Now I know very well who the owner of the footsteps is.

The devilish bastard who brought her to the Imperial Palace. But is it because of the sadness? Maybe it's because I'm hungry.

Jenny lay still, blindfolded, not caring whether he came or not.

“Are you dead?”

'I'm not dead.'

“You are weaker than expected.”

'I'm not dead!'

Jenny lowered her front legs and glared at the man who had come to her side with wide eyes.

The tears that formed around my eyes flowed down in round drops. At the same time, Tenok's eyebrows twitched and twitched.

He immediately opened the cage and took Jenny out. This time, with both of his hands, he supported her carefully.

Perhaps the tear glands were out of order, but the rabbit's soft gift was drenched in the tears that kept welling up.

“…You must be very sick.”

I didn't even have the strength to answer. Jenny just closed her eyes. It was simultaneous.

g r r r r r r r r r r r r.

Another grotesque sound rang out, loud enough to open my closed eyes.

Even in front of this guy!

"Her…”

The opponent must have been quite taken aback, and the round, circular gold eyes were enough to see.

Then, the closed door opened.

“…Your Majesty."

Two maids who had left to get food appeared. They were each holding a large apple and two slices of bread, but when they recognized the owner of the room, they froze in place.

Tenok quickly grasped the situation and nodded.

“This way.”

At that, the maids quickly put what they had brought onto the table.

“You have been sincere in your duties. Talk to the chamberlain and ask him to give you a reward.”

“My, the Sun of the Empire. Thank you for the grace like Hahae.”

The maids bowed their heads. Then he quickly took his seat.

'Oh no, sisters! Don't leave me.'

Jenny struggled with her front legs in the air, clutched by Tenok. But despite her anxious cries, her maids had long since disappeared.

A deep sense of despair weighed heavily on her body.

'...Sisters. I'm sorry for misunderstanding earlier.'

I apologized belatedly.

'But what if I'm alone with this perverted psycho?'

I know. The man was the Emperor, and they were mere maids. There was no way they could disobey the Emperor's order.

'Still...'

I was resentful of my extreme hunger.

'… I should have fed her an apple before going.' Tenok's mouth twitched in a slight humor.

The body, which had lost strength again, drooped.

'I'm hungry.'

Tenok lowered himself onto the chair. He lifted Jenny up onto his thigh, rested her chin on one of his arms, and stared at her blankly.

Jenny also met that gaze. Red eyes were filled with resentment.

'Bad guy.'

Didn't I hear a sound like thunder coming from inside my stomach earlier?

'Are you still human?'

Even so, the guy is just calm and unmoving.

'A guy who can't even admit it!'

I'm pouring curse words inside.

“Are you hungry?” The Emperor asked. 

Jenny suddenly stood up and shook her head. The man then raised his eyebrows slightly.

“Funny. It's as if you can understand human speech.”

'Underneath… I'm a person.'

Jenny wanted to cry. And she came to realize how frustrating it is to live as an animal who can't speak.

'Give me some food. Yes∼?'

Perhaps in response to the request, the Emperor slightly pulls the corners of his mouth. Namjoon is desperate, but do you dare to laugh at me? This dog...!

Then, all of a sudden, I felt my heart beating fast.

Bu-bump. Bu-bump. Bu-bump. Kung-gi-duck, kung-deodeok.

There is no separate Jajinmori rhythm.

'I must be crazy.'

My heart goes into a frenzy when I see the man's smile. It was absurd. No, how did you get the energy that wasn't there just a moment ago?

“Take a joke.”

But the words that follow are terrifying.

'What? Joke? Jaeroooong?'

Jenny opened her mouth as if she had lost her jaw muscles.

No, this guy can't do this. Even if you're an Emperor. Even if you can't take care of a weak herbivore, playing a joke on a rabbit who is suffering from hunger?

'Do you think I would say that? I'm Yujin!'

But contrary to my thoughts, my body moves on its own. The instinct for survival is so terrifying.

“At least cute.”

'Yes, yes. In a cute way.'

Jenny brought her front paws to her mouth and her eyes were wide and bright, reminiscent of a cat from a certain movie.

As Tenok stared at her, shame ran down his back and ran through his body.

'He'll be thrilled...Right?...'

Even the opponent has no reaction. The feeling of bewilderment was overwhelming.

I slowly lower my paws and try to get my expression back.

"...Cute.”

A deep, cave-like tone flowed from between his tightly pursed lips.

Jenny pricked up her ears. Looking up again, the man's face was splashed with satisfaction.

Tenok stretched out his long arm and picked up an apple and a knife. Then he took a thin piece and brought it directly to her mouth.

'Oh my gosh…!'

Nibble nibble. Chomp. Choop nibble nibble. Choomp.

The rabbit's front teeth moved very quickly. The moist nose flared open, and the two pricked ears danced appropriately.

After devouring a piece in an instant, Jenny looked up at her opponent with even more sparkling eyes. Right now, the person who seemed to shine more than anyone else in the world was the man right in front of her.

The corners of Tenok's mouth curled slightly, then quickly returned to their original position. Then he took a slightly larger piece of apple and held it out in front of Jenny.

Crunchy. Chop. Nibble nibble.

Again, the apple disappeared in an instant.

“Yes.”

And Jenny, who lost her mind and threw it away, realized only belatedly that what she had just chewed was Tenoch's finger.

“Queek. (Failed.)”

A pitiful exclamation echoed through the silent room.

You ended up dying without moving, having only eaten two slices of apples for your last supper.

Jenny closed her eyes tightly.

Thump thump. My heart was beating relentlessly. But even if I closed my eyes for a while, nothing happened.

Unable to overcome her curiosity, Jenny slowly recalled her eyelids. By the way…

'…What... Now.'

Could it be that the round ears of the man looking up were dyed red?

The hand that had been bitten by herself was still in the air, and the bright yellow golden eyes were staring down at Jenny.

'Why is he like this?'

It was an incomprehensible reaction. Tenok blinked his eyelids quickly as the rabbit's rounded nose twitched against her will.

“…It's inconsistent.”

Then he mumbles something incomprehensible and turns his head to one side.

'Sheesh.'

I was relieved that I would not kill myself, and at the same time, a sense of lethality welled up.

'I'm still hungry!'

Giving just enough to taste, but not giving more? However, the man only kept his eyes on the distance and seemed unwilling to slice a new apple.

'It can't be helped.'

Even so, Jenny was not the kind to give up. She sloppily reached out and grabbed her apple. No, she was trying to catch it.

However, the hands (front paws) that were terribly cute tried to grab an apple. Instead of being caught, the apple was rather beaten and sent away, causing it to fall off its tray and onto the ground...

'I apologize!'

The forelimbs floating in the air were just pitiful.

“You have to be quiet.”

A deep bass sound fell from overhead. Jenny looked up at the man again with upset eyes.

But he laughs brighter than before.

Thump thump thump thump thump thump.

Now, beyond the Jajinmori rhythm, it is no different than a nanta. I couldn't get my head around the sound that was disturbing my ears.

“To stay by my side, you must also learn to be patient.”

Then he picks up a piece of bread and holds it forward. Animal senses immediately picked up the smell of approaching food.

The rabbit's nose twitched and inhaled the savory smell of carbohydrates.

'Ye..s… Crazy.'

My mouth was salivating, and my stomach kept complaining of hunger. But the man just stopped and didn't pass the food forward. So that's what it means.

'Are you training me?'

It was a 'male protagonist's move' that was natural enough to bring out a smile.

'Cancer, cancer. If you're a male lead, you should always have that kind of temper, hmm.'

Now, if you understand the other person's intentions, you can match them as much as you like. Jenny put her front legs together and quietly raised her upper body and sat down.

“Awesome. A rabbit that understands human speech.”

Never, never never, I won't bite bread until I give permission… I…

"Eat."

As soon as the order was given, she bit off the bread with a snap.

'Waaa-san, it was dangerous.'

The animal nature was so frightening that it matched the strong will. If I had been a little late, I would have eaten his hand as it was.

I'm enjoying the muddy bread while sweeping my chest.

"Smart."

'Oh, this is a bad feeling…'

This time, it always fits. The maid who brought the green liquid monster the day before appeared again with a tray.

Tenok held the spoon himself today as well. And he pushed the medicine into her small mouth before she had time to escape.

Jenny furrowed her brow.

'Ugh...! Save me∼!'

Her eyelids felt heavy as the medicine was slowly getting absorbed. Tenok picked up the gnawing rabbit and walked to the bed.

Feeling the gentle touch, Jenny rolled her body.

 

***

 

I couldn't believe it.

'Isn't this a dream?'

On a table so long that you can't see the end, plates of steaming steaks are lined up in rows.

'It's crazy.'

Isn't that the famous 'T-Bone Steak' that I've only seen in TV commercials!?

Jenny hopped and flew onto the table. She stretched out her hand (front paw) to grab a plate right away.

But the plate slid all the way back. Side, back, and front.

It slipped as soon as she made a run for it, like someone pulling a thread through the end of a plate.

'What kind of mixed bird is playing pranks!'

I was so hungry I almost died. I just ate a few slices of apples and some bread crumbs to keep my hunger at bay!

In annoyance and resentment, she rolled her hind legs all over the place. But something is strange.

'…It doesn't hurt?'

That means soon she would wake up.

'It's a dream.'

Jenny clenched her fists tightly and gave a quack! She screamed. She turned towards that 'someone' who possessed her here.

'What the hell are you doing to me!? Yay X Bangsae...!'

In an instant, her eyelids fluttered open.