The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 73

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 73

Hanisha spoke to Rene, who had silently set me down.

“Thank you, Rene. Was I very heavy?”

“….”

“At times like this, I’m a little grateful that you can’t speak.”

Hanisha smiled brightly. As we climbed higher up the mountain, it was starting to get cold, and her white cheeks were tinged with a peachy color.

Rene quietly gazed at that face.

“What a shame. If it weren’t for His Grace, I could have carried Miss Hanisha like the other workers.”

Then Caron, who had followed them as their guardian, spoke.

“As expected, I should quit working under such a tyrannical boss and quickly write my resignation to get hired as Miss Hanisha’s eldest brother…”

Just as he was turning his head pitifully with a “tsk” sound of regret.

“…Can you really call the Snow Rabbits from here?”

A voice came from behind.

It was the Biroche Territory Residents who had accompanied them as guides.

Since they had come from Stukkyia Castle and were people who had helped them, they had agreed to provide guidance, but they still looked uneasy.

After all, it was hard to expect that such a young child could solve a situation that had been repeating for years and was becoming increasingly serious.

“Yes.”

Hanisha answered confidently.

“Even if not all of them, I should be able to call some. They need to assess the situation themselves anyway.”

Hanisha said this while fidgeting with something.

Then Ashirion frowned slightly.

“Wait, Hanisha. How are you going to do this in such an open field? Do you think the Snow Rabbits will accept your request for dialogue?”

“Of course they won’t. They’ve done things they’re guilty of too.”

But I have to try.

Hanisha swallowed her remaining words and looked back at Rene.

“Now, Rene. Watch this carefully.”

What she held in her hand was an ice apple.

Hanisha waved the apple in the air a couple of times as if making them aware of its presence. Then…

“Hup!”

With a vigorous sound, she threw it.

Rene, who had been frowning, casually knocked it away with his sword sheath.

The apple flew in an arc and disappeared into the snow with a thud.

“Oh.”

Caron held his hand up over the snow to gauge the distance and said.

“Good reaction speed. But it didn’t go very far, so I’ll give you 50 points.”

“Rene, amazing! That’s a perfect hundred points from me!”

Hanisha kept bouncing and clapping her hands. Rene still didn’t say anything, but he had an expression that suggested this much was nothing special.

Only Ashirion was shocked.

“Wait, this isn’t the time to be saying such things! If it goes like that…!”

That’s when it happened.

Rumble rumble rumble-

A great vibration began to surge beneath their feet.

The scenery before them swayed violently as if waves were crashing.

Everyone began to stagger as they felt the ground beneath their feet sinking with thuds.

Caron said “Oops” and lifted Ashirion beside him, while Hanisha was already in Rene’s arms.

Then, the ground they were standing on suddenly sank down. It was before they could even grasp the situation.

Just as they had the illusion that the snow was surging up again, enormous figures suddenly appeared.

Pointed ears, red eyes, two prominent front teeth.

【How dare you!】

The Snow Rabbit at the front shouted with wide eyes.

【How dare you throw away the sacred apple, human!】

* * *

The ice apples of the Northern Region grow near the village, not in the mountains.

However, the continuous avalanches had made it difficult for people to harvest apples too.

“I’ll give you this. My grandfather gave it to me, and it’s really precious.”

If a child would say such a thing, it meant the rabbits also had nothing to eat.

In such a situation, if someone threw their staple food around as if showing off?

【This sacred apple! How dare! How dare you treat it like a rolling stone!】

The Snow Rabbit who appeared to be the leader began stamping his feet in indignation.

“Th-they’re speaking…”

“They’re better at it than I thought?”

The Biroche Estate residents, who had never directly communicated with Marsu before, muttered in surprised voices.

They had been determined that they didn’t care if they were Marsu or whatever, and would give them a beating if they met.

But since this was their first time facing them directly, everyone found it hard to speak due to the overwhelming presence.

The person who stepped forward calmly first was Hanisha.

“I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly. We did this because we didn’t think you would meet with us otherwise.”

Hanisha, who had come down from Rene’s arms, spoke politely and bowed her head.

“I’m sorry, but could you listen to our story for a moment?”

【We don’t listen to human words.】

Despite her polite words, the Snow Rabbits’ reaction was firm.

【Get lost! I can’t stand the sight of humans…!】

“Would it be alright if we gave you the apples we have?”

【…You’ll give us apples?】

The Snow Rabbits hesitated. I quickly looked back at the village people behind us.

“Yes, of course. We’ll give them to you!”

The village people, for whom identifying the cause of the avalanches was important, quickly nodded.

The Snow Rabbits were silent for a moment. There’s hope. Just when I was thinking that.

【…Why, are you trying to kill us again?】

The muscular rabbit who seemed to be the leader spat out.

It was a tone filled with strong distrust.

“Kill you? Us?”

【Then who else but you humans! Our comrades lost their lives because of the traps you set. The comrades who barely survived also lost their precious legs!】

The Lead Rabbit shouted as if the very thought made him furious.

Only then did their fur come into clear view.

A mysterious color that seemed white as snow but had the bluish tint characteristic of the Northern Region.

‘As I thought.’

Before my regression, when I was gradually gaining Count Agnito’s trust with the clues ‘that child’ had given me.

The clerics often visited Agnito. Then the Count would secretly call the servants and command them like this.

“Bring the Biroche ones.”

After that command was given, some of the clerics’ coats would be different.

Coats with exactly that kind of color.

‘They caught Snow Rabbits to make coats to wear.’

Officially, the Temple respects life. Although it’s limited to humans, the sight of slaughtering animals would inevitably appear barbaric.

That’s why Count Agnito didn’t provide relief to the village.

Because the villagers would need to disappear for him to comfortably subjugate the Snow Rabbits.

However, the people of Biroche Territory, unaware that Agnito was the cause of this avalanche, continued to rely on Agnito.

They believed the Snow Rabbits’ anger stemmed from magic—that is, from Stukkyia.

The people of Biroche Territory relied on Agnito, and eventually Agnito completely subjugated the Snow Rabbits through ‘legal procedures.’

【Only humans could commit such heinous acts. We don’t trust humans. So get lost!】

“I understand.”

【…What?】

“You lost your family, didn’t you? I understand the feeling of hating humans and wanting to kill them.”

When I spoke in a firm voice, the Snow Rabbit’s expression turned fierce.

“So, may I take a look at your companions’ wounds?”

【What?】

“If the villagers who grew apples disappear, the apples will naturally decrease too, and then the remaining species will have an even harder time.”

“And if we examine the wounds, we can estimate who committed such acts.”

Ashirion quickly added his opinion.

“We’ll be able to punish those involved so that incidents like this don’t happen again.”

【…】

At those words, the Snow Rabbits gave no response. They seemed to exchange glances among themselves, then slowly stepped aside.

What appeared behind them was what looked like a young Snow Rabbit.

On its limping leg, untreated tree branches were crudely attached.

Ashirion said he would examine it with permission and looked at the leg. I asked carefully.

“How is it?”

“The wound has been there for a long time. It seems to have reached the verge of necrosis. If left like this, the bacteria will spread to other parts.”

“That means…”

“…Right. Before it gets more serious.”

Ashirion whispered in a low, sunken voice.

“…We need to amputate the leg.”

“Gasp…”

Seeming to sense unease from our expressions, the Lead Rabbit shouted.

【What is it? Why are you reacting like that!】

But I couldn’t answer right away. My head spun dizzily.

Ashirion could treat animals, but only when their bodies were intact.

In this world where technological advancement was still lacking, amputation was their best option.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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