The Symbiotic Relationship Between The Rabbit And The Black Panther [EN]: Chapter 35

Ahin, entering the bedroom, subtly frowned. He stopped walking, crossed his arms, and leaned against the door.

‘Is it really a weakness?’ Noticing his unusual reaction, a glimmer of hope sparked within me.

“…Bibi.”

His smile vanished, and Ahin strode toward me. He bent down and picked up the large cardboard box.

“What do you take me for?”

I, sitting next to the cardboard box, trembled.

Ash and Bara were giggling and rolling around inside, unable to control themselves. It seemed the ‘weakness’ didn’t affect all beast-men.

‘Right, how could a black panther who breaks iron doors have a weakness like that?’ Sensing my plan’s failure, I scooted back.

“Now that you’ve seen my true form, you think you can make me crawl at your feet with such a shallow trick….”

‘That’s quite a leap; I just wanted to see you flustered for a moment.’ Flustered myself, I waved my paws, but Ahin, his lips set in a firm line, tapped the cardboard box.

“I approve of that.”

“……”

“But personally, I’m not thrilled with the box. Come up with another method.”

‘I forgot, he’s always broken without needing to be broken.’ Receiving encouragement that wasn’t really encouragement, I stomped my feet, trying to escape.

“Where are you going?”

The crazed black panther’s bizarre behavior didn’t end there. So ‘kindly,’ Ahin got into the box, appreciating the effort I had put in. With me, of course.

“It’s cramped.”

Being confined together wasn’t part of the plan. Overwhelmed with dismay, I endlessly pounded on the cardboard box.

Conversely, Ahin stretched out in the cardboard box, which miraculously didn’t tear.

He leaned his head against the box wall as if it were his own home. Strands of disheveled silver hair obscured his languid eyes.

Looking up at Ahin, who had become as docile as a sated cat, I thought the plan wasn’t a complete failure.

‘He said he wasn’t thrilled.’

He was just pretending. No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t completely abandon his feline beast-man instincts.

“Bibi, I heard you received a mansion from Mother.”

He only moved his lips, still sprawled out languidly. Staring blankly at his fluttering lips, I hurriedly nodded.

‘I received an extravagant mansion.’

Ahin smirked and took something out of his pocket. A pocket watch with a chain connected to it, designed to be worn around the neck, dangled before my eyes.

“A housewarming gift.”

Looking at him, the slightly hurt feelings I had felt melted away. He certainly had a knack for playing with my emotions.

‘Give it to me quickly.’

I decided to make an exception and not spray Ahin with beast repellent, and reached out my paws.

“I couldn’t keep it in the mansion because of security.”

Ignoring Ahin’s suggestion to hire guard rabbits, I examined the pocket watch.

It was smaller than my palm, and the purple jewel in the center made it look expensive at a glance.

‘Thank you.’

As a sign of gratitude, I rubbed my cheek against his pants leg and turned the pocket watch over. My clumsy paws couldn’t seem to open it.

‘Eek!’

I gritted my teeth and wrestled with the pocket watch. I couldn’t properly express my gratitude without seeing inside.

“Here.”

The pocket watch was easily opened by Ahin’s hand with a click.

I held onto the lid and thoroughly examined the inside. My face, greatly magnified by the convex lens on the opposite side of the clock face, was reflected.

“Bibi, do you know what a clockwork rabbit is?”

‘A clockwork rabbit?’

I wondered. Pondering, I shrugged.

“Don’t you read fairy tales?”

The rabbits in the fairy tales I read as a child were generally portrayed as cunning and sly. I didn’t particularly like fairy tales as a child.

“It’s nothing much, so never mind. Look here instead.”

Without adding any further words, Ahin closed the lid of the pocket watch. His finger tapped the purple jewel embedded in the center.

“It’s Perenium.”

‘Pere….’

Repeating the word, I covered my mouth in shock.

“I see you know what Perenium is. As you know, it’s a jewel that can be infused with pheromone abilities, and I’ve stored my ability in it.” [Perenium is a fictional jewel with magical properties.]

Unlike before, I couldn’t even touch the jewel with my paws and stared blankly up at Ahin.

I probably couldn’t afford a Perenium containing that level of high-grade ability even if I worked my whole life. It was a rare item that wouldn’t be strange to see at an auction right now.

“It can be used three times. Use it if you have a pheromone outburst in a place where I’m not around. To use it, inject your pheromones, and it will activate automatically.”

Frozen like a stone, I couldn’t react at all. Ahin picked up the chain of the pocket watch and swung it like a pendulum.

“I thought about having it made smaller, but they said they couldn’t reduce the size any further because of the ability.”

‘I see.’

My eyes followed the swinging direction, and I startled and hugged the pocket watch. How could I handle such a precious thing so carelessly?

“Do you like it?”

Unable to hide my excitement, I perked up my ears. Beyond liking it, it was like a gift comparable to the price of my life.

I had been worried about what to do if I had an outburst like last time in a place where Ahin wasn’t around. I had to… had to accept such an amazing gift.

Afraid that he might take it back, I shouldered the chain and pulled the pocket watch with all my might.

Then, unsettlingly, Ahin’s unique twisted smile appeared on his face.

“Because you like it so much, I want to take it back.”

‘I knew it!’ I protected the pocket watch under my belly to keep it from being taken, but in a box with all sides blocked, it was a futile resistance.

‘Ah….’

I stared blankly at the box wall and turned to Ahin with a dejected expression. Then, grabbing his pants leg, I pleaded with all my heart.

‘Think about it.’

What use is a Perenium containing your ability to you? On the other hand, it’s a necessary item for me. I tearfully gestured, trying to persuade him in every detail.

But Ahin didn’t budge and slowly leaned back. Rustle, he managed to crouch down diagonally in the narrow space.

He slowly opened his lips, sprawled out languidly like a sated cat.

“Do you need it? The Perenium.”

‘Of course, I do.’ Nodding, I hugged the pocket watch as tightly as possible. Ahin, who was staring intently, gently tugged the chain of the pocket watch with his index finger.

“Don’t you need me?”

‘Why again?’ I was parched after receiving a question that could be interpreted in many ways.

‘Don’t look at me with that expression.’

Why do you keep putting me to the test? His wounded deer-like appearance made the hearts of many rabbits flutter.

“You’ve never needed me this much.”

Clang, my body was pulled along as he tugged the chain.

“Isn’t that right?”

Ahin tapped the pocket watch he had pulled close to his face.

“I’m much more useful than this trinket. There’s no limit to the number of times I can be used, my abilities are vast, and I have the kind of looks Bibi likes.”

It was a playful yet subtly barbed remark.

‘That’s….’

I got off the pocket watch and cautiously sized him up.

Ahin probably felt it too. That I was still wary of him even after several months.

Even after learning that my own pheromones were of the healing type, a subtle psychological distance had arisen. It had become difficult to fully trust Ahin, and I was constantly suspicious of his good intentions.

It was an ambiguous feeling of wanting to believe his unfathomable smile, yet not being able to.

‘But….’

Thump, thump, I jumped without hesitation and stopped right in front of his face. The soft touch was conveyed by my paws touching his cheek.

‘I need you.’

Even if you’re with me to use your healing abilities.

Whatever the purpose, for now,

‘…I need you.’

The dominating ability that blocked pheromone outbursts was just one of the secondary reasons why I needed Ahin.

More than that, I needed the hand that pulled me into the blanket every night and the voice that asked for my opinion.

The safe fence too. And the animals that filled the surroundings, even if they were just beasts. Before I knew it, I was becoming immersed in the comfort Ahin had provided.

‘I don’t know why you even ask.’

Knowing everything so well. I stroked Ahin’s cheek and inadvertently tidied up his disheveled silver hair. When I brushed back the bangs covering his forehead, I met his red eyes, the depths of which I could not fathom.

“Bibi, do you know that you just approached me first for the first time?”

‘……?’

“Without being wary.”

Realizing it belatedly, the tips of my ears grew hot. Perhaps I had also relaxed because Ahin’s unique sharp feeling was absent today.

Embarrassed, I messed up his hair as if I was just tidying it up. He obediently let me mess with his hair and loosely brushed the collar of his shirt.

“Anyway, when are you planning to eat me?”

‘What is he talking about again?’

‘What on earth… How could I eat you?’

“You left a feeding mark on me.”

I, the person in question, had never heard of such a thing, was he planning to go a little crazy today in a different way? Disgusted, I jumped towards the corner of the box.

If it’s cardboard, I’ll dig a hole and somehow escape. As I was diligently digging a tunnel, I heard a low laugh behind me.

Glancing back, Ahin was sprawled out like wet paper, touching his neck.

To put it nicely, he just looked like he was in a good mood. But because I had messed up his hair, he also looked like a crazy person.

Even so, his gaze persistently followed my movements.

‘Get a grip.’

At the same time as I kicked Ahin’s hand with my hind paw, he pulled my body towards him. It was a weak force, as if handling something easily broken, which was significantly different from when we first met.

“Bibi, your back view is too pathetic.”

“It makes me want to bite you.” He mumbled and bit my ear.

‘Bit…, what?’

Unable to face reality, I perked up my ears. My lips followed in the direction I turned my head. Due to the tickling sensation conveyed to my ear,

‘Don’t bite my ear!’

Startled, I ended up roundhouse kicking Ahin’s cheek. Even after being hit on the cheek, he kept whimpering and nipping at me.

While dodging by doing side rolls, I saw his red eyes curving as if he was enjoying it, and for some reason, my heart pounded.

I hate him to death, but why can’t I really hate him? Living here, had I gone crazy along with the black panthers?

* * *

An hour ago, Bara was finally caught by Mayme pushing my butt.

She muttered, “You’d usually obey because of Ahin’s scent,” unable to understand Bara’s actions.

Perhaps it was because I was her rival. Unlike Jane, who had obediently followed Ahin’s scent, Bara worked hard to drive me out, proving her long history of unrequited love.

Silently furious, Mayme left the bedroom earlier than usual after finishing her service to discipline Bara.

Left alone in the bedroom, I went out to the terrace and looked up at the sky. It was a damp night sky with clouds covering the crescent moon.

‘Ahin is late.’

For the past few days, Ahin had been taking me to his office whenever he worked.

I knew it was to keep me from running into Grandfather… But honestly, going to the office was quite a chore.

Ahin, who made me, the rabbit aide, stamp documents with my paws, Evelyn, who naturally handed me documents, and the other three aides, who applauded every time I processed a document. I wanted to bite them all.

As I was seething, Queen flew in as always and sat on the terrace railing.

‘This watchdog.’

How long had it been since I came out to the terrace?

I glared at her unpleasantly and suddenly went into the bedroom and rolled out a strawberry. According to the hint from the exclusive attendant, Queen often enjoyed strawberries.

Whether that was true or not, Queen flew over in an instant, snatched the strawberry, and returned to the railing.

‘…Does she like it?’

As I watched her intently, I turned my gaze elsewhere at Queen’s shout of, “Caw-!” telling me to lower my eyes.

‘Such a playboy.’

Queen, who had already eaten the strawberry, began to sing, chirping. Taking that cry as a song, I leaned my paws on the railing in a desolate pose.

‘Are the rich always this anxious?’

I felt like I had unexpectedly become rich overnight because of the Perenium. I had hidden it well with Ash’s help, but I still couldn’t hide my anxious feelings every time I left the bedroom.

‘It would be nice if I could carry it around with me at any time.’

Ahin’s ingenious idea of setting up a private vault was useless. After all, my private vault could be picked up by an ordinary person with one hand, so it was clearly a mockery.

Anyway, that playful black panther never misses a day. As I was worrying about this and that, I narrowed my eyes.

Speak of the devil. Ahin and Evelyn were seen walking far away.

‘That’s not the direction to the bedroom?’

Under the lamplight that illuminated various parts of the garden, their silhouettes gradually moved away.

‘Where are they going?’

As I leaned out of curiosity, I heard a scratching noise from nearby. It was the sound of Queen, who had descended below, scratching her claws.

‘Why…, why?’

Terrified, I fell backward. Unfazed, Queen’s legs touched my side as she trotted over.

Why are you rubbing your legs so scarily? At the same time as I grabbed Queen’s legs to push her away, my hind paws came off the ground.

Before I could even realize it, the terrace was getting farther away. Only after the people passing through the garden looked like black dots,

‘Aah!’

I realized that Queen was flying with me hanging on her legs.

Clinging tightly to her legs, I frowned. I never thought I would fly on a hawk in my life. The speed was so fast that my face, hit by the wind, was mashed like dough.

‘I’m not curious!’

If it’s a reward for the strawberry, I don’t need it, so please go back.

‘I’m not curious at all-!’

The silent scream was buried in the hawk’s gratitude.

* * *

The place I arrived at was a thicket next to a detached building that I had no memory of ever visiting.

‘I feel nauseous….’

I repeated retching and barely regained my senses, looking around.

Beyond the thicket, a gloomy building loomed. It was constructed from rarely used grayish-blue bricks, and the entrance was fortified with sharp iron bars.

‘They went in… there?’

When I pointed to the entrance, guarded by several security knights, Queen arrogantly raised her chin.

‘Okay, very nice information.’

My questions were answered, so let’s just go back and rethink this. Before I could even protest, Queen suddenly took off and disappeared.

‘Where are you going!’

This can’t be happening. Abandoned in the middle of nowhere, I blankly looked up at the sky.

How much time had passed? Suddenly, my vision was obscured by a black cloth. Queen, who had wrapped me in the cloth like a bundle, busily flapped her wings.

‘Stand back, this is a messenger hawk of Ahin-nim [a respectful title for Ahin].’

Along with the security knight’s voice, I heard the clanging of iron bars rubbing against each other.

We easily entered the building. Peeking out of the cloth, I looked back. It didn’t even take five seconds for the security knights to regroup.

‘He’s using his head….’

Hey, he might not even be a hawk. Impressed, I turned my gaze forward. All I could see were lamps hanging at regular intervals along a long corridor.

‘Where is this…?’

After a while, Queen flew higher, and the maze-like layout came into view at a glance. The unpleasant smell that stung my nose made my fur stand on end.

Avoiding the security knights stationed everywhere, Queen went straight for a side path. She was skilled, as if she had done this many times before.

The stairs ahead led to the basement, not the ground floor. The number of security knights decreased as we descended.

Swish—Queen flew diagonally and dropped me off in front of an iron cage.

Pushing aside the black cloth and stepping out, the ground felt surprisingly cold beneath my paws.

‘What are these bastards?’

Looking around, I met a pair of gleaming brown eyes in the darkness. Beyond the mossy iron bars, a man with shackles on his arms and legs spat.

‘…A wolf beastman?’

My mouth felt as dry as sand due to the tension. Facing him, who was completely restrained, I felt an extreme chill.

The building connected to the basement, the iron bars, and the restraints… This was undoubtedly a prison for confining criminals, something I had only seen in books.

‘A rabbit riding a hawk. I must be about to die if I’m seeing all sorts of things.’

Madness was reflected on the man’s face as he chuckled. Unlike me, who was stiff with fear, Queen snorted, mimicking the man’s spitting.

‘Shh, don’t provoke him.’

‘Haaack!’

As I tried to stop Queen, I was horrified and turned my gaze away. A cracked scream, echoing from the left side of the corridor, filled the air.

The smell of blood was mixed in the humid air. The man, flaring his nostrils, gestured with his chin towards the direction of the scream.

‘Go and see~.’

A yellow tooth was revealed with a phlegm-filled laugh.

‘Didn’t you come following those guys?’

Was he referring to Ahin and Yverin? The man’s cross-eyed gaze, lit by the lamp, gleamed crimson.

‘Those two pretty boys.’

He chuckled, seeming almost out of his mind.

‘What….’

My face turned pale as I moved towards the corridor.

Tap, tap, anxiety spread with each step. The iron cages located at regular intervals in the corridor were empty. Holding my breath, I peeked around the corner, and Queen, behind me, also stretched her neck out.

Hoping that the unfolding scene was a dream, I slightly opened my mouth.

‘A corpse…?’

Although I couldn’t see clearly because of the distance, beastmen collapsed in the corridor came into view. Some had a terrible appearance, their skin turned gray, and the floor was soaked with blood.

My shaking gaze reached Ahin, who was standing at the center of it all. I couldn’t read any emotion on his shadowed face. His faded, desolate red eyes were etched in my mind.

Ugh, I turned my gaze away in an instant and covered my mouth. Nausea surged, and my heart pounded as if it would burst out.

I can’t even think straight just from seeing bloodstains. What kind of life have you lived to be able to stand so calmly like that?

My forepaws trembled. Recently, Ahin had been coaxing me and acting like my best friend, so I was newly aware of his cruel side that I had forgotten.

After a while, his slow, measured voice echoed.

‘Are these the last of the drug addicts captured from Endelus?’

‘Yes, the rest died as of yesterday.’

Yverin, who was waiting at a distance, replied. Perhaps because it was a closed basement, the conversation was quite clear when I strained my ears.

‘What is the source of the drug?’

‘It seems to have been brought in from the Hyena territory through pirates. It’s a dangerous type, said to be traded only in slums and assassin guilds.’

‘Well, Endelus has many slums, so it would have been easy to get in.’

Was he talking about the drug that activated my pheromones?

‘…I might be able to get a clue.’

I slapped my cheeks repeatedly to pull myself together and peeked out.

‘The symptoms are mostly to elevate mood or forcibly activate pheromones, but,’

Yverin, flipping through a document, continued the explanation.

‘Occasionally, there are cases where they awaken to a type of pheromone that is far superior to the one they originally had.’

‘There are no such cases among the guys here, are there?’

‘Because it’s a rare probability. Even then, there’s a possibility that they’ll end up with useless pheromones.’

Awakening to other pheromones… is that even possible? I couldn’t even look at the collapsed beastmen, so I tried to fix my gaze on Ahin.

‘…Awakening, huh.’

Ahin, muttering, flipped over one of the sprawling beastmen with his foot. Clang, the sound of his jacket epaulettes rubbing together echoed with his movement. A short silence passed.

‘Yverin.’

A chill was buried in his low voice.

‘Yes, speak.’

‘The ranks of the nobles are divided according to bloodlines in any territory, right?’

‘……?’

It was a sudden topic. Yverin, slightly frowning as if trying to grasp Ahin’s intention, nodded.

‘That’s right.’

‘In an ordinary noble family, do you think someone with healing pheromones could appear?’

A healing ability. Realizing that the topic that popped out was about me, I swallowed hard. My toes curled up with tension.

‘That level of high-level ability would be difficult to obtain even for the bloodline of the leader. Why are you suddenly asking about that?’

Yverin’s mouth hardened coldly as she couldn’t finish her words.

‘Could it be that Rabbit-nim’s pheromones are….’

‘That’s right, Bibi’s pheromones are healing-type.’

‘What… what is this….’

Yverin stuttered, unusually flustered.

‘Then Rabbit-nim is the leader’s….’

‘No, the probability of Bibi being the leader’s child is low. If it was that level of bloodline, they would have dealt with her directly rather than abandoning her in the Forest of Boundaries.’

Yverin, holding her forehead, nodded blankly. Ahin, estimating my size with his hand, let out a sneer.

‘In the first place, it’s hard to see Bibi, who is this small, as the leader’s child.’

Sorry that I’m this small. I bit my lip, suppressing the urge to jump out and kick him.

‘Excuse me, Rabbit-nim is more brave and courageous than any predator.’

Rather, Yverin flared up and defended my position. Sometimes I don’t know whose side she’s on.

‘In what way?’

‘Just last night, you should have seen Rabbit-nim scolding the chef.’

‘Bibi scolded the chef?’

‘Yes.’

In an instant, Yverin’s red eyes flashed sharply.

‘Rabbit-nim took the wrong turn into the kitchen….’

Stop it, don’t say it!

‘As soon as she saw the chef, she became furious and showed off a flying kick. It was a life-or-death match.’

‘I took the wrong turn and attacked the chef?’

Feeling ashamed, I buried my face in the wall. I wanted to hide in a rat hole.

‘It was unfortunate that the chef was sharpening his kitchen knife. She must have thought he was trying to cook her. The chef, who was defending with a ladle, eventually surrendered.’

‘Ah, I missed it again.’

Such a wonderful scene. Ahin even put his hand on his waist and regretted it. In the end, I, with my ears turned red, shuddered.

Why don’t you continue the important story you were just having? It was admirable how they could have a conversation according to the flow of consciousness even in this place and situation.

As I showed a disgusted look, Queen, not knowing the reason, subtly showed a bright expression.

‘She’s so mean-spirited.’

Why are all carnivores like this?

While I was barely controlling my emotions, Ahin took out a bag containing gray powder from his pocket. Leaning against the mossy wall, he shook the bag.

‘Anyway, about this drug. The doctor in Endelus and the chief physician asked about Bibi’s tolerance.’

‘Tolerance, you say?’

Tolerance? As I pondered the unexpected word, I vaguely recalled the doctor’s question.

‘Have you ever been exposed to drugs before? We need to consider the case of tolerance.’

A chilling unease raised its head.

‘If.’

Rustle, the gray powder crumbled in Ahin’s hand.

‘What would happen if you gave this kind of drug to a young beastman before they underwent humanization [the process of transforming into a human form]?’

No way.

‘Since pheromones haven’t developed at that time… there’s a high probability that they’ll awaken to superior pheromones.’

‘That’s right.’

As soon as I realized what Ahin was trying to say, my legs began to tremble. Yverin, folding the documents with a snap, slowly parted her lips.

‘…Are you implying that drugs may have been involved in how Rabbit-nim obtained healing pheromones?’

‘It’s just a hypothesis for now. But isn’t that more credible than the probability of it appearing by chance in an ordinary noble family?’

‘…….’

Ahin’s red eyes, half-lowered, contained a vivid murderous intent.

‘Bibi’s parents might be worse than I thought.’

It was as shocking as being hit in the head with a hammer. Staggering and losing my balance, I collapsed to the floor.

In fact, it was a question that I had been harboring all along: whether someone with healing pheromones could be born in the Rabian family, which is a middle-class noble family.

‘No…, it can’t be.’

Muttering, I buried my forehead in my forepaws.

I couldn’t accept it. If Ahin’s guess was correct, it meant that my mother or father gave me drugs and abandoned me because I couldn’t undergo humanization.

‘It can’t be true.’

What am I supposed to do?

I just wanted to believe it was the result of chance.

That it was an ability that could appear with a very low probability. That even if they abandoned me, my parents wouldn’t be that cruel.

Contrary to the desire to believe that, reason was leaning towards Ahin’s hypothesis.

‘Bibi, my baby. I’m sure you’ll have excellent pheromones.’

‘This mother guarantees it.’

Standing at the edge of despair, I didn’t even shed tears. Lying down, I suddenly remembered a time when I was very young and very sick.

‘At that time….’

Why was I so sick? Only the sensation of not being able to sleep and rolling around in pain, as if tearing my limbs in half, was vivid.

It was a similar pain to the pheromone outburst I had recently experienced. As my head emptied, reason became frighteningly clear.

What if I obtained healing pheromones because of that kind of drug? And that’s why I haven’t been able to undergo humanization until now.

‘What is that….’

The more I looked back on the past, the more empty my heart became.

If I had obtained pheromones that suited my status, as originally intended, I might not have been a baby rabbit all this time.

Undergoing humanization at the same time as others. Living a complete life like ordinary people.

There would have been no need for people’s contemptuous expressions to be etched in my heart, and there would have been no need to become insensitive to such things.

‘This ability….’

The bitter taste of blood was in my mouth because I bit my teeth hard.

Why have I lived in despair for nearly the past twenty years?

Not even because I wanted to, but because of someone else’s greed.

I couldn’t think anymore. I was afraid that I might lose my mind right away. It felt like my mind would be submerged in a black swamp.

As I curled up without moving, I heard the conversation between Ahin and Yverin, whom I had not been focusing on.

‘What are you planning to do about this year’s Amon leader’s birthday banquet? The head of the family has forwarded the invitation to Ahin-nim.’

‘Amon, you say… the leader of the Rabbit territory?’

Responding sensitively, I flinched.

Come to think of it, around this time was Amon’s leader’s birthday, so there was a festival. The maids used to talk about it in excited voices for days.

‘Pass it on to grandfather for now. He’ll be free.’

‘Lillian-nim is bedridden thanks to Ahin-nim, though.’

‘You know that’s all pretense.’

‘Still, there’s no way she’ll accept Ahin-nim’s request.’

If it’s Amon’s leader’s banquet, there’s a very high probability that a member of the Rabian family will attend. Elements to worry about increased without even having time to pull myself together.

‘Annoying. I’ll have to be away for at least a few days.’

Ahin, letting out a short groan, shook his head.

‘Isn’t that the usual schedule? If you’re worried about Rabbit-nim, like in Endelus, you can go together,’

‘Wait.’

Ahin, stopping Yverin, slowly turned his gaze towards where we were. Hastily putting my head in and Queen stuck closely to the wall.

‘…It’s annoying.’

The chilling voice echoed through the corridor.

‘I think there’s a rat.’

To think he noticed even from this far away… is he really human? I stuck out my tongue and exchanged glances with Queen.

I hadn’t even properly decided whether it was okay to run into Ahin in this place.

Tap, tap, tap, the footsteps that were far away gradually grew louder. It was only a moment before the long shadow drew closer.

* * *