Chapter 45. Sealing it Away is the Best Option
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I, Bell, declare that even if I have no clothes to wear and must return naked, I will never wear these bunny ears!
Bell spoke with a resolute tone, his expression determined.
If he didn't show some toughness now, he would definitely be treated as a harmless little bunny to be toyed with.
"Then go ahead and walk back naked."
Holding all the valuable items in his hands, Cyd mercilessly shattered Bell's final resistance.
"You don't have money, and there's no way you can wear that outfit back."
"Miss Eina..." Bell looked pitifully at Eina.
For a brief moment, Eina hesitated. When Bell first returned from the dungeon, battered and bruised from recklessness, she would always scold him, but seeing his pitiful expression always made her instinctively soften her tone.
But this time...
"Bell, you should just wear them."
She succumbed to the temptation of the real bunny—Bell.
In the end, Bell chose... to wear the ears.
"I can't show my face in public anymore," Bell muttered, covering his face, with a pair of bunny ears perched on his head, nervously clinging to... no, more like sticking to Cyd's back.
He couldn't understand how, but the bunny ears on his head were actually swaying back and forth!
"Teacher, are you sure you really picked these up from a regular clothing store?"
And why, Eina, can't you stop following me!
Bell was on the verge of tears, desperately dodging the hot stares from behind.
"Supposedly, these bunny ears have some metal inside that contracts based on the wearer's body temperature," Cyd explained, raising a finger. "Isn't that interesting? Just imagine how cute Lili would look wearing these bunny ears."
"So cute... No, wait! There's nothing interesting about that!" Bell instinctively imagined it, and the bunny ears on his head began to twitch furiously. But Bell quickly snapped back to reality, raising his voice, "I'm a man! A real man! Wearing something meant for girls will definitely make me look ridiculous!"
"Well... that's hard to say," Cyd smirked slightly. At the very least, he could already hear the rapid breathing of a certain someone behind them. "You might actually attract some girls like this."
"Really?" Bell's eyes lit up, but when he saw Cyd's expression, he frowned. "Teacher, you're not just saying that to mess with me, are you?"
"Who knows? Why don't you ask that person behind you how you look right now," Cyd shrugged.
Bell hesitated for a moment before letting go of Cyd's clothes and slowly turning to face Eina, who had been following them closely. "Miss Eina, do you think I... Miss Eina?"
"So... so cute!" Eina trembled as she reached out toward Bell. "Let me hug you!"
Before the words were even out, Eina lunged at Bell.
"Miss Eina!" Bell was so frightened that he quickly dodged her embrace.
Cyd reached out and grabbed Eina by the back of her collar to prevent the young lady from smashing her face into the wall.
"Bell, you should be a bit gentler with girls," Cyd gently set Eina back on the ground.
"I'm sorry, Teacher! But Miss Eina's expression was just too terrifying!" Bell shivered, clutching his shoulders. "If I hadn't dodged, I would have lost something very important!"
"That's an exaggeration. Haven't you always been hoping for a moment like this?" Cyd spread his hands.
"Teacher..." Bell twitched his mouth. "Don't you think the crowd around us is getting bigger?"
Perhaps because they had caused such a commotion, a lot of people had gathered around them, and all of them were women. It made sense since, although male adventurers also bought clothes, they mostly spent their money on equipment, whereas female adventurers, like male adventurers who relieved their stress in a certain way, often chose shopping to unwind.
"What an adorable creature..."
"Look! His ears are twitching!"
"So fluffy, with red eyes just like a real bunny!"
"Wow! His expression makes me want to cuddle him!"
Bell swallowed hard. This was starting to feel dangerous...
Never underestimate female adventurers. After all, they are the ones who, despite being physically weaker than male adventurers, still dare to venture into the dungeon. That said, most male adventurers tend to avoid getting close to them.
"Bell, you need to face reality," Cyd chuckled, completely unfazed.
"Isn't that white rabbit without the ears the Pure White Hero?"
Cyd's face twitched.
Who said that just now?
Step forward!
"I want to put bunny ears on him too!"
"I'm going to buy some!"
Cyd's face darkened.
"Te... Teacher, should we run?" Bell stammered, hiding behind Cyd.
"Run... let's run," Cyd took a step back.
"Wait! Please, let me touch the ears! Or even your head!"
Someone shouted, and the female adventurers who had just been surrounding Bell and Cyd suddenly closed in. Countless hands reached out toward Bell and Cyd.
"Teacher, help me!"
Bell, his face flushed red from being jostled by so many soft, rounded objects, reached out to Cyd, struggling.
"Ah! The little white bunny is attacking people!" one female adventurer exclaimed, holding her chest, her face bright red.
"Sorry!!!" Bell's face immediately turned even redder than that of the female adventurer.
"Bell!"
As a mature adult, Cyd swiftly reached out, grabbed a wrist, and pulled the person up.
"Oh~ The Pure White Hero is surprisingly bold~" The girl, now in Cyd's grasp, shyly covered her face. "But could you be a bit gentler~ You're hurting me."
He should apologize now.
If he didn't know her...
"Syr, it's you..." Cyd twitched his mouth. "You were the one who shouted earlier too!"
"You got me," Syr stuck out her tongue. "It was just too fun to resist."
"Teacher!!!" Bell, who didn't dare move at all, wailed. The bunny ears on his head were now completely stiff.
"You, go back," Cyd said, expressionless, as he shoved Syr back into the crowd, then grabbed Bell's hand and pulled him out.
"Let's run!" Cyd promptly turned and bolted.
"Teacher, wait for me!" Bell frantically followed Cyd, scrambling behind him.
Chasing after them was a large group of female adventurers.
After an intense chase, Bell, his clothes in tatters, and Cyd, with his hair slightly disheveled, returned to the church.
Bell, his eyes hollow and lifeless as if he had been completely worn out, collapsed onto the sofa, the once-upright bunny ears now drooping.
"These bunny ears must be cursed," Cyd muttered, covering his face. Even he was starting to doubt his sanity.
"They're definitely cursed!" Bell cried, tears streaming down his face like seaweed. "Teacher!!!"
"From... a certain perspective, they did help you make the girls shy," Cyd said awkwardly.
"But I don't want that kind of shyness where they want to devour me!" Bell howled, clutching his head.
"Creak————"
The church door creaked open again.
"Bell, are you back already?" Hestia, carrying a bag, tilted her head.
"Yes, Goddess," Bell stood up weakly, waving his hand.
"Bell, you..." Hestia's mouth dropped open, and the bag in her hand fell to the ground with a thud.
"Go... Goddess..." Bell shrank his neck.
"Let me hug you!"
Hestia charged at Bell, and she successfully delivered a rocket headbutt to his stomach.
Bell collapsed.
Cyd looked down at the bunny ears that had fallen at his feet and swallowed hard.
Sealing them away is probably the best option after all.