ITMBWFL 6

Chapter 6

“This isn’t right.”

After Bryce left, the rabbit—having finished all the meat—jumped up onto the sofa and gave a little hop.

Its fur somehow looked even glossier now, and its face was full of happiness.

“I should’ve given it to you earlier.”

“Pi.”

As if its insides had been oiled and its mood softened, the rabbit replied like it didn’t mind.

After taking a short walk around the room, it returned to the sofa with a happy expression and soon fell into a nap.

I quietly watched it, then crept closer.

‘When will you get close to Bryce, little rabbit…?’

The sleeping rabbit curled up even more.

I sat beside it and gently stroked its forehead.

Things weren’t going the way I wanted, and it frustrated me, but somehow, watching the rabbit sleep so peacefully made me feel calm.

It felt like having someone I’d known for a long time beside me.

“Golden Rabbit. There’s probably no rabbit in the world living as comfortably as you.”

I rested my head lightly on the sofa where it was sleeping.

A soft evening breeze drifted in through the window.

‘I should close the curtains tightly before sleeping.’

Because tonight was a full moon.

But leaning against the sofa, with my forehead touching the rabbit’s, I ended up falling asleep without realizing it.

“Ugh…”

At the sound of a strained groan, the rabbit’s ears perked up. It was coming from very nearby.

The groan, filled with pain, couldn’t even continue properly.

It was a familiar voice.

Lize’s.

The rabbit’s eyes snapped open.

She was someone it had fought alongside countless times—same swordsmanship class, same knight order.

But it had never heard her in this much pain before.

“Pii.”

It called her name.

Lize was clutching the curtain with trembling arms, leaning against the window frame.

Moonlight shimmered over her flushed, sweat-drenched face.

Her expression was twisted in agony, as if the moonlight itself were blades cutting into her.

Was she trying to open the curtains? The rabbit hurried up to the window.

It tried to grab the curtain with its mouth to help.

“Don’t!”

At that moment, Lize shouted.

But it sounded less like a scolding and more like a desperate plea.

She kept holding onto the curtain.

Only then did the rabbit understand—she wasn’t trying to open it, but close it.

The rabbit pulled the curtain from the other side, covering the window.

The moonlight on her face disappeared.

“……”

Only then did Lize let go and collapse to the floor.

Her ragged breathing scattered into the air.

“Pii…”

The rabbit called her again, placing a paw on her shoulder. Her whole body was trembling.

Seeing her like she might die at any moment, its mind went blank.

‘That medicine…’

Pills were scattered from an overturned bottle, proof that she had taken them in a hurry.

‘I have to save her.’

For some reason, that thought came first.

But right after, a sense of helplessness followed.

What should it do? What could it even do in this form?

“……”

As it hovered around her helplessly, she slowly opened her eyes.

Her gaze fell on the rabbit.

“…I’m okay.”

That voice didn’t sound okay at all.

“…For now… but if it gets worse… you’ll save me, right…?”

She kept mumbling, her face like she was about to lose consciousness.

It didn’t even seem like she knew what she was saying.

In the dark room, there was only her and the rabbit.

And the rabbit didn’t even know where to find help.

After wandering the annex a few times, it had learned there weren’t even proper servants here.

Only a servant named Marlon and that kid, Bryce, stayed in the same building.

If it had known this would happen, it would’ve at least learned where that kid’s room was.

“…Don’t go. Stay with me.”

Just as it was about to leave the room, Lize, half-conscious, said something unlike herself and pulled it closer.

Her hot hands wrapped around its body.

For a moment, its mind went even blanker—then it slipped out of her grasp.

At least it knew where the bathroom was.

The rabbit soaked a blanket with water and dragged it back, wiping the cold sweat from her face.

Why is she this sick?

This isn’t just a simple fever.

From how used she seemed to it, this must be an illness she’d had for a long time.

She always acted like she had to be the strongest person in the world…

So since when had she been suffering like this?

Without realizing it, the rabbit wiped her sweat with a hardened expression.

Then it heard a faint voice mixed with breath near its ear.

“Thank you.”

Her breathing gradually became steadier.

The trembling of her body slowly subsided.

Perhaps the clouds had passed, because moonlight slipped through a gap in the curtain.

Since she had tried to block it, the rabbit completely sealed even that small gap.

Then it sat beside her as she fell asleep.

Until she was fully asleep, the only gaze shining in the darkness never left her face.

“…!!!”

I opened my eyes.

“Pii…”

A weak sound came from near my head—no, more like beneath it.

“Pi…”

“Gasp—Golden Rabbit!”

I had been sleeping with my head on the rabbit.

Startled, I jumped up. The rabbit casually dusted off the spot where I had been lying.

“Did I fall asleep like this? Just lying on the floor?”

Wait… yesterday was the full moon.

Fragments of last night flashed through my mind.

I couldn’t remember everything clearly, but…

The image of the rabbit dragging a wet blanket bigger than its body and staying by my side was vivid.

“Golden Rabbit… did you take care of me last night?”

“Pi.”

It replied as if asking what was so surprising, almost like a scolding tone.

That tone felt strangely familiar.

So it really did take care of me.

It felt… strange.

I was grateful, of course—but it wasn’t just that.

‘It felt like I was leaning on someone.’

Every time I got sick, I was always alone.

I had never even imagined someone would stay by my side.

But in that moment, I realized how reassuring it was to have someone there.

“Golden Rabbit!”

I quickly picked it up and pressed my cheek into its fluffy fur.

“Goooolden Rabbit.”

The rabbit froze in surprise.

‘But it’s not pushing me away.’

Before, it would run away the moment I tried to hug it.

Now, it just stayed still, watching me closely.

‘Wait… is this my chance?!’

I placed a hand on my forehead as if I had a headache. Its golden eyes immediately focused there.

“I have to go to work… but I feel so sick…”

I acted as convincingly as I could.

The rabbit reached out its paw, as if trying to check my temperature.

I swayed slightly, avoiding it, and muttered,

“What if I collapse on the way? It’s a forest path… no one would be there to help…”

“……”

“If only someone would go with me, that would be so reassuring!”

“……”

“Golden Rabbit, will you come with me?”

I asked with sparkling eyes.

The rabbit muttered something, its expression half-annoyed, half-worried.

Then it nodded.

‘Got it!’

Finally, I could stay within one meter of the rabbit for a long time.

On the way to the knights’ headquarters, the rabbit kept its head out of the bag, staring at me.

‘Is it worried because it saw me in pain?’

After the full moon passed, my symptoms disappeared, so I was actually fine now.

Still, since the usually cold rabbit was showing concern, I kept pretending to be sick.

‘This is a rare chance. I need to achieve something during this time.’

To get the best results quickly, there was something I had to ask.

I looked at the rabbit with a pounding heart.

“Our Golden Rabbit…”

Ahem. After clearing my throat twice, I asked,

“What’s your ideal type?”

Maybe that was too direct, but I didn’t have time to hesitate.

I had given up on the slow romance between Bryce and Liri.

Instead, I’d make Bryce fit Liri’s ideal type.

The rabbit twitched its fluffy nose.

It clearly looked like it was thinking, Why are you asking a rabbit something like that?

But this was important to me.

“Imagine everyone here isn’t human but rabbits. Even in a rabbit world, you’d date, right?”

“Bbaeng.”

“What about a rabbit like Bryce?”

“Eek.”

“Please take this seriously.”

I hurriedly listed 500 of Bryce’s good points.

“Now choose, little rabbit. A delicate, pure type? Or a strong type who can protect you?”

“Bonk.”

“Come on, just pick one.”

“Sigh… pi, pi.”

“The second one? Then Bryce is perfect! Let me tell you—”

As I was about to continue, the rabbit suddenly clutched its wound with its paw and let out a weak sound.

“Golden Rabbit! Does it hurt?!”

“Pii…”

Panicking, I rushed my steps.

As soon as we reached the Erne Knights’ headquarters, I set the bag down and looked inside.

“Let’s go to a doctor, Rabbit!”

But it just shook its paw, refusing. Its expression was already calm again.

Was it pretending to be sick?

Wait… did it learn that from me? Did I make it too obvious earlier?

“Wait, Golden Rabbit, you should stay in the bag for now—”

Before I could stop it, the rabbit jumped out.

Before I could even finish speaking, its eyes widened again.

“Waaah! A rabbit!”

The knights came running, kicking up dust.

“Captain! Isn’t that the cutest rabbit?!”

Startled, the rabbit ran back to me, and I quickly picked it up.

It waved its paws at the approaching men as if fending them off.

“Rabbit! Captain Lize! I want to hold it too!”

“Me too!”

“No, everyone back off. I need to do some private training with this rabbit.”

I brushed them off and protected the rabbit from their rough hands.

“Then let’s recruit this rabbit into the Erne Knights!”

“Captain, what’s its name?”

“Golden Rabbit.”

“Alright, Kim Togi, you must join the Golden Lion unit!”

“Pi—pi—pi—!”

The rabbit snorted and bared its teeth, muttering something.

“Captain, look! Even the rabbit is showing determination!”

Whether that was really determination was questionable, but I just nodded so as not to ruin their excitement.