Bunny, who was stamping her feet while looking at the neatly written text on the bed, covered her mouth with her hand.
"Hmph."
“Good-looking or pretty people!
The role is important!
Let’s go down to the first floor.” This time, children who seemed to be taking part in the summoning ceremony with me were visible.
Most of them looked like they were in their early teens.
Among them, it meant that Bunny was the youngest and smallest.
“Lady Bunny.”
“Oh, Roden!”
At the greeting from behind, Bunny, with her eyes wide open, raised one hand with her palm open.
“Hello.”
“Yes, good morning.
Have you been well?”
“Yes!
Bunny has adapted well to the public and is about to achieve perfect scores soon.”
Hmph, Bunny smiled and gave a thumbs up in response.
Seeing this, Roden Heiner chuckled softly.
The other children gathered around looked wide-eyed.
“…The knight is smiling?”
“That unapproachable Roden Heiner?”
“…Nah, must have seen it wrong.”
“How can you see something wrong when everyone’s together?”
As sounds of bickering came from not far away, Roden Heiner quickly composed himself.
He glanced at Bunny’s wet shoulders and the teddy bear with its waist bent backward, then knelt down on one knee.
“It’s a teddy bear.”
“Yes.
It’s the Magomi that gives Bunny courage!”
“Magomi, I see.
It looks like it’s about to fall.
May I re-tie it?”
“Ah, don’t let Magomi fall.”
Bunny, shouting urgently and saying strange things, turned her body and spun around.
Seeing the teddy bear wobbling and weakly swaying, Roden Heiner barely managed to keep his smile from breaking.
He re-tied the strap for Bunny.
“All done.”
“Thank you.”
Bunny faced Roden Heiner and bowed her head deeply.
Roden Heiner’s eyes widened at the sight of Bunny almost touching the floor with her head.
“Pfft.”
“What is that….”
“She’s bowing to the knight.”
The mocking laughter from various places was overshadowed by Bunny’s awkward appearance, almost toppling forward as she bowed deeply.
Roden Heiner quickly reached out his hand.
Flap, flap.
Bunny, who had bent herself in half, seemed to recognize her tilting body and flapped her arms, bouncing in place before standing up straight.
“……”
Only Roden Heiner’s awkwardly extended hand hovered in the air, looking lost.
Bunny, staring at Roden Heiner’s outstretched hand, widened her eyes.
“Ah!”
As if realizing something, Bunny ran over and placed the tip of her toes on Roden Heiner’s lost hand, tapping her head against it.
‘Pat, pat!’
Bunny was already popular!
With her pink eyes sparkling and an expression as if she knew everything, Bunny looked at Roden Heiner.
Unconsciously, Roden Heiner moved his hand and patted the child’s head.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes!”
Energetically answering, Bunny, now with Magomi properly tied, started her journey to the mansion.
* * *
“It’s been a while since you’ve shown your faces.
Whether you’re living in the temple or stuck in your room, you’re all determined to make your father worry.”
“Well, at least we come during events.
Even if it’s just a summoning ceremony with kids showing off their skills, it’s not that fun, but we come to see it.
Please cut us some slack for not showing up normally.”
A muscular man with dark skin laughed lightly and spoke casually.
With his unconventional outfit, Ludbridge Yudia gave him a disapproving glance.
“Father, don’t be like that.
Looks like Brother is busy with gambling and partying too.”
“Hey, are you talking nonsense again?”
“What…?
Gambling?!
This bastard…!
Klein, are you still a member of the holy Yudia family?!”
“Oh, that’s not it!
I’m just gathering information, not actually enjoying gambling or anything… Tsk, by the way, why are you out here, youngest?
You’ve been hiding in the temple and not showing your face.”
The man, feeling unfavorable, quickly turned his head.
Among the people sitting around the noisy tea table, the ‘youngest’ whose hair was grabbed twitched his eyebrows slightly before setting down his teacup leisurely.
His black hair flowed smoothly.
“Father said if you don’t come again, he’ll send you on a long trip.”
The youngest’s voice was dry but as smooth as his voice, which made Ludbridge Yudia click his tongue.
“Let’s start and finish quickly.
It’s a waste of time.”
“The kids are on their way.”
The dark-skinned man lightly combed his hair with his fingers as he spoke.
Grr.
A low animal roar was heard from somewhere.
“By the way, the usual outcast kids are participating today, right?
Half-human half-beast and stray cats.”
“Be careful what you say in front of the kids.”
“I’m curious whether they’ll win or lose.”
The dark-skinned man, lightly laughing at the duke’s reprimand, grinned and stood up.
“Well, I don’t expect much… Let’s head out.”
As soon as the lazy youngest’s words ended, the four people stood up and left the white mansion decorated with gold.