When before it seemed like he didn’t know much about rabbits, he actually knew more than expected.
“Oh right? Ugh, I really tried hard to pretend I didn’t see.”
“……Then do all these people know that the rabbit wandered all around the Demon King’s Castle?”
All these demons……? Beni looked around at the demons gathered closely together. There were many familiar faces.
“Right. Actually, there probably isn’t a demon who doesn’t know? Even if there are castle managers who haven’t seen the rabbit, almost everyone knew the rabbit was wandering around.”
“Then the reason there were so many herbs at the farm was also……”
“I observed what the rabbit liked and deliberately planted those things mainly! The reason I keep growing those herbs is all to prepare for when the rabbit comes back.”
Beni felt devastated at James who looked proud. So for 3 months…… he thought he’d been hiding amazingly well…… But everyone had pretended not to see even though they saw him, and being able to survive without starving was all because…….
Everyone had been taking care of him thinking he was the Demon King’s rabbit. Beni pressed his lips tightly shut and stared at those who had come to the prayer ceremony hoping for the rabbit’s return.
Although the cause was being mistaken for the Demon King’s rabbit, all of them had taken care of him. While feeling guilty about unintentionally deceiving them, overwhelming gratitude came crashing down heavily. Beni’s eyes grew hot, but he clenched his mouth and held back his tears.
Since he’d received their care, he had no idea how to repay this kindness. Now that it had come to this, to ensure this prayer ceremony wasn’t in vain, he had to find the rabbit they should really love, Ben.
“Beni? Really, what’s wrong? Are you sick somewhere?”
“……No! I’m fine. Just, just…… everyone seems to really like the rabbit. I guess it’s because it’s His Majesty the Demon King’s rabbit, though……”
James crossed his arms and let out a troubled hum.
“Hmm…… It might seem funny to say this now, but actually I wasn’t particularly interested in rabbits…… no, just all animals. I never even thought about keeping one as a pet.”
It was completely unexpected. Beni’s eyes widened as he looked up at him.
“When His Majesty suddenly told us at first that a rabbit would be wandering around the castle, so to pretend not to know while protecting and managing it.”
James bent at the waist and held his hand blade near his mouth.
“I wondered if this Demon King had really gone crazy. Not only releasing a lowly creature in the castle to raise it, but telling us to manage it while pretending not to know. He even killed his own parents, so I thought this Demon King must be a really dangerous guy. I wished the 1st Prince or 2nd Prince who had suddenly disappeared would reappear instead.”
“……His Majesty told you to manage the rabbit?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you hear? I know the directive came down to all the soldiers, servants, attendants, and just managers in the castle.”
Beni’s eyes twitched.
“……When was that directive issued?”
“Uh, about…… 4 or 5 months ago?”
Thump—Beni’s heart beat violently. That timing was similar to when Beni was hiding and living as a rabbit, and it was when life at the Demon King’s Castle had become drastically more comfortable. Beni’s head lowered.
〈But Beni, you’re more precious. Because you have the exact same name as the rabbit I know.〉
〈You’re very much the same as the rabbit I love.〉
He felt like he somehow knew the truth behind all the words that had been puzzling before.
“……His Majesty.”
“Huh?”
“Just how much did he know?”
James furrowed his brow. He was about to ask what that was suddenly about, but Beni lifted his face abruptly and said as if shouting,
“I think I have somewhere I need to go!”
“Already? Stay a bit longer……”
“No, I think I need to go now. James, I’m counting on you for Ren. Even if he’s a bit prickly, he’s kind and soft-hearted, so you can’t treat him badly!”
Ren, who had been listening nearby, turned bright red asking what nonsense that was and tried to argue, but Beni was fast. Beni ran more vigorously than ever before.
Ren looked blankly at Beni disappearing, and James was also flustered but gestured to Ren.
“You’re not planning to go in already either, are you? The head chef put in some effort for today, so eat something before you go.”
“I am going in, ahjussi.”
Now that even Beni who had been there was gone, Ren became completely sulky and tried to leave lazily, but James grabbed him firmly and put his arm around his shoulders.
“Who are you calling ahjussi, you little brat? Kids like you need to eat lots during your growth period to grow big. Just follow me.”
“Let go! I don’t need it!”
Ren struggled fiercely, but there was no way he could overcome the strength of an adult, and a farmer at that.
* * *
Haa, haa.
After running without stopping, the inside of Beni’s heart ached, so he clutched his solar plexus tightly and caught his breath. Even though the cold air made his throat sting, all of Beni’s nerves were directed toward the warp portal.
There was also the safe method of checking tomorrow, but…….
Beni put strength in both eyes and stepped onto the portal in his true form, not as a rabbit.
When light flashed, Beni reflexively closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he could see the back of the bookshelf. Except for the first time, he’d never come in his true form, so it was an unfamiliar eye level. Beni clenched and unclenched his fist as he stepped forward.
“……Your Majesty.”
It was still evening time, and he’d thought the Demon King might not be there, but as if it were natural, he was sitting at the tea table looking at Beni. The only difference from usual was that he seemed slightly surprised to see him as himself rather than a rabbit.
“Beni, what brings you here?”
Even though a mere servant had suddenly come to his bedroom, he showed not a hint of displeasure. No matter how kind-hearted the Demon King was or how much he regarded him as a cherished servant, this was rude behavior. But Ruan always gave Beni the initiative.
When Beni pressed his lips tightly shut without moving, Ruan began to break out in cold sweat down his spine.
He’d gone out briefly for business at the castle outskirts and suddenly got a signal that Beni had come to the bedroom so he rushed back, but he couldn’t understand the situation of why Beni had come in his own appearance rather than as a rabbit.
Finally, when Ruan couldn’t stand it and stood up, Beni showed his palm and stepped back.
“I’m sorry, but please stay there, Your Majesty.”
Ruan froze awkwardly as if standing at attention. Beni took one big deep breath. No matter how much he thought about it, his thoughts seemed correct, but if not, he would be revealing his identity to a Demon King who knew nothing.
But having come this far, he couldn’t run away.
“……I just came from seeing a prayer ceremony hoping for Your Majesty’s rabbit to return.”
“A prayer ceremony……?”
He’d vaguely heard that there were more guys smitten with his rabbit than expected, and that many of the castle’s demons missed the rabbit. But since the rabbit had already become his servant, he hadn’t thought much of it, but he never expected they’d go so far as to hold a prayer ceremony—Ruan let out an empty laugh.
“Yes, and Your Majesty’s rabbit looks exactly the same as the rabbit that’s been visiting Your Majesty’s bedroom lately…… and the behaviors that rabbit did completely overlap too……”
Ruan, who noticed why Beni had come to find him, gazed at him quietly.
“And also…… they said Your Majesty directly told them to manage that rabbit because it was your rabbit……!”
“Yes, I did. I told them to treat it preciously because it’s a rabbit I cherish very much.”
The words “rabbit I cherish” stabbed right into Beni’s heart. Beni stared at Ruan for a moment. If he knew nothing, he would have asked him now why he was saying such things. But there was no doubt whatsoever in the red eyes looking at him.
“4 or 5 months ago…… so do you remember the rabbit beastkin you encountered in the secret chamber the night before Your Majesty’s coronation?”
Ruan’s eyes widened slightly. To think he’d figured it out all at once up to that point. It was somewhat unexpected. Since he’d hidden because he was scared, even if he noticed, Ruan thought he wouldn’t bring it up easily.
“I remember.”
“……Then that rabbit beastkin……”
“Beni Ravencoat, I’ve known from the beginning that it was you. That you spent 3 months living as a rabbit in the castle.”
Would Beni be afraid again? Or would he feel betrayed that Ruan had deceived him?
The reason Ruan had deliberately created a nonexistent rabbit and let Beni hide his identity was to reassure him. It was a lie he’d realize someday, but Beni was more oblivious than expected, so he’d thought he’d tell him himself when the time came later.
Ruan added calmly, but facing Beni who was looking at him with hunched shoulders right before his eyes made him somewhat anxious.
“Just in case, I’ll say this, but I have absolutely no intention of kicking you out of the castle.”
“……I know.”
“Really, I…… ah, you know. That’s a relief.”
He’d expected him to ask ‘Really?’ but at the small yet clear answer, Ruan was the one who became flustered instead.
