* * *

The silent prison, contrary to its gloomy and dark-stained surroundings, was not particularly uncomfortable.

That’s because, since this morning, the servants of the ducal family, under Magnus’s orders, had brought everything from a soft bed to tableware for tea time into the prison.

“…Is this really a prison?”

Isn’t it more like a room for contemplation?

‘Is this what imperial confinement is like?’

Serena thought as she lay down. The bed was filled with blankets and comforters, and there were plenty of cookies and snacks.

That’s not all.

Besides the bed, there were mountains of books worth reading, and a letter arrived every day.

It was just a few hours ago that the commander of the imperial guard saw this scene, froze, and then strode off somewhere.

“Yawn.”

Lying in this luxurious, soft bed in a small prison, how should I put it, it feels mentally stabilizing.

‘I’m not a cat, but…’

They say cats usually feel secure when they’re in boxes, is it similar for me to feel comfortable?

“I’m grateful for the books about the World Tree, but…”

Most of them were ones I had already read.

“I still don’t understand.”

[What don’t you understand?]

Serena’s shoulders flinched at the voice. She jumped up in surprise.

It was an unfamiliar voice, yet somehow slightly familiar to her ears.

As Serena looked around, clutching her blanket tightly,

Hop.

A rabbit jumped out from a corner of the dark prison.

“Kyaaah!”

Serena reflexively screamed when she saw the rabbit sitting on the blanket, tilting its head.

But anyone would be scared if a rabbit suddenly appeared in an empty place, blinking its bright red eyes and tilting its head.

Especially if it spoke in an eerie voice.

“N-Nyx?”

[Yes, Serena. Long time no see.]

The rabbit waved its hand in a way that didn’t match its expressionless face and monotone voice.

Serena’s mouth closed at the unbelievable action.

She shook her head as her eyes trembled slightly, seemingly confused.

“How are you here…”

[We made a contract, remember? Where you are, I am too. Always.]

“But…”

[Until now, I needed a little preparation.]

What kind of preparation?

The confused Serena lost her words and took a deep breath.

[Serena, I want the world to be happy. This is more sincere than anything else. Can you believe me?]

The rabbit tilted its head.

The eerie voice was without any inflection, making it extremely creepy, but the rabbit’s actions were cute, creating a large dissonance.

Feeling chills run down her spine, Serena kept her mouth shut, unable to say anything.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. What do you mean by wanting it to be happy…”

[I wish evil wouldn’t overflow in the world. Would it be easier to understand if I say I wish everyone could live happily and peacefully?]

Now she understood why Nyx had only communicated through a sketchbook until now.

After all, listening to this monotone voice, even if this rabbit was covered in white fur, it would be impossible not to feel uneasy.

[Like the plants you grow, Serena. You pour all your devotion into plants. You don’t say bad things, don’t do bad things, only do things good for growth. And if there are pests or weeds, you personally pluck them out and clean up.]

“…Well, that’s because weeds shouldn’t steal nutrients if the plants are to grow properly…”

The black rabbit nodded up and down at Serena’s explanation.

As if deeply agreeing with Serena’s words.

[Serena, you’re right. For a single plant to grow properly, it’s necessary to remove the weeds around it. That’s natural for someone who grows plants.]

Nyx smiled, showing its pure white teeth.

Did rabbits have teeth?

Anyway, what’s certain is that goosebumps are rising all over her body and she wants to escape this prison right now.

‘I screamed earlier, why isn’t anyone coming?’

As Serena glanced at the prison bars, Nyx waved its arms back and forth to get Serena’s attention.

[Who are you looking for? The commander of the imperial guard? Or the guards? Or is it your husband, Magnus von Kelahinum?]

“…Nyx.”

[Yes, I’m Nyx. I didn’t know you would betray me, Serena. Even though we agreed to keep dealing with the sources of evil together… I’m very disappointed that you abandoned me and went to a human man.]

Serena backed away bit by bit as she watched the rabbit shrug its small shoulders and shake its head.

The sight of it even sighing as though greatly disappointed was somehow unpleasant and unsettling.

[It would have been better if you had just trusted me. Then you might have met a happy ending with a happy feeling.]

“What are you talking about!”

[I don’t know who you’re waiting for, but no one will come for a while. Something very, very big has happened outside.]

Nyx crossed its arms and shook its head.

The bright red gaze looking at Serena with apparent pity and sympathy was full of compassion.

It was unclear why such emotions could be felt from those bright red, inorganic eyes, but that’s how it was.

“What do you mean by something big…?”

[Shall I show you? What happened.]

Nyx started drawing something in the air with the pencil it always carried.

It drew a large circle and then drew a handle on top of that circle.

Then, a round door with a handle appeared in the empty space where nothing had existed before.

[Now, open it, Serena. I’m showing this for you.]

Nyx said.

Serena quietly looked at Nyx with her mouth tightly closed.

“Are you really… the Darkness from that World Tree story?”

[Yes, if I say so, will you hate me? I was just by your side when you were struggling.]

Nyx tilted its head again, puzzled. Serena’s pupils trembled slightly.

[You know, Serena. I like you. It’s not a lie when I say I think of you and act for your sake.]

“…Don’t lie. You tried to use me. In fact, the source of evil or whatever, it never existed, right?”

At Serena’s words, the black rabbit, Nyx, shook its head with its mouth open.

It even hopped in place and crossed its short hands in an X, as if feeling wronged.

[I feel wronged, Serena. The source of evil does exist. All of those were going to become seeds of evil that would ruin this world.]

“……”

[You excellently prevented that. Open this.]

Nyx shook its head and pointed at the round door with taps.

Serena, who had been quietly looking at the door being tapped by the pencil tip, carefully pulled the doorknob.

Then, a certain scene was reflected beyond the door.

“Father… hic…”

“To think that His Majesty would pass away so vainly… how, how… this great sage king…”

“To have made things like this, the Duchess is truly… evil that shouldn’t exist in this world!”

“This is absolutely unforgivable!”

The nobles who had gathered in the Emperor’s bedroom burst into tears and vented their anger.

Serena’s eyes widened as she peeked at the scene in the room.

“Wait, wait… What is this? Has His Majesty passed away?”

[That’s right, he passed away. It’s a sad thing. The medicine you gave turned out to be poison.]

“What are you saying, it wasn’t poison, it was medicine! Even the Marchioness, my mother, was cured…”

[Medicine actually works differently for each person, Serena. Where’s the guarantee that what was medicine for one person would be medicine for another?]

Serena glared at Nyx.

Nyx, who had been speaking nonchalantly, shrugged its shoulders.

“Medicine is commonly used because it can achieve its effect when used on most people.”

[But, Serena. The Emperor actually died. Can you be sure your diagnosis wasn’t wrong? Was your medicine really perfect?]

The scene beyond the door changed.

Rather than the scene, it would be more correct to say that the people being shown changed.

After all, the background was still the Emperor’s room.

“Speak, Marquis Lavernia! Duke Kelahinum! What do you think should be done with that woman!”

“That’s right, if it weren’t for you two, we might have been able to properly interrogate her and find out about the poison to treat him!”

“There might have been other opportunities!”

“What do you think should be done! What should be done!”

Marquis Lavernia and Duke Kelahinum frowned.

Serena clenched her fists tightly.

All the sharp criticisms were directed at Magnus and her father.

The two seemed to have lost their words, staying quiet in a situation that could no longer be reversed.

The pitch-black rabbit smiled as it looked at the pale-faced Serena.