The Symbiotic Relationship Between The Rabbit And The Black Panther [EN]: Chapter 53

It was a night when all the aides had left for the day.

Valence, still signing documents, glanced down at the baby rabbit dangling from her left hand. It had been crying as if the world was ending, but now it was sound asleep.

Her arm was numb from holding the same position, but she couldn’t bring herself to disturb the baby rabbit, who was lying as if her hand was a comfortable bed.

Finally, she decided to wait until Ahin arrived and called out to Ash and Bara, who were sitting some distance away.

“Make yourselves comfortable. I have no intention of harming your master.”

Despite her calm words, the two didn’t relax. The two black panthers had been tense for hours.

Valence wondered if their loyalty stemmed from Ahin’s dominant pheromones or the rabbit’s healing pheromones, and she turned toward the entrance.

*Click*. Ahin opened the door and entered without knocking. His red eyes, which had been scanning the office, stopped on her left hand.

*Had he been in Valence’s office all day after running off with Yuan?*

As he started to speak, Valence brought the pen she was holding to her mouth, signaling him to be quiet because the rabbit might wake up.

“He’s had a hard day because of me, so I’m going to let him sleep well. Carefully move him to your hand so he doesn’t wake up.”

She put down the pen and spoke softly. Ahin, after casually sweeping back his silver hair, gently transferred the snoring rabbit to his own hand.

He walked to the sofa and sat down, his gaze sweeping over the two black panthers who remained stiff.

*Aren’t they traitors, wary of their former master?* Ahin smiled wryly and nodded at Valence.

“Judging by their reaction, you’ve told them everything.”

“It seems I made the rabbit cry, so he’s become sensitive.”

Ahin stared at the tiny ball of fluff lying in his left hand, rubbing its eyes with its front paws. When he tickled the corner of its eye with a finger from his other hand, Bibi rolled over as if content.

Meanwhile, Valence watched Ahin, who was so engrossed in Bibi that he seemed to have forgotten she was there.

*He looks like a crazy person who would give the baby rabbit everything, even his liver and gallbladder.*

“It’s pitiful. How did you catch Ahin’s eye?”

“I’m the one crawling at your feet.”

“Did you lick my feet like a slave?”

Ahin realized he had misspoke.

“It’s okay, even that.”

He gave her a bright smile and gently played with Bibi’s front paw. Valence, thinking he wasn’t joking, sighed and refocused on her paperwork.

“Mother.”

“If you’re going to say you want to lick the rabbit’s feet, get out.”

“I’m planning to visit the bear territory soon after my birthday.”

“…So far away?”

Only then did she look up from the documents and focus on Ahin.

“Queen [Ahin’s familiar, a hawk] brought information that there was someone with dominant pheromones there. It was three hundred years ago, though.”

Valence’s eyes widened at the unexpected news.

“I couldn’t find it even after searching the continent…”

This was the first she’d heard of it, even after searching for nearly ten years. Valence thought of the hawk with bright eyes, Ahin’s familiar.

“The rumor that news from new beastmen is extraordinary must be true.”

She couldn’t hide her surprise and stroked her chin. Avian beastmen, soaring through the sky, had a range of activity and information gathering that land-bound beastmen couldn’t match.

“Wait a minute.”

Ahin blocked Bibi’s pink nose with his index finger, checking to see if she was awake. Her breathing became labored, and she flailed her feet in the air.

*She’s asleep.*

Bibi’s acting skills were so poor that she pretended to be dead when she was only pretending to be asleep. After confirming she was still out, Ahin replied slowly.

“In reality, it took Queen several years to get this information. Even if we go to the bear territory, we may not get any special information.”

“Still, it’s something. I wondered what it was when I picked up a dead hawk, but it’s a stroke of luck.”

*Also, isn’t the rabbit he picked up relatively recently a stroke of luck?*

Valence, not bothering to say it aloud, gestured toward the small cotton ball. Without her realizing it, her eyes softened.

Ahin, noticing her gaze, covered Bibi, who was lying in his left hand, with his right hand.

“Oh my, you won’t even let me look at her as much as I want.”

“Bibi,”

The baby rabbit was completely hidden by his large hand.

“I’m going to leave her behind when I go to the bear territory.”

“…At the mansion?”

*What kind of contradictory decision is this, when he’s hiding her so she can’t even look at her?* Valence, momentarily speechless, blinked several times.

“It will take quite a while to visit the bear territory… I want to ask how you’re going to handle the fits without that child.”

“Well, I won’t die.”

“What’s the reason for leaving her behind?”

At Valence’s question, Ahin recalled the dangerous feeling he had recently sensed from the healing pheromones.

He rubbed his lower lip and suddenly checked his left hand.

Bibi, who had just woken up, was blankly blinking her eyes. Ahin, swallowing the urge to kiss her, smiled sweetly.

“Sleep more.”

Bibi wrapped Ahin’s thumb with her front paw in her sleep. He couldn’t take his eyes off the languid rabbit and said a beat later.

“…Anyway, I’ll tell you the reason when I’m sure.”

Ahin, avoiding the question, nodded and left the office.

Valence, staring blankly at the closed door, swallowed a heavy sigh.

*Should she be glad that she took off the rabbit’s skirt because it looked uncomfortable?*

Ahin’s clear obsession with Bibi was at a level that made her worry about the sense of loss she would feel if she ever lost her.

Unlike the initial title of emergency food, Bibi had become an indispensable presence in the Grace family.

* * *

It was three days before Ahin’s birthday.

Lilian, who had been pacing around the garden three times for no particular reason, smiled eerily.

He felt so energetic that he felt rejuvenated.

Recently, he had been spending satisfying days. The reason was the baby rabbit who was putting the Grace family under his paws.

The rabbit was the most enthusiastic and hardworking talent among the students Lilian had ever been in charge of.

Moreover, for some reason, she had been stepping up her pheromone practice until her white fur turned black like a panther’s two days ago.

To put it exaggeratedly, she was at a level where it wouldn’t be strange if she walked while supporting herself on a tree branch by the end of practice.

Not only that, but when he thought of his grandson, who had been kicked after he had coaxed her to play, he couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Bibi, how long are you going to practice?’

‘Bibi, how long…’

‘Bibi, when…’

It was so satisfying to see the kid, who had been a nuisance since he was young, sitting crumpled next to the baby rabbit who was practicing pheromones.

‘Bibi, you’re annoying me.’

Eventually, he couldn’t stand his temper and said a word this morning, and even had a fight with the rabbit.

When Ahin was chased out of the training hall by the enraged rabbit, tearing at his pants, Lilian almost cried with emotion.

*Whose disciple is that heroic rabbit?* Lilian, who had been suffering alone, laughed heartily into the air.

“Laughing at the sky, have you gone crazy?”

At the same time, a thick voice echoed from behind him. Lilian’s wrinkles, which had been loose, deepened.

“Who dares to say such irreverent words…”

“Your nagging is still the same.”

Ezran, Rune’s maternal grandfather, who had been a sworn enemy since ancient times.

Lilian, who faced the owner of the voice, frowned.

Not only was he armed for no reason, but he was also still a ridiculously muscular lump, as if he were a lion beastman.

“Ezran, your muscles that hurt my eyes are still the same.”

Lilian, who did not hide his displeasure, stroked his beard.

“Where did Rune go and you came?”

“I came with him, but he said he had someone to find first.”

Ezran, who didn’t hear who it was in detail, crossed his arms. The gathered arm muscles bulged as if they would burst.

“Then where did Ahin go?”

“You know that our grandson is always busy with his work.”

“Put some sugar on your mouth and say that [a Korean idiom meaning ‘don’t lie’].”

The Grace family employees, who discovered the two people bitterly disparaging each other, moved away.

*A꼰대 [Korean slang for ‘old person’] and a 꼰대 met.*

It was a terrible situation where even a small mistake nearby would result in hearing twice as much scolding as usual.

“Why did you come for no reason?”

After a long argument, Lilian, who decided that it was better not to deal with him, turned away with a snort.

“Wait a minute, there’s one thing I have to ask.”

Ezran, who took out a newspaper from his pocket, chased after him.

“Why are you following me so disgustingly?”

“I want to ask about this gossip. Rune won’t open his mouth at all.”

Lilian knew what Ezran wanted to ask without even checking.

It was about the gossip article that had briefly become a hot topic in the rabbit territory. He clicked his tongue and waved his hand.

“Do you believe that kind of article? Ezran, you’ve become something.”

“No, you know. The rumors that follow Rune and Ahin don’t serve as excuses,”

“Oh, this person is saying something that will cause a big problem. Our grandson is fine below the head!”

“Our Rune is also fine except for his lifeless eyes.”

The employees, who were forcibly confirmed whether Ahin and Rune had excuses, avoided the two like small fish hiding.

“…Anyway, judging by your reaction, I guess I was worried for nothing.”

Ezran, who examined Lilian’s complexion, finally felt the lump in his heart melt away.

“Well, in the first place, there’s no way Rune would chase after a dancer he doesn’t even know the background of.”

“What…”

It was a natural reaction, but Lilian felt strangely resentful. He didn’t give any particular agreement and quickly moved his steps.

“What’s a nymph, you’re still using such old-fashioned expressions.”

However, Ezran kept following him and disturbing Lilian’s mood.

“I was so angry when I saw the gossip magazines the servants were reading.”

“…….”

“Ahin is also pitiful, he’s being followed by strange rumors that he’s 붙어먹는 [Korean expression for ‘living off of someone’] with a rabbit. Anyway, the world is tarnishing the family’s honor in a way that’s not even funny.”

Cold sweat ran down Lilian’s back.

Each and every one of them was similar to the lines he had said. He shook his head and quickened his pace to a speed no different from 경보 [Korean word for ‘walking at a fast pace’].

However, Ezran, who needed someone to talk to, was busy chattering while quickening his pace.

“What’s a street dancer? Anyway, insignificant,”

“Who dares to say I’m insignificant!”

“……?”

Ezran, surprised by Lilian’s sudden shout, blinked his golden eyes.

Only then did Lilian realize his excessive reaction and coughed dryly.

“Un, unexpectedly, she might be 보잘 것 [Korean word for ‘insignificant’] when you actually see her.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

*Does this old man have a headache?* Ezran seriously examined Lilian.

Usually, he would pick up his cane and go find Ahin even if he only heard the ‘가’ [first letter of the Korean alphabet] of a gossip magazine. He was showing a strangely passive attitude.

Ezran, who was about to part his lips again, stiffened his shoulders at the sound of an animal’s roar from the right.

When he turned his head, a wide training hall unfolded in his view.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bibi, who was standing in the center of the training hall, had been reborn as a cruel rabbit.

A gentle breeze blew. Her sharp gaze, like a blade, was fixed on Ash and Bara, who were surrounding her.

The two black panthers, who had lowered their bodies, narrowed their radius as if they were 몰이 사냥감을 [Korean expression for ‘herding prey’].

Bibi, who was gathering pheromones to defeat the two at once, suddenly felt an ominous gaze.

휙 [sound effect for turning quickly], when she raised her head, Ahin, who was 구경 [Korean word for ‘watching’] from the office window frame, shook a carrot expressionlessly.

It was intended to mock Bibi, who couldn’t eat carrots because she was a baby rabbit.

‘*…Why do you always make it obvious that we’ve fought.*’

These days, she hadn’t been able to meet Ahin day and night because she was practicing pheromones, and when she returned to her bedroom, she fell into a deep sleep as if she were dead.

He was expressing his sulky feelings with a carrot.

A beast who only knows her butt. Who is she not sleeping enough for?

Bibi, who glared with 도끼눈 [Korean expression for ‘glaring eyes’], focused on the front again.

‘Come on.’

She wasn’t as afraid of Ash and Bara, who were threatening her as much as before.

She felt that her skills were improving day by day because there was someone who gave her proper guidance.

크르릉- [animal sound effect] Bara, who had loosened her neck muscles, opened her mouth and revealed her fangs. While Bara had become accustomed to the practice partner, Ash, who still couldn’t adapt, was 절절맸다 [Korean expression for ‘struggling’], not knowing what to do.

“Ash, do it right.”

Meimei’s stern shout followed as she watched the pheromone practice from the side. Ash, who was watching, eventually hugged Bibi without even revealing his fangs, let alone threatening her.

‘*Ash…! Are you going to keep acting like this?*’

She, who had become weak-hearted, made a crying face and hugged Ash’s torso. Then, even Bara, who had quickly lost her spirit, clung to Ash.

Ahin’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at the hugging rabbit and black panthers, shaking the carrot without motivation.

Lilian and Ezran, Rune’s grandfather, were seen far away near the corner of the training hall.

‘*Come to think of it, today was the day the lion clan arrived.*’

Ahin, guessing that Ezran had come as a representative, hardened his expression.

On the opposite side of the two, a man with curly hair that he never wanted to see again in his life was seen. Even if he only had light pink hair, there was no need to even confirm his identity.

An unwelcome impatience twisted Ahin’s insides.

Rune had ignored his letters and came to the Grace family, and as soon as he arrived, he was trying to approach Bibi.

Ahin, who had forgotten that he was holding a carrot, jumped over the window frame.

* * *

Grace family

Rune, who had shaken off the meddling Restin, was able to find Bibi relatively quickly.

It was thanks to the passing conversations of the employees who said that it was difficult to see the rabbit unless they looked out at the training hall through the window recently.

His pink hair fluttered in the wind as he ran to the training hall.

Soon, the baby rabbit being harassed by the black panthers came into his view.

Rune, who had stopped, straightened his hair that had soared in the wind. His curly hair, which had barely calmed down, soon defied gravity and swelled up.

He touched his flushed ears, even wearing clothes with epaulettes that he didn’t usually wear.

*What if his body stiffened despite being in the form of a rabbit?* At that moment, his sister’s joke echoed in his ears.

‘Dance a courtship dance.’

‘Courtship dance…’

Rune, who had imagined a male lion dancing, scratched the back of his neck.

Even if someone who witnessed him now said he was crazy, Rune had nothing to say.

Unfortunately, he was so engrossed in Bibi that he didn’t notice Lilian and Ezran, who were standing in the blind spot.

‘I’m going crazy.’

Rune, who took a breath, walked across the training hall. This might really be the last time. As soon as he thought that, his heart started pounding like thunder.

Meimei, who found him first, tried to greet him, but he raised his hand to stop her.

His unfocused golden eyes stayed on her hand, which was fiddling with her apron. She was a thorough maid who was preparing to take out a dagger if necessary.

Soon, Rune, who had come close, parted his red lips.

“Bibi.”

“Why.”

*Was Bibi’s voice such a low bass?*

“Have you been well?”

“I’ll be well in the future if only you die.”

Bibi’s round and 통통 튀던 [Korean expression for ‘bubbly’] tone was unusually rough today. Rune’s annoyed gaze turned to the opposite side.

“I asked Bibi.”

Ahin, who appeared at the same time as his arrival, gave him a crooked look.

“You’re coming to find your death with your own feet.”

The two men, with Bibi, Ash, and Bara in the middle, didn’t even exchange customary greetings.

Bibi looked at Ahin and Rune alternately, bewildered.

‘*Why is Rune here…?*’

Soon, she remembered that it was because of Ahin’s birthday and frowned slightly. The atmosphere was unusually icy today. No matter how bad their relationship was, it was a level where it wouldn’t be strange to draw a sword if necessary.

‘*…Why?*’

Bibi, who was caught in confusion, slowly blocked her mouth. *Could it be because of this Bibi, it seems that both of them have feelings for me.*

Soon, she realized her reality as a shabby baby rabbit and scratched her cheek awkwardly.

Ahin, who was looking down at the series of actions, pointed at Bibi with the carrot he was holding.

“Bibi, you’re looking at me and the lion with a 음험한 [Korean word for ‘lecherous’] look.”

‘*What nonsense!*’

Bibi, startled, waved her front paws at the two men, denying the accusation. Rune’s cheeks flushed, mirroring Bibi’s embarrassment.

“Rune Manyantz. Have you forgotten where you are?”

Forgetting that he was in the middle of enemy territory, Ahin, faced with Rune who was distracted by the rabbit, threw away the carrot he was holding.

With a whoosh, the carrot flew into Ash’s mouth. Ash, who didn’t like the taste, spat the carrot back out.

‘Um,’

Bibi tried to defuse the increasingly tense atmosphere with a calming gesture.

However, a mere fluff ball could not be seen by the two men facing each other.

“I came because I received an invitation. Is there a problem? While I’m here, I thought I’d spend time with Bibi…”

“Don’t call her name so carelessly.”

The anxious Bibi looked back and forth between the two men.

‘Both of you, stop it.’

If you’re going to argue, argue without mentioning me.

Rune, who didn’t notice Bibi trying to stop him because he was looking at Ahin, had a murderous look in his eyes for the first time in a while.

“…You should be the one to mind your manners, Grace. There’s a limit to how much I can overlook actions that don’t consider each other’s positions.”

From toying with Rune in his lion form to throwing him into the pond for an assassination request. No matter how much he tried to let it go, he couldn’t completely suppress his competitive spirit and desire for conquest as a beast-type beastman.

‘Look at me…!’

Bibi frantically wiggled her front paws.

Rune had a cold expression that she had never seen before, and Ahin’s smile deepened as he faced him.

At this rate, the rabbit would be crushed in the fight between the beasts.

“If you’re going to make such claims, get some attention first, whether it’s a big rabbit or a small rabbit.”

Ahin, who already had his hand on his knife, replied coldly.

‘These beasts!’

Sadly, Bibi, who was almost glued to the floor, was still out of sight.

She kept jumping in place and eventually shook Ahin’s pants leg vigorously. Then, she shook Rune’s pants leg as well, and only then did the two men’s gazes fall downwards.

“Bibi?”

Ahin and Rune, who said the same word at the same time, glared at each other unpleasantly.

Facing the rekindled war of nerves between the beasts, Bibi was frightened but also seething inside.

Not only did they suddenly appear and prevent her from practicing her pheromones, but they also didn’t even notice her gestures. If that’s the case, they shouldn’t be fighting over her.

Feeling like she was on her own, she ran towards the mansion.

“Where are you going?”

“Where are you going?”

Ahin and Rune, surprised by her sudden action, turned around.

‘Don’t follow me.’

Bibi stopped and tapped the floor with her front paws.

“Wait a moment.”

“Just a moment!”

As the two men called out, realizing that she was expressing anger, she glared at them, kicked a stone, and ended up tripping over her own foot. However, she quickly overcame the adversity and ran away with vigor.

Had she ever been so angry? They took awkward steps and stared blankly at the snowball disappearing into the distance.

Ash, Bara, and Mayme glanced at the two men with pity. Recently, Bibi had been particularly sensitive about pheromone practice, and they had to show up and interfere during practice.

Even they left, and Ahin and Rune were left staring blankly in the direction Bibi had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Ezran, who had watched the whole situation from the best seat, shook Lilian’s robe.

Wasn’t the scene he had just witnessed like Ahin and Rune were in conflict over a baby rabbit?

“Wh-what is that?”

“…It’s a baby rabbit.”

Lilian, who answered belatedly, shook off Ezran’s hand holding her robe.

She was also embarrassed in a different sense. She never dreamed that even Rune would chase after a rabbit.

Feeling an unexpected sense of crisis, Lilian took a step away from Ezran.

“Who doesn’t know that?”

Ezran shouted in frustration.

“Is it real that those tall, well-built guys are not only scared of a rabbit, but also hesitated at its hind legs!”

His brow furrowed as if he were about to fall backwards.

Lilian’s ears burned as she somehow saw her past self overlapping with his stubborn appearance.

It was a time to reflect on her narrow-minded thinking.

* * *

After meeting the Perenium craftsman, Ivelin, who was entering Ahin’s office, stopped walking. It was because Ahin was diligently working.

Noticing the low pressure at once, he glanced at the aides sitting on the left side of the office.

The three aides, who couldn’t make a sound, wrote the reason on paper and shook it towards Ivelin.

In summary, the reality of having to keep the lion he wanted to get rid of in front of him due to his status seemed to have caused frustration. To make matters worse, he even earned Bibi’s hatred for confronting the lion.

Ivelin stared at Ahin, who was showing perfect work processing. What terrible scheme is he preparing behind those quiet eyes? Ivelin, who calmly considered whether to write a letter of resignation, approached Ahin.

“The Perenium craftsmanship is finished. The number of uses is the same as last time, three times.”

The pocket watch he had given to Bibi was held out in front of Ahin.

“It took a long time.”

The chain of the pocket watch hanging on his finger rubbed.

Ahin, who was looking at the pocket watch swinging like a pendulum, was lost in thought.

Lilian was a person who was quite good at teaching. Under his systematic process, Bibi began to control pheromones more easily day by day.

She even showed the passion to secretly get up in the early morning and practice against the pillow. Ahin knew that her passion was for him.

After the conversation with Valence, she must be focusing on what she can do best for pheromone outbursts. He even liked her subtly stubborn nature.

He put the pocket watch, which had stopped swinging, in his arms and buried himself in the chair.

This time may be the last time Bibi needs Perenium [a substance that enhances pheromone control], that is, dominant pheromones.

By the time she uses all three times, she will probably be able to completely control the healing pheromones.

“Why are you being so mean to the rabbit these days?”

Ivelin, who was standing in front of Ahin, who was in a better mood with just one pocket watch, opened his mouth.

“If I may, please return the jewel you stole from the rabbit’s treasure trove yesterday.”

“Bibi is too neglectful of me. I won’t be able to see her while I’m visiting the bear territory.”

“How about going together this time? As a result of putting the rabbit in my pocket for half a day, I can safely transport her instead of Ahin.”

“Mouth.”

“…Should I keep it shut?”

The three aides were shocked to see Ivelin giving an answer other than ‘Yes.’ for the first time. Ivelin, who looked back and forth between Ahin, who was staring at him intently, and the aides, who were about to run away through the window, shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s a joke.”

“You’ve gotten bolder.”

“It’s thanks to imitating the rabbit’s strength to say what you have to say even if you’re afraid.”

“No, I don’t think you need to talk more anymore.”

The conversation between the two was interrupted by the sound of knocking on the window.

Coo coo, Queen, who should have been guarding Bibi, kept pecking at the window. Ivelin opened the window, and Queen flew in and landed on Ahin’s desk.

Ahin, who hardened his expression, immediately opened his lips.

“Did Rune Manyantz approach?”

Queen lightly shook her head and solemnly stroked under her beak with her wing.

‘…She’s expressing herself with her wings again.’

Is she giving up being a beastman and trying to live a new life as a hawk?

Ahin, who had half given up and was interpreting, soon realized that it was Lilian’s habit of stroking his beard.

“Is she having tea time with two old men?”

That was the correct answer.

Ahin, who recalled Lilian and Ezran looking at Bibi in the training hall, rested his chin on his hand.

“Go and keep watching.”

Since Ezran was a guest, he wouldn’t say harsh words to her face like Lilian. Lilian, who secretly cherished Bibi, was also with her.

Still, Ahin, who was thinking that it would be better to take her away, raised his eyebrows. It was because an ominous feeling suddenly rose.

“Queen, wait a moment. And Ivelin.”

As he slowly flicked his index finger, Queen and Ivelin tilted their heads. Ahin asked so that the other aides couldn’t hear.

“…Does grandfather know that Bibi turns into a human when she smells pheromones?”

To be exact, when stimulated by pheromones emitted by a strong beastman. Queen and Ivelin, who had heard the fact from Ahin, blinked their eyes.

Looking back, they didn’t remember telling Lilian separately. It was a matter that had been overlooked due to a series of recent complicated events.

“…It’ll be okay.”

Ivelin, who had woken up from his thoughts, shook his head.

The Grace family’s employees were prohibited from using pheromones in the mansion for the sake of order. In the first place, there was no reason for Lilian to release pheromones. Considering this situation, even if Lilian didn’t know the conditions for Bibi to turn into a human, it wasn’t immediately dangerous.

Ahin, Ivelin, and Queen, who had gathered their heads and thought carefully, exchanged glances.

It wouldn’t be dangerous, assuming it was just Lilian alone. However, the problem was that a new old man, Ezran, was added to the tea time.

After a few seconds of silence, Ivelin muttered softly without changing his expression.

“No way.”

Ahin jumped up from his chair as if bouncing off the word.

“Queen, guide me.”

“Ahin, I’m sorry, but that’s not a door, it’s a wall.”

Ahin, who paused at Ivelin’s advice, turned his body towards the window. Queen, who had been rushing towards the wall following Ahin, changed direction and flew high.

“Please wait a moment.”

Ivelin quickly pulled the red curtain.

“No time.”

“You should take it with you just in case.”

The curtain was torn off and the fastener fell to the floor. Ahin, who received it, jumped out of the window in an instant.

Ivelin, who had calmly rushed to the wall, also opened the door and went out after realizing his mistake.

After a storm passed, silence fell over the office where the owner had left. The remaining three aides quietly wrote a new curtain order form. The drafts that came in through the open window scattered the piles of documents.

* * *

After dinner, Mayme explained that her grandfather had requested tea time and put a red ribbon on me. And she put me on the table in the drawing room and left with Ash and Bara.

Immediately after, my grandfather, who came into the drawing room, introduced Rune’s maternal grandfather, Ezran. He said that he wanted to meet me and whined until the day was over.

“Ezran, keep your promise.”

“I know, how many times are you going to say it!”

“I’m kindly informing you in case you, whose head is full of muscles, have forgotten.”

In that way, a tea time was held with a unique condition that he would not ask anything about me.

Ezran, who was sitting across from me, had the appearance of a veteran general.

His muscles bulged every time he moved, and his tanned hands were so big and rough. The teacup he was holding looked like a toy.

He glanced at me throughout the conversation as if observing me.

I didn’t know the details, but I guessed that he had guessed that I was a beastman, and I could roughly guess what he wanted to ask by looking at the gossip magazine sticking out between my clothes.

However, Ezran, who was prohibited from asking any questions, was just pouring hot tea into his mouth.

“Our Rune is lazy, but he’s good at it when he actually does it.”

The topic of conversation was mostly about the lion territory and Rune’s boasting. Since I couldn’t speak, I replaced the answer by clapping as hard as I could.

“There’s no need to react to everything. When that boasting is over, he’ll probably boast about his useless muscles and power.”

My grandfather, who was sitting behind me, said firmly. As a result, Ezran’s face was distorted with dissatisfaction.

“Huh, this old man has to say something…!”

“How many things have you broken every time you came to Grace’s house? And you promised not to raise your voice in front of the rabbit.”

Ezran cleared his throat and drooped his shoulders gloomily.

“Oh, I can’t even say a word carelessly because I’m scared.”

My grandfather kept whispering that Ezran was just a lion with a lot of strength, but he didn’t seem like a bad person, just a bit boastful. I glanced at his shrunken figure and carefully pushed the refreshment plate, meaning he could boast more.

Ezran, who was looking down at me, shook his pupils and suddenly turned his head towards the window.

“…There’s something outside the window.”

Intense anger was on his golden eyes. My grandfather also sent an unpleasant gaze towards the window.

“The security can’t be this sloppy.”

“Taking advantage of the chaos of preparing for the banquet, a weasel-like bastard may have mixed in with his true form. To dare to hang around where this Ezran is.”

My grandfather awkwardly pulled my front paw with his pincer hand.

“It might be dangerous, so come closer.”

Could it be an intruder? As Ezran said, as long as there were small beastmen in their true forms, the risk of intruders always existed, no matter how much the security was strengthened.

Sensing the rapidly changing atmosphere, I rolled my body like lightning and burrowed into my grandfather’s hand. At the same time, the calm glass window shattered into pieces with a clang.

“How can you break the window recklessly!”

My grandfather, with wide eyes, shouted at Ezran.

“The original battle is a preemptive strike.”

“Don’t put your ignorant beliefs ahead in Grace’s house!”

“That’s right, Grandfather. I almost got glass shards all over my body.”

Then, a familiar voice was heard from outside the window. Rune, who was hanging on the window frame, lightly landed on the floor of the drawing room by applying momentum to his body.

“Who was it, it was you, Rune?”

Ezran, who had softened his stance in an instant, clicked his tongue.

“I heard everyone was in the drawing room.”

“No, why didn’t you come in through the door and lingered at the window?”

“I was going to, but the escort black panthers blocked my entry itself.”

The escort black panthers were referring to Ash and Bara, who were waiting in front of the drawing room.

“Especially the black panther named Ash seems to hate me quite a bit.”

Even Ahin had been avoiding Ash recently. I, who was blinking my eyes while resting in my grandfather’s hand, belatedly blocked my nose.

A strange pheromone rippling in the drawing room awakened my senses. Ezran must have used pheromones when he broke the glass window. He boasted that it was an offensive pheromone.

“Ezran, you’ll compensate for the broken window.”

“How stingy, I understand. When have I ever not compensated?”

I couldn’t concentrate on the conversation anymore. The sense of crisis that I felt after a long time froze my whole body.

‘I have to get out of here.’

Imagining the terrible pain that would come over me and the appearance after that, I forced my unmoving feet to move.

‘Ahin.’

He definitely said that Perenium would be completed today in the morning, so if I just went to his office, I might be able to get rid of the pain. If that’s not possible, I had to go to a room with no people at least.

“Why are you suddenly doing this?”

My grandfather looked at me, who was running around the table in a hurry, with a puzzled expression.

“…Bibi?”

Rune approached me, who was standing precariously on the edge.

I’m running. I’m going to run. You have to catch me.

As I sent a signal by bouncing on my hind legs, Rune, who bent over awkwardly, frowned.

“Bibi, are you perhaps trying to jump down?”

Here I go-! As I kicked off my hind legs, drawing a parabola in the air, focus was created on the golden eyes that had been blank for a moment.

Rune, who couldn’t even scream, caught me in both hands and fell on his butt. I was sorry for his tailbone, but time was running out.

After expressing my gratitude by gathering my front paws, I got down on the floor and knocked on the door of the drawing room. Rune, who had also gotten up in a hurry, picked up my body. He opened the door of the drawing room with a bang and whispered so that only I could hear.

“…Are you perhaps changing?”

He was quick to notice, having experienced it several times.

Just as I was about to answer, Ash, who screamed, bit and pulled Rune’s clothes. It seemed that he thought he was kidnapping me. Even Mayme, who reflexively took out a dagger at the ferocious roar, sent a wary gaze.

I shook my front paws to mean calm down and tapped Rune’s hand holding my body.

‘Let me down.’

“What are you going to do? You have to hide first.”

I need Perenium. As I, who didn’t have enough time to explain, floundered my hind legs as if swimming in the air. Then, a quiet question was heard from above.

“…Are you going to Ahin Grace?”

I perked up my ears and looked up at Rune. I felt that the jewel-like golden eyes were shaking slightly.

Forcibly averting my gaze, I nodded, and he carefully lowered my body to the floor.

As soon as I set foot on the ground, I ran straight towards Ahin’s office. I didn’t have the courage to look back. I felt Mayme, Ash, and Bara following behind me.

“Rabbit?”

“Oh my.”

The employees were no longer surprised by our sprint, and they easily cleared the way by lifting their feet or moving their legs.

Several minutes had already passed since I smelled the pheromones. I became so anxious that my heart was about to burst, and I put more strength into my trembling legs.

‘Ahin.’

Ahin, Ahin. Only one word came to my mind.

‘Just a little more.’

As I ran down the long corridor, I slightly opened my mouth. I saw Ahin running from the end of the corridor. Could it be an illusion caused by wanting it too desperately? Even so, I couldn’t stop running.

“Bibi!”

The low voice that scratched my ears was not an auditory hallucination, and the distance that had become close enough to see his expression was by no means an illusion.