# Chapter 87
When Roel sat next to Bernie's other side, the emperor was left sitting alone across from them.
"Oh dear, this is too much.
Isn't this sofa completely empty?"
"Blame yourself for having so little popularity."
Kyrie spoke indifferently, and the emperor shrugged his shoulders with a deflated laugh.
"Wow...
Can I eat all of this?
Big boss uncle?"
"Big boss... uncle... what?"
"She often uses unique words.
I believe she means 'leader.'"
"Hmm...
Of course.
Eat as much as you like."
"Yes!"
Bernie immediately reached out, grabbed a bear-shaped chocolate, and popped it into her mouth.
Her eyes widened in surprise as it melted instantly, disappearing like snow in warm water.
"Gasp...!"
Covering her tiny mouth with both hands, Bernie stared at the emperor with a trembling gaze.
"Big boss uncle."
"Hmm?"
"What do you think about being my new dad?
If you agree now, I can offer a special discount— huh?!"
Suddenly, Bernie felt herself being lifted under her armpits.
Blinking, she turned her head and froze.
"Bernie..."
"Gasp...!"
Kyrie's voice sounded eerie.
Bernie swallowed hard.
'Bernie, the loyal one... has lost to chocolate...'
Flustered, Bernie quickly wiggled her body and clung to Kyrie like a sloth, rubbing her cheek against him while pulling out her ultimate cute act.
"Bernie thinks Daddy is the best...
If I don’t have Daddy, I'll be so sad..."
"I already heard everything."
"Ch-Chocolate made me say it..."
Bernie quickly pointed her finger at the innocent chocolates resting on the table.
"......"
In the silence that followed, Bernie rolled her eyes around nervously.
As she met the emperor’s gaze, he smiled warmly at her.
"I'm glad the taste suits you.
You're always welcome, Bernie..."
"Ah, no way!
Father!"
Roel suddenly shouted in alarm.
The emperor let out a quiet "Ah," then smirked.
"I heard you two are supposed to get married.
Is that right?"
"Oh, yes!
Noel belongs to Bernie!"
"Then I suppose that means I could also become another one of Bernie's fathers.
How about calling me 'Father'?"
"Father-niim?"
Bernie tilted her head.
The emperor's eyes slightly widened, and he rubbed his chin with a serious expression.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Hmm, adopting you doesn’t sound like a bad idea either."
"Your Majesty."
"Father!"
"It seems like both sides are strongly against it.
I guess I'll have to settle for just being 'Father.' Still, if you ever want chocolate, you're welcome to come anytime.
The palace’s pastry chefs are excellent at making desserts."
"Anytime!"
Bernie's eyes sparkled, and she eagerly nodded her head.
She shook so hard with her eyes shut that her head was suddenly caught mid-motion.
"Dear, your head is going to fall off."
"Huh..."
Bernie quickly grabbed her head with her hands.
While Kyrie wiped the chocolate from her hands with a handkerchief, he felt a gaze from across the table and looked up.
"What is it?"
"You seem like a parent now."
"......"
Kyrie frowned without a word.
Meanwhile, Roel picked up a piece of chocolate and held it up to Bernie's mouth.
"Bernie, your hands are getting dirty, so I'll feed you."
"Okay!
Aah—"
Chomp!
As the chocolate melted in her mouth, Bernie’s body also relaxed like jelly.
"Here, this cookie is delicious too.
It's my favorite."
"Dear, you still have to eat dinner later, so don’t eat too much."
"Ugh..."
Chewing with her cheeks puffed up like a little squirrel, Bernie tilted her head at Kyrie.
With a sigh, Kyrie wiped the cookie crumbs from her mouth with a handkerchief.
A faint smile appeared on the emperor’s lips.
"By the way, that bird on your shoulder...
It looks like a phoenix.
I never expected to see one in my lifetime."
"......"
Kyrie remained silent, but the emperor didn't seem to mind.
"It's Bernie's mighty dragon phoenix!
It's super big and super strong!"
"Oh?"
"Yes!
It's like wooooosh, and then fwoosh!
Then poof, and after that, it sparkles super bright, and then— Peewoooo!
And Alan got all healthy again!"
As Roel sat next to Bunny on the other side, the emperor was left sitting alone across from them.
"Oh dear, how unfair.
Isn't this sofa completely empty?"
"Blame yourself for having so little popularity."
At Kiriel's indifferent remark, the emperor shrugged his shoulders and let out a deflated laugh.
"Wow… Can I eat all of this, Big Boss Uncle?"
"Big Boss… Unc… what?"
"He often uses unique words.
I believe he means 'leader.'"
"Hmm… Of course.
Eat as much as you like."
"Yay!"
Bunny quickly reached out, grabbed a bear-shaped chocolate, and popped it into his mouth.
His eyes widened immediately.
As soon as it entered his mouth, it melted away like snow, vanishing without a trace.
"Gasp…!"
Bunny covered his small mouth with both hands and looked at the emperor with trembling eyes.
"Big Boss Uncle."
"Hmm?"
"What do you think about becoming Bunny's new dad?
If you agree now, Bunny will give you a spe—huh?!"
Bunny suddenly felt himself being lifted from under his armpits.
Blinking, he turned his head slightly, then froze on the spot.
"Bunny……."
"Gasp…!"
Hearing Kiriel's eerie voice, Bunny swallowed hard.
‘Loyal Bunny… lost to chocolate…….’
Panicking, Bunny wiggled his body frantically, clinging to Kiriel's arm like a sloth, rubbing his cheek against him and quickly launching his cutest attack.
"Bunny loves Daddy the most… If Daddy is gone, Bunny will be sad…."
"I already heard everything."
"Ch-chocolate made me say it…."
Bunny hurriedly pointed at the chocolate that was sitting innocently on the table.
"……."
As silence fell, Bunny rolled his eyes anxiously.
His gaze met the emperor's, and as he awkwardly grinned, the emperor also smiled back, his eyes crinkling gently.
"I'm glad you like the taste.
Bunny is always welcome here……."
"Ah, absolutely not!
Father!"
Roel suddenly raised his voice.
The emperor let out a small "Ah" in response, then chuckled softly.
"I heard you're planning to marry my son.
Is that right?"
"Ah.
Yes!
Noel belongs to Bunny."
"Then I suppose I could become another father to you.
Will you call me Father?"
"Fathernim?"
Tilt.
Bunny tilted his head to the side.
The emperor's eyes widened slightly before he rubbed his chin with a serious expression.
Then, after staring at Bunny for a moment, he spoke.
"Hmm, perhaps just adopting you wouldn’t be a bad idea after all."
"Your Majesty."
"Father!"
"Since there's too much opposition from both sides, I suppose that's not possible.
I'll have to be satisfied with just being called Father.
So, if you ever want more chocolate, come visit anytime.
The royal pastry chefs make excellent desserts."
‘Anytime!’
Bunny's eyes sparkled as he quickly nodded.
He squeezed his eyes shut and vigorously nodded up and down, only to have his head suddenly stopped in place.
"Sweetheart, your head will fall off."
"Gasp…."
Bunny grabbed his own head with both hands.
As Kiriel wiped Bunny's chocolate-covered hands with a handkerchief, he lifted his head upon sensing a gaze from the front.
"What?"
"You really seem like a parent now."
"……."
While Kiriel frowned at the emperor with a blank face, Roel, who had picked up a delicious-looking chocolate, brought it to Bunny’s mouth instead.
"Bunny, it'll get on your hands, so I'll feed you."
"Mm, aaah."
Chomp!
As the chocolate melted smoothly in his mouth, Bunny's whole body relaxed.
"Here, this cookie is super tasty too.
It's my favorite."
"Sweetheart, don't eat too much.
You'll still need to have dinner later."
"Nuuuuh……."
Munch munch,
With his cheeks stuffed full like a little squirrel, Bunny tilted his head at Kiriel while staring at him.
Kiriel sighed and wiped the cookie crumbs off Bunny's mouth with a handkerchief.
A faint smile formed on the emperor’s lips.
"By the way, that bird on your shoulder… It looks like a phoenix.
I never thought I’d see a real phoenix in my lifetime."
"……."
Kiriel chose silence instead of responding, but the emperor didn’t seem to mind.
"Bunny's guardian dragon, Firebird!
It's super big and super strong!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes!
It's like woooom, huge, and then fwoosh!
And then whoosh!
And after that, it goes sparkle sparkle, and then totally 'peeeew!' and made Allen healthy again!"
"Hmm… I see."
Not understanding a single thing, the emperor just smiled quietly and nodded along.
He figured Bunny meant that the phoenix had healed someone.
"How cute."
"I know."
"Watching Bunny makes me want to have a daughter too."
"You should beg the empress for that."
"Hmm, fair point."
At Kiriel's blunt remark, the emperor slowly lowered his eyelids with a weary expression, then let out a faint smile and shrugged.
"Speaking of which, the empress said she wants to meet you, Bunny."
"Empress?
Bunny?"
"Yes.
She’s very grateful that you saved the crown prince.
It’s the first time she’s ever requested to meet someone."
Bunny, who had been tilting his head, started nodding up and down—then suddenly stopped.
"Gasp.
Is she a doll-like pretty mom candidate?!
Does Daddy get a new mom too?"
"…Uh, huh?"
The emperor froze in confusion.
"Bunny……."
Kiriel pressed his forehead in disbelief at Bunny’s casual but terrifying statement.
The idea of making the empress his wife was something that would never happen unless he wanted to sever all ties with the imperial family forever.
"The empress is Roel's mother, so that would be difficult."
"Then does the empress like Big Boss Uncle?"
Bunny’s question made the emperor pause.
After a long silence, the emperor chuckled softly before leisurely answering.
"Normally, that would be the case.
Anyway, shall we proceed with what we discussed?
Lord Eudia."
"Let’s do that."
"Bunny, I'll pack these up for you.
You can eat the rest at home."
"Thank you very much!"
The emperor nodded and snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the servants cleared away the tea and snacks.
Watching their seamless movements, Bunny’s mouth formed a perfect circle.
"If you're scared, just tell me."
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, Bunny’s ears perked up.
‘Super tingly!’
Bunny quickly turned his head, searching for the source of the tingling sensation, and looked toward the balcony.
The balcony door swung open, and someone stepped inside.
They wore pure white masks and black robes.
Between them was someone bound in chains, with a cloth covering their head.
The person wore ragged clothes, looking extremely worn out.
The men in black swiftly removed the cloth, forcing the person to kneel.
"Be careful not to be too rough.
There are children here."
At the emperor's light gesture, the men silently bowed in response.
Pointed ears.
Dark skin.
Pure white hair.
Deep purple eyes.
The eyes, devoid of any life, only held quiet stillness.
Like a person whose soul had left them, the kneeling figure muttered something faintly.
‘Baby, if you ever meet someone with pointed ears and dark skin who doesn’t understand you, let me tell you what to do.’
‘Bunny remembers!
I saw someone like this in Ruri’s notebook!’
Bunny, recalling it smartly, focused his gaze.
"Bunny, if you’re scared or if you feel like you can’t do this, you can say so."
"Okay."
Bunny blinked and then quietly opened his mouth.
At the words that came from Bunny’s lips, both the curious emperor and the surprised Kiriel turned to look at Bunny at the same time.
"έτυμοςδήμοςάνατομήπάθοςμίσοςκύριοςάμαρτία"
And then, a voice responded.
Bunny listened carefully.