Chapter 43

“Why so harsh? Did he cut you with his sword earlier?”

Salvador wiped his neck with his fingers, wearing an expression as if he had swallowed a sharp thorn.

Even after confirming that there was no blood on his hands, he didn’t seem to improve.

For some reason, as emotions surged up, he sharpened his words while saying, “That guy, even if my body is torn apart, it’s like trying to thrust a toothpick into it first. Do you think he approached you without any purpose?”

Ironically, it was Doha herself who approached him with a purpose.

Salvador’s attempts to pick on the young boy somehow made him pathetic in Doha’s eyes.

Is he unwilling to admit defeat, or does he simply dislike Damian that much?

‘He’s doing the same things to Damian as he did to Bunny in the past.’

She had thought that things had become strange since the Liden incident, but people truly don’t change.

Of course, she hadn’t expected anything, so there was no disappointment.

Doha casually remarked, “It’s true that Dane made a big mistake. I will firmly discipline him not to do that again.”

However.

In Doha’s eyes that followed, there was a clear expression of open disdain for her opponent.

“When a rat is cornered, it bites the cat. Look at the size difference between my brother and Dane. Did he not learn not to bite?”

A rat?

Salvador was dumbfounded.

The mysterious little creature that Bunny had picked up from the garbage dump was not a comparison to a fragile being like that.

“Do you think anyone can do that just because they’re cornered? That’s something innate. You don’t even know that the kid you picked up is a baby snake….”

Although Salvador was saying more, Doha had already closed her ears. She didn’t want to hear more.

“Stop it now.”

“Why should I stop? We haven’t even started yet.”

Salvador’s interrogation was justified.

He, as a Kredel, had noble blood running through his veins. He possessed physical abilities beyond humans and overwhelming talent.

To directly confront such a person, even a young child who had just fought with a toothpick, was suspicious to anyone. But why was he the one being blamed instead? Moreover, he didn’t start the fight.

“If you can kill that guy first, then try killing him…!”

“Brother.”

Doha sighed and said, “If you keep doing this, I might be disappointed.”

“…”

Leaving Salvador frozen in place, she turned her back without a hint of regret.

Then, she took Damian’s hand and left the training ground gracefully.

* * *

Walking silently along the corridor, Damian subtly let go of Doha’s hand.

‘Huh.’

Doha, in an instant, looked down at her hand that had lost its warmth.

Was it still not allowed at this level?

Although they had become quite close, having passed through the danger of almost dying together and exchanged various stories, she wondered if it wasn’t permitted yet.

At that time, perhaps there wasn’t a choice for either of them.

‘Even cats that quietly snuggle into your lap only when it’s cold. Yet, we’ve been through life and death together…’

Yes, it’s true that the guard hasn’t completely dropped.

Doha’s face was filled with seriousness as she pondered. Even though they were alone, she felt uncomfortable because Damian didn’t ask anything excessively.

Were you actually a princess? How could a princess be from a garbage dump?

She had so many questions to ask, but Damian didn’t say a word.

Doha peered closely at Damian’s face, hidden behind his hair.

In the end, it was she who spoke first.

“Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“I left you alone when I collapsed. I should have stayed with you until the end…”

“…”

Then Damian abruptly stopped walking.

“You keep treating me like a child from the beginning… I don’t like that.”

“Huh?”

Doha blinked with a blank expression.

If a fifteen-year-old said that, she would understand. At that age, they start wanting to be treated like adults.

But he’s nine years old, right? Definitely not a child but firmly in his youth.

“You’re a kid.”

“How old are you?”

“…”

Doha couldn’t answer right away.

She realized belatedly that she was in Bunny’s body. Her words became awkward.

Chewing on her lips, she evaded the answer and finally responded with a faltering voice.

“Um… I’m turning eleven soon.”

“You’re still a kid.”

No… It was too unfair. He really wasn’t a child.

Although he was only ten now, his mental age was eighteen, and in Korean age, he was already an adult at twenty…

Realizing that she couldn’t reveal all this truth, she quickly changed her attitude.

“I’ll be upset with you.”

Anyway, it was a fact that she was born two years earlier than him. So she brazenly pushed forward.

Doha pressed his shaggy head firmly.

Then Damian looked up at her in surprise.

Even though his eyes couldn’t be seen, it was obvious that he was flustered.

“You’re just trying to be treated like a big brother to someone just two years older than you.”

She released her grip, then quickly withdrew her hand before he could avoid it and said, “You can only be protected by me in Kredel.”

“…”

“Think of me as your protector, rely on me, and stick by my side. Got it?”

In fact, Doha wasn’t in a position to protect anyone right now.

But now that she had a child, she needed to raise her position and become stronger to raise him well.

Doha looked down at her hand in surprise when she saw that her palm was dirty black.

She scrutinized Damian up and down again. He was wearing the same clothes he had on at the garbage dump.

“Why didn’t you wash up yet?”

Did he eat properly?

Doha thought, yes, Kredel was Kredel.

Not only had they left the child who had been running around between life and death alone, but they had also let him fight with a sword.

“That’s why I can’t help but think of myself as a protector.”

Thus, the precious prince who had to be raised gracefully became the second Bunny.

“I should wash you up first.”

* * *

Doha hastily planned to take Damian to her room.

But they got blocked at the entrance before they could enter the main palace.

“My lady, we cannot let this child into the main palace.”

The two knights blocked Doha’s path, their eyes looking at her like she was an ignorant child.

“This child was brought into the palace by the lord himself. Are you trying to defy his will?”

“While his entry to the palace is permitted, the main palace is not.”

“Even hired servants cannot come and go freely in the main palace, my lady.”

Since that incident three years ago, security in Kredel had become even stricter.

It took two years for Bunny to finally step into the main palace after being recognized as Ophelia’s understudy.

However, a fake lady, attempting to bring an outsider into the heart of the castle without knowing her position, could only be unsettling.

“Don’t underestimate him just because he’s young. Mages use people as bait regardless of age. Saying this child could assassinate the lady and commit suicide means there are many possibilities, including poisoning. Always be cautious and careful.”

Doha silently listened to the sincere advice of the knights.

They were just ordinary knights with many concerns, thinking of Doha as an ignorant child who knew nothing about the world.

“It might be good to correct the attitude of knights who underestimate due to age, but…”

It wasn’t the right way to handle it. Scolding them for being rude wouldn’t make a difference; after all, they wouldn’t listen to a child.

Even if she bowed her head and apologized right away, it wouldn’t be sincere.

In that case, it was best for them to reflect on themselves and become more devoted.

Instead of asking loudly who they were blocking, Doha burst into laughter with a loud voice.

It was a clear and pure laughter, like jade beads rolling on a silver plate.

“Mother must be very reassured. You have such loyal subordinates.”

The knights, who were making bewildered expressions, blushed in an instant.

Expecting not to hear good words and receiving praise instead left them flustered.

“We respect your sincerity. Thank you for your concern.”

“What? No, that’s not what I meant to say.”

“Really? Well, that’s what I wanted to say. Thanks to you protecting this place, I could live comfortably today.”

“…!”

When Doha looked up at them with clear and transparent eyes, the already red-faced knights blushed even more.

They had no immunity to such words and felt unfamiliar, embarrassed, and ticklish.

“But Dane is not just ‘anyone.’ He’s the savior of my life. Would you give him a chance to repay the favor to his benefactor? I guarantee that nothing will happen.”

“But…”

“Pinkie promise?”

“What?!”

“Okay, it’s settled. I’ll be safe.”

Doha firmly grabbed the knights’ pinkie finger, shook it, and casually passed through them.

The knights did not block Doha’s way again. Or rather, they couldn’t.

She went to the main palace with Damian without any further hindrance.

Damian, who had been silently observing her, muttered to himself.

“You trust everyone so easily…”

“Hmm?”

“No, forget it.”

He made an indescribable sound and closed his mouth as if closing the door to his heart along with his words.