Meanwhile, Guru had her ear pressed against the bathroom door with Lukshifer, trying to find out what the three of them were doing inside.
“I can’t heaw anyfing...”
“Kyuu...”
Not only could she not hear voices, she couldn’t even sense anyone’s presence. It seemed like Veilach had put up a barrier.
“Pew... Pew, do you knyow what’s goin’ on?”
“Kkyuut?”
The baby rabbit, also with its ear to the door, twitched its nose and shook its head.
“Pew doesn’t knyow eithew...?”
“Kkyuu.”
Nod, nod.
Guru’s lips trembled as she wore a look of despair.
“Den awe we bein’ weft out on puwpwose? Just me an’ Pew?”
“Kkyu, kkyuut?!”
Thud!
The baby rabbit froze in place like a stone, its two front paws raised.
Soon, tears welled up in its black eyes, and it sniffled loudly as it looked toward the bathroom.
“Pew, Pew...!”
Guru hugged the baby rabbit and sat down on the living room sofa.
Lukshifer drooped his chin on her lap, sulking, and Guru patted him comfortingly.
But when Lukshifer showed no sign of stopping his tears, Guru narrowed her eyes and glared at the bathroom door.
She didn’t know what conversation was so important that only she and Lukshifer were left out, but...
'I’m upset.'
She hugged the baby rabbit tightly.
Her heart felt empty.
Even more than when her very first stuffed toy had gotten all tattered and been thrown away.
Seeing the baby rabbit’s tears stream down, Guru’s lips pushed into a pout, as if she might cry along with him.
“Dis is... da suwpweme betwayal...”
“Kkyu! Snf!”
Lukshifer sniffled in agreement.
“We gotta stick togethew, just ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) us. Otay?”
“Kkyu—!”
Lukshifer narrowed his eyes into little triangles and raised his tiny paw-fist high.
“Fwom now on, we’ww onwy pway wif each othew.”
“Kkyu!”
The baby rabbit nodded.
“We’ww go to kindy togethew, an’ pway house togethew.”
“Kkyu-kkyu!”
As if to say he’d do anything, Lukshifer hopped over to fetch Guru’s kindergarten bag.
The baby rabbit struggled, grunting, to put on the bag that was far too big for him.
“Kkyuu! Kkyuuuut!”
Guru just stared at him being flattened under the bag, her chin wobbling as she held back tears.
'...But Pew, you’we a baby wabbit. You can’t actuawwy go to kindy...'
Still, seeing Lukshifer’s determination to be with her filled her with pride and tenderness, so she swallowed the words she’d been about to say.
'If onwy Pew couwd be wike Bayi...'
Then a spark of an idea flashed across her mind.
'What if I couwd use <Knead-Knead> to tuwn Pew into a pewson?'
She had turned monsters into takoyaki in the cradle. She’d even turned Veilach into a hamster.
And Sheir had said she could make bodies.
'Then couwdn’t I make Pew into a person too?'
A shiver ran through her like lightning striking her crown.
'Den I wouldn’t need Woojoo, or Bayi, or Mephi at aww!'
Because she’d have a brand-new best friend.
For that, she’d need mana.
And...
Lukshifer would have to endure with his eyes open.
Normally, he wouldn’t last long before flopping over with his belly up.
'What if Pew couwd wevew up, just wike Gwuu did wif wots an’ wots of [Filial Piety Points]?'
It was at that moment—
Ding!
[Due to the effects of (Unknown Title), a quest has appeared!]
[Quest: A New Use for Filial Piety Points?! Can you increase another person’s abilities with [Filial Piety Points]? Try melting [Filial Piety Points] directly into an item through a new crafting process!]
[Reward: Suspicious Star Candy]
“Uwooooh!”
She could do it!
Guru quickly checked her points.
[[Filial Piety Points]: 100,000]
Even after running the filial factory full tilt, she still had this much left—plenty to try it out!
She stuffed some children’s play kitchen tools into her bag and slipped into her room.
She hung a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.
'Don’t care if dey come ow not, Gwuu not even gonna say bye.'
Hmph! Snorting through her nose, she slammed the door shut.
The next day.
Woojoo was so tense he didn’t even notice that Guru was keeping her distance.
Right after kindergarten activities ended.
With Mephisto perched on his shoulder, Veilach came to the doorway, and Woojoo nodded, stepping out of the classroom.
Guru puffed her cheeks at the sight and headed home with her sitter.
Meanwhile, too focused on their own goals, Veilach and Woojoo completely missed Guru’s odd behavior. They exchanged a look.
“That’s him?”
“Yeah, Park Geonwoo from the Squirrel Class.”
Veilach licked his lips as he looked at the boy with thick glasses.
“Wanna me to eat him?”
“What? Eat what? Ah—no. Don’t say it.”
Woojoo, pale as a sheet, shook his head violently, covering his ears.
Veilach smacked his lips in disappointment.
“...I-I’ll try negotiating with Park Geonwoo first.”
“What about the blood?”
At Veilach’s question, Mephisto’s eyes gleamed.
“Whether it works or not, I’ll bring it in a bottle tomorrow. Satisfied?”
“Do what you want.”
After all, Mephisto was only here for that single drop of blood.
He planned to steal it from Veilach before he could drink it, gather the power, and become a prince.
Mephisto cast an anxious glance at Woojoo.
In the meantime, Woojoo cleared his throat and called out.
“P-Park Geonwoo.”
Park Geonwoo, walking while reading an English vocab book, pushed his glasses up.
“What is it, Seo Woojoo?”
“Uh... it’s just...”
When Woojoo hesitated, Park Geonwoo checked the time on his phone.
“I’ve got math tutoring soon, so make it quick.”
“Oh, sorry. Um... would you give me the prince role?”
“Prince role?”
Park Geonwoo stared at him for a moment, and Woojoo swallowed hard.
Then Geonwoo pushed his glasses up again.
“You need an activity for your school record too?”
“No, it’s not that—!”
Seeing Woojoo stammer, Geonwoo’s lips curved knowingly.
“Ah, is this about On Guru?”
Both Guru and Woojoo were well-known, even to kids in other classes.
So it wasn’t hard to guess why Woojoo wanted the prince role.
Blushing to the tips of his ears, Woojoo nodded furiously.
Geonwoo looked him straight in the eye.
“I don’t really feel like giving it up.”
Woojoo’s shoulders slumped in despair, and Mephisto clenched his tiny fists as he watched.
'Should I just make Guru give up the princess role instead?'
While thinking that, Woojoo glanced sidelong at Geonwoo checking his phone, and his eyes widened.
This was it.
As Woojoo grinned, Geonwoo looked at him quizzically.
Woojoo spoke quietly.
“Iromi noona’s autograph.”
Geonwoo’s shoulders twitched.
After all, his phone wallpaper was a smiling Iromi making a heart with her hands.
“I-I-I don’t care about some celebrity’s autograph...!”
But Woojoo stepped closer, pressing the attack.
“Iromi noona’s limited photo card.”
“My school record is more important!”
“Iromi noona’s unreleased selfie!”
“...Fine!”
At last, Geonwoo surrendered, and Woojoo wore a victorious smile.
“...If you give up another school activity to me, I’ll give up the role.”
“Deal.”
“But Seo Woojoo, you’re getting the teacher’s permission yourself.”
“Then I’ll go right now—!”
Just then, Geonwoo grabbed his wrist.
“No. Tell her tomorrow. You’re bringing the photo card tomorrow, right?”
Nod. Woojoo nodded solemnly, more serious than ever, and Geonwoo shook his hand.
“Good. Then tomorrow’s the day.”
The moment Geonwoo gave his okay, Woojoo’s cheeks regained color, and Veilach clicked his tongue.
“Tch, boring ending.”
On his shoulder, Mephisto trembled all over.
Everything would happen tomorrow!
And to become the prince, he had to become human by then!

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