The Rabbit Prince and the Dog Prince

♪Adagio (One Day Later)♪

My chin was tilted up, and the face of a dogfolk man, Growl, drew close right in front of me.

“Help him.”

“Sure. Your kiss is my price.”

“Huh?”

“You want to save that rabbit bastard called Poet, don’t you?”

If I don’t borrow this man’s strength, Poet-kun will die.

What do I do? For us dragonfolk women, it’s in our nature to lose our hearts to the one who takes our first kiss.

Even if I were to fall for this man, it shouldn’t be that big a problem. My original body is male, after all. A sharp pain stabbed through my chest.

That’s right. I’m a man. So why am I agonizing over a choice like this when I’m a man? It’s almost like... I’m in love with Poet-kun.

♪Mimi (Three Days Earlier)♪

“What’s this? A catfolk girl? Catfolk are hopeless at vocal magic, so she wouldn’t fetch much as a slave. What do we do?”

“Her whiskers might sell for a decent price. Some rich enthusiasts use them for guitar magic strings. Apparently sheep gut just isn’t enough for them.”

Out on the wilderness at the edge of town, the bandits attacked me while I was wandering alone. It seemed they were now discussing how to turn me into money.

My name is Mimi. I admired a great authority in magical engineering, studied with everything I had, and at last earned the right to join a graduate research lab.

I couldn’t sit still any longer, so I set out on a journey toward my teacher’s laboratory. But for my journey to end in a place like this... it was unbearable.

“What should we do? We can’t carry too much baggage. Should we cut her apart?”

They seemed to be discussing how to take my life.

“Well then, little miss, sorry, but you’re going to die here.”

The man lifted a contrabass with ease. He was apparently planning to use it as a blunt weapon. Instruments are not meant for things like that.

“Die!”

“Wait!”

A blade of wind flew in from somewhere and blew the massive contrabass away.

“Who goes there?!”

I turned toward the voice and saw a rabbitfolk man holding a folk guitar, looking down at us from atop the cliff.

“I’m no one worth naming, but you may call me the Rabbit-Eared Prince. Now, would you kindly release that girl?”

“Damn you!”

One of the bandits quickly summoned a Japanese drum from subspace, sent a lively tremor through the ground, lifted rocks with magic, and hurled them whistling toward the rabbit man.

The rabbit man did not budge in the slightest. As he sang and played an unfamiliar folk song, the rocks reversed direction and rained down upon the men instead.

“You’ll regret this!”

The bandits mounted their horses and fled the scene.

“Thank you very much.”

I thanked the rabbit man after he came down.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just the sort of person who can’t ignore someone in trouble.”

I looked him over, and like me, he was traveling surprisingly light.

“Um... excuse me, but where are you traveling to?”

“It’s a journey with no destination. Well, if I had to say, I suppose I’m headed for the dreamland where the girl I’ve never yet met resides.”

What a strange thing to say. It seemed best not to dig too deeply into it.

“And you?”

“I’m traveling to the laboratory I’ve always longed for. I know it sounds strange, don’t I? Longing for something that feels like a dream.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having ideals. If all you ever do is look at reality, life loses its meaning. My name is Poet. Perhaps we’ll meet again somewhere.”

There was something a little lonely about his back as he walked away.

♪Lala (Three Days Earlier)♪

I received word that Mimi-chan had set out for my laboratory. Apparently she intended to cut straight through the wilderness, a place said to be dangerous. I was worried.

I couldn’t sit still, so I decided to raise a detection antenna with harp magic.

From the hotel window, I searched for a wide enough place where it would be safe to play the harp. This city is in the Rabbit Kingdom, but I don’t know the area at all.

Then a construction site caught my eye. I’d probably get scolded, but at a time like this, it couldn’t be helped.

I trespassed onto the site and was preparing to spread out my harp and play. That was when it happened.

“Look out!”

At the shout, I looked up at the sky and saw a steel beam falling straight toward me.

Oh no! My legs went weak, and I couldn’t run right away!

So this is where my life ends. Just as I thought that—

A heavy tuba tone rang out, and in response to that sound, the falling steel beam gradually slowed... and then stopped.

When I looked toward the sound, I saw a dogfolk man in coveralls standing there solidly.

The steel beam crashed down some distance away.

“Th-thank you very much.”

“That was dangerous, miss. This area’s supposed to be off-limits, you know.”

“I’m sorry. Um... may I ask your name?”

“I’m nobody worth introducing myself for. Let’s see. You can call me the Dog Prince.”

He was sunburned and didn’t look like a prince at all. It was probably his own brand of humor.

“So, what about you?”

“I’m a magic researcher. Though, to be honest, it’s pretty humble work. Every day is just one plain experiment and tedious chore after another.”

“There’s nothing wrong with living in reality. If you spend all your time chasing dreams, you’ll never accomplish anything. I’m the sort who dislikes people who do nothing but talk about ideals. My name is Growl. We probably won’t meet again.”

There was something a little sad about his back.