A sense of being protected is overwhelming.
Pochi’s Point of View
Hello, it's Pocchi. Today, I’m exploring a cave with the Free Wind.
"How about this place?"
"Pyuu..."
"Wrong."
Well, we didn’t expect to find it on the first try.
As a result, we didn’t find anything.
"Ehhhh… Whyyy!?"
"... That child was poached, right? Maybe there's a hidden location that's not publicized."
Crystal Rabbits are heavily poached for their beauty and charm, so their habitats are closely guarded. That could explain it.
"... Maybe I should ask Jend’s dad."
Jend’s dad always seems to know about hidden spots.
"I know one!"
He took us to a natural cave near the royal capital. It was cool and refreshing.
"Here it is!"
"Pyuu! Pyui!"
"This is it! This is the place! Is what he’s saying"
Now for some exploring… Wait, what?
"Jend’s dad, are you coming too?"
"I’ve got time! I’ll tag along—"
"No."
Binet-san refused outright.
"This is Pochi’s request, and we are here as his bodyguards. Taking over the job would be impolite. Your guidance was helpful, but anything more is unnecessary."
"Kyuuun."
Jend’s dad, chastened by Miula-san’s reasoning, deflated.
"… Shall we have a drink when we get back?"
"Alright!"
With Sole-san’s encouragement, the simple-minded uncle perked up again.
Once inside, the cave was breathtaking. Luminous moss made it bright, and crystals reflecting the light sparkled everywhere.
"Wow..."
Since I was riding on Suigetsu-san, who had transformed into a spider, I quickly started sketching. Crys-kun sat on my head.
"Pyuu, Pyui."
"Turn right here."
It seems there are some monsters around, but…
"Anyone who dares to harm my Lord’s precious Pochi, I will not forgive! Shhhaa!"
"Pyuiii!!"
Well, whenever monsters appeared, Suigetsu-san attacked from the front while Crys-kun took the upper hand. They were gone in no time. All I did was sit there. I’m being extremely protected.
"Why does this feel familiar…?"
"Sounds like the princess."
"Do we even need to be here?"
"… Yeah."
Oh no! The Free Wind team’s morale is plummeting!!
"That’s not true! Having all of you, skilled and experienced, makes me feel so reassured!"
I really am being protected a lot!!
By the way, Sole-san seemed to have a thing for Suigetsu-san, but upon learning she was a spider beast, he looked pretty let down.
Eventually, we arrived at the destination.
"Pyuu, Pyupyuui!"
"This is what I was talking about! Is what he said"
"...…"
I inspected the stones. The clarity was exceptional—perfect for stained glass. No need to remove impurities even under high heat. There were many vibrant colors, all stunning.
"Ah."
I locked eyes with a tiny red Crystal Rabbit resembling a gemstone.
"”.........…"”
We stared at each other. It was so beautiful and cute. But upon closer inspection, it was trembling. Maybe I scared it?
"Sorry if I frightened you. Would you like something to eat?"
I pulled out some cookies from my pocket and offered them. It hesitated briefly but soon sniffed the cookie, grabbed it, and ran off.
Feeding wild animals is generally a bad idea.
(............)
I was swarmed by a lot of tiny Crystal Rabbits. They were about 10 cm tall and incredibly cute.
"Your ears tickle! I gave away all the cookies already, so there’s none left!"
At first, they were scared, but now they clung to me like I was their best friend.
When I tried to coax them down, they wouldn’t budge. So, I started sketching again, and they climbed down to watch, tilting their heads in curiosity. So cute! Rosarin would love this...
They seemed very curious, especially about the sketches of themselves. Soon, they started tapping me, signaling they wanted to be drawn too. Well, I don’t mind. Rosarin will definitely enjoy this.
"Pyupyu."
"Um… In return for the cookies, we will serve you…"
The red Crystal Rabbit said this, but I shook my head.
"No, I’m good. I already have plenty of helpers..."
Our house is full of living artworks already.
"Pyuu…"
"Pyuupyu…"
The tiny Crystal Rabbits all looked up at me pleadingly.
"Wh-what do I do…"
In the end, they helped us gather beautiful crystals.
"But aren’t these your food?"
"Pyuu, Pyui."
"No, we eat the cloudy ones."
"Pyuuu."
"… The transparent ones are, um… leftovers."
So basically, these are Crystal Rabbit droppings… Let’s just not think about it!
"Pyupyu!!"
"There’s a lot in our restroom area!"
"… Thanks!"
No problem using them, right? We gathered tons! Nope, not thinking about it!!
What do you think about this chapter?
