The Symbiotic Relationship Between The Rabbit And The Black Panther [EN]: Chapter 69

Rabbit and Black Leopard Symbiosis 16

Fortunately, Evelyn quickly regained her senses and hurried back to her bedroom.

After practicing my transformation several times, I returned to my human form and stretched. I had turned into a rabbit to sneak into Grace Manor, and my whole body was stiff. It seemed this was why therianthropes [people with the ability to shapeshift into animals] were reluctant to transform into their true forms.

“I will attend to you.”

The person who followed behind me as I stretched was Valence’s personal maid.

With skillful hands, she helped me prepare for bed and led me to a bedroom I knew well.

Standing alone in the spacious bedroom, I smoothed the hem of my pink negligee.

At the end of my gaze, Valence was leaning against the headboard, reading a book. The lamp beside her cast a warm glow on her face.

‘Wasn’t I supposed to get my own bedroom…?’

Hiding my trembling hands, I looked at the empty space on the bed. Suddenly, my terrible habit of rolling around in my dormitory bed came to mind.

What would happen if I slapped the leader’s cheek while sleeping?

‘No way…!’

Imagining a rabbit tied tightly with ropes and dragged to the gallows, I felt the blood drain from my face.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you coming here? You said you wanted to sleep with me tonight.”

“That’s….”

That wasn’t what I meant; I meant I wanted my own bed. Valence’s expression looked so happy as she gestured, I couldn’t bring myself to correct her, and I fidgeted with my negligee.

The longer I hesitated, the more her shoulders drooped.

“…I didn’t have time to prepare a carrot-shaped negligee.”

That’s not why I’m like this.

“Or… are you uncomfortable sleeping with me?”

Her eyes became increasingly sad, as if she couldn’t believe it. As her beautiful face, which resembled Ahin, saddened, I reluctantly lay down next to her.

Who knew the day would come in my rabbit life when I would share a bed with the black leopard leader? Both hands naturally gathered respectfully over my solar plexus [the area in the abdomen where many nerves converge].

“It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a bed with someone like this.”

Valence put down her book and lay down sideways, looking at me. I turned and faced her.

“Have you made a decision about the Elder Council?”

“…I’m still not sure.”

“If it’s too difficult, you don’t have to show off your abilities. I’ll persuade the Elder Council and send them back.”

Valence smiled softly and slowly moved her hand to hold mine. Her hand was rough like Ahin’s. As I stared at her calloused hand, Valence slowly stroked the back of my hand with her thumb.

“You must be even more worried because of the weight of this position. From the moment you sit next to the leader, you will live a different life from others.”

A gentle voice, befitting the night, caressed my ear.

“You won’t be surprised by death, and perhaps as time passes, you may become indifferent to emotions. I’m glad you seem to know this well, as you can’t easily decide.”

“……”

“That’s why I hesitated to have my husband… Edith, bear such a position. She was a tender person who would bring a bouquet of flowers the next day, even after a big fight.”

“As a peace offering?”

“No, I thought so too. When I reached out to receive them, she shook her head, saying she brought them because they resembled her.”

Ahin’s arrogance, thinking she was the most beautiful in the world, originated from Edith. I hardened my lips and recalled the portrait of Edith that my grandfather had shown me. It was a shocking beauty that seemed to have pierced my eyes in the portrait.

“-My rambling has gotten long, but you won’t become desensitized to death, my dear. These hands are hands that save lives.”

“…That’s too generous of an assessment.”

“Well, perhaps the combination of dominant pheromones and healing pheromones will bring a new phase to the black leopard territory.”

Valence shook our clasped hands and, for a moment, had the eyes of a leader. Soon, she softly creased her eyes and continued.

“There’s no rush, so think it over carefully. If you hadn’t been here in the first place, we wouldn’t have been given this time.”

Ahin wouldn’t be under the sky either, Valence added with a nonchalant, terrifying hypothesis.

“…My dear. Weren’t you resentful of me for sending you away?”

After a moment, a subtle hesitation was mixed in her voice as she asked cautiously.

There’s no way I could be. I, who had swallowed Main, stared straight into her red eyes.

Under Valence’s unconditional support, I had spent the past year and a half exploring the world and learning about the continent.

Recalling those days, I carefully moved and nestled into her arms. Fortunately, Valence didn’t refuse and wrapped her arms around me.

Is this what a parent’s embrace feels like? It was warmth I had never felt before, so I could only guess.

As if sensing this, Valence stroked my back for a long time.

“My dear.”

After a long silence, her serious voice flowed out.

“You don’t seem to have any muscle on your body. Do all herbivore therianthropes have such fluffy bodies?”

“Yes…?”

There’s no way that’s true.

“-Should I teach you swordsmanship?”

I collapse just looking at a blade, what did you say? Unable to raise an objection, I trembled.

Valence chuckled and turned off the lamp on the side, telling me to sleep. Lying in her arms, I couldn’t easily fall asleep as thoughts suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Swordsmanship….’

The Elder Council, betrothal, healing pheromones, swordsmanship. It was a night of deepening worries.

* * *

Grace Manor conference hall. Warm sunlight streaming through the windows brightly illuminated the conference hall.

Sitting at the head of the table, Ahin calmly watched the unexpected situation unfold.

Lillian, who had flown in from the academy early in the morning, was firmly occupying a seat. At this rate, there was a high possibility that a war between old fogeys would erupt.

“Our Elder Council can never accept a betrothal with a rabbit therianthrope. If you continue to conceal the existence of the rabbit therianthrope and remain silent, we will not hesitate to inform the nobles of our statement of opposition.”

Starting with the Elder Council Chairman’s sharp rebuke, fierce criticism from the Elder Council members followed.

The more the criticism of Vivi escalated into condemnation, the more Lillian’s fists trembled. Exerting all his patience, he slowly stroked his beard.

“Rootless….”

“Lowly herbivore….”

“Useless pheromones….”

Ahin thought the meeting was successful the moment Lillian’s vein popped out on his forehead.

“Who just said something useless about our rabbit, was it you? Was it you?”

Bang, Lillian, his neck flushed, kicked the conference table and stood up.

“Lillian, please calm down and about the existence of the rabbit therianthrope…,”

“I don’t want to reveal it!”

“The origin and pheromone status…,”

“Ahem, I said I don’t want to reveal it!”

The wooden staff in Lillian’s hand snapped in two with a cracking sound.

“Who broke my precious staff!”

The Elder Council members, who simultaneously had the same thought—you just did—wore weary expressions. They, who had been dealing with the hot-tempered Lillian as gentlemanly as possible, gradually began to raise their voices.

Eventually, Lillian and the Elder Council members, who had all risen from their seats, engaged in a loud and rough argument.

Slowly stroking his chin, Ahin watched the smoothly failing meeting. At this rate, he might not need to draw his sword.

He hadn’t brought in Lillian out of respect as a grandfather. Lillian’s rampage, not backing down even against a large number of people, was unparalleled.

Whirr, Ahin’s satisfied gaze followed Lillian’s hand as he wielded the broken staff.

‘Impressive.’

His red eyes, which had become softer, narrowed slightly.

Ahin, who was eagerly anticipating Lillian overturning the table, slowly turned his head to the side. Apart from his satisfied feelings, there were two strange things.

One was Valence, sitting at the head of the table. One of her cheeks was strangely red, as if she had been hit, but it was impossible to ask about the cheek in such a public setting.

And the other was that Evelyn, standing next to her, was unusually quiet. His calm gaze was fixed on the tightly closed conference room door.

Glancing at the door, Ahin slowly propped up his chin.

“-Waiting for Vivi?”

“Yes?”

Evelyn, caught off guard, trembled slightly. Like a quick-witted madman.

“I told you not to inform Vivi about the Elder Council. I didn’t expect the traitor to be right next to me.”

“That’s impossible, my body and heart belong entirely to Ahin.”

“Don’t try to gloss over it with dirty flattery. Did you enjoy the academy?”

Evelyn wondered if Ahin’s pheromone abilities included reading minds.

“Unfortunately, I can’t read minds.”

“That’s quite unexpected. …How did you know?”

“Ash going out with you is suspicious, and my grandfather came to the mansion this morning, so there’s no need to guess.”

Ahin smiled brightly and said in a low voice.

“Vivi can’t come anyway.”

“May I ask why you’re so sure?”

“Because I’ve strengthened the external security of Grace Manor. I’ve ordered them to capture any rabbit with sinister eyes that appears.”

Barely managing his expression, Evelyn hid his sweaty hands behind his back. Ahin didn’t seem to have predicted that Vivi would transform into a rabbit and bring her into the mansion. However, Evelyn thought it was only a matter of time before he noticed, and he gathered his hands like a sycophant.

“I betrayed you for Ahin’s sake. You said before that it’s not bad to have a traitor by your side, as it’s thrilling.”

“Anything related to Vivi is an exception…,”

The conversation between Ahin and Evelyn, who were exchanging frivolous jokes, suddenly stopped. It was because Vivi had poked her head out through the slightly opened conference room door.

Vivi, with a determined face, carefully surveyed the conference room. The doorman kept knocking on the door, but the noise was drowned out by the commotion, so he had entered to check inside.

“This treatment is disregarding the authority of the Elder Council!”

“Apologize first for spewing unspeakable abuse at our rabbit!”

“No, when did we ever say anything unspeakably abusive?”

The purple eyes, facing the swirling argument, vibrated fiercely. Swish, her head disappeared as if sliding away, and the door closed again.

Was it an illusion? Ahin, staring blankly at the scene, jumped up from his seat.

The room became quiet as if cold water had been poured over it.

One glance at Ahin, who had suddenly stood up, and another at Valence’s expression. And the faces of Lillian and the elders, who had met eyes, flushed red again.

They opened their mouths wide to start the second round.

“Th…!”

“Ra…!”

At the same time, bang, the conference room door burst open, instantly subduing the discord.

Because she was backlit, all that could be seen right away was the silhouette of a relatively small figure.

Step by step, Vivi, who had thrown open the door, walked to the center of the conference room, supporting her trembling legs. Soon, as she stepped onto the platform of the semicircular conference room, all eyes were focused on her.

‘…Rabbit therianthrope.’

The clue that made them certain of her identity was not just her purple eyes.

Her overall delicate features, long, flowing white hair, and slender frame made it difficult to find any trace of a beast-type therianthrope.

Moreover, her ankles under the light dress that exposed her arms were trembling. It was an undisguised reaction that a rabbit facing numerous beasts would likely have.

Thus, Vivi, standing amidst dozens of pairs of eyes, slowly surveyed the conference room.

Her gaze, which had passed the elders, each wearing robes with epaulettes [ornamental shoulder pieces] to show off their dignity, and Lillian, whose expression had become limp, stopped at Ahin, who was standing blankly.

‘Ahin.’

Vivi and Ahin, who felt as if time had stopped for a moment, made eye contact.

Even though they had been apart for a year and a half, those few days when he left for the academy felt like something. The two felt a strange longing and excitement at the same time and simply stared at each other.

Vivi, who had been quietly watching, shifted her gaze to Ahin’s right ear.

‘Vivi, do you know that in our pig territory, sharing earrings means wanting to be together forever?’

‘You’re going to buy earrings? Don’t tell me it’s for that trash…! Put that down. Russell, take Vivi’s purse right now!’

She had been tempted by Hendry’s explanation and bought a pair of silver earrings at the academy store, sending one of them in a letter. But seeing Ahin wearing the small earring without even knowing the meaning made her heart flutter.

Meanwhile, Ahin recalled Ash’s bulging backpack from last night and let out a sighing laugh.

She came through the backpack twice. Her body was getting bigger, and her torso was getting stuck in the pocket, so she seemed to have changed her mode of transportation to a backpack altogether.

Ahin smiled crookedly and soon slightly moved his lips.

‘What are you going to do.’

Vivi frowned slightly, recognizing the intention conveyed by his lip movements.

She was so nervous she was about to die, but she couldn’t help but find Ahin, who was smiling softly as if he was enjoying himself, so annoying.

She gestured with her hand to tell him to sit down. This Vivi will take care of everything.

Ahin, who received her valiant words, slowly sat back in his seat. Lillian, who didn’t want to show any more unsightly behavior in front of Vivi, also sat down with a loud cough.

‘Goodness.’

The Elder Council members, still standing blankly, exchanged incredulous glances.

With a single gesture, they made the crazy next leader sit down, and Lillian, who had been raging like a fire, became as docile as a lamb. In particular, Lillian’s behavior of stroking his beard and acting like the continent’s foremost gentleman aroused even anger.

One of the elders asked in a sarcastic tone.

“Lillian, didn’t you say just a moment ago that there was no rabbit therianthrope in this mansion?”

“When did I say that? Now, everyone calm down and take your seats. I don’t know what kind of disgraceful behavior those who dominated a generation are engaging in.”

Lillian even used honorifics, which he had thrown far away, as he answered.

Sigh, gee, ha.

The elders, each swallowing a sigh, sat down one by one.

As the atmosphere in the room gradually calmed down, Valence, who had been quietly observing, opened her mouth.

“…Since the rabbit therianthrope you so desired has appeared, I will not allow any questions or accusations until the explanation is finished.”

“That….”

The elders, who were about to protest, deliberately shut their mouths.

Behind Valence’s warm smile, like gentle waves on a warm day, were hidden storms and whirlpools. That was because she possessed the most outstanding martial prowess among the past leaders.

Moreover, she had already achieved so many accomplishments that she would be recorded in continental history, and there was nothing good about incurring the antipathy of her, who had the deep trust of the territory’s people.

The elders, belatedly recalling the rudeness of having already had a brawl with Lillian, coughed for no reason.

“Well-,”

As everyone regained their senses to some extent, Valence smiled and drew attention.

“The rabbit therianthrope’s identity and personal information are being organized, so we will discuss the details later. She clearly inherited noble blood, so I hope you will also put aside your concerns about her lineage. More importantly, there is an important matter that I must inform you of first.”

Valence said solemnly and slowly closed and opened her eyes. In the air, she drew the fluttering platinum blonde hair and Edith’s playfully curving red eyes that she loved.

If she had met Vivi just a little sooner, could he have extended his life?

Leaving behind her futile wish, Valence continued to explain everything from the practical cause of Edith’s death to the relationship between dominant pheromones and healing pheromones, and Vivi’s abilities.

‘Pheromone surge!’

The more the story went on, the more the elders’ faces changed from moment to moment.

Among them, some were reddening their eyes at Edith’s death, and many were unable to close their mouths, which they had opened wide, forgetting their dignity.

The elders even felt a chill down their spines during the section where Ahin had narrowly escaped death just before his death. They almost lost the leader’s only legitimate heir.

When Valence finished speaking, adding that she planned to announce information about dominant pheromones and healing pheromones in the future, all eyes in the room were fixed on Vivi.

In an unspeakable silence, one of the elders, his lips trembling, barely managed to ask a question.

“Then… is there no longer any concern that the next leader will experience a pheromone surge?”

“There haven’t been any signs for the past few years, but you never know-.”

Ahin answered ambiguously, dragging out the end of his sentence.

In reality, the probability of the dominant pheromones, which had completely taken root as his own, causing a surge was close to zero.

However, there was no need to explicitly state this and emphasize the unnecessity of healing pheromones.

The elders, increasingly agitated, engaged in a brief discussion among themselves. After a short while, the chairman of the elders, having roughly gathered their opinions, rose from his seat to speak.

“…As the matter is significant, we request confirmation regarding the presence of healing pheromones.”

Vivi, reminded that it was finally her turn, straightened her back. Clearing her trembling throat, she slowly parted her lips.

“I apologize for standing on the stage of the conference hall without proper procedure. I will proceed with a detailed introduction after demonstrating my abilities first.”

Her clear voice echoed throughout the hall.

‘Our little bunny even has perfect pronunciation…!’ Lilian suppressed the urge to clap her hands vigorously, filled with overwhelming excitement. Her speech skills were more than adequate to secure the position of student council president at the academy.

In reality, Vivi, unable to focus on anyone’s face, repeatedly took deep breaths.

‘Goodness….’

How could they all have such grotesque fangs?

Perhaps because the conference hall was circular, she felt surrounded by dozens of black panthers. Vivi, steadying her breath that threatened to escape, clenched her fists tightly.

In any case, beast-kin were the most responsive to the logic of power. Now that she had the opportunity to prove her healing pheromones, she had to showcase the full extent of her abilities.

After much deliberation, Vivi suddenly had an idea.

‘Perhaps….’

With a deep furrow in her brow, she extended a fist as soft as cotton.

The elders, faced with this sudden threat, blinked in bewilderment.

Evelyn and Lilian, the only ones in the room who understood what Vivi’s gesture meant, lowered their heads to hide their reddened faces.

To think she would attempt a fist bump in this setting…. Her audacity alone was worthy of being called the queen of bunnies. The shoulders of the two, struggling to suppress their laughter, twitched slightly.

When nothing happened even after some time, Vivi, feeling awkward, rubbed her hands on the hem of her dress. Perhaps it was just a fluke.

‘…I have no choice.’

Vivi, turning to the method she had considered since last night, took out a small dagger from her waist.

She had taken it from Valence’s room early in the morning while Valence was away. Feeling guilty for borrowing the item without permission, she offered an apology in her mind.

The blade, revealed as the scabbard was removed, gleamed sharply in the light.

Ahin, watching the rather dangerous dagger in Vivi’s hand, turned his head to the side.

He understood the situation as soon as he saw Evelyn rolling up her sleeves calmly. They probably agreed that Vivi would heal Evelyn after she was injured.

“Is it your turn?”

“Yes. Would you like to do it instead, Ahin?”

“I could.”

“Although I’m scared enough to cry, I’ll do it. If it’s you, Ahin, the bunny is more likely to be nervous.”

Evelyn, having fully exposed her forearm, replied in an indifferent tone.

Ahin nodded slightly and casually ruffled his silver hair.

He knew he could rest assured, but why did he feel so strangely uneasy? Suppressing the urge to stop her, Ahin turned his gaze forward again.

However, contrary to expectations, Vivi’s gaze was fixed on Valence, not Evelyn.

‘Valence’s cheek…?’

Vivi’s pupils trembled as she noticed Valence’s slightly swollen cheek.

‘Could it be… could it be,’

Surely it wasn’t because of my sleeping habits…!

Considering it an unspeakable act of sacrilege, she shook her head, hoping it wasn’t true.

Barely calming her uneasy heart, Vivi exchanged glances with Valence again. Seeing Valence biting her lip, it seemed she had realized what Vivi was trying to do.

‘Ahin probably doesn’t know yet.’

The truth that she could heal her own wounds with healing pheromones. It was highly likely that only Valence and she knew, without Evelyn or her grandfather knowing.

Judging from Valence’s actions of hiding even her humanization, she probably hadn’t revealed any other facts either.

‘Everyone will be very surprised….’

Perhaps it would have been better if they didn’t know anything.

If they knew what she was trying to do, they would have vehemently opposed it and prevented her from even setting foot in the conference hall. She couldn’t help but feel relieved that Ash wasn’t allowed in the conference hall.

Vivi, having made up her mind, sent a look seeking permission, and Valence reluctantly nodded.

‘Okay.’

Vivi, wetting her dry lips, turned her gaze to the dagger in her right hand.

‘I should have practiced.’

As she was about to try, her mind went blank with fear, and even her vision blurred. However, this was the only way to efficiently showcase the full extent of her abilities.

That’s why she had abandoned formality and worn a dress that revealed her arms.

After hesitating, she steeled her resolve and raised the dagger high. Turning the direction of the handle, the sharp tip of the blade was pointed at none other than Vivi herself.

‘Wait.’

Ahin, realizing that his ominous premonition had come true, pushed back his chair and stood up.

“Vivi!”

The blade, quickly slicing through the air, seemed to move slowly in his eyes. Before he could stop her, the descending sword pierced Vivi’s forearm.

For the first time in his life, Ahin felt his blood run cold.

Thud, thud, the blood flowing down the dagger dripped onto the platform.

Vivi’s forehead was beaded with sweat as she endured the excruciating pain. Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain.

‘T-This…, this isn’t it….’

The wound was far deeper than she had intended…!

Perhaps due to extreme tension, or because her flesh was tender, the wound was far beyond her expectations.

It was also because she had never stabbed anything before, so she couldn’t gauge the force.

‘…Calm down.’

Stay calm. Don’t be scared. You didn’t come all the way here just to cry. Vivi repeated, closing and opening her eyes tightly.

Last night.

Vivi had spent the long dawn sleepless.

‘Sleep tight, my dear.’

How much had she agonized, watching Valence fall asleep after kissing her forehead?

Just entering a conference hall filled with dozens of beasts was a challenge. Standing before beasts who opposed her existence was especially frightening.

Evelyn, Valence, and her grandfather all said it was okay if she didn’t attend, so shouldn’t she just run away this time?

However, recalling what she had subtly felt while attending the academy, it was difficult to simply give in because she was scared.

Beast-kin generally didn’t think that herbivore-kin could have pheromones superior to theirs.

Statistically, that was true, so how deep would that perception be among nobles and elders? Considering that, the elders would undoubtedly raise objections until she demonstrated her power.

She resented them for that, but at the same time, she hated her own situation, which she understood.

She never imagined she would wish she was a high-ranking noble, even if just for a moment.

Removing the title of emergency rations brought a new disparity in race and status.

While insisting on staying by Ahin’s side, the hesitation of whether she was even allowed to stay by his side gradually gnawed at Vivi.

As dawn broke and the sound of birds preparing for the morning could be heard, Vivi, her eyes sunken, concluded that she didn’t want any more resignation.

She had grown up only watching the backs of her father, mother, siblings, and servants. Even if she was being greedy, she didn’t want to just see Ahin’s back.

Vivi, determined to become stronger, finally fell asleep as the day dawned, forcefully slapping Valence’s cheek.

And now.

Vivi, hiding the pain and embarrassment that made her want to faint, gritted her teeth and pulled out the dagger.

Thinking positively, this might be an opportunity to imprint her healing pheromones. She could show the greatest extent of her abilities, that she could heal even her own serious injuries.

Forcing herself to maintain a composed expression, Vivi skillfully began to manipulate her healing pheromones.

The recovery didn’t take long. The gushing blood stopped, and new flesh grew in the place where the sword had pierced.

The new flesh wasn’t in harmony with the surrounding skin, but this would also become natural over time. Unless it was an old wound, there would be no scars left.

‘…Ha.’

Vivi, realizing that the pain had stopped, wiped the blood from the area of the wound. She raised her arm to show the healed area clearly.

The elders, faced with a sight that was hard to believe even after seeing it with their own eyes, wore astonished expressions.

What followed was an exclamation.

“Good heavens!”

“Is it possible for healing pheromones to heal oneself?”

Unable to hide their excitement, they stood up and bombarded her with questions. The elders’ eyes were filled with surprise and joy.

Vivi, slightly relieved by their passionate reaction, let the dagger hang down. As expected, the visible result not only erased their animosity but also brought about more success than she had imagined.

‘Thank goodness….’

Has she overcome one obstacle with this? Vivi, feeling much lighter, moved her lips.

“As you have just seen, the highest level of healing pheromones is….”

Before she could finish her sentence, her feet were lifted off the floor. Ahin, who had already reached the platform, held her up, supporting her shoulders and thighs.

Clang, the dropped dagger fell to the floor.

Vivi’s heart sank as soon as she saw Ahin’s indifferent face up close. It was the most angry expression she had ever seen.

As an unusual atmosphere enveloped the room, the noisy hall fell silent.

“Are you satisfied?”

Ahin, looking around the conference hall with sunken eyes, smiled coldly. It was the look he had right before he snapped.

“Be thankful that I’m not the leader right now.”

He added in lip movements that Vivi was here, and then he immediately left the conference hall.

Step, step, Ahin quickly strode down the hallway with large steps.

It was a strange sensation. If she was terrified enough to go crazy, her feet would freeze in place.

She now fully understood the reaction of the baby bunny, who would prick up her ears and freeze whenever she was startled.

“…Ahin, where are you going?”

Vivi, hesitating, barely parted her lips.

“To the doctor.”

The returning low voice was colder than a blizzard.

She was more reliable than the doctor when it came to treatment. Vivi, unable to add that, carefully reached out her arm.

“I’m all healed, look. There’s almost no trace left.”

Indeed, her arm was so clean that it was hard to believe there had been a wound, except for the bloodstains.

“So?”

“…Huh?”

“If you can heal it, is it okay to pierce your arm?”

Ahin, deliberately expressing it explicitly, stopped walking.

If it had been him or Evelyn, the sword would never have pierced her arm. Just thinking about the dagger that had crossed her thin arm made his vision blur.

“I didn’t do it on purpose. In the first place, I didn’t like the idea of Evelyn getting hurt instead… and healing myself is a superior ability… I only meant to stab it halfway, or just a little….”

Vivi’s voice, making excuses incoherently, gradually faded. It was the first time Ahin had been so fierce with her, and her heart was pounding.

Vivi suddenly realized that just as she feared his pheromone surge, Ahin might also fear her blood.

She should have told him in advance that she could heal herself.

She had kept her mouth shut, fearing that mentioning the events of a year and a half ago would only reopen each other’s wounds, which was, in a way, just a unilateral decision.

Vivi, drooping her eyebrows, fidgeted with her hands.

“I’m sorry….”

She had tried to do well in her own way…. She was so focused on the pain she had resolved to endure that she hadn’t considered the shock of others.

“-What are you sorry for?”

Vivi raised her head slightly and met his chillingly indifferent red eyes. She slowly lowered her gaze again and looked at the floor gloomily.

“Everything….”

“For making me surprised?”

“Yes….”

Ahin, letting out a soft sigh, was about to open and close his mouth when,

“Stop right there!”

Lilian’s thunderous scream echoed through the hallway.

He threw away his broken cane and ran towards the two at an unbelievable speed.

“Your arm? Is your arm okay!”

“I’m okay, I healed it quickly.”

Lilian, unable to believe it easily, repeatedly turned over her white arm to examine it. Only after confirming that there was no problem did he take Vivi from Ahin as if snatching her away.

“You foolish bunny. What are you doing? You won’t come to your senses unless you’re punished!”

Lilian, shouting at the top of his lungs, hugged Vivi tightly.

Vivi, hugged by Lilian, who was sobbing that his little bunny must have been in so much pain, finally burst into tears.

“You wicked thing!”

“I’m sorry….”

In the Rabian family, no one would pay attention even if she was groaning in bed. The fact that there were people who cared so much for her didn’t sink in even after time had passed.

After creating a lake with her tears, Lilian, who had barely calmed down, stealthily pushed Vivi behind him to hide her.

Even he judged that Ahin was currently radiating an aura so chilling that it made his spine tingle.

“…I’ll take the bunny and give her a severe scolding.”

Vivi was completely hidden behind Lilian’s flamboyant robe. Ahin, letting out an absurd breath, tilted his head to the side.

“Come out, Vivi.”

Could the name Vivi be called with such a terrifying nuance? Vivi, holding onto the hem of the robe, flinched, and Lilian shook his head so much that his beard trembled.

“Resolve all your grudges here. I’ll mediate if the conversation gets too heated.”

“Old man, don’t protect her, move aside.”

Lilian was by no means short, but Ahin, who had grown much taller, cast a shadow over him.

When did this guy get so big? While Lilian was feeling a new sense of emotion, Vivi whispered something in his ear.

Um, um. Lilian, nodding his head, soon cleared his throat and looked straight at Ahin.

“Ahin, were you very surprised?”

For a moment, Ahin’s pupils twitched slightly.

Vivi’s tone coming from Lilian’s mouth.

Before he could contemplate when mediation had become conveying words, Vivi and Lilian whispered to each other again.

“I’m sorry, I won’t hurt my body recklessly again.”

Lilian began to convey Vivi’s words without missing a single syllable.

“I was so worried that the relationship between the elders and Ahin would be strained that I didn’t consider other aspects….”

“Vivi,”

“Why?”

“Old man, stop answering for her.”

Ahin, feeling complicated, ruffled his silver hair irritably. It was driving him crazy that his mood, which had hit rock bottom, was improving even while listening to that gruff voice.

Uh…, Lilian’s words were also cut off due to Vivi’s hesitation while conveying the whispers.

Vivi tiptoed and checked over Lilian’s shoulder. Fortunately, Ahin’s murderous intent was in a state that was more relaxed than when he had burst out of the conference hall.

Vivi, united with half sincerity and half the desire to live, whispered.

Lilian, having received it accurately, conveyed it to Ahin with a satisfied expression.

“…Does liking someone too much cloud your judgment?”

In the end, Ahin covered his face with his hands and turned away.

Without him knowing, he was in a situation where he was even being defeated by a fake Vivi who was seventy years old.

* * *