Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Wavering Heart of the Rabbit Girl
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After kidnapping Lenis and having her voluntarily join our group, we headed east toward the Ravanium Mine, where Baron Vector's territory was located.
Libertà, situated at the southernmost tip of the kingdom, was a completely isolated spot with no adjacent cities around it. Naturally, no other towns appeared during our journey where we could rest, so we had to camp in the mountains like a bunch of vagrants.
Ravi and Elfin, who had grown accustomed to camping together over time, prepared the site without a word. But Lenis, who had never done anything like this before, jumped up and down, throwing a childish tantrum.
"Y-You're saying we're sleeping here? Not in a city inn?"
"What city? The nearest one from Libertà is at least a week away. You gonna teleport all of us there?"
"How do you even sleep in a place like this! It's the middle of the wild mountains! Maybe a lowlife like you, whose manners and heart are equally trashy, belongs on the street—but not me! I'm an elite mage of this kingdom and my family. I can't accept sleeping out here like some bum!"
"Oh, really? Can't sleep? Perfect. Then stand watch since you're up anyway. Looks like I'll finally get some sweet shut-eye."
"Eek...!"
Her expression was priceless. Watching her face twist in rage was great entertainment.
Lenis couldn't swallow her pride and shouted, "Fine! You think I'd grovel now after you said that? I'll show you noblesse oblige in action! A virtue like that is something a worm like you could never understand, even in a thousand lifetimes!"
By the time everyone was ready to sleep, kind-hearted Ravi started to get up, offering her sleeping bag and volunteering for watch duty instead. I grabbed her shoulder and sat her back down.
"Ravi, you rest."
"Huh? But Lenis has never slept in a place like this, so she must be exhausted already—"
"What about you?"
Ravi tilted her head slightly, her floppy bunny ears twitching above. The sight reminded me of a real rabbit, and seeing my favorite in that pose stirred a dark chuckle deep inside me. Why is she so damn cute?
Of course, Ravi didn't show it, but she didn't like me much either, so my lewd fantasies would never become reality.
"You're the one who's exhausted right now. You carried Lenis at full speed for hours, and she was struggling the whole time, so that took extra effort. Even for a Bunnykin with great stamina and strength, you can't tell me you're not worn out after burning that much energy."
"No, I'm fine—"
"Your ears are drooping forward, and you've been sticking your tongue out whenever you get a chance. Don't lie."
"?!"
In Loveholic and Holy Warrior Brayden NX, Bunnykin had a trait where their ears flopped forward and they lolled their tongues when fatigued.
Everyone in the Carrot Duchy knew the signs, but outside it, no country in the world recognized the habit.
From this world's humans' perspective, Bunnykin were treated like Black people in times of severe racism.
But when I nailed the Bunnykin trait perfectly, Ravi startled and hurriedly covered her bunny ears with both hands.
"H-How did you know that?!"
"Haven't I told you a bunch of times that I like Bunnykin? I know all your habits. It's obvious from your actions that you're tired, so quit pretending and get some proper rest."
"But..."
"No buts. Sleep. You're a travel partner I might have to rely on for my back in a pinch. I can't drag you around with your stamina drained."
"Rely... on my back? On me?"
Ravi tilted her head again. The phrase "entrust my back" seemed unfamiliar to her.
"Did you think I saw you as some kid I had to coddle and protect unconditionally? You have abilities—you're no weakling who needs shielding. I'm not amazing enough to play bodyguard for someone as capable as you. So when things get dangerous, I'll need to trust my back to you. Rest up."
Ravi blinked at me, staring straight into my face before lowering her head slightly.
"...Got it. I'll rest tonight then. Thanks for looking out for me, Alvis."
"Night, Ravi."
"You too. Good night."
...
Snuggled into her sleeping bag, Ravi felt her heart pounding like it might burst. Panicking, she turned her head and grabbed her cheeks with both hands.
The scorching heat from her face seeped into her palms.
He... he really meant it. He truly likes us Bunnykin, without a shred of prejudice... I never imagined he'd even know our racial traits so well...
No one outside her kin had noticed—not even her academy first love Brayden, or Celine, Lenis, or Elfin.
Yet Alvis, the academy's notorious wastrel and serial harasser, had eerily pinpointed her condition without her showing a hint of fatigue. He even urged her to rest. But what really shook Ravi's heart was his final words.
A travel partner I can entrust my back to.
You have abilities—you're no weakling who needs protecting.
I'm not great enough to bodyguard someone as capable as you.
It was a complex etched into every Bunnykin's bones.
Not just the empire that treated them like a vassal state, but everyone across all nations viewed the Carrot Duchy and Bunnykin the same way.
You're a weak little country. Inferiors. Subhuman rabbit trash. Lower race. Useless and frail. Born as rabbits, after all.
The reasons varied, but the continent's people all saw them as inferiors—a fragile minority in need of protection.
Bunnykin hated that treatment with a passion they could barely contain. They always insisted, "We're not that weak—we can pull our weight just fine," but no one listened.
Far from equals, public discourse in the empire openly called for annexing the Carrot Duchy outright, claiming they were too incompetent and feeble to defend themselves. Discrimination against Bunnykin was as natural as breathing.
Even "special treatment" from good intentions made Bunnykin shudder, but showing resentment anywhere just earned them a beating, so they swallowed their anger.
Yet a noble from the Andras Empire—where Bunnykin bias was genetic—who also happened to be the utter wastrel Alvis, had considered their deepest complex and called her an "equal travel partner he could entrust his back to."
An imperial uttering those words to a Bunnykin was unthinkable, even in dreams. Ravi doubted her own ears.
At the same time, every word and action from Alvis during their travels replayed in her mind, and she began attaching special meaning to them.
His academy days couldn't be sugarcoated, but afterward, Alvis had truly turned things around. No matter how much of a punk he'd been back then, he now genuinely saw Bunnykin as equals.
The moment she realized Alvis truly liked Bunnykin without prejudice and looked at her that way, Ravi's heart thundered.
Wh-Why am I like this...? It's Alvis... That Alvis... Not someone else, but that pervert molester... Wh-Why does he suddenly look... so handsome...?
She wanted to see Alvis's face.
Right now, she yearned to sit up, turn her head, and etch into her eyes the gaze, nose, and lips that had seen her as an equal.
But she was too embarrassed to muster the courage to leave her sleeping bag.
Just picturing his face turned hers beet red, her chest trembling uncontrollably.
Ravi knew this exact feeling from when she'd see Brayden at the academy. She was horrified at her own heart.
Do I... like Alvis...? Me...? N-No way, that can't be...
Ravi shook her head vigorously, desperately ignoring the budding emotion in her heart before trying to sleep. But over an hour passed, and she still lay wide awake.
Lenis, who had brashly claimed night watch was nothing, jolted awake in shock upon realizing she was curled up in a sleeping bag meant for resting.
"Gasp! Wh-Where...?"
"Awake?"
Looking around, Ravi was fast asleep in her bag, oblivious to the world. Nearby, under a tree stump, Elfin leaned against it, quietly sleeping.
Alvis sat by the campfire she'd lit with magic, standing watch in her stead.
"Ugh... I must've dozed off. Ahem, for an elite like me to make such a mistake..."
"Elite noble lady who can't sleep out here was snoring away, nose and all. Go back to sleep. I'll handle watch till sunrise."
"Wh-Who are you to boss me around? And I have no intention of owing a guy like you—"
"Elfin took watch after you passed out, and I just woke up not long ago. Those two have good ears—they'll wake up if you're loud. Sleep."
"Urk..."
Realizing it was too late, Lenis burrowed into Alvis's sleeping bag, her face flushing as she yelled,
"J-Just for tonight! This sloppy side is only tonight—starting tomorrow, I'll show my true elite colors! Watch duty included! And the moment we reach Baron Vector's territory, I'll report how you slandered him with baseless accusations!"
"Got it, so shut up and sleep already."
"Hmph..."
Thinking she'd shown an embarrassing side, Lenis quickly turned her face away.
Alvis, of all people...
She usually saw him as less than trash, but she couldn't deny that tonight, he'd been somewhat reliable.