The Symbiotic Relationship Between The Rabbit And The Black Panther [EN]: Chapter 15

My condition had been strange ever since Ahin bit my neck a few hours ago. I was constantly short of breath, my stomach felt bloated as if I had indigestion, and now even my head was throbbing.

‘Ugh….’

Tossing and turning, I even felt nauseous for no reason. Could I be getting sick? Entertaining this worrying thought, I couldn’t bear the pain any longer and abruptly opened my eyes.

The blurry vision soon focused. Across from me, Ahin was visible, the blanket pulled up to his chin. Just looking at him made the nausea subside a little.

Blinking, I stared at Ahin, who was tinged crimson by the lamplight. As befitting a predator, he seemed very sensitive to the cold, completely wrapped in a white blanket again today.

My gaze slowly moved over his disheveled silver hair, long eyelashes, and neat features. Unlike his usually volatile temperament, his sleeping face was more innocent and composed than any herbivore beastman.

‘Goodness.’

It would be so nice if he were just like that when he was awake. Unfortunately, the divine being may have bestowed beauty upon Ahin, but not his temperament. Or maybe black panthers collectively have loose screws.

That wasn’t entirely wrong, as it was a hypothesis that roughly fit even Evlin. To carry around books about herbivore cuisine in front of a rabbit, how wicked.

‘But Mayme and Lord Valence….’

Mayme was nothing but kind, except when stopping escape attempts, and Lord Valence was a very good black panther, except for feeding me snacks until I was about to burst. The anger that surged up at the thought of Evlin subsided because of them.

‘Try to be even half like them.’

You crazy predators. As I was internally lambasting Ahin and Evlin, the headache gradually subsided.

As the pain that had been tormenting me subsided, sleepiness now poured in. With my vision gradually becoming hazy, Ahin’s face flickered again.

‘Bebe.’

The voice that called my name didn’t leave my ears. Somehow, coming from Ahin’s mouth, the ordinary name seemed to have become special.

The more I pondered the events of the past month, the more questions arose. Did Ahin notice my pheromones like Lord Valence?

And why doesn’t he question me, who is suspicious to anyone who looks? He really doesn’t just see me as a pet, does he? These rambling questions filled my head.

‘Aren’t you curious about my identity?’

In my fading consciousness, I felt Ahin gradually moving away. Opening and closing my heavy eyelids, I inadvertently reached out my front paw towards his face.

Then, instead of the usual white fur ball, five slender fingers came into view.

‘Fingers…?’

It was the form of a human that I used to draw. I was obsessing about humanization so much that I was even seeing such illusions. The absurd situation even made me laugh.

Moreover, not only fingers but also a long arm caused my palm to touch Ahin’s cheek. An excessively vivid warmth was transmitted from the touched area.

‘…Warm.’

Even knowing it was an illusion, I didn’t want to pull my hand away. Tick, tock, it felt like even time was flowing slowly. My mind soon flickered out as I stared blankly at the hand of unknown origin.

* * *

It had already been a month since Bebe Rabian, who had been a thorn in their side, disappeared. Bebe’s mother, Aven, who was drinking tea, turned her gaze towards the window.

‘Why.’

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t shake off the unease about the news of the workers who had taken Bebe that day being dismissed. At first, she thought they had been hunted by the black panthers of the forest, but the two beastmen had been trained in martial arts to some extent. They should have been skilled enough to handle one or two black panthers.

However, it was also strange to think that they had disobeyed orders and run away. Loyal employees who had worked at the Rabian mansion for more than ten years, what would they do with just a baby rabbit? Since it was said to be cursed, it would be a dubious prize to keep as a pet or for food.

Sensing Aven’s growing unease, her second son, Kairi Rabian, also looked out the window. He was just past his fifteenth coming-of-age ceremony and still had a youthful face.

“They probably crossed the border and went too deep, and got hunted. Ignore it, Mother.”

“Isn’t that forest close to the Grace family? Perhaps the beastmen belonging to that family….”

“You mean they might have found Bebe Rabian? Then it would be even more appreciated. They would have taken care of it themselves.”

Such things happen openly among nobles. Kairi muttered nonchalantly and sipped his tea.

That was because the head of the black panther territory, the Grace family, was famous for having no mercy. If they carelessly crossed the border and were discovered by them, it would not be strange for the employees, as well as Bebe Rabian, to lose their lives in one fell swoop.

Even while agreeing with those words, Aven couldn’t shake off a strange sense of unease. Kairi, who noticed his mother’s expression, put down his teacup with a clatter.

“If you’re really worried, send a few more people out to investigate again. If they were torn apart by black panthers, there should be corpses or bones left.”

“…Yes. That might not be a bad idea.”

Aven, who immediately reached out, rang the bell to summon a servant. The clear ringing of the bell felt strangely ominous at noon.

* * *

A dream, or reality?

An illusion, or real?

It was endlessly vivid to be called a dream, and it was difficult to accept as reality. Half out of my mind, I rolled around on the cushion, repeating the act.

No matter how I thought about it, the warmth and sensation of the past dawn were too clear. At least at that time, Ahin didn’t seem so big.

‘Maybe.’

Getting up, I ran to the full-length mirror in the bedroom and stopped. A fist-sized white baby rabbit was reflected in the shiny mirror. It was still an herbivore small enough to easily fit on someone’s palm.

‘…Yes, this is me.’

Ha, I sighed, resting my front paws on the mirror. Far from human fingers, it was just a familiar white fur ball.

Where would this appearance go in a day? After all, the five fingers I saw at dawn were just illusions. Moreover, I had never heard of a case where someone underwent humanization and then returned.

“Bebe?”

A call that was difficult to get used to was heard, as I had become accustomed to nicknames such as “Hey” or “Rabbit.” Lifting my head, I met Ahin’s eyes, who was frowning in the mirror. Unlike me, who was struggling in pain, his face, wearing a gray uniform, was even brighter, as if he had slept soundly.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

‘What indeed. How would a black panther know these troubles.’

Looking up at him for a moment, I let out another sigh of lament. Then, the servant who was fastening the cravat for Ahin flinched and looked down at me.

“Why do you think he’s doing that?”

Ahin, who looked at me and the servant alternately, asked quietly.

“Yes, yes?”

“That rabbit. He’s sighing.”

A look that seemed to say, “How would I know that?” floated on the servant’s face and quickly disappeared. It was indeed a response worthy of a veteran employee.

“Perhaps….”

He opened his mouth carefully, only looking at me sitting in front of the mirror.

“He might be… hungry?”

“Hungry?”

“He, he looks emaciated.”

Where on earth did he see that? I sent an uncomfortable gaze and nudged the servant’s shoe with my front paw. You, your eyes are very wrong.

“He already had breakfast?”

Ahin, who retorted, also looked down at me. I slightly avoided the lingering gaze that said, “Didn’t you eat breakfast?” and shook my head.

‘Breakfast, my foot.’

It’s not something trivial like that. This Bebe’s concerns were not a topic that black panthers who had already undergone humanization could guess.

“That makes sense, the claim that he seems hungry.”

“Yes?”

“I guess he’s preparing to be eaten. He’s gaining weight.”

“Th, that… is that so…?”

“Bebe is thorough in his preparations.”

Why does it always turn out that way? The moment I saw Ahin’s lips reflected in the mirror, my heart sank. Come to think of it, it’s almost time for Ahin to go to breakfast.

“Where to.”

As soon as I, who had turned pale, tried to escape, I was grabbed by the scruff of my neck. Instantly lifted into the air, he buried his nose near my neck before I could resist.

“The lion smell,”

After a moment of breathing, Ahin, who took his face off, smiled faintly. Outwardly, it was a very pretty smile, but it was chilling to me.

“It’s completely gone.”

Unlike the red eyes that were tinged with joy, his voice had no inflection at all. I wondered how unpleasant the lion smell was to him. At this point, I was curious about what kind of scent it was.

He checked the scent again by burying his nose in my neck again, and then tapped my lower jaw.

“Bebe, if you come back with that kind of smell one more time, then….”

‘Th, then…?’

Unable to retort, I met his eyes with trembling eyes. Ahin, who seemed to be contemplating the disposal, stared into the air and put me down on the floor.

Then what, keep talking. I waited with an earthquake in my pupils, but he trailed off, checked his pocket watch, and turned towards the door.

“I’m late for my schedule, I’ll be going.”

“Yes.”

The servant, who answered immediately, followed Ahin.

Is he just going to leave like this? As I watched his receding figure in dismay, I hurriedly tapped the carpet.

‘What then?’

A beastman, you should finish what you have to say! In frustration, I kept rolling around, and then I met the servant’s eyes just before he left the bedroom. Then,

‘Lord Rabbit!’

He called me with his mouth and suddenly made a gesture of support by clenching his left hand. He even patted his stomach with the mouth shape of ‘Fighting!’….

Left alone, I was lost in thought. Was it a fighting to wish for survival, or was it cheering on the preparation process for being eaten? The meaning was ambiguous, and my heart became a little complicated.

* * *

Lord Valence said that tea time was impossible again today due to a tight schedule. The mansion had been unusually noisy for the past few days, could that be the reason?

However, while passing through the hallway with Mayme, I happened to run into her and was delighted.

‘Lord Valence.’

“Oh my, it’s the first time you’ve welcomed me like this.”

As I was being stroked on the lower jaw, the events of dawn suddenly flashed through my mind.

If it was Lord Valence, who had immediately noticed my pheromones, I might be able to ask for advice. Unlike me, who had only gained knowledge from the conversations of employees or books in the mansion, she would have a wealth of knowledge.

With hope, I got out of Mayme’s arms and onto the floor, and then paused for a moment.

Last night, after being bitten on the neck by Ahin, I felt nauseous and had a headache. Then, at dawn, I saw a scene that was somewhat like an illusion. How should I explain this series of events?

‘In letters….’

It was impossible. I was exhausted just writing the word Bebe, let alone taking up her time in the middle of this hallway. Soon, with a determined face, I approached the hem of the red dress.

“Baby?”

When I tried to do something, the lingering gazes of Lord Valence and Mayme stayed on me. Noticing the gaze, I slightly raised my body, opened my mouth, and pretended to bite my front paw.

‘Like this, I was bitten on the neck by Ahin,’

Could they understand with just this gesture… I glanced and saw Lord Valence gesturing to continue.

With that courage, the next thing was easy. Then, I turned my body over and rubbed my chest and stomach.

‘After that, my stomach hasn’t been feeling well, as if I have indigestion.’

A different color flashed across Lord Valence’s red eyes as she carefully watched this process.

Could it have been conveyed? Looking with hopeful eyes, she nodded with a trustworthy expression.

Soon, Lord Valence, who made a snapping sound by rubbing her thumb and forefinger together, instructed.

“It seems like lunch was not enough. Mayme, tell the chef to give him the hay acquired from the eastern territory.”

Instantly, Mayme’s blunt face became even more hardened. It was as if she felt sorry for not noticing my intentions even though she was with me. Soon, Mayme, who bowed deeply, spoke in a serious voice.

“Yes, Master.”

That’s not it. As I suddenly raised my body in frustration, the corners of Lord Valence’s mouth curled up gently. It was the same charming smile as usual.

“Yes, yes, you seem satisfied.”

It seemed that she thought that the act of straightening my body was because I was happy.

After parting with her, I, who was being moved from Mayme’s arms, looked out the window with gloomy eyes. Unlike my cloudy insides, it was a sunny day with the sun hanging in the sky.

‘Nice weather….’

Ha- A sigh of regret naturally came out. After all, it was impossible to convey a lengthy intention in the state of a rabbit. The lump-like front paws were particularly resentful on this day.

* * *