ITBFL | Chapter 7

Episode 7

“But Deputy Leader, isn’t today the day of the regular meeting? There’s not much time left…”

Deserus, my adjutant, reminded me of my schedule while keeping his gaze fixed on the rabbit.

Right, the regular meeting!

“Maria! Please take care of the rabbit!”

“Beep?!”

I entrusted the rabbit to Sir Beth, the eldest member of the Golden Lion Division, and immediately started running toward the conference room.

If Cassium was attending, being late was not an option.

‘If that guy criticizes me for being late…’

It would hurt my pride too much to tolerate.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Cassium.’

When I met him today, I was determined to give him a piece of my mind for standing me up last time.

Thankfully, I arrived at the meeting place on time.

However, strangely enough, the Black Leopard Division’s seat—Cassium’s seat—was empty.

Where could he have gone?

“Sir Balteire of the Black Leopard Division won’t be attending today due to other obligations. Let’s proceed regardless. Golden Lion Division, start with your briefing on current issues.”

At Leader Denver’s words, I stood and began briefing on the current issues.

Even while presenting, my head was full of thoughts about Cassium.

That guy had promised to meet me today, but he didn’t even show up without a word.

After the meeting ended.

“Golden Rabbit, sorry for keeping you waiting.”

When I returned, the golden rabbit was dressed beautifully.

Its black fur was adorned with a pretty ribbon, and it was even wearing a lovely yellow cape from who knows where.

The rabbit looked resigned, its expression transcending irritation.

“Deputy Leader! Please let me stay with the rabbit a little longer!”

“This rabbit is the mascot of our Golden Lion Division!”

“Give it to me.”

“No way!”

Soothing the seemingly sulky golden rabbit, I led it away.

Just then, the rabbit, spotting someone approaching from a distance, suddenly bolted toward them at an astonishing speed.

It was the knights of the Black Leopard Division who were walking toward us.

Why is the rabbit going there?!

“Ahh! Is it a beast?!”

Startled by the rabbit’s aggressive approach, Knight Hedel of the Black Leopard Division quickly retreated.

“Calm down! It’s just a rabbit!”

Knight Milia blinked rapidly, speaking as she stepped further back.

Though alarmed by the rabbit’s sudden dash, the fact that it had happened in front of the Black Leopard knights, who didn’t get along with us, made it even more frustrating.

Not wanting to lose face, I briskly yet calmly approached them.

“Sir Hedel, what’s the matter?”

“What do you mean, Milia?”

“You’ve been glaring and wiggling your fingers five times per second.”

“Well… it’s about Commander Cassium. I can’t help but wonder if he’s starving somewhere…”

“Stop! Stop saying such things!”

Milia Aswitt quickly covered Hedel Bissen’s mouth. Hedel, coughing in protest, glared at Millia with an indignant expression.

“You’re the one who asked, Millia.”

“Commander Cassium isn’t someone who would starve anywhere. He’d rather eat grass than go hungry. He wouldn’t be lying around helplessly or letting his already questionable temper worsen from hunger!”

“Fine, Milia, I got it.”

As Milia rattled off her points rapidly, Hedel nervously wiggled his fingers even more.

“Yes, Milia, you’re right. Commander Cassium must be charming his way into a good meal, resting with a nap, and simply enjoying a vacation rather than being missing!”

“Everything you said is correct—except for the part about him being charming!”

Hedel and Milia let out a hopeful chuckle together.

But just then, something appeared in the distance, heading toward them.

“Ahh! Is it a beast?!”

“Calm down! It’s just a rabbit!”

Despite their attempts to reassure themselves, their feet instinctively carried them further back.

Hedel squinted as he watched the approaching figure behind the robust rabbit.

The figure’s crimson hair and precisely tailored white knight’s uniform stood out, accompanied by piercing green eyes that seemed both sharp and slightly dissatisfied.

Their firmly set mouth suggested they were here to resolve matters swiftly. The silver emblem on their shoulder marked their identity unmistakably—

The Deputy Leader of the Golden Lion Division, Lize Artiel.

“What brings you here?”

Hedel, unsure where to focus—on the rabbit or Lize—asked cautiously.

“Commander Cassium didn’t attend today’s meeting.”

“Ah, yes. The Commander is currently on a mission.”

“Are you referring to the mission to retrieve the Heart of Lagon?”

“Yes.”

“It’s been several days since that mission started, yet he hasn’t returned. Seems Cassium is quite slow-handed.”

Hedel felt resentment toward Lize for making such a remark.

Commander Cassium must be struggling somewhere, fighting hard, yet here they were mocking him.

“Commander Cassium is…”

“Beep.”

Just then, a sound came from below.

Hedel looked down at the rabbit that had been running earlier.

The adorably dressed rabbit looked up at him, making a small sound.

Hedel and Milia also stared blankly at the rabbit.

“Beep.”

The rabbit let out a cynical “Beep,” its gaze oddly reminiscent.

‘What is this? This expression… strangely familiar.’

Hedel blinked, his thoughts drifting to how the rabbit’s cynical look resembled Commander Cassium.

“What’s with this strangely dressed rabbit, Lady Artiel?”

At that moment, Milia shouted. Her voice seemed to snap Hedel out of his thoughts.

How could he have such blasphemous thoughts about a rabbit raised by the Golden Lion Division?

Millia raised her chin arrogantly and retorted at the rabbit.

“Weird, you say, Sir Aswitt? It’s a cute rabbit.”

“To my eyes, it looks like a strange rabbit.”

“Beep.”

The rabbit cutely extended its paw, but under Milia’s glaring eyes, it retracted it quietly.

Although the description was odd, somehow the rabbit’s expression looked a bit dejected.

Its expression was clearly downcast, but the aura it emanated was unusually intense.

Hedel felt like he might shrink back from the aura, but Millia only flinched momentarily before lifting her chin again.

“The Golden Lion Division must be so relaxed that they can afford to raise such a rabbit!”

“Looks like the Black Leopard Division lacks the peace of mind to even tolerate a rabbit.”

“Peace of mind doesn’t equate to a fondness for rabbits, does it?” Millia shot back confidently.

“Beep,” the rabbit said, opening its mouth, but Milia snorted and stubbornly responded.

“Moreover, this isn’t just a rabbit; it seems like a monster!”

“Beep.”

The rabbit stared at Milia with an even more dejected expression.

Milia began to feel like she had made a grave mistake but couldn’t figure out why.

To resolve this cognitive dissonance, she spoke to the rabbit in an even more indifferent tone.

“What are you looking at, you ugly rabbit?”

The rabbit’s expression hardened further.

“Ugly rabbit.”

And then, in the next instant—

“Ah! Golden Rabbit!”

The rabbit suddenly jumped high into the air, leaping effortlessly.

The event happened so quickly, and the rabbit leapt so high—above the knights’ heads—that the knights could only look around in confusion.

“Ugh.”

Hedel and Milia let out groans as the rabbit lightly stepped on their shoulders.

Its hind paws had landed directly on the spot where the Black Leopard Division’s insignia was embroidered on their shoulder straps.

Both knights glanced alternately at each other and the rabbit, noticing the dirt smeared on their insignias. Meanwhile, the rabbit gracefully landed and began shaking the dirt off its feet.

“Well,” Lize said with a light chuckle.

“The Black Leopard Division knights are so warm-hearted, even lending their shoulders to a rabbit.”

“Better to lend them to a rabbit than to a dirt-stained lion,” Hedel retorted, though his mind was filled with thoughts that this rabbit was anything but ordinary.

“So, when is Cassium coming back?”

“Come back in a week. But why are you looking for the Commander?” Hedel replied as he brushed off the dirt on his shoulder.

“I was supposed to have a hunting wager with him today.”

Lize’s gaze and tone grew heavier, clearly showing her displeasure.

“When the Commander returns, let him know this: there are a few people in the Golden Lion Division I won’t tolerate, and one of them is someone who takes promises lightly.”

After addressing the two knights, Lize turned to leave.

Under normal circumstances, they would have responded, but her voice carried an unusual chill that left them unable to speak.

Moreover, the rabbit nestled in Lize’s bag was staring at them intently, leaving them both speechless.

“That bastard Cassium, how little does he think of me?”

Walking through the forest, I grumbled incessantly.

Although I had remained composed in front of the knights earlier, my anger was boiling over.

Twice now, he had stood me up?

What kind of grand mission could he be on?

‘Did he even go on a mission?’

Having known him for years, I was aware. No matter the mission, Cassium always completed it within a week and took at least one of his three adjutants with him.

But Milia and Hedel were at the knight headquarters, and the other adjutant, Nervan, was on a date in the streets of Elinsitz earlier.

So he went on a mission?

I was starting to suspect Cassium simply wanted to avoid me and made up an excuse.

“Fine, whatever.”

I stomped my feet harder on the ground. Today was the day Cassium and I had agreed to compete in the Forest of Monsters.

Memories of a few days ago came to mind.

“We need to locate the den of the monster Luxca in the Bezen Forest…”

“I’ll do it.”

In the office of the Commander of the Erne Knights,

Both Cassium and I volunteered at the same time before Commander Denver could finish speaking.

I shot a glare at Cassium, but that annoying man simply stared ahead with his usual detached expression.

“This task is more suitable for the Golden Lion Division. Large-scale monster extermination is what we specialize in, after all.”

“It’s not about scale but methodology. Whether it’s brute force or strategic, systematic approaches, the Black Leopard Division is capable of handling it all.”

I glared coldly at Cassium.

But Cassium, with his infuriating composure, looked back at me with an expression that seemed to ask, “What did I do wrong?”