The Symbiotic Relationship Between The Rabbit And The Black Panther [EN]: Chapter 9

A sonic boom echoed as the wooden training dummy in the training ground shattered into pieces. Splinters flew, one grazing Ahin’s hand.

He stood unmoving, a trickle of blood appearing on his hand.

“Wouldn’t it be better to rest from training today?”

Ivelin, who had been waiting behind him, asked with a worried expression. It was only yesterday that the wolf tribe had attacked.

The wolf tribe, dwelling in the barren lands, had always coveted the black panther’s territory.

Crossing the border without permission was common, but recently, the number of incursions by the wolf tribe into the black panther’s territory had noticeably increased.

Thus, the leader of the black panther territory proposed that the wolf tribe come under his command, but the wolf tribe adamantly refused, aiming to seize the black panther territory itself.

As a result, Ahin, the leader’s direct heir, was constantly subjected to sudden attacks and assassination attempts.

“Excessive movement puts a strain on your body. Your back was injured.”

Turning to Ivelin, who was trying to dissuade him, Ahin licked the blood from his hand.

“It’s all healed.”

“…Pardon?”

“The wound.”

“Indeed, no one can match Ahin’s remarkable healing ability.”

Ivelin gave an obsequious answer as usual but couldn’t hide his disbelief.

There was no way a wound stitched up just yesterday could be completely healed today.

Concluding that it was just an excuse to hold the sword, he quietly took a step back. In the first place, Ahin’s stubbornness was not something he could overcome.

‘…He doesn’t believe me.’

Realizing that Ivelin regarded his claim of being fully healed as a joke, Ahin slowly raised his hand and touched the area near the wound.

Perhaps even he would have dismissed it as a joke or nonsense. But the fact that the wound had healed was not a lie.

Early in the morning, he had felt strangely no pain, so he checked his back and found only a faint scar remaining.

Clang. Ahin sheathed his sword and turned to Ivelin with a faint smile.

“Ivelin, investigate whether any members of noble families in the rabbit territory have recently died or disappeared.”

Noble families in the rabbit territory? Pausing at the sudden order, Ivelin soon grasped the meaning and bowed deeply.

* * *

It had already been ten days since I came to this mansion.

In the meantime, my daily life was always the same.

I spend the day with Mayme, who comes at a set time, and in the evening, I endure Ahin’s torment.

Occasionally, his aide Ivelin would come and turn my clothes inside out.

‘Ahin-nim, you said you would like to grill him. Would you like him for breakfast?’

‘No, hold off on eating him for now.’

‘Congratulations, Rabbit-nim. You have extended your life.’

Or,

‘He’s glaring again.’

‘To glare at Ahin-nim, he must be extraordinary. He has a bravery that surpasses most beasts.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Yes. He has the spirit of a general.’

Like that. Thus, Ivelin became one of the most disliked black panthers in the mansion.

Occasionally, when Mayme was distracted, I tried to escape, but a dagger would inevitably fly, so the number of attempts decreased.

Even if I left the mansion, the chances of survival were low, and I didn’t want to risk my life with a dagger.

As usual, it was time for a walk in the garden. But today, something a little different happened.

In the middle of the rose garden, I sat at a tea table, constantly watching my surroundings. Across from me sat a woman who looked strikingly similar to Ahin.

Her silver hair pulled up and her slender, curved red eyes made it hard to deny any relation.

“So, Mayme. This child is Ahin’s food?”

She took a sip of her herbal tea while looking at me and opened her mouth.

“…That is correct.”

Hey, Mayme!

I glared at her with angry eyes, and Mayme quietly avoided my gaze.

It wasn’t a lie. Since Ahin threw me to Mayme as future food, he hadn’t given any further instructions. The official title was food… I guess.

“There was a rumor that he’s a miraculous talking rabbit.”

“I apologize, but it seems to be an exaggeration. However, it is possible for him to understand some words.”

“It seems the rumors aren’t entirely false. I would like to see this child for a while, so step back and wait.”

“Yes, Matriarch.”

Matriarch. At Mayme’s last words, I finally dropped the composed expression I had been trying to maintain.

I thought she looked too much like Ahin. Judging from the title of Matriarch [a female head of a family or tribe], the woman was his mother and the head of the mansion.

“Baby.”

Confirming that Mayme had moved away so she couldn’t hear the conversation, the woman’s smile deepened.

“Hold out your hand.”

“Your paw, too.”

“Sit.”

These were truly strange requests. What on earth was she ordering me to do?

But I wasn’t in a position to resist, so I followed her instructions, extending my front and hind paws, and repeatedly sitting and lifting my butt.

Watching me move around, Ahin’s mother stroked her chin with satisfaction.

“…Very cute. I guess this is why Ahin raises food.”

That was quite a chilling remark for a joke. With that one word, I had gone from being emergency rations when I was captured to being reserve rations to fatten up and eat.

‘Oh dear.’

Let’s not try to understand it logically.

My legs gave out, and I plopped down on the table.

Gently stroking my lower jaw, she gave me a kind smile.

“If you want to live a long life, don’t be too obedient to Ahin. Even though he’s my son, he’s quite unhinged. By nature, predators tend to devour their prey when they lose interest.”

That was a fainting-inducing piece of advice, considering it was delivered with such a kind face. It took courage to endure being treated as food, but if I believed those words and resisted Ahin, wouldn’t I really get bitten?

But ignoring it was also unsettling. I wanted to faint again after ten days, so I pressed my front paw to my temple. I was starting to feel dizzy.

“Baby, and also.”

At the words that weren’t over yet, I raised my head, which had been drooping. My eyes met hers in the air.

The red eyes, symbolizing the black panther, were so frightening that I subtly avoided them, but her gaze didn’t waver.

After staring at me intently for a moment, Ahin’s mother casually let the words slip.

“I just sensed a very faint pheromone from you. Not now, though.”

* * *