# Chapter 85 (Part 1)
"You’re still young, so I thought you wouldn’t be able to do it," he said, but the Emperor was quite insistent.
His manner was unexpectedly a bit annoying, and so, reluctantly, I had no choice but to do it.
Please understand.
I’m sorry."
"……?"
Bunny gave him a confused look.
He couldn’t figure out why he was apologizing at all.
"It’s fine, you know.
Bunny, you’re a genius."
With a thumbs up, Bunny beamed with a grin, and Kiriel silently reached out to ruffle the child’s hair before pulling him into a tight hug.
Then, without a hint of expression on his face, Kiriel softly patted Bunny's back and spoke.
"Why are you so sweet and cute, my little one?"
"Bunny not good?!
Evil!
Totally evil!!"
Bunny raised his hands at his waist and shouted dramatically.
Even Allen and Kalvad, who had been standing a bit farther away, quietly approached and began patting Bunny’s hair as well.
"Eh?!"
"Hey, little one.
Don’t go wandering around alone.
I’m sure you’ll get kidnapped in no time."
Kalvad spoke seriously, and Allen nodded in agreement, adding his thoughts.
"That’s right.
Bunny, wherever you go, you can’t be by yourself.
You have to call me."
"If, if you’re busy, you can call me.
Well...
I might go if you really need me.
But it’s not like I’m worried about you, it’s just that I’ve got some free time... so I might come, that’s all."
Bunny, held by Allen and Kalvad with a hand each, swayed left and right as he nodded earnestly.
"Bunny, just ignore all that.
When you go anywhere, take Dad, or Rebon, or at least one of the adult knights with you."
Kiriel interjected with a matter-of-fact expression.
Allen and Kalvad exchanged looks, as if taken aback, but Kiriel’s face remained shameless as he gave them a sly smile.
"……!"
"……!"
Their eyes widened in shock, and Kiriel, seeing this, placed Bunny on his lap and called out to him.
"Bunny."
"Yes!"
Bunny responded energetically, and Kiriel gently ruffled the child’s slightly messy hair before asking,
"By the way, how do you understand the elf’s language?"
"Huge...!"
Bunny almost blurted out "huge dragon" without thinking, but then froze, remembering his promise.
‘I won’t hide anything from Dad!’
Bunny wiggled his fingers nervously and then blurted out the truth.
"Luri taught me!"
"Luri..."
That name again.
"Do you know where Luri is?" Kiriel asked.
Bunny shook his head, his face serious.
Luriel had told him that she was going on an extremely dangerous mission, one that was too dangerous for little Bunny to accompany her on.
She had said that when Bunny became a great adult, strong and wise, he would be able to find her.
Until then, he had to wait.
"No, Luri was very sick.
She went on a dangerous mission to get better.
When Bunny becomes a great adult, I’ll know where Luri is.
So, Bunny’s becoming a great adult now."
Bunny raised his thumb proudly and giggled.
"...She was sick?" Kiriel asked, raising an eyebrow.
Bunny nodded small, his expression a little more somber now.
Kiriel watched the child quietly for a moment, then asked softly,
"Did Luri raise you?
Did she teach you the Ancient Elf language?"
"Yes!!"
"I see."
Kiriel knew that demons lived for long periods of time.
It wouldn’t be strange for Luri to know the Ancient Elf language, which had been lost for thousands of years.
As he thought about this, he spoke again.
"So, Bunny, how did you talk to Luriel?"
At the sudden question, Bunny’s small body stiffened.
"...Bunny doesn’t talk to Luri..."
"Yesterday… you told me Luri said not to be close to Dad.
I’m not angry, so don’t worry.
Just tell me."
With a gentle voice, Kiriel asked again, and Bunny hesitated, his lips twitching as if unsure of what to say.
He finally lowered his head, mumbling,
"Baby...
My notebook is a secret!
If anyone steals it, I’ll never see Luri again."
But Dad said he wouldn’t mind it.
He said to never lie again.
But...
I never want to lose Luri again.
Bunny’s face twisted slightly, and he seemed to be struggling with his words.
His thoughts spun wildly, his head feeling dizzy.
He wiggled his fingers and let out a tiny, childlike sound before gently pressing his forehead against Kiriel’s chest.
"Is it hard to talk about?"
Kiriel, holding the child in his arms, stood up and asked.
He didn’t think this was something to discuss in front of Allen and Kalvad.
At a small signal from Kiriel, Allen and Kalvad quickly lowered their heads, sensing the need for privacy.
"We’ll talk at dinner later," Kiriel added with a soft smile.
"Yes, please go ahead," Allen replied calmly.
With a smile, Kiriel ruffled Bunny’s hair once more before saying, "Good boy."
Allen’s face flushed red immediately.
He fumbled with his lips and waved his hands in the air awkwardly before slowly nodding.
"Yes..."
Kalvad gave Allen a quick look before crossing his arms and turning his head away.
At that moment, Kiriel reached over and patted Kalvad’s head.
"Thank you for understanding, my nephew."
Kalvad’s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly shut his lips, his face reddening.
He trembled a bit and, embarrassed, muttered, "...It’s... no big deal."
"Bunny’s right.
Both Allen and Kalvad’s faces are red," Kiriel teased.
Still cradling Bunny, who was looking down at the scene, the child pointed at the two with his little finger, giggling.
Allen buried his face in his palms, and Kalvad let out a squawk, flustered.
"Who’s red?!
I’m not!!"
"Ha!
Right now, you’re a tomato."
Kiriel gently patted Bunny’s back as they exchanged playful remarks, his smile widening as he left the dining room.
Back in their room, Kiriel sat Bunny on the bed and joined him there.
"So, Bunny, is it really hard to talk about Luri with me?"
After a long pause, Bunny crawled into his chest and mumbled, his voice barely audible.
"If I tell you, will you take it away?"
Kiriel paused for a moment, then shook his head slowly.
"No, I would never take anything from you.
I promise I won’t do anything you don’t like."
"Do we pinky swear?"
Bunny raised his little pinky finger with a mischievous grin.
"...A pinky swear?
What’s that?"
Bunny made a show of raising his index finger, shaking his head in exasperation, before explaining,
"When you do this, you keep the promise!
If you break it, horns will grow on your butt, and... and then the big bad wolf will catch you, and it’ll be awful!"
His words were all jumbled and hard to follow, but it seemed to be a way of emphasizing that promises should be kept.
Kiriel, though confused by the child’s words, smiled softly and held out his hand.
Bunny eagerly hooked his pinky around Kiriel’s, shaking it up and down.
"Is there a secret notebook between you and Luri?"
Bunny grinned proudly.
"Luri’s a big genius!
She knows everything, and she teaches me everything!"
"What does she teach you?" Kiriel asked, curious.
Bunny hummed, turning his body to pretend to sigh dramatically, and responded,
"I don’t know...
But I open the notebook and she shows me how to do it.
It’s amazing!"
Despite the nonsense words, it seemed clear enough that the notebook was important and full of secrets.
"Does the notebook tell you everything?" Kiriel asked thoughtfully.
Bunny nodded eagerly, proud of his secret.