/
The voice he gave out as he gritted his teeth was terribly rough and low.
The half-turned, ferocious golden eyes looked not like a person, but that of a wild beast.
That means he was on the verge of losing his temper.
Winchester did his best to calm him down.
“I think I was too hasty. I apologize for that, I’m sorry. I promise to find Aika safe in the Emperor’s name. So please calm down and wait.”
“If you hadn’t given her something like that in the first place, there wouldn’t have been a problem, Winchester Gaia Selledor.”
“It was Seria’s request. I promised not to be involved in anything that happens here. All Seria asked me to do was to believe in her and wait.”
They were close friends for a long time, but after ascending to the throne, he still maintained the courtesy of being the Emperor.
Winchester was also a bit uneasy about the present Kassel.
“
”
“You know. That I can’t refuse.”
As Winchester leaned the back of his head against the wall, Kassel spat out.
“What would you leave the kid to know. She’s a big kid who doesn’t know anything and only looks at her mom. The kid who barely survived Seria’s death. Do you know what she means to me?”
“Seria certainly said so. She’ll be safe no matter what happens in here. I believe in that. Seria would never talk nonsense.”
“Stop talking bullshit and find her before I burn them all down.”
“Aika is precious to me too. I’ll do whatever it takes to find her out today. So calm down. If you make more fuss than now, words will leak out. That’s something you don’t want either.”
Winchester looked straight into Kassel’s eyes and continued.
“Aika will be very surprised if she sees you now.”
A silence of moment.
Eventually Kassel loosened his grab around Winchester’s collar, and only then did Winchester sigh in relief and rubbed his neck.
Later, the pain felt as if his spine had been crushed.
Kassel clicked his tongue as Winchester stumbled.
“What kind of emperor you are with that damn body of yours.”
Winchester felt unfair.
Other than that guy, there was no one who could stand on top of him in terms of skills.
“Crazy bastard. You’re as strong as a monster, not that I’m weak.”
“Find her.”
“
Alright.”
Winchester, who barely reassured Kassel, did his best to find Aika by moving in an orderly manner.
Yet she, Aika, didn’t show up until late at night.
The anxious Kassel finally stood up.
***
I was taken aback.
To think that it said it’s already wrong.
To think that I have to do it now.
“It’s even scarier if you say that.”
Still, the rabbit was reckless.
“You ate Serpens’ eye. A huge power is crouching inside you right now! It will be very frustrated!”
“B-But it hasn’t said it’s frustrated yet?”
“Because it can’t talk right now! And breaking the seal is good for you too. Then you can talk to Serpens too. Like me!”
I heard it wouldn’t matter as long as I didn’t destroy ancient relics like itself and only awakened the spirit.
But I had already gulped down the jewel and scared it by saying that it didn’t do much, but it was never a good thing.
Isn’t it okay if there’s no big deal?
Yet when the rabbit scared me, I became anxious.
Uh, and I can talk to snakes?
“I
 I don’t like talking to snakes. I’m afraid of snakes.”
I had seen a snake passing through the garden before.
It was so long and frightening that I was so startled that I couldn’t even scream and froze on the spot.
“Since Serpens is insignificant and not scary at all, let’s solve it quickly. Seria said that helping you is my job.”
“But
”
“Are you not going home?”
“Home? I have to.”
I tried to get myself up.
Yet the rabbit didn’t come down from me and said.
“If I leave now, it seems like a lot of time has passed.”
“A lot of time has passed?”
“Yep. Every time Seria came in here, she said she had to go soon. She said that even if she stayed for a while, it would be dinner soon.”
“What? Why would you say that now!”
“You didn’t ask. So hurry up and go.”
The rabbit grumbled and came down to the floor.
I hurriedly got up and prepared to leave.
I don’t even remember how long I was here.
Even if I didn’t know it, if I counted the time I listened to the explanation, I could see that much more time had passed than a brief moment.
“I was scolded when I got into trouble. Ugh, Uncle will kill me.”
If what the rabbit said is true, Russphe might be looking for me too.
He asked me to hang out with him, yet it was our first time playing as friends and I ended up ruining everything.
“That can’t be
”
Russphe would be sad.
“Rabbit, what should I do to get out?”
“As you came in earlier.”
“Huh? When I went into the hole earlier, I didn’t come out. I’ve done it a few times.”
“I opened it, so you can go out now. Are you really going now?”
I hurriedly nodded and said.
“Yep. A friend is waiting for me. Zenda, Gerard, and Uncle will be waiting.”
“I see. Goodbye!”
The rabbit turned around without hesitation.
Because of the fur, the round rump and tail were visible.
“Ah
”
I couldn’t walk a few steps and finally stopped.
I came back hesitantly and touched the rabbit’s little tail.
“Are you angry?”
“Not quite there yet!”
“
”
“But I’m not among the friends you said!”
Instead of answering, I just opened my mouth.
Ah, right.
Earlier, I said that since the rabbit is Mom’s friend, I, as Mom’s daughter, is also its friend

I went back and looked at the hole, then at the rabbit.
Anyway
 If to awaken the power, is it better to be now? As the rabbit said?
“Doesn’t it hurt?”
The rabbit then spun around and nodded vigorously at me.
“Will it end quickly?”
“Maybe.”
“Then
”
Help me.
I sat down again and asked the rabbit.
“Great.”
The rabbit replied that it would, putting its paw on my leg as if it had always done that.
I gathered my heart and caught my breath.
They’ll wait outside, so I’ll hurry up and go.
“What if I don’t wake you up? What if I say I won’t use my power?”
The rabbit flapped its ears once.
“Then there is nothing I can do. I’ll have to wait for another seeker to find it. But that’s not possible, you know?”
“That’s not?”
“It’s instinct. You will continue to be drawn to us. that you would like to help us. It’s fate.”
“
Fate?”
“Mmhm. And the power we give you will help you, not hurt you. You punish someone who bullies you, you know? We might even get rid of the predator. So please adapt.”
“But are you alone here?”
“Yep. I’m a guide. Seria wants me to do that.”
“A guide?”
“Yep. Seria said she had to wake up to everything alone. The seeker before Seria probably should have been like that too. So it was very difficult and uncomfortable. That’s why they made me a guide.”
As expected of my mom.
My mom is the smartest and coolest person in the world.
“To keep you informed and to let other seekers know. Even if I disappear, another messenger of God can stay here!”
“
Is that okay?”
“That’s what Seria said, well, whatever. So are you ready? You said you had to go quickly?”
“Yeah, to some extent.”
Then the rabbit suddenly snapped its right unfolded.
“Look at my feet and focus. Thinking this is a snake.”
“Small and soft.”
I fiddled with the rabbit’s feet as if possessed.
Even though it was translucent, it was easy to touch.
“Don’t touch, focus.”
“Okay.”
“Concentrate and close your eyes. Sing ‘Serpens’ in your mouth and in your heart at the same time. Until it responds.”
“And?”
“Do it first. Then it comes naturally. If you can’t concentrate, you’ll be late, so be aware. It’s not my fault.”
“Ah, got it.”
I stared at the jelly on the rabbit’s foot and immediately closed my eyes.
Small jellies floated in front of my eyes.
“
Serpens.”
I didn’t feel anything.
“Serpens.”
“More eagerly!”
I heard the rabbit’s voice.
“Serpens
!”
I called out its name several times, concentrating.
The rabbit said, “It’s hard because you’re too young.” I focused even more on muttering.
My body tickled, and the desire to do something else welled up.
I held back and called Serpens over and over again.
It was then.
Drop.