# Chapter 61
“….”
With eyes full of anticipation, Bunny confidently gazed at Ludbride.
Ludbride hesitated for a moment before casting a quick glance at Pell.
Sensing the cue, Pell subtly moved his lips, hinting at a greeting.
Only then did Ludbride open his mouth.
"Ah."
Ludbride let out a soft sigh.
He suddenly realized that he had never properly greeted anyone before.
"Ahem.
When did you become so sharp?
Truly, my granddaughter, you're excellent."
Ludbride tilted his head slightly, cleared his throat several times, and finally managed to speak.
It felt strange for him to praise someone for such a simple matter.
He almost felt embarrassed, even at his age, as his neck grew warm.
Bunny's face lit up.
"Th-That’s right!
I heard you’ve already learned to read.
Is that true?"
At Ludbride’s words, Bunny’s face brightened even further.
Bunny burst into a giggle and nodded enthusiastically.
"Yup!
Bunny’s a perfect master!"
"Well done.
Now, come here and have a snack."
"Bunny’s not a baby, so no snacks!"
"Hmm..."
Ludbride rubbed his chin, recalling a similar incident in the past.
"Even if you're not a baby, you can eat.
Look, Grandpa’s eating, too."
Ludbride grabbed a cookie and popped it into his mouth.
Bunny's eyes grew wide.
Bunny wiggled her fingers.
"Don’t you scold me?"
"Scold?
Why would I scold you?"
"If I eat without permission, Grandpa will scold me.
It’s a big deal.
It’ll spread everywhere."
Bunny stretched her arms wide, making a large circle as she spoke, and Ludbride froze for a moment.
"Big deal...?"
Once again, an unexpected word had slipped out.
Ludbride rubbed his mouth a few times before letting out a short sigh.
He understood what kind of rumor this was.
"I did once scold someone for eating cookies without permission," he thought.
He hadn't expected the story to spread this way.
"No wonder Bunny didn’t eat cookies last time…" he mused.
If that was the reason, he could understand.
Thinking back, maybe it wasn’t a matter worth scolding her over.
Bunny was younger and smaller, but other kids were still pretty young as well.
Maybe she had just wanted to eat, like the others.
"This time, I gave permission, so you can eat.
No scolding."
At Ludbride’s words, Bunny’s face brightened.
She immediately looked down, scanning the variety of snacks laid out before her.
"Thank you!"
Bunny bowed her head and eagerly grabbed a cookie filled with chocolate, popping it into her mouth.
Ludbride smiled softly.
He reached out and gently ruffled Bunny’s hair.
"Ah, speaking of which, the rankings have been decided.
I called you over to tell you."
"Rankings!!"
Bunny’s eyes sparkled.
As Ludbride wiped the crumbs from the corners of Bunny’s mouth and fingers with a handkerchief, he motioned for Pell, who then arrived carrying a silver tray and set it down on the table.
On the tray, there was a small silver bracelet, a large holy stone the size of a fist, and a key.
"These are for the top-ranked participant.
An account with prize money, the holy stone given as a reward, and a key to a mansion only accessible to top-tier participants."
Bunny tilted her head.
"First place?"
"Yes."
"…First place?"
"Yes."
"Really?
Bunny’s first place?!"
"Yes."
Thud, clatter.
The cookie in Bunny's hand dropped to the floor.
Bunny's mouth hung open in surprise.
"You saved Allen as the Phoenix, didn’t you?
Hmm.
The ranking competition is based on how well the divine beast and its master trust each other and how strong they can become.
That’s why you’re in first place."
"Bunny’s first place!!!"
Bunny jumped to her feet and stomped her feet happily.
"Bunny’s first place!"
Ludbride placed the bracelet around Bunny's wrist.
The large bracelet resized perfectly to fit her tiny wrist.
"This bracelet allows you to pay at stores or the bank without using physical money.
You can withdraw the actual money at the Sacred Bank."
Bunny tilted her head at Ludbride’s explanation.
"A straw bracelet that lets you find money?"
"But can you really get money from a straw bracelet?"
Bunny’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Does the bracelet give me money?"
"...Kind of?" Ludbride nodded after a brief hesitation.
Just as Ludbride finished explaining, Bunny popped the rest of her cookie into her mouth and jumped off the sofa.
"Peep!"
The black dragon, or rather, the Phoenix, which had been dozing on Bunny’s shoulder, flew up and perched on the holy stone Bunny had received.
"Fhuuhhh?"
At Bunny's call, the Phoenix squawked, flapping its tiny wings before quickly hugging the holy stone.
The stone glowed bright white, and the white light quickly turned to powder, sinking into the Phoenix’s body.
Whooosh.
Suddenly, flames erupted around the Phoenix, and it started burning brightly.
"Fhuuhhh!!!"
As the Phoenix began to vanish in the flames, Bunny reached out in a panic.
"Peeyow?"
From the flames, a carrot-colored beak poked out, and soon the Phoenix soared into the sky.
"Tun tun...?"
It had grown much rounder compared to a baby bird, and now more closely resembled an actual bird.
Flap.
The Phoenix flew up and, as always, landed lightly on Bunny’s head to nestle.
Heavily.
Bunny’s head dropped forward.
"...Heavy."
"Peeyow?!"
The Phoenix looked at Bunny with wide eyes, clearly shocked.
***
"Hello, daughter.
How did your meeting go?"
Instead of carrying the heavy Phoenix on her head, Bunny, who had now embraced it in her arms, was about to run toward Kiriel as she exited the parlor when she heard a voice calling out.
"Father?"
"Yes."
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to pick you up, daughter."
Kiriel, kneeling, immediately lifted Bunny into his arms.
Bunny’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she beamed and said, "Father, Bunny’s first place!
First place!
I’m first place!"
"Really?"
"Yes!
Grandpa says I’m first place!
I didn’t get super strong, but I saved Allen.
I’m really first place!"
Bunny beamed with pride, even as she bounced up and down with joy in her father’s arms.
Her voice, filled with excitement, was a delight to listen to.
"The bird... it’s gotten bigger, hasn’t it?"
"Yes.
It ate the holy stone.
It grew a lot.
Eventually, it will get so big, it’ll carry me on its back!"
"I see.
If it gets that big, it should be possible."
Since the Phoenix had been discovered the previous day, the mansion had been strangely noisy.
Many people had tried to get close to Bunny, so guards had been sent along with her.
Fortunately, only a select few were allowed into the mansion, all of which were under the watchful eye of Ludbride, so there was no need to worry about any malicious actions.
But the outside world was a different story.
Even distant relatives and servants were showing interest in the legendary Phoenix and Allen, whom it had saved.
The Phoenix.
A bird that could never die.
A divine creature that was reborn from flames over and over again.
The greatest life form created by the gods, said to be able to heal any wound as long as one does not die, and considered the most powerful being on Earth.
Many people would surely try to get close to Bunny.
There were countless people who would want eternal life, granted by the Phoenix.
"Father, since I’m first place, I’ll grow really big, right?"
"No, you’re still a baby, so you’re still small.
The Phoenix is small too."
"...When will I grow big?"
"Eat well, don’t be picky, play a lot, study hard, and grow tall.
When you’re big like me, that’s when you’ll be truly large."
Kiriel lightly patted Bunny’s back as he answered in a calm tone.
Bunny pouted her lips and, now accustomed to it, rested her cheek against his shoulder.
"Do you want to grow up fast?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Well, she had to become the great, mighty demon king soon.
But...
"Once I become the big demon king, I won’t be able to stay with Daddy, or Allen, or Grandpa, or Pell anymore."
Perhaps no one would stroke her hair or give her these gentle pats anymore.
When she became an adult, Bunny would have to seek out Luri and gather the scattered demon kin to rebuild the kingdom.
But...
"I guess I’ll grow slowly, after all..."