ITMBWFL 9

Chapter 9

“It’s okay. This is nothing.”

“Ppi.”

“What is it, Golden Rabbit? Are you mad?”

The rabbit seemed a little upset with me.

It kept staring at my wound, chattering as if it was saying something—like it was worried about me.

“I should at least stop the bleeding.”

When I took off my jacket, the cold air made my body even colder.

In a hurry, I tried to tear the sleeve of my shirt and wrap it around my arm.

But it wasn’t easy to do alone.

“Why isn’t this working?”

I bit one end with my teeth and tried to tie the other, but it was too short.

If I tore it more, the whole sleeve might come off…

At that moment, the rabbit ran over and suddenly grabbed the torn shirt with its mouth.

“Don’t eat that!”

“Ppi!”

The rabbit got annoyed and let out a deep sigh.

Then it slowly walked back and gestured toward the other end of the cloth.

“You want me to hold it?”

The rabbit nodded.

“You’re going to bandage me? Can you do that?”

The rabbit snorted like it was obvious.

Even with such a small body, it looked so confident. As expected, someone who would gain absolute healing powers was different.

When I held the other end, the rabbit quickly jumped over my arm and wrapped the cloth around the wound.

“Ppii.”

“Uh… but Golden Rabbit, I think you should pull it a bit higher.”

“Ppii?”

“It’s too low this time… I mean, not that you’re bad at it, but we should redo it.”

Despite starting confidently, the rabbit wasn’t very good at bandaging.

Even after a few more tries, it was the same.

“Ppii! Hiss, hiss.”

“Golden Rabbit, calm down. Let’s try again.”

“Hiss, hiss.”

The rabbit looked discouraged when things didn’t go well.

But when I encouraged it, it seemed to regain its determination and bit the end of the cloth again.

The Golden Rabbit closed its eyes, took a deep breath, and jumped again.

Its movements were strong, but it carefully avoided hurting my wound.

“Golden Rabbit! You’re doing great!”

Once it got the hang of it, the bandaging quickly improved.

Amazingly, it even tied a knot and finished perfectly, then sat beside me with a proud expression.

“Hoo… ppii, ppi.”

After letting out a long sigh, the rabbit looked at the bandage, then up at me.

It kept saying something. I couldn’t understand the words, but somehow I felt like I knew what it meant.

It seemed like it was scolding me for being reckless.

And also frustrated that I kept saying I was fine even though I was still bleeding.

‘That look… where have I seen it before?’

That scolding gaze felt strangely familiar.

Even though it seemed annoyed, it didn’t feel unpleasant.

Who was it… who made me feel like this before?

“Ppak.”

The rabbit snapped at me as if asking whether I was listening.

“I’m listening. You talk a lot, Golden Rabbit.”

“Ha. Ppii.”

It let out a scoff like a human.

No—this really is a person.

“Ppii.”

The rabbit still looked worried at my arm.

Its own injuries weren’t fully healed, yet it kept focusing on mine.

“It’ll heal soon.”

“Ppi.”

“If you’re that worried, why don’t you treat me?”

“…?”

The Golden Rabbit glanced at me like, “What are you talking about?”

Then it just looked away like I was nothing.

‘What is this? Why does this feel familiar too?’

Maybe it’s because I’ve been with it for a few days…

Anyway, I needed treatment right now.

“Golden Rabbit.”

I picked it up and stroked its forehead.

“Please heal me.”

“Ppi.”

“Hm?”

While you’re at it, can’t you cure all my illnesses too?

‘I hope your healing ability awakens soon…’

The rabbit looked up at me, sighed, and lifted its front paw.

‘What is it?’

I didn’t know what it meant—but it was cute.

I smiled and gave it a high-five.

The rabbit stretched its paw toward my head and gently patted me.

“What are you doing?”

“Ppibi.”

“Healing?”

The rabbit nodded.

“What? This is healing?”

I chuckled.

It didn’t seem to have healing powers yet, but the thought was nice.

“Ppik.”

The rabbit pulled its paw back, looking annoyed.

“Alright, thanks, Golden Rabbit.”

Meanwhile, the storm was getting worse. The cold wind coming through the narrow entrance grew stronger, making it even colder.

The rabbit was starting to shiver slightly.

“Golden Rabbit, are you cold?”

“Ppi.”

“I don’t usually hug anyone except my little brother.”

I pulled the rabbit tightly into my arms.

“Ppi…!”

It looked surprised for a moment, but unlike before, it didn’t struggle and just settled quietly in my arms.

“How is it? Warm?”

“…”

There was no answer, so I tilted my head and looked closer.

Its body was so warm that it felt like I was hugging a heater.

“You really are like a treasure. So warm.”

The rabbit opened its mouth as if to say something, then closed it.

Then it shook its head and hugged me back tightly.

Time passed, but the storm showed no sign of stopping.

“I’m getting sleepy, Golden Rabbit.”

“Ppi ppi!”

Sitting still like this, I couldn’t help getting drowsy.

The rabbit tapped my chin repeatedly with its paw.

It seemed worried I might fall asleep in the cold and starve.

“Ppi! Ppi ppi!”

It kept tapping.

“Okay, I won’t sleep. Stop.”

The rabbit frowned as if asking, “Really?”

“Yeah, I won’t sleep.”

Maybe I should talk about something.

Something that might help awaken Riri’s healing powers would be good.

“Do you have any questions about Bryce?”

“….”

No answer.

“Hmm, what should I tell you?”

The rabbit didn’t really listen and just snuggled deeper into my arms.

Still, I kept talking.

“Bryce is… very cute.”

“Ppii?”

“He is. You’ll see soon.”

“Ppaeng.”

“I… how should I say this…”

I slowly blinked, searching for the right word.

“I cherish him.”

Yes, that sounded right.

“Bryce means a lot to me. Sometimes he’s like an annoying fourteen-year-old, but I still want him to always be happy.”

“Ppii.”

He’s my only younger brother.

My only family.

“I want to protect him from anything bad as much as I can.”

“Ppii.”

“Of course, I know hardships can make a person stronger. But…”

People can become good without suffering.

“Golden Rabbit, I think this: instead of becoming hard like iron through suffering, it’s better to live gently in a peaceful life.”

I remembered what people said after my parents died when I was thirteen.

“…Poor thing. She lost both parents and her title. Will the eldest daughter even be able to marry properly?”

“Who would take her? Their business has already collapsed. Do we owe the Artiella family anything? They’re not trying to cling to us, are they?”

Those were the things I heard after putting Bryce to sleep and leaving the funeral.

“At first, I was just sad. Hearing those words.”

Back then, all I felt was sadness.

It felt like all we had left was people’s contempt.

Even remembering the original story, I couldn’t imagine living a different life yet.

But after a few days, when I gathered myself…

“I thought—at least Bryce didn’t have to hear those words. And I decided I had to become strong.”

So he would never hear things like that.

So I could protect both him and myself.

That’s when I realized I needed something to live a completely different life.

That’s why I picked up a sword.

I needed strength—and it was something I could achieve through effort.

“There’s no such thing as a necessary hardship. It’s best not to go through it at all. Even without it, my brother is already a good person—and he’ll become even better.”

So I hoped you would become close to him too.

Not just because of my illness.

I wanted Bryce to have someone precious in his life.

I smiled as I gently played with the rabbit’s ears.

The rabbit closed its eyes slightly, then rubbed its cheek against my arm.

Holding the rabbit, I slowly became drowsy in the warmth.

My body felt like it was heating up.

After moving through a forest filled with dark energy and getting injured, it wouldn’t be strange to develop a fever.

I felt warm breath near my lips.

“Golden Rabbit…”

Sleepiness took over.

“Ppii.”

The rabbit called to me and shook me gently with its small paw.

The soft touch felt so comforting that my mind began to fade.

My thoughts drifted.

Memories of my parents… the day they died… the day I first picked up a sword… the day I entered the imperial academy’s swordsmanship department…

And then—

The day I sparred one-on-one with Casium.

‘The day I truly started to dislike him.’

I still couldn’t understand what happened that day.

During the spar, he broke my wooden sword on purpose.

“If a sword breaks this easily, it’s better to break it now.”

Even thinking about it now, I can’t just laugh it off.

Why did he have to break it?

For a knight, breaking a sword isn’t just a challenge.

It’s like crushing someone’s pride—deeply humiliating.

But to Casium Valteir, that cold-blooded duke’s son, someone else’s pride meant nothing.

Even worse, despite that, he kept choosing me as his partner for team assignments.

I even thought he was doing it just to bother me.

“Golden Rabbit, you must never become an annoying rabbit like someone else, okay?”

“Ppii?”

“Annoying, always standing me up, and making promises he doesn’t keep!”

As I fumed, the rabbit reached out and touched my forehead.

“Ppii.”

Its eyes widened.

Then it started fanning me with its paw, as if trying to cool my fever.