MV – Chapter 176: The Popular Rabbits and the Minor Villain

The plan to infiltrate Vapula was set for five days later. With time on his hands, Lanpeach, the genius with a brilliant mind, decided to go for a stroll. His only companion was Mimi, who was napping on his head.

“Be cautious. If the energy absorption operation in Vapula is a decoy, the enemy may be lying in wait for us. The enemy must be preparing a force strong enough to ensure Pla-san’s downfall since we defeated Botis.” (Mira)

Mira brushed back her black hair and smiled coolly, exuding a mysterious charm before briskly walking away.

Toward the refrigerator, where the pudding was kept. It was quite the task to chase her away as she floated toward the door, spoon in hand. Wait for it to chill, please.

“Preparation, huh… My skills are Supernatural Powers and Gunmanship. Hmm, should I acquire Libra’s skills? No, maybe upgrading my equipment is the way to go?” (Lanpeach)

As Lanpeach muttered to himself while walking down the hallway, the residents glanced at him, chuckling nervously while thinking he was plotting something nefarious. Meanwhile, neighborhood kids swarmed around his feet, prompting him to hand out candies. The girl who had previously walked off in a flourish was quietly waiting in line for her turn, but Lanpeach pretended not to notice.

Strolling through the Lanpeach Complex, he reflected on how much the environment had changed in just a single year as he glanced around the building.

“Quite the haul today. What do we do with the tricky-to-eat small fish again?”

“Turn them into marinade, or sell them to people who are good at filleting fish.”

“I broke the eggs! Waaah!”

“There, there, it’s okay. We can always buy more. Plus, I’ll make an omelet with the broken ones for you.”

Men carrying fish in cases worked cheerfully, while a mother comforted her crying child who dropped some eggs.

It was a pastoral scene, seemingly ordinary, with people bustling about and smiles everywhere.

But this was far from ordinary. This district used to be a slum. A dumping ground for garbage, where residents lived in the shadows.

Suspicious eyes gleamed as neighbors regarded each other as enemies or prey, with no option of friendship. Murder and robbery were daily occurrences. When a corpse appeared, people swarmed like vultures, stripping it not only of valuables but also clothing and shoes. It was a tragic environment.

Back then, no one would carry fish out in the open. They would hide it in filthy pockets and sneak around. As for eggs, even the child carrying them would likely be kidnapped.

People were grateful to have escaped such a dire world. The presence of fluffy guardians maintaining order made mischief impossible, forcing everyone to play nice. Some begrudgingly acted as good neighbors, excusing their behavior with claims like “it’s too late for me to be a good person”, but deep down, they took joy in their kind actions.

Most people don’t genuinely enjoy hurting others. Having lived with a thorn in their hearts.

Perhaps as a result, the residents of the Lanpeach Complex had become kinder and more generous than others. Though a few still tried to run exploitative businesses.

Walking through the corridors with steady steps, Lanpeach recognized that it was all thanks to him: the abundance of food from the free dungeon and colony, the Artificial Spirits that built structures with ease, and the rabbits that protected people from monsters and criminals. All of it was the power of Lanpeach Kouza.

Chihiro and Sage were working hard to assemble their own forces, but that was only possible thanks to the support from the colony.

If Lanpeach Kouza were to die here, it was easy to imagine the area reverting to its former state…or worse, since weapons and money were now in the mix.

At some point, a heavy sense of responsibility had settled on his shoulders. The rabbit on his head, however, felt quite light.

“Yeah, I can’t afford to die here. The fully-prepped demons feel especially dangerous this time, though.” (Lanpeach)

“Mimi and the others are coming too, so don’t worry~ We’ll be fully armed and ready~” (Mimi)

Hearing Lanpeach’s muttering, Mimi rubbed her face against his head, prompting him to smile softly. The cuteness of Mimi was truly unbeatable, earning the minor villain more incredulous stares from those around him.

“So, the rabbits are coming too, huh?” (Lanpeach)

He gently stroked Mimi, savoring her fluffy fur, though he inwardly grumbled about the potential repair costs if anything happened to them. Still, he kept those thoughts to himself.

Stopping in his tracks, he flashed a bright smile.

“By the way, what are those rabbits doing over there?” (Lanpeach)

“Mimi doesn’t knooow. Munya munya.” (Mimi)

Mimi lazily rubbed her nose against his palm, showing little interest. Truly, whoever designed these Artificial Spirit rabbits was a genius.

And then, before Lanpeach stretched a peculiar scene…

“Kyah~! So cute! Strike a pose!”

“So fluffy! This texture, it’s like a dream!”

“They can shrink to palm size! Ahh, I want to take one home!”

For some reason, the rabbits were surrounded by a crowd of people, basking in their adoration. What was going on?

◇◇

It apparently all started at the Tanabata Festival. When the adorable rabbits had stormed in and driven out the demons, witnesses had been captivated by their charm.

Their tiny, busy limbs, the fluffy pure-white fur, the round red eyes, and their sniffing noses were utterly mesmerizing. Their earnest efforts with their small frames were more captivating than any jewel, seizing the hearts of onlookers.

Wealthy individuals with plenty of free time began visiting Lanpeach City for sightseeing and enjoyed interacting with the rabbits. No, the rabbits were the main attraction; sightseeing might be an afterthought.

“Should I sit like this-usa? Like this?” 

A rabbit sat upright and tilted its tiny head, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

“Kyah~! Amazing!”

“Wiggle your ears for us!”

“Can I touch your tail?”

The tourists were ecstatic, their squeals of delight echoing. Lanpeach squinted skeptically as he watched the spectacle.

“Alright, alright, rabbit interaction time starts in an hour! We’re selling tickets to pet their heads, touch their tails, and feed them snacks~”

“Kyah~! I want a head-petting ticket!”

“I’ll take a nose-poking ticket!”

“I’ll buy every ticket!”

“Snacks are extra~ They’ll only eat these rabbit-branded carrots~”

An overly familiar merchant was busily selling tickets and carrots, as well as rabbit-shaped buns and souvenirs with pictures of rabbits in various poses. Moreover, at quite the ripoff prices.

“What are you up to, Krita?” (Lanpeach)

“Ah, Lanpeach! Hold on a sec. Hey, take over for me!” (Krita)

After instructing an assistant, Krita greeted Lanpeach with a grin smeared with avarice. Among the complex’s generally kind residents, Krita stood out as a merchant who is kind only to himself.

“Let’s talk in the back! Gahaha!” (Krita)

As they stepped out of the bustling hall and into a plain waiting room furnished with just a long table, chairs, and a fridge against the wall, Krita cheerfully hummed a tune while opening the fridge and tossing a can of beer over.

“See? The rabbits are a big hit, right? And the Lanpeach Complex was struggling thanks to those inconsiderate tourists. I figured I’d step in and take on the burden.” (Krita)

Krita popped open a can with a hiss, taking long, satisfying gulps. It wasn’t entirely clear what “burden” he was referring to.

“Where exactly did you find that ‘burden for sale’? Aren’t you making a killing selling those spirit armors or whatever?” (Lanpeach)

“Ah, that stuff. I don’t have the capital to sell directly, so I’m just brokering it for some companies. The commission’s barely worth mentioning. Honestly, this rabbit interaction gig makes way more money.” (Krita)

Krita’s face turned sour, but Lanpeach wasn’t fooled. This was the same man who could have wads of cash stuffed in his pockets yet still claim to be penniless without batting an eye.

“Don’t overcharge them too much.” (Lanpeach)

“Gahahaha! No worries. Those folks have money to burn, and I’m promoting employment, too. You could say I’m the most upstanding person in this mansion.” (Krita)

“Interpretations sure vary, huh? But don’t push the rabbits too hard.” (Lanpeach)

“Huh? Nah, those guys—” (Krita)

Before Krita could finish, the doorknob turned, and the rabbits waddled in, noses twitching and waving energetically at the tourists they left behind before shutting the door.

Fluffy and undeniably adorable, the rabbits looked innocent enough, but then…

“Man, I’m beat-usa! Work’s way too demanding-usa.”

“Seriously-usa yo! All that sitting around has worn me out-usa. Somebody get me something cold, now-usa.”

“Krita, I need a massage-usa yo.”

Plopping into chairs, their attitudes turned arrogant. One even tried to cross its little legs but ended up toppling off the chair entirely. Krita quickly retrieved carrot juice from the fridge, grinning as he handed it over with a servile air.

“Ah, thank you for your hard work! You were stunning as always today. Everyone was absolutely smitten!” (Krita)

“Oh, really-usa? Hmm, though I felt like my fur wasn’t sitting right today~ Doesn’t it look a bit unruly here?”

The rabbits patted its head, fussing over its fur, though to anyone else, it looked perfectly fine.

“Today, sushi would be nice-usa. Only the finest, of course-usa yo. After that, we’ll snack on freshly harvested carrots and have a drink at Genie’s field-usa yo.”

A rabbit pulled a carrot stick from its pocket and bit down on it.

“Shouldn’t we make photo sessions reservation-based-usa? I think that’d bring in more money-usa.”

Another rabbit squeaked as it came up with yet another shrewd business scheme.

“Understood. I’ll make the sushi reservation right away. The reservation system sounds good too. Let’s set the price at about this much.” (Krita)

The rabbits, drunk on their rising popularity, were getting carried away, aiming for greater heights.

It became clear that Krita wasn’t the only problem.

“Alright, I see how it is, you lot!” (Lanpeach)

Lanpeach clapped his hands together, flashing a gentle, gentle smile. The rabbits yelped and straightened their backs at the sight of it.

“B-B-B-B-B-B-B-Boss, you were here-usa?”

“U-Usa’s done with this game now!”

“I’m sleepy~ Can I nap on your head, Boss?”

“Look, leaving you guys to your own devices clearly leads to nothing good. I owe you my thanks for making that crystal clear.” (Lanpeach)

Some rabbits curled into balls, trembling; others tried to dash for the door, while a few imitated Mimi by pretending to fall asleep.

“You would be a bad influence on Koume! No more photo sessions!” (Lanpeach)

“That’s what you’re mad about-usa?!”

What else would it be? And so, Lanpeach grabbed their ears, and made sure they received their well-deserved punishment.

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