She spoke, standing right in front of me, and my heart jolted. Surprise, awe—whatever you call it, she was absurdly cute.

Her hair was a pale-blue waterfall of curls, fluffy like clouds begging for a gentle touch. A pair of rabbit ears rose from her head—not a headband, the real thing—downy enough to make my fingers itch. Her face was all fresh spring and clean lines, her blood-red eyes shining like clear crystal, her small lips parting to show a tiny fang that made her charm bite.

She wore a full bunny mascot suit—minus the head, of course; she already had ears. The stitching was so seamless it gleamed; you could tell it would feel luxuriously smooth.

Taken as a whole, she was a rabbit, a perfect rabbit. A voice like dew over moss, and suddenly—wait. A rabbit? That voice… could it be?

“You’re the one from last night?!”

My eyes flew open. I yelped—and only then noticed I was tied up. Seriously, what kind of mess is this?

“Heh-heh, that’s right.”

The rabbit girl lifted a chest with only the slightest curve, all confidence as she declared, “Ruyu is the victor who defeated you! From now on, you’re Ruyu’s toy. Be happy. You will.”

“Huh?! Your toy? Why?”

“Because you called yourself Ruyu’s trophy.”

She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Well, I mean… no way! Who even are you?!”

“Ruyu is Ruyu~”

“Ruyu? That your name? I’m asking your status! Why did you ambush me?”

“Simple. Ruyu is the guardian of Layer Three—the Enchanted Forest—of the Nine Cold Labyrinth. Immortal Ruyu. Now you get it, right?”

She leaned in close on the last word. A floral breath washed over me, and my cheeks went hot. Anxiety pricked like frost. Day one, and I’d already been beaten and captured by a guardian. Did that mean my challenge was over? …Probably not. Hopefully.

“Don’t wear that uneasy face. Ruyu’s not a bad person.”

She lifted my chin and studied me, eyes clear as ruby water—so I studied her back. She was painfully pretty. Soft, white skin; gem-bright eyes; a mouth made for trouble—no, stop! Focus! I needed a plan. I had to escape. I was not living out my days as Ruyu’s toy.

“Mm-hmm.”

Ruyu nodded, pleased, while her gaze traveled over me. “Amamiya-kun, you’re a born beauty. Up close, there’s no flaw to find. And your eyes are red like Ruyu’s—so beautiful. Ruyu’s fallen for you. Give up on the Fourth Layer. Stay. Live with Ruyu.”

“Sorry. I have to refuse.”

I didn’t even hesitate. Sure, the Enchanted Forest was a dreamland, and living with a super-cute girl like Ruyu sounded like a slice of paradise. But I couldn’t stop here. People were waiting for me to bring back the Ice Dream Lotus to heal Hill.

“Is that so?”

Her rabbit ears drooped like wilted leaves, and guilt nicked me like a thorn.

“Hmph! Whatever. Willing or not, it doesn’t matter. Ruyu won’t let you go anyway.”

—And just like that, the guilt evaporated.

“Hey, that’s way too forceful! Ever heard of rights?!”

I tried to spit fire, but I was limp all over and tied up. Escape wasn’t even a fantasy.

“Rights? You’re a mere trophy, and you dare talk rights to Ruyu?”

She snorted, as if asking what nonsense I thought I was spouting.

“Last night’s fight doesn’t count!”

Fine, I was throwing a tantrum. “I walked all day and ate nothing but fruit. By nightfall I could barely stand, and that’s when you attacked. In that wreck of a state, winning would’ve been a miracle! That victory wasn’t honorable! I object! …Uh, what are you doing?”

She ignored me. In three quick moves, she stripped off my clothes and slid me into a bunny mascot suit, her hands so practiced it made my skin tingle. This was definitely not her first time.

“Nothing much. Ruyu is putting Amamiya-kun in cute clothes.”

She tied up my long hair as she spoke. “Wah! Amamiya-kun, your hair is gorgeous! So soft and silky. Ruyu likes you more and more!”

“…”

She leaned in to finish the knot, her warmth plush against me, her scent like a flower field after rain. Her breath brushed my ear, and heat flooded my face. I was red through and through. Too close. Too intimate. I wasn’t built for this.

After a while, she finished the tie and settled a headpiece on me—my face visible, rabbit ears perked. She let out a slow breath, like she’d just completed a grand task. “Whew. Perfect. So cute.”

Then she hugged me tight and rubbed her cheek against mine, soft skin and giddy energy. Uuugh… What kind of new punishment was this?!

At last, Ruyu let me go, satisfied.

“Haah~ Amamiya-kun is a walking national treasure. Ruyu’s dying of moe over here.”

“Uuu…”

“Ruyu told you—don’t make that face. Ruyu’s not a bad person. Come on, take a look at your new self.”

She propped a full-length mirror in front of me.

“…”

Words fell out of me like stones. In the glass stood—

A rabbit in a fluffy mascot suit. Big ears stood sharp against the air. Wine-red eyes were misted at the edges. My cheeks were blushing like sunset. It was devastatingly cute—a rabbit not one bit less adorable than Ruyu. And that rabbit… was me?! Why was I dressed like this mortifying disaster?! I wanted to dig a hole and vanish.

“Waaah—Amamiya-kun with a face all red is… too cute! No good, Ruyu can’t hold it in!”

Ruyu stared at me, dazed, a glinting thread of drool at the corner of her mouth.

Uuu… What kind of development was this?!