The Rabbit Prince and the Dog Prince

This story is a harmony woven from four melodies.

A rabbit prince who lives by ideals.

A dog prince who lives in reality.

A dragonfolk girl whose heart wavers in love between the two.

And a man who seeks to seal away that girl’s soul.

The four are swept up in an age of change. They lose their way, they are wounded, and still they keep walking forward.

This is the story of how they find light in despair, love one another, and pass the baton to the next era.

♪ Adagio / One Day Later ♪

My chin is lifted with a sharp little tilt, and the face of a dogfolk man draws close before my eyes.

“Help me.”

“Fine. My payment is your kiss.”

“Huh?”

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

Without this man’s power, Poet will die.

What should I do? For us dragonfolk girls, our hearts are stolen by whoever takes our first kiss.

Even if this man steals my heart, it shouldn’t be that big a problem. My original body was male, after all. A sharp pain pierces my chest.

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

♪ Mimi / Three Days Earlier ♪

“What’s this? A catfolk girl? Catfolk are hopeless at vocal magic, so they don’t sell for much as slaves. What should we do with her?”

“Her whiskers should fetch a decent price. Some rich hobbyists use them as strings for guitar magic. They say sheep gut just isn’t enough.”

The bandits attacked me as I wandered alone through the wasteland outside town. Now they seem to be discussing how to turn me into money.

My name is Mimi. I admired a professor who was an authority in magical engineering, studied and studied, and finally earned the right to join his graduate research lab.

I couldn’t sit still, so I set out on a journey toward that professor’s laboratory. But for my journey to end in a place like this… It’s so frustrating. I don’t want it to end here.

“What now? We can’t carry too much baggage around. Cut her up?”

It seems they are discussing taking my life.

“That’s how it is, little lady. Sorry, but you’re going to die here.”

The man easily lifts a contrabass. Apparently, he intends to use it as a blunt weapon. An instrument is not a tool for something like that.

“Die!”

“Wait!”

A blade of wind flies in from somewhere and blows away the massive contrabass.

“Who the hell are you?”

I turn my gaze toward the voice and see a rabbitfolk man holding a folk guitar, looking down at us from atop a cliff.

“I am not anyone worth naming, but you may call me the Rabbit-Eared Prince. I’ll have you release that girl.”

“You bastard!”

One of the bandits swiftly summons a taiko drum from subspace, beats the earth in a lively rhythm, lifts rocks with magic, and hurls them whistling toward the rabbit man.

The rabbit man does not move an inch. He sings and plays an unfamiliar folk song on his guitar.

The rocks reverse direction and rain down toward the men instead.

“Whoa! That was close! You… Don’t tell me you’re the wanted Prince Poet!”

At those words, the rabbit man looks uncertain for a moment. Then, after a short pause, his expression sharpens.

“Indeed! I am Poet, second prince of the Rabbit Kingdom!”

“I know your weakness.”

Saying that, the man approaches me and presses a knife to my throat.

“Nyaa!?”

“You’re the chicken bastard running from place to place while basking in your reputation among women as a gentle prince who hates fighting, aren’t you? But what happens when there’s a hostage? You can’t keep running from the reality of your country while hiding behind your pretty name, can you? Are you going to run away again? Huh?”

“Stop it! Let her go!”

“Shut up, you spoiled little man-child! I hate guys like you.”

The knife bites deeper into my neck.

Prince Poet looks like he is about to give up and lower his guitar. No. You can’t do what men like this say.

At that moment, the wind blows, and leaves dance through the air. A bamboo leaf drifts to my mouth.

That’s it! A leaf whistle! With a leaf whistle, I can’t perform full-fledged magic like I could with an instrument or song, but I can at least bluff them!

Even a catfolk woman has her pride! I refuse to spend my life doing nothing but crying.

“Hey! That woman is casting magic!”

“What!?”

I play the scale of Minimum Fire on the leaf whistle.

“Hot!”

Unable to bear the heat, the man drops the knife.

The rabbit man looks startled for an instant, but once he regains his composure, he plays the Basic Earth spell on his guitar.

Vines sprout from the ground and attack the bandits.

“Damn it! Retreat! You’ll pay for this!”

The bandits mount their horses and leave the scene.

“Thank you very much.”

I thank the rabbit man as he descends.

“Don’t worry about it. I can’t leave people in trouble alone. Besides, just as they said, I’m only a fugitive. You may be powerless, but you stood up to them with nothing but a single bamboo leaf. I don’t even have the courage to stand against my fate.”

I look him over from head to toe. Like me, he is remarkably lightly equipped for someone on a journey.

“Um… Excuse me, but where are you traveling?”

“Nowhere in particular. Well, if I had to say, I suppose I’m traveling toward a girl I have yet to meet in a land of dreams.”

What a strange thing to say. It seems best not to pry too deeply.

“And you?”

“I’m traveling to the laboratory I’ve always admired. I know it’s strange. Chasing something that feels like a dream.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having ideals. If you only look at reality, there’s no meaning in living.”

His back looked a little lonely.

♪ Lala / Three Days Earlier ♪

I received word that Mimi had set out for my laboratory. Apparently, she was trying to cut straight through a wasteland known for being dangerous. I was worried.

Unable to sit still, I decided to set up a detection antenna with harp magic.

From my hotel window, I searched for a spacious place where I could play the harp without causing trouble. This city is in the Rabbit Kingdom, but I don’t know the area at all.

A construction site came into view. I might get yelled at, but at this point, I had no choice.

I entered without permission, opened my harp, and prepared to play. That was when it happened.

“Look out!”

Responding to that voice, I looked up at the sky. A steel beam was falling toward me.

Oh no! My legs are frozen. I can’t run right away!

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

The deep, heavy sound of a tuba rang out. In response to that sound, the falling speed of the steel beam slowed, then stopped.

I looked toward the sound and saw a dogfolk man in coveralls standing firm and steady.

The steel beam crashed down some distance away.

“Th-thank you very much.”

“That was dangerous, miss. This place is supposed to be off-limits.”

“I’m sorry. Um… May I ask your name?”

“I’m not anyone worth naming. Let’s see. I suppose I’ll call myself the Dog Prince.”

He was sunburned and did not look like a prince at all. Was that his style of humor?

“By the way, what about you?”

“I’m a magic researcher. Though it’s not glamorous work. Every day, I’m busy with dull experiments and chores.”

“There’s nothing wrong with living in reality. If you do nothing but dream, you won’t accomplish a thing. I have a habit of disliking people who only preach ideals.”

His back looked a little sad.