The rented room was silent.
Too silent.
Leo knelt beside the bed, staring into the darkness underneath it.
"…I swear I heard something," he muttered.
The shadows didn't move.
No sound.
No breathing.
Nothing.
Leo hesitated… then slowly reached his hand inside.
His fingers brushed against the cold floor.
"…Hello?"
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then suddenly—
THUMP!
A small figure burst out from the other side of the bed and jumped straight into his lap.
"AH—!"
Leo flinched, then froze.
"…A rabbit?"
A small, fluffy rabbit sat comfortably on his legs, its red eyes blinking innocently.
Leo blinked.
Then his expression melted.
"…Aww."
A smile spread across his face.
"So cute…"
He gently patted its head.
The rabbit didn't resist.
It simply sat there quietly.
"Where did you even come from?" Leo whispered.
For a brief moment—
Everything felt peaceful.
Then—
BANG!
A gunshot exploded through the room.
Pain erupted instantly.
"AAGH—!"
Leo's body jerked violently as a bullet pierced through his shoulder.
Blood splattered across the floor.
The rabbit leapt away from his lap instantly.
Leo clutched his shoulder, breathing heavily.
"…What the—?!"
At the doorway—
Lana stood there.
Gun raised.
Eyes sharp.
She fired again.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Bullets tore through the room.
None of them hit the rabbit.
It moved unnaturally fast—too fast for something that small.
Leo's vision blurred slightly as pain pulsed through his arm.
His mind struggled to process everything at once.
Why is Lana here?
Why is she shooting?
Why does she have a gun?!
Before he could react—
The rabbit stopped.
Its body trembled.
Then—
Flames ignited.
Fire spread across its entire body, turning its soft white fur into a burning mass of heat and light.
Leo's eyes widened.
The rabbit crouched.
Then—
It leapt.
Straight toward Leo.
He was still holding his shoulder.
Still processing.
Still confused.
He didn't move.
And in the next instant—
The rabbit struck.
A blazing impact hit his chest.
And—
A massive hole tore through him.
Time froze.
Leo's body went limp.
Lana's eyes widened in horror.
"…LEO!"
She rushed forward immediately, dropping her aim entirely.
"Are you okay?! Don't die!"
The rabbit landed behind Leo, paused for a fraction of a second—
Then dashed toward the open window.
And disappeared.
Lana didn't chase it.
Her focus was entirely on Leo.
She grabbed his shoulders carefully.
"Leo! Answer me!"
Leo blinked slowly.
"…Yeah," he said weakly. "Somehow… I'm still alive."
Lana froze.
"…What?"
Leo looked down.
There was a hole in his chest.
Clean.
Open.
Air passed through it.
He could feel it.
"…It feels weird," he said honestly. "But I don't feel pain there."
Lana stared in disbelief.
"…How?"
Leo winced, clutching his shoulder instead.
"My shoulder hurts though," he added. "That one's real."
Lana exhaled shakily.
"…That's good."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"Who said I'm fine? My shoulder still hurts!"
Lana flinched.
"…Sorry! I'm terrible at shooting!"
She quickly placed her hand over his wound.
"I'll heal you."
Leo blinked.
"You can use healing magic?"
Lana nodded.
"Yes… but I'm not very good at it. like my brother."
A faint glow appeared around her hand.
Blue light spread slowly, covering Leo's shoulder.
Warmth replaced pain.
Leo watched quietly.
I don't think she knows about Null's real ability, he thought.
It's probably better if she hears it from him.
"…Hey," Leo said.
Lana focused on healing. "Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"As long as it's not weird."
Leo smirked slightly.
"Then why did you call me a stalker when we first met?"
Lana paused.
"…Because you were there. Staring."
Leo frowned.
"How did you even notice?"
She sighed.
"Because I'm the only one in this kingdom who eats Void Roots late at night… on that bench."
Leo blinked.
"…That makes sense."
A thought crossed his mind.
"One more question."
"Ask."
"Why are you taking so long to heal a gunshot?"
Lana's expression darkened instantly.
"If you have a problem," she said coldly, "I can stop."
Leo panicked.
"Sorry! Sorry! My mistake! Please continue!"
She turned her head away.
"…No."
But her hand didn't stop healing.
Leo sighed in relief.
Suddenly—
His phone lifted into the air.
"…Huh?"
Chibi Leo appeared on the screen, floating.
"I think you're enjoying your little lovey-dovey moment."
Leo frowned.
"Who said that—"
Then he paused.
"…Wait."
He stared at the floating phone.
"…How are you flying?"
Lana turned her head quickly.
She saw it.
And froze.
"…What is that?"
The phone tilted mid-air.
Then began to fall.
Leo reacted instantly and caught it.
"Careful!"
Lana's eyes widened slightly—but even then—
Her hand never left his shoulder.
She didn't stop healing.
Chibi Leo smirked.
"Interesting."
"What?" Leo asked.
"She got angry. She got scared. Yet she didn't stop healing you."
Leo looked away.
"…That doesn't mean anything."
"Of course," Chibi Leo said teasingly.
Before Leo could respond—
Lana spoke.
"…Done."
The blue light faded.
Leo moved his shoulder carefully.
No pain.
"…Thank you."
She turned away slightly.
"…That doesn't mean I forgive you."
Leo smiled faintly.
"Yeah, yeah."
Before the moment could settle—
Another glow appeared.
Lana's phone floated upward this time.
Chibi Lana appeared brightly.
"Attention, Leo Master!"
Leo blinked.
"…What?"
Chibi Lana smiled sweetly.
"I have located the rabbit."
Silence fell.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
The game had changed.
Outside, somewhere in the kingdom—
The burning rabbit was waiting.