“Have I ever talked about Casium before?”
“Pii.”
“Oh, I have? When was that again?”
A memory flashed through her mind—one of the many times she'd cursed Casium out.
Hmm. I guess I did talk about him.
“That guy—no, that man.”
“Pii.”
She started again and looked down at the Golden Rabbit.
The rabbit’s round golden eyes were fixed directly on her.
Usually, the Golden Rabbit listened to her stories well enough, but it never really paid full attention.
But now?
It was completely focused.
“Are you curious about Casium?”
“Pii!”
The Golden Rabbit nodded vigorously.
“This level of curiosity is a little troubling…”
“Pii.”
“No. Let’s not talk about that guy. Let’s talk about something else, Golden Rabbit.”
“Pii?”
The rabbit pulled both its paws out and grabbed her sleeve, shaking it insistently.
Its eyes clearly said, You can’t just stop in the middle of the story!
“Pii!”
“You’re really that curious about Casium?”
“Pi.”
“You’ve never pestered me this much when I talked about myself. I’m hurt, Golden Rabbit.”
“Ah... pii...”
When she deliberately put on a disappointed expression, the rabbit slowly withdrew the paws that had been tugging at her.
“Should we go out with Bryce tomorrow afternoon? There’s a garden near the city that I really like.”
The Golden Rabbit continued staring at her with an unconvinced expression, but she pretended not to notice and changed the subject.
I feel bad for not satisfying its curiosity, but...
Nothing had even happened yet between Bryce and Lili, and already the rabbit was interested in some other man.
Besides, even in the original story, there was a scene where Lili admitted that Casium was handsome.
I need to eliminate anything that could interfere with Bryce’s romance route.
The next full moon was approaching.
The pain would almost certainly be worse than the previous night, not better.
Thinking about that left her feeling desperate.
She needed Bryce and the rabbit to grow closer and share their feelings as quickly as possible—
Wait.
If the ability awakens through sharing feelings and the power of love... does it really have to be Bryce?
Of course, she wanted Bryce to be happy too.
But at the moment, she had a far more immediate problem on her hands.
Then even if Lili ended up liking Casium...
The thought had barely crossed her mind when something surged violently inside her.
Her voice came out before she could stop it.
“No.”
She glared.
“The age gap is way too big.”
The Golden Rabbit flinched.
“Absolutely not.”
“P-Pii?”
“Do you understand?”
“Pii.”
The rabbit answered obediently.
And besides...
The mere thought of Casium falling in love with someone else felt strangely unbearable.
Imagining him treating someone gently.
Speaking sweet words.
The image made her want to run over and grab him by the collar immediately.
I really do hate that bastard.
That had to be it.
Why else would the idea make her feel this awful?
“Anyway, no.”
She declared it once more.
Not understanding a thing, the rabbit simply replied with another obedient pii.
By then, they had arrived at the Artiella estate.
As she stepped onto the path leading past the garden toward the detached residence—
“Lady Rize.”
A voice called from behind.
It was one of her uncle’s attendants.
“The Count is looking for you.”
“He’s been calling for me far too often lately.”
And the last time, she hadn’t even received any extra salary from it.
“What does he want now?”
“He instructed that you come to his office immediately upon returning.”
“Tell him to wait a little.”
“That won’t be possible. His orders were to bring you at once.”
But if she brought the Golden Rabbit with her, her uncle would undoubtedly throw a fit.
As she hesitated, the rabbit poked its front paws out of her bag and tugged gently on her sleeve.
“Pii.”
It wiggled its ears reassuringly.
“Golden Rabbit.”
“Pii.”
“You’re going alone? Will you be okay?”
The rabbit hopped out of her pocket and waved one tiny paw.
As if telling her not to worry, it scampered away and disappeared over the wall leading toward the detached residence.
Rize lingered for a moment, watching until the rabbit completely vanished from sight.
Only then did she turn toward the main building.
“Clear your schedule tomorrow at two.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I already have plans.”
“Whatever those plans are, this is more important. Cancel them.”
“Whatever you think this is, Uncle, I have something more important.”
“I said it’s mandatory, Rize. This isn’t something someone in your position can refuse.”
Her uncle spoke firmly.
Suppressing the irritation rising inside her, she shot back calmly.
“If it’s so important, why are you only telling me now?”
“I tried to tell you last time, but because of that rabbit—”
he snapped.
Only then did she remember the documents he had been carrying that day.
She had assumed he was coming to discuss her salary.
Apparently not.
“What is this about?”
Her uncle stared at her for a moment before continuing.
“The young ladies around your age have already married.”
“No, they haven’t. At least eighty percent of my peers are still unmarried.”
“That’s because you associate with sword-obsessed women who keep delaying marriage. Ordinary young ladies are already married.”
“Well, the young ladies I know aren't married yet, and neither am I. As for your definition of ‘ordinary,’ I couldn’t say.”
But why was he suddenly talking about this?
Then—
“Always talking back. Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue, her uncle grabbed a document from the desk.
That paper...
It was the same one he had carried when he visited the detached residence with Mars.
“Tomorrow at two, a certain family will be visiting this estate. You’ll attend the meeting.”
“Why would I greet your guests?”
“I told you not to talk back. And they’re your guests as well.”
“What?”
“The family will be bringing a branch of Veranium flowers.”
A Veranium branch...
In the Empire, engagement proposals were traditionally delivered in a basket woven from branches of the Veranium flower tree, along with the marriage contract.
Wait.
Someone sent me a marriage proposal?
So that was why he had suddenly started talking about marriage.
Rize felt completely blindsided.
Until now, she had spent all her energy worrying about Bryce’s love life.
She had never once considered her own.
Marriage?
Seriously?
“Wait. Who?”
“The Valtier Ducal House.”
“...Val—”
“What?”
“Valtier?”
Valtier.
Casium’s family.
Her eyes shook violently.
Not wanting her uncle to see her reaction, she simply closed them.
“You seem surprised. Well, I suppose you never dreamed a family like that would send a proposal to you. Though they’re probably interested in our family rather than you.”
“...”
“Which one?”
“What?”
“They have two sons, don’t they?”
“I don’t know that yet. We’ll find out tomorrow.”
“...”
For several moments, she couldn’t think.
Then does that mean...
I could marry Casium?
Really?
Just then—
“Father, I’m ba—”
Mars.
The moment he saw her, his expression twisted dramatically and he lowered his voice.
“Rize? Why are you here?”
His voice was so deep it sounded like he was choking on it.
Her uncle looked at him.
“Have the results of the Intermediate Knight Examination been released yet? How did it go?”
“Ah... uh... of course it went well.”
“By ‘well,’ you mean you won’t disappoint your father, correct, Mars?”
“O-Of course! My Intermediate Knight certification is practically guaranteed!”
Mars proudly thumped his chest.
He seemed to be saying something to her as well, but she barely heard it.
Marriage proposal... Veranium flowers... the Valtier Ducal House...
Those words alone echoed endlessly through her head.
Casium...
His name expanded inside her mind like a waterlogged sponge, growing heavier and heavier.
She shook her head, trying to erase it.
“I’m leaving.”
She turned and walked out.
Mars followed immediately behind.
“Rize, are you even listening to me?”
“Yeah, I know. The joint training exercise with the Vissel Knights is in a few days.”
“That’s not what I was talking about!”
“Okay.”
She brushed his hand off her arm and hurried toward the detached residence.
She wanted to get back as soon as possible.
To hug the Golden Rabbit.
To sort out her thoughts.
“Hey!”
Mars suddenly shouted.
His voice bubbled with anger.
“The rabbit died and now you’ve completely lost your mind, haven’t you?”
Rize froze.
Then she slowly turned around.
“What did you just say?”
“You didn’t know?”
Mars let out a mocking laugh.
“So devoted to that thing, yet you’re not even qualified to be its owner.”
He chuckled.
Then spoke in a chilling voice.
“I killed your rabbit.”
