ITBFL | Chapter 11

Episode 11

“Where have you been all this time, only to show up now?”

In the outskirts of the capital stood the estate of Duke Balteire.

The poised yet sharp voice of Duke Baltaire filled the study.

In front of him stood a man with an unwavering expression, maintaining a perfect posture.

It was Cassium, the second son of the duke’s family.

“I must have told you several times that you were supposed to show your face at that event.”

“I apologize.”

Though he spoke words of regret, his voice was steady and unyielding, without the slightest trace of fear or deference.

His dry gaze, matching his tone, was fixed directly on his father.

Duke Baltaire clenched his fist and approached Cassium.

“Were you out there fooling around with some woman?”

A bitter smile spread across Cassium’s face.

He hadn’t expected much.

But wasn’t he still the son who had disappeared for several days and then returned?

In the figure of his father, who never showed even a hint of concern—an utterly ‘perfect’ father—Cassium felt like a mere actor in a well-crafted play.

“And if I had, what would you do about it?”

“What?”

Duke Baltaire’s face turned slightly red.

“So you’re determined to disgrace this family. Fine, I’ll….”

“Please, calm your anger. Nothing of the sort happened.”

The Baltaire family was admired by all. A perfect family with two perfect sons.

The elder son, blessed by the gods, a priest. The younger son, favored by the sword, a knight. And their parents, who equally cherished and loved them both.

What a flawless image.

Yet Cassium had never once felt love from his parents.

The only one who ever protected him was himself. He had never sought warmth from anyone else.

It was natural, and so he had lived his life that way, thinking that was how life was meant to be.

Until now.

“Where were you for days on end?”

“I took some time to rest.”

At Cassium’s response, the duke’s gaze faltered.

It was the first time his son, who always responded with emotionless apologies, had given a different reply.

Cassium met his father’s eyes.

He was someone who neither hoped nor desired anything, always detached from people’s expectations and greed.

Yet, during those days he lived as a rabbit, something strange began to stir within him.

“What did you say?”

“I was exhausted. Even after you scolded me like that, I didn’t have the energy to argue back. So I took a little break.”

Though his voice was still dry, his words were not hollow.

Without any change in expression, Cassium finished speaking and turned to leave.

As he walked away, the duke called out to him.

“I’ve arranged your marriage.”

Cassium turned back once more.

“The marriage proposal will be sent. It’s with someone perfectly suited for you.”

“Isn’t it someone perfectly suited for the Baltaire family, not me?”

“The proposal has already been decided. In three days, the Veranium branch will be delivered to that household as planned.”

“Do as you wish. If you force this on me, I’ll leave the Baltaire family for good, not just for a few days.”

At Cassium’s words, the duke’s expression twisted violently.

“Where did you learn to say such things?”

“I wonder. All I’ve seen and learned are the words and actions of the people of the Baltaire family.”

Strange, isn’t it? With those words and a slight bow, Cassium turned away again.

This time, he left the study without looking back.

The door closed behind Cassium.

As he entered his room, he let out a deep breath, running his hand through his hair.

“They’ve arranged my marriage?”

His thoughts were in disarray.

Whether Cassium left the house or not, the duke wasn’t the type to change his mind. The marriage proposal would surely be sent to a family he didn’t even know.

Since long ago, since the moment he was born, Cassium’s wishes had never mattered.

To be honest, up until now, he didn’t care.

No matter who he met or married, it didn’t matter.

After all, feelings between people, love—they were all meaningless. It didn’t matter who it was.

Cassium recalled something his mother had said a long time ago.

— Cassium, you must never love anyone.

— Why not?

— No matter who you love, you won’t be reciprocated. You’ll only hurt them. Don’t love anyone, don’t cherish anyone. Only love yourself.

He had been so young at the time that his mother probably thought he wouldn’t remember those words.

But those words lingered in Cassium’s mind longer than she could have imagined. Even now, they were vivid.

And yet….

— Cassium?

At that moment, the emerald-green eyes of Lize, who had woken up in the cave and looked at him, flashed in his mind. Her red hair danced in his thoughts.

— You’ll forget anyway.

The memory of Lize standing just a step away from him on the night of the knights’ victory celebration.

— Thank you, Golden Bunny, for staying by my side.

And the warmth of the embrace that had held him tightly.

Why was he thinking of Lize now?

“…..”

At that moment.

Bang!

The sound of an explosion shook Cassium’s vision.

“Young Master.”

Cassium’s attendant, Ronan, knocked on the door.

After receiving no response despite knocking several times, Ronan opened the door, only to find the room empty.

“Bunny! Golden Bunny!”

“Sister, you’re injured. Please rest.”

“Bryce, if I rest, can you promise to find the Bunny for me?”

“…….”

“Huh? Bryce?”

Bryce whistled, looking off into the distance.

“….Sniff, Bunny! Golden Bunny! Bunny!”

Though they continued searching the forest, the Golden Bunny was nowhere to be seen.

Not where Luxca had been, nor in the cave where they had taken shelter from the heavy rain.

Where could it have gone? Could it have retreated deep into the forest, following its instincts as a rabbit?

The thought made her sad.

She hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye.

“Golden Bunny, where are you?”

In fact, the reason I brought the injured rabbit was because it would become an important existence to Bryce and would one day help cure my illness.

‘But now, it’s not just for that reason anymore.’

This bunny, this golden bunny, had become important to me as well.

The few days I spent with the golden bunny had been an inexplicably great comfort and held deep meaning for me.

As if it had always been by my side, the golden bunny had naturally and warmly blended into my life.

I didn’t want to lose such a being, someone precious to me, so helplessly.

‘I must find the bunny.’

The search continued.

“Miss Lize! Lady Lize!”

At that moment, one of the count’s attendants, Diane, came running toward me in a rush.

Her skirt hem was dirtied with mud from running along the rain-soaked path.

“The Count is looking for you. Please return to the estate.”

“My uncle? I’m sorry, but I can’t right now.”

Though I felt sorry for making her run along the muddy road, finding the golden bunny was more urgent than anything else at the moment.

Whatever my uncle wanted to say, I had no time to listen.

Right after the fight with Luxca, I was too dazed to notice, but the golden bunny might have been injured as well.

Its old wounds hadn’t fully healed yet, and if it had sustained new injuries, it could be in real danger.

“But….”

“There’s something I absolutely need to find right now. Please tell my uncle I’ll visit him tomorrow.”

“Well then, um….”

I gestured firmly to Diane, who was hesitating, signaling for her to quickly deliver the message.

She looked slightly nervous under my gaze but nodded repeatedly and exclaimed,

“Then, what should I tell him about the rabbit?!”

“…?”

“The Count said there’s a rabbit in the annex and asked what it is….”

“What?!”

A rabbit?

Our bunny has returned home?

Without even noticing the pain from my reopened wounds, I started sprinting toward the estate.

“Sister?! Where are you going?!”

“Bryce! Be careful not to slip and follow me!”

As expected, the bunny inherited my strong homing instinct!

Wait just a little longer—I’m coming for you!

My sprint grew faster the closer I got to the estate.

The thought that my uncle might have captured the golden bunny made me more anxious.

‘Surely he hasn’t already done something to the golden bunny.’

I wanted to think positively, but with my uncle, the word ‘surely’ didn’t apply.

‘What if he’s already roasted the rabbit….’

I felt as though all the blood in my body was draining away.

No, stop thinking such awful thoughts.

“Lady Lize, you’ve returned. The Count is inside….”

“I know.”

I rushed past my uncle’s attendant and headed straight for the annex.

Thud, thud.

My heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway, letting my uncle know I had arrived, while my eyes scanned for the golden bunny.

“Beep.”

Just then, I heard a familiar sound.

The noise came from the annex’s sitting room.

“This worthless creature!”

“Father, wait a moment. I’ll grab my sword. This vicious rabbit needs to be stabbed to death….”

I was startled and ran straight into the sitting room without a second thought.

My hand instinctively reached for the sword at my waist.

My mind was filled with only one thought: I had to save the golden bunny from the two men who had captured it.

Gripping the hilt of my sword tightly, I nearly slipped as I burst into the sitting room.

“Lize!”

My uncle’s lion-like voice roared as he called my name.

It was a surprisingly pleased tone.

“Do something about this rabbit!”