The Legendary Supreme Rabbit
Even Rand went one step further, pulling out a magic amplifier with a perfect grip.
"Here."
"……."
A voice-amplifying magic tool covered in a cute carrot-shaped ornament.
Perdikion's lips twitched as if he wanted to chew through the carrot-shaped voice amplifier.
His red eyes, gleaming with the fierce spirit of a fire dragon clansman, soon glared at Rand's green ones.
"I can't go up there alone. If it's really that bad, send up some of your animals to distract them!"
"A shyer kid than I thought. It's not a tough request…… I'll help."
Rand, who accepted, turned to look at Rune.
"I need to bring my familiars, so I'll step out for a bit."
"Do that."
Rand nodded and began to walk away leisurely.
Watching him, Perdikion muttered.
"Something feels off."
"Yeah……."
Rune, rubbing his chin beside Perdikion, seemed to know the reason for that unease.
'If the goal is to distract attention, that might be tricky.'
Perdikion figured that with multiple performers on stage, there'd be more to watch, scattering the gazes.
But the stage for a fire dragon elder heir's performance was one of dance and song.
Typically, roles divided into a lead singer and their backup.
'Usually…… the backup helps the audience focus more on the singer's voice.'
Rune, who had watched street performances in his past life, recalled this and glanced at Rand.
Sure enough, Rand's face held a faint smile as he pressed a finger to his lips.
His mouth moved.
'Shh.'
Then he left with a perfectly casual expression.
'……Rand knows it too.'
Heungmi joining the stage might have achieved the desired effect.
But the little fox beastkin had other duties.
"Are preparations going well? I've gathered all who can move."
Just then, Belianus entered, leading the elves into the plaza, right on time.
In the end, though uneasy, Perdikion gripped the cat mask and prepared to take the stage.
Meanwhile, Rune turned his gaze elsewhere.
'Time to do my part while I can.'
"Baekya."
"Pip?"
*Tilt*
Baekya, who had been following Heungmi, turned at Rune's call.
At his gesture, the bird deftly spread its wings and landed on Rune's hand.
"Let's groom those feathers."
"Pii-yak!"
After one molt since hatching, its plumage had grown lush and fine.
Rune harvested a bountiful amount of phoenix feathers, with the bird now making refreshed expressions each time he preened it.
Next, he ground pearls and diluted Baekya's tears into high-quality recovery water, creating fine healing potions.
Rune bottled them generously and stored them in his subspace pouch.
He added one phoenix feather to each vial, boosting their ability to burn away impurities.
And then.
"Good thing I grabbed this."
Rune's eyes sparkled as he secretly pulled out the wine bottle he'd taken from Rand's room.
The vast plaza.
The elves gathered, groaning in pain.
Most avoided eye contact, occasionally glancing suspiciously at those beside them.
Those few who spoke whispered quietly.
"Did you come after hearing Lord Belianus's message too?"
"Yeah. They said it'd ease the pain if we came……."
"I heard it might help with treatment. Does anyone know if it's true?"
"Cough! It's rough. If it's a curable illness, why not tell us sooner?"
"They say you have to come in person for the benefits. Isn't that too much when things are this bad?"
"Anything's fine. If it can heal this sick body……."
Their lively deer-like legs were now swollen or covered in ugly rashes.
Some hid their disfigurement under filthy robes or cloths, barely cleaned.
Though irritation and dissatisfaction showed, most waited quietly for Belianus.
From the bell tower above, a boy in a red rabbit mask looked down.
A scene blending trust in Belianus, desperation, and lethargy.
The belief that something would be done for them was the last lifeline for these cornered elves.
"That Rand guy told me to wait here—what's his plan?"
*Whish!*
The air shifted.
He turned toward the changed wind, where a massive eagle flew straight at him.
Perdikion, masked, extended his hand at once, and the eagle circled right before him.
Reading its intent, Perdikion said.
"Come."
Majestic wingbeats followed, its thick talons brushing past him.
The next moment, Perdikion vanished from the bell tower.
*Whoooosh!*
With Perdikion clutched in its talons, the eagle circled slowly in the air before descending toward the stage platform.
A large shadow fell over the elves' heads.
As they murmured and looked up—
*Flap flap*
*Flutter flutter*
Innumerable wingbeats filled the air.
Small birds flew in formation, lining up in rows before the platform.
Naturally, the elves' eyes were drawn to the synchronized birds.
"Wh-what…… birds?"
"What's going on?"
A small commotion spread.
Ignoring their murmurs, the similar-sized birds formed three rows.
The smallest in the front row, medium in the second, largest in the third.
Finally, the massive eagle dropped Perdikion onto the stage.
"Rabbit mask?"
Perdikion was glad the mask was red.
His face burned hot.
*Pip-ro-ro-ro pip-ro-ro-ro*
*Pip-ro~ pip-ro~*
*Coo-coo coo-coo-coo*
The birds' harmony began.
Front row sopranos, second mezzos, third altos.
Even within, pitches and rhythms divided precisely.
Then a cat and a spotted puppy climbed onto the platform.
*Meow~ meow~*
*Woo-woooo-*
As the animals perfectly rendered the song's intro chorus, Perdikion rose from his spot.
He gripped the carrot-shaped amplifier and gazed at the elves through the mask.
Shocked eyes, weary eyes, dead eyes pleading for salvation.
Seeing them, Perdikion clutched the carrot tool tightly.
"Have you, even today, grown weary and fatigued?
Drier than this parched desert, your tears no longer flow,
Choked by the hours that squeeze my heart."
The song flowed out.
In the sequence of special Words of Power, Perdikion soon immersed himself.
"Sink away, melt into the murky heart, fleeting words seeping in.
Days and nights that never brighten.
No star for me—better that way on such a night.
It's fine if my pathetic form stays hidden, my heart unseen.
Dreams and hope—they're too heavy for me."
The elves fell into the song.
At that moment, desert moles poked their heads out one by one, striking xylophones with metal bars of varying lengths.
*Pong pong*
*Pong pong pong*
Clear tones like echoes underwater rang out.
The melancholic intro shifted midway to a gentler mood.
"I close my eyes. Days walking forest paths in drizzling dew,
Your beautiful smile gazing at me comes to mind."
With soft sighs, the elves stared blankly at Perdikion, unaware their disease-ravaged faces were exposed.
Xylophone notes like gentle rain.
Dwarven moles drumming small beats in rhythm.
The meowing cat scratched wood for a *scratch-scratch* rhythm.
A desert fox shook sand pouches—*chak, chak*—enriching the music.
"I close my eyes. I dream. Freely treading grass blades,
Returning to that happy you, soaring the skies."
The high note ended, accompaniment fading slowly.
"It's okay to sleep. When you open your eyes, a world for the happy you awaits."
The final melody flowed a cappella.
The performing animals had all dozed off.
"A world to bless you."
The elves too slumped into sleep like fainting.
When the song ended, the plaza filled only with deep sleeping breaths.
Only then did Rune, Heungmi, and Dullahan peek from the side, thumbs up to Perdikion.
Heungmi mouthed, 'We'll start!' and began absorbing the demonic energy embedded in the elves.
Dullahan moved so quietly his armor barely clanked, working carefully.
The task went smoothly.
Rune approached Perdikion while watching the absorption.
"I know you're supposed to plug your ears, but it was so good I wanted to hear it anyway. Great job, bro."
"Hmph. I did what was needed."
Though the rabbit mask hid Perdikion's face, his ear tips were red.
Rune smiled faintly.
"You look pleased."
"……."
The rabbit-masked Perdikion scanned the sleeping elves without retort.
They who had groaned in agony, trapped in nightmares.
Now, lulled by his song infused with Words of Power, they slumbered peacefully.
Perdikion crossed his arms firmly.
"Seeing their faces, I just wanted to give it my all. They're ordinary residents suffering, no matter the race."
"Saying stuff like that now? You've gotten really cool, bro."
Hearing Rune's sincere voice, Perdikion glanced at him briefly.
The sneaky guy who made him stand alone on stage in this ridiculous rabbit mask—but feeling genuine respect felt good.
He cleared his throat lightly.
"Talking like it wasn't always this way. Well, it was a decent experience."
Perdikion stepped down from the stage, still holding the rabbit mask and carrot amplifier.
Even in the cute animal mask, his posture and movements exuded a ruler's aura.
One hand on his hip, he jerked his chin.
"Let's head to the palace before they wake. Where are Rand and Belianus?"
"Oh, Belianus dozed off a bit since he didn't plug his ears by mistake. Rand's taking him by carriage."
"Got it."
"Yeah. We'll just leave this on the stage."
Heungmi and Dullahan absorbed the demonic energy, leaving one of Rune's potion bottles beside each elf.
The curse was lifted, but not their illnesses—hence the healing potions.
They were also for those who couldn't make it to the plaza.
"This enough?"
Finally, Perdikion left a wooden sign on the stage with instructions for using Rune's potions, their purpose, and other essentials.
Atop the sign sat the carrot-shaped voice amplifier he'd written with.
"More than enough."
Even as an Imugi, Rune had seen desperate folk await miracles in crises.
Coincidence or not, recalling those who experienced one in their direst moments, he answered confidently.
'Those waking from deep sleep will think their bodies healed thanks to Perdikion—that a miracle happened.'
The remnants on stage served as proof of their miracle.