The Symbiotic Relationship Between The Rabbit And The Black Panther [EN]: Chapter 23

Sunlight streamed through the terrace windows. Slowly, Ahin opened his eyes, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Despite falling into a deep slumber, his mind felt unusually clear. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept so soundly, so completely lost to the world.

Gazing at the ceiling with heavy-lidded eyes, Ahin chuckled dryly. Bibi’s pheromones permeated every inch of his being.

Just last night, Bibi had rejected his pheromones with a look of utter disgust.

He’d never heard of a herbivore suin [a humanoid animal] being tormented by a predator’s pheromones; usually, they were captivated. It seemed she disliked being bitten, but her reaction was far too extreme.

Thinking back, Bibi would toss and turn in her sleep every dawn, or even do the bizarre thing of putting her front paws in Ahin’s mouth.

Could it be that a predator’s pheromones were simply too much for a rabbit’s body to handle?

Last night, he had deliberately suppressed all his pheromones before going to sleep, just to test the theory. As a result, he had been completely dominated by Bibi’s.

When mixed with his own, his body would only feel slightly relaxed. But accepting only Bibi’s pheromones brought an ecstatic sensation that made him lose his mind and fall into a deep sleep.

‘…This is no joke.’

Still lying down, Ahin blinked and lightly licked his lower lip.

He was a high-ranking predator with the best lineage in the black panther territory. Therefore, after learning about pheromones during his humanization [the process of a suin learning to take human form], this was the first time he had ever been overwhelmed by someone else’s.

Even now, he felt languid and drained from the aftereffects.

Wanting to savor this feeling a little longer, Ahin pulled the pillow closer. Burying his face in it, he groped around with one arm, searching for the culprit of this situation, the fluff ball.

However, no matter how much he rummaged around the bed, he couldn’t feel Bibi’s presence. There was no way she could have gotten off the bed on her own.

“Bibi?”

A slightly hoarse voice escaped his lips. Quickly sitting up, Ahin waved his hands around, but he couldn’t find the fluff ball that should have been on the wide bed.

The red eyes, wandering around the ornate bedroom, soon landed on the lower side of the bed. There, the rabbit, completely enveloped in the black panther’s embrace, was curled up and sleeping. It was a rare and precious sight.

Sliding down, the carelessly worn gown slipped off Ahin’s shoulder. Dumbfounded, he let out a sighing laugh.

“Ash, did you take her?”

Opening his eyes at the call, Ash simply tilted his head. He seemed to be feigning ignorance.

“Bring her over here.”

Obediently following Ahin’s instructions, Ash gently picked up the rabbit and placed her on the bed.

Tired, Bibi was snoring loudly in a near-sprawling position. She even kicked her legs as if swimming in her dreams.

Ash, with his chin resting on the edge of the bed, quietly observed the scene.

“Fascinated?”

Ahin chuckled and lightly stroked Ash’s head. He seemed to like Bibi more than he had thought.

“I’m fascinated too.”

For such a tiny baby rabbit, she was surprisingly noticeable. At some point, Ahin had started naturally looking for Bibi before going to sleep or waking up.

As he tried to sweep back his disheveled silver hair, he shifted his gaze to something tickling his hand. At the same time, his red eyes turned cold.

A strand of pure white hair, belonging to someone unknown, was tangled in his fingers.

* * *

As I floated into the sky, pure white clouds brushed against my cheeks. The soft sensation was too unreal.

As I waved my front paws through the clouds, flying in the sky, I felt an ominous premonition. As if on cue, the sky turned black, and Ahin’s thunderous voice echoed, “…you.”

It was hard to understand properly. Straining my ears, the voice became clearer, “…going to.”

“Bibi, if you don’t wake up, I’m going to eat you.”

What was that supposed to mean? Startled by the terrifying warning, I abruptly opened my eyes.

Something bright red flickered in my blurred vision. Squinting because it was too bright, I soon realized it was Ahin’s eyes.

‘Eek!’

To see a predator’s eyes right in front of me first thing in the morning! Terrified, I frantically kicked my legs, but it was a futile struggle.

Ahin, laughing at my plight as he held me by the scruff of my neck, slowly lowered me onto the bed. I tried to run away immediately, but unfortunately, my hind legs dragged behind me.

“Why were you sleeping on the floor?”

Forcibly dragged back, I glanced at Ash. Lying on the carpet, Ash was staring into the distance.

“Did Ash take you off the bed?”

I, Bibi, had gone down there on my own two feet. Unable to claim that, I carefully examined Ahin.

How much did Ahin know about my pheromones? Judging by how he was questioning me, it seemed he didn’t know anything about what happened last night.

Seeing me only looking around without responding, Ahin tapped the bedding with his finger and pressed me for an answer.

“Answer.”

Having no other choice, I avoided Ash’s gaze and nodded. I was sorry, Ash, but this was a moment that required sacrifice. “Really?” A toneless voice followed the question.

“Then you’ll have to be punished.”

Punished for just that? Startled, I quickly looked up at Ahin. He wore a beautiful yet wicked smile.

Facing that smile, I suddenly remembered the saying that anyone who disobeyed their master in the black panther territory would be beheaded.

‘Wait a minute!’

“From today, Ash will sleep in Evelyn’s bedroom.”

That… was too cruel. Speechless, I slightly opened my mouth. Ash, not understanding the meaning, cheerfully approached when he heard his name.

‘Ash, this isn’t the time to be happy!’

Evelyn, the price for protecting me was too severe. My expression naturally darkened with guilt towards Ash.

As I grabbed Ahin’s hand to beg for leniency, I was startled and covered my eyes.

‘Oops.’

It was because he was more disheveled than usual. That flimsy silk gown was already a problem. Now, one side of the gown had slipped off, revealing half of his upper body in a dizzying state.

From the beginning, this predator must have overlooked the fact that rabbits could also be beasts.

“Oh, you liked this? Sorry I didn’t realize.”

‘No, I don’t!’

“Should I take off the other side too?”

It was a playful voice that anyone could hear. The rustling of fabric, a sensitive sound, echoed in the bedroom.

“Open your eyes.”

Open my eyes? Pricking up my ears, I felt virtue and vice colliding in my heart. No sooner had I resolved not to succumb to the devil’s whisper than my body floated into the air.

“Bibi.”

Feeling Ahin’s touch, my curiosity surged. My body swayed as if urging me on. Unable to resist the repeated calls, I finally narrowed my eyes. Right in front of me,

“Rabbit-nim. A-”

Evelyn, with his mouth open wide enough to see his uvula [the fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate], filled my vision. I didn’t even know when he had come in.

‘Aaaagh!’

Turning pale, I accidentally kicked Evelyn in the eye. It was a most spectacular morning.

* * *

A peaceful space with a charming view and a bridge over a pond. Here, Bibi’s mother, Aven Rabian, who had participated in the tea time held in this place, sipped her tea leisurely.

A boring place where people endlessly bragged about themselves. However, it was an excellent place to solidify her position while sitting down, so she was one of the nobles who frequented tea time without fail.

“I heard that the Grace family is holding its annual ball this year.”

When the topic turned to the black panther clan, Aven’s hand, which was holding the teacup, trembled slightly.

Black panther territory. For her, it was one of the most unsettling issues. She had sent her agents to the border forest nearly three times already, but she hadn’t heard from them yet.

Was the border such a dangerous place? But until now, the rabbit suins who had crossed the border had generally returned safely.

“But there’s a strange rumor.”

The lips of the head of a powerful noble family, who had ties in many places, opened.

A rumor… Aven’s gaze turned to her, a sense of unease rising.

“The next head of the Grace family is said to be deeply in love with his pet. He even brought his pet as his partner to the annual ball.”

“Oh my… Did you say he brought his pet to the ballroom?”

“Oh, I heard it directly from someone who attended. I heard he has a cruel personality, but he has quite an unusual hobby.”

It was a very interesting topic as light gossip. Among the nobles, there were often those with unique hobbies, so it might not be just a joke.

“If it’s his pet, is it a black panther?”

“It seems a bit exaggerated… but I heard it’s a baby rabbit. The head of the Grace family seems to cherish it very much.”

At that moment, Aven dropped her teacup, causing a commotion as it shattered. The head of the family who had started the conversation looked at her with concern, her face pale.

“Oh dear, Madam Rabian. Are you alright?”

“My hand slipped… I’m fine. I’ve caused a nuisance.”

Servants holding cloths quickly gathered around. Fortunately, the dress was not wet, so the cleanup was quick. As the servants who cleaned up the broken glass and moisture retreated, the atmosphere quickly recovered.

“By the way, I heard that the second young master of the Fulton family is getting married.”

The topic of the black panther territory disappeared, and new gossip led the conversation. The noble ladies, who had put a lot of effort into the invitations, laughed cheerfully. Accordingly, Aven, wearing an awkward smile, fidgeted with her hands under the table.

* * *

“Recently, drugs suspected to have originated from the wolf territory have been flowing into each territory. In particular, Endelus, a neutral area where the borders of the black panther territory, the lion territory, and the wolf territory meet, has suffered greatly.”

A meeting of the black panther clan and the lion clan in the conference hall was actively underway. The alliance was progressing smoothly, and they were currently agreeing on common issues between the two territories.

Rune, who was sitting in the seat of honor and watching, looked back at Ahin, who seemed even stranger than usual today.

Ahin seemed to have no intention of faithfully attending the meeting, as he was slumped in his chair. From the moment the meeting started, his empty red eyes had been staring into space.

He used to show such an attitude when he was in a bad mood or annoyed, so not only the black panther clan but even the lion clan deliberately avoided looking at him. There was no point in making eye contact.

“The drug is a type that disrupts the unique pheromones of the suins, causing addiction and, in severe cases, death.”

“Hmm, for now, there is information that it has spread from the knights guarding the border.”

Rune, who was watching the smooth progress of the meeting, looked up at Evelyn next to Ahin. He also seemed even stranger than usual today. For some reason, his handsome face was marred. Rune, staring at the sight of one of his eyelids being swollen, spoke.

“Why is your eye like that? It looks terrible.”

“I ended up being defeated by a martial artist.”

Rune thought he had been hit by Ahin, but unexpectedly, a serious answer came out, revealing his own defeat. Rune, who became serious as well, asked again.

“…A martial artist?”

“He is someone who has reached an unattainable level, so I have been struggling recently.”

“Is he famous?”

“He is a hidden master.”

Did he have a match with a martial artist? Judging by the fact that the swollen area was minimal, it was clear that he had been hit by a rather sharp technique.

Rune’s gaze, which had glanced over him, turned to Ahin again. Judging by his emotionless face, from which the artificial smile had been erased, he must have been uncomfortable. As if to prove it, Evelyn, who had sensed the mood, subtly pushed Rune’s aide and took his seat.

“Sir Evelyn, what are you doing now?”

Rune’s aide, who had been suddenly pushed away, frowned openly.

“I thought it would be okay to change seats sometimes.”

“We are in a meeting. Do not joke.”

He pushed Evelyn’s shoulder and whispered. To be exact, it was more of a grumble with gritted teeth than a whisper.

“Sir Restin, I am always serious. I am currently feeling a life-threatening threat.”

“A life-threatening threat?”

Rune’s aide, who heard the dry whisper, glanced at Ahin. Only then did he seem to understand the meaning of the words ‘life is in danger’ to some extent.

Certainly, Ahin, whom he had seen so far, was not in a good mood when he made such a hazy expression. If Evelyn messed with him, he might draw his sword right away.

However, Rune’s aide, who did not want to understand such circumstances, coldly pushed Evelyn away.

“Do not touch my arm. It is very unpleasant.”

“No, Sir Restin. How can you say such cruel words to me, whose life is in danger?”

“Anyway, you are someone who lives only for today.”

“That is a misunderstanding. I am a suin who always draws tomorrow’s sun.”

Due to him answering so nonchalantly, Rune’s aide, who was trembling, put strength into his shoulder. However, Evelyn was not one to be easily pushed away.

“Sir Manients.”

The two suins, who were fighting for a seat while supporting each other with their shoulders, sent each other a truce signal when they heard a low voice. Ahin, who had buried himself in the soft chair, glanced at Rune. The lips that had been closed throughout the meeting opened slightly.

“…At the ball,”

A strange silence flowed as the words stopped.

What’s wrong with him slurring his words, Rune, who was dumbfounded, straightened his body, which had been buried in the chair. Ahin, who opened and closed his mouth for a moment, asked slowly after a beat.

“Did anything happen?”

A rather roundabout question. Rune, who had his chin on the armrest, observed Ahin’s expression as if he was watching. He could not read any emotion from his clear face, which seemed harmless.

‘Anything happen.’

Naturally, his golden eyes lowered. As he recalled the question, Rune remembered Bibi, who had been crouching under the table on the day of the ball.

‘Yes, something very special happened.’

No matter how he thought about it, it was full of strange parts. From the messy appearance to the purple eyes that were rolling around anxiously. In the blink of an eye, she had turned into a rabbit raised by Ahin, so it was difficult to deny that they were the same person.

What was even more suspicious was that the rabbit suddenly waved its feet and tried to seal his mouth. And that too, very urgently.

Judging from a series of actions, it seemed that she was trying to hide the fact that she was human. Perhaps Ahin Grace doesn’t know that the rabbit is a suin.

‘That cunning person?’

Rune’s golden eyes shook as he reached an absurd hypothesis. That too was a part that was hard to believe. He swallowed the various questions that tickled his throat and said quietly.

“…Not really.”

It was a disappointing answer compared to the time he had waited. Ahin, who heard him, smiled with a twisted mouth. From the beginning, he did not expect to get the information he wanted.

The two suins, who had exchanged ambiguous questions and answers, turned their eyes away from each other and looked forward. Ahin, who had buried himself in the chair again, muttered in a monotonous voice.

“Well, what can I expect from a lazy lion?”

“Better than a black panther.”

“Don’t bother me.”

“…Are you picking a fight now?”

Due to the increasingly fierce atmosphere, everyone in the conference hall turned their eyes to the seat of honor.

As expected. He thought that today’s meeting would pass without a fight for some reason. Since they have been growling at each other since they met, it was not surprising.

Evelyn, who noticed the nobles’ dumbfounded eyes, slipped his face between Rune’s and Ahin’s chairs.

“Please consider your positions. The territories have already formed a smooth alliance, but only the two of you are still bickering.”

“……”

“It’s not like you’re cat and mouse clans.”

Admiring glances reached Evelyn, who bravely took the lead. It was an appropriate line that everyone wanted to say at this point. Ahin and Rune’s mouths opened at the same time when they heard the serious advice.

“Evelyn, shut.”

“Yes.”

If he said just one more word, a bloody incident might occur. Evelyn, who easily predicted that, slipped his face back again. He was the best at hitting and running.

* * *