“Don’t worry, a room has been prepared right next to Lady Isabella’s.”

“Ah, what a relief. Here.”

I entrusted the rabbit basket to Chertie. Though he said it wasn’t him, the actions of those around us made it clear that the Emperor had brought the rabbits here and entrusted their care to me.

‘Getting me to exercise… by having me chase rabbits, that rotten X.’

It didn’t look like a good intention at all. The rabbits were cute, but the Emperor was not cute in the slightest.

The next day.

“You’re alive. I thought you were dead.”

Rudelo, who had not visited while I was sick, came by.

Rudelo, who had noticeably gained weight in just a few days like a tuna, approached us with a discontented expression while we were playing with the rabbits.

“Uh, hello.”

“Hello? Isn’t that getting boring?”

Rudelo, who seemed to encapsulate all the Emperor’s unpleasant qualities, glared at us while throwing barbed words.

It looked so clear that he was trying to provoke us in some way, hoping for us to get angry at his words.

That’s why I didn’t lose to Rudelo in a single word.

“Don’t you find it boring? Saying hello every time we meet? It’s only natural, isn’t it?”

“……Not amusing.”

“Even if you find it not amusing, and even if you find it boring, I’ll say hello every time I see you, Rudelo. Until you say hello first.”

“Wouldn’t do it?”

“Yep. Don’t.”

I had no intention of forcing someone who clearly didn’t want to do something to do it. That was my way. That’s how I had always taken care of Noah.

If he doesn’t want to eat, then don’t feed him. Children’s preferences differed, but Noah was like that.

If he’s hungry and wants to eat, yet refuses to eat, it’s because adults would worry, and when they worry, he gets what he wants.

From then on, I felt it. There’s no need to spoil them in every way.

Maybe Rudelo… might want to receive attention. Like how he wished we would grovel in front of him like other people. That seemed to be what Rudelo wanted, in my eyes.

“I won’t do it!”

“Yep. Don’t.”

Rudelo showed a stronger reaction to the words that he won’t do it. I knew he would react like this.

If he came to say hello only due to the Emperor’s command, then showing his face and leaving would have sufficed. Yet, Rudelo was still staring at us intently.

He obviously wanted to play with us. Watching us playing with the rabbits, his intention was too clear.

I gave Rudelo a look.

“Going to keep standing?”

“Uh.”

“Alright.”

“……Why don’t you ask me to sit?”

“Because you said you’d stand? I won’t stop you. If you want to sit, sit. If you want to stand, stand. If you want to play with us, then play.”

It seems I was right about him wanting to play with us, as Rudelo immediately screamed.

“I don’t want to play!”

That human being, like a frog. An encapsulation of the Emperor. Rudelo, who resembled the Emperor very much.

“If you don’t, you don’t.”

“What do you mean, you don’t? How could you ignore me? I’m fundamentally different from you.”

“Yep, yep. Shasha, will you name the bunnies this time?”

“Yep! But how do we distinguish them if they all look alike?”

I spoke to Shasha, who was scrutinizing each rabbit, and this seemed to make Rudelo even angrier.

“You’re ignoring me?”

“No. I heard you. We’re not playing, and we’re fundamentally different.”

“Uh, right.”

“Yep. Congratulations on being born into such a magnificent lineage.”

At that moment, Shasha, who was playing with the rabbits, hurriedly clapped her hands at the word ‘congratulations.’

“Ugh… why these things… why…”

Rudelo, who collectively referred to us as ‘these things,’ grumbled for a while. Then, seemingly unable to take it anymore, he turned sharply.

“Leaving?”

“……”

“Take care, then.”

“Goodbye!”

“……Next time! Show some respect! Who do you think you are to address someone as noble as me…!”

“The Emperor granted permission.”

“Ah… shit.”
Feeling something amiss, Lurdello quickly left the area. We didn’t even look at the retreating Lurdello as we had a serious discussion about the rabbits.

“What if we put pretty ribbons around the rabbits’ necks? With their names written?”

“Ah? That’s a great idea!”

“Then let’s prepare colorful ribbons for next time. In the meantime, Shasha will learn how to write, so she can write the names of the rabbits.”

Shasha’s face darkened at those words.

“Uh… but…”

“Wouldn’t it be a great gift for the rabbits?”

“Would it?”

I stroked Shasha’s head, which wore a defeated smile.

Shasha didn’t know how to write. She hadn’t received proper education because the Count and Countess didn’t want her to leave their side by becoming too smart, or leave before the gaslighting took full effect.

But that was not the case now. Shasha needed to learn, so she wouldn’t get tricked into signing strange documents, especially if I were no longer around.

Fortunately, my suggestion that she should learn to write the rabbits’ names seemed to sink in.