Rabbit 11

Today was more special than usual. Despite the morning dawning, Ahin, who had not left the bedroom, surprisingly took me onto a carriage.

And shortly after, Everine also joined us.

With a large noise, the mansion’s main gate opened. Since arriving here, it was my first experience going outside the mansion, so I couldn’t help but feel excited yet somewhat afraid.

   ‘Wow…!’

The scenery outside the window that Everine showed me changed rapidly.

It was a street lined with tall spires and green roofs. Even seeing just a part of the cityscape, I could well understand the stature of the Black Panther territory, which was ahead of other territories.

   ‘Amazing.’

It felt like the small world I knew was breaking apart. Facing the outside world was a moment of intense happiness and yearning for me, who had only a few such experiences.

After hesitating a bit, I stretched my front paw out of the window.

Would there ever come a day when, instead of others, I would explore the world by myself? The fresh wind somehow felt pleasantly warm.

   “Now, if you can’t catch the doll, you’ll be eaten.”

After admiring the scenery, a small doll tied to a string floated in front of me.

You little… I glared and vigorously swung my front paws, slap, slap-slap, at it. But frustratingly, just when I thought I had caught it, the doll would slip away from my paw.

   “It’s because your legs are short.”

   “……”

   “Fat rabbit.”

Ahin’s movements, teasingly swinging the string, were unbearably loathsome.

Everine, watching from across, exhaled softly.

   “Master Ahin, you were even lifting it above the plate this morning. If you keep this up, Miss Rabbit might truly start to hate you. Even now, it looks at you with eyes full of hatred.”

At Everine’s words, Ahin stopped swinging the string and examined my face. Red eyes blinked between strands of silver hair on his forehead.

Then, with a twisted smile, he replied in a satisfied tone.

   “That’s quite a nice look.”

   “Indeed. Miss Rabbit, please continue to hate Master Ahin as much as you like.”

   “That would be exciting.”

   “Well, if you say so.”

Their conversation was far from normal, even by my standards, who hadn’t met many beings.

Annoyed, I gave up on grabbing and kicked towards the doll with my front paw. Thump, thud, in an instant, the doll turned into a punching bag.

   “An invincible rabbit.”

   “This might mark the birth of the first-ever rabbit fighter.”

Everine, with a dead-serious expression, leaned closer. Angered, I pushed his forehead away with my hind paw. These black panthers had a knack for infuriating me just by speaking.

   “Everine, it seems you’re particularly disliked.”

   “Oh dear. Miss Rabbit, please spare my fragile heart.”

Fragile what. Ahin, squeezing my cheeks, stuffed me into his jacket pocket. Ouch! His merciless grasp showed no signs of changing.

   “We will soon reach our destination.”

Through a small window connecting to the coachman’s seat, the coachman’s guidance came. Judging by the slowing speed, it seemed we had arrived at our destination.

Upon stepping out of the carriage and facing a large stone building, my face turned pale. I hadn’t been outside often, but it was a building format I could never forget. The destination they aimed for was a temple.

   ‘No way.’

Having no fond memories of temples, it was the last place I wanted to set foot in.

   ‘Why a temple…?’

As I struggled in the pocket, a thought flashed through my mind like lightning.

Sometimes, young beings who hadn’t undergone humanization would visit temples to receive blessings by having holy water sprinkled on them. Of course, I had gone through that process several times too.

But since humanization hadn’t progressed even by the time of my coming of age, a visit back to seek a priest’s diagnosis was made.

It was certain that Ahin came to the temple to ascertain my identity, despite appearing like an ordinary rabbit but carrying pheromones.

Unable to calm down, I began to struggle more vigorously in the pocket.

   “Stay still.”

As my kicking grew more intense, Ahin pressed down on my head.

Unable to resist this time, I started to bite the pocket. We don’t need to go out, so let’s just go back. I hate temples.

Despite my pleading look, Ahin and Everine entered the temple without hesitation.

After presenting a pass and going through several verification steps, we entered a place where a priest was present in a saffron-colored temple.

Peeking my head out from the pocket, I rolled my eyes. Murals painted everywhere and flames burning on altars created a sacred atmosphere.

“Welcome, Lord Grace.”

A priest with a long beard draped over his white clerical robe bowed in reverence.

From the moment I faced him from afar, I couldn’t think straight. My heart began to pound. A flood of unpleasant memories from the past overwhelmed me.

‘This is a terrible curse!’

It was a voice loud enough to ring in the ears. If by any chance this priest says the same thing. And if Ahin and Everine were to hear it. The anxiety I had been forcibly suppressing suddenly reared its head.

“Wait here for a moment.”

Ahin, who took me out of his pocket and placed me on the ground, pressed my cheek with his finger. Looking up at him with anxious eyes, he slowly demanded.

“Answer.”

Nodding reluctantly, Ahin smiled faintly and stood up to walk towards the priest.

I watched his back with shaky eyes. His black uniform seemed excessively large and distant today.

“It’s been a while. Has it been 3 years?”

“It’s the first time since the Divine Offering. It’s an honor to have Lord Grace visit us personally.”

As the time for greetings between the priest, Ahin, and Everine extended, I felt sick. Despite the distance, I could guess two words from their meticulously observed lip movements.

Rabbit.

Beastman.

As I took a breath, the unpleasant churning feeling I had felt before surged up. The priest’s voice echoed in my tangled mind again.

‘This is a terrible curse!’

I choked up. Really, if I hear such words from this priest too.

‘Alas, a lamb abandoned by the Beast God!’

When I came to my senses, I was frantically dashing somewhere.

Something ran under my feet, causing the priests to exclaim, “Eek!”, “What, what is it?” and dodge. Dodging the awkwardly bouncing legs, I pushed off the ground harder. My blurry vision quickly changed.

‘Unfortunately, there’s no way out.’

Ah, the black panther told me to wait quietly. Since I broke the promise, I might really get eaten this time. Even with such absurd thoughts, my legs moved against my will.

‘There’s no precedent for this.’

Stop. It felt like the anxiety that had been consuming me was surfacing.

‘The priest declared it a curse from the beast god. It’s also unsettling.’

After running for a while, I arrived in front of a large statue. The towering statue, entwined with the figures of various animals, symbolized the beast god worshiped by the beastmen.

As I gazed up at it blankly, tears began to stream down. Beast god, why can’t I transform into a human? Am I really cursed?

Questions without answers continued to arise. The statue was hardly visible through my blurred vision. My chest felt so tight it throbbed.

‘…why only me.’

Why. It’s a process everyone undergoes before they even realize, at a very young age, but why am I the only exception?

My younger brother, born three years later, has been a boy for a long time now. The same was true for my other half-siblings.

I was infinitely resentful, but there was no clear object of my resentment. As I cried my heart out, I felt all the strength drain from my body.

Just as I was about to let myself slump, a large hand suddenly picked me up. Silver hair, now familiar in my vision, draped over me.

“Hey.”

It was a call too low. Ahin, catching his breath, wore not his usual smile or indifferent expression but a somewhat angry face.

“This time, I’m a bit annoyed, you.”

As he roughly ran his hand through his hair, the silver strands sprang up then gently settled back into place.

Unable to convey any words and frustrated, I simply struggled to escape Ahin’s grasp.

It wasn’t my will to run away. And even now, I don’t want to go to the priest.

“Why are you crying.”

Wouldn’t you cry in this situation? I really hate this, let me go.

Eventually, with my claws out, I fiercely scratched Ahin’s hand. Despite the reddened scratch marks, the hand holding me showed no sign of letting go.

After a moment, Ahin asked in a slightly softer voice.

“Do you hate the temple?”

As if in a hurry, I nodded more eagerly than anyone.

I hate it so much. I hate the temple, and I hate the priest even more. As I nodded tearfully, I glared at Ahin through my tear-soaked vision. And today, I don’t like you either.

“Master Ahin!”

Everine’s excited voice rang from behind. His neat black hair was tousled from running.

As he hurriedly approached and saw me held in Ahin’s hand, he showed a relieved face. Catching his breath, Everine then resumed his usual expressionless demeanor, placing a hand on his waist.

“Miss Rabbit, your running skills are extraordinary. I never would have guessed you were attempting to escape from the temple.”

Even in such a situation, solemn nonsense was not omitted. Having run so much and cried, I, who didn’t have the energy to glare, slumped while caught in Ahin’s hand. Ahin, examining me, then turned his gaze to Everine.

“She finds the temple repulsive.”

I don’t remember using such an extreme expression. I was incredulous and shot Ahin a sharp look. The exaggeration was of a remarkable level.

“Oh, I was unaware. It seems Miss Rabbit is a blasphemous atheist.”

“Seems so. Is it not strange for a rabbit to have a religion in the first place?”

“Do rabbits not occasionally pray?”

“Oh. That’s interesting?”

The conversation that followed was interesting to no one. Hmm, Everine, stroking his chin as if pondering, suggested.

“Then let’s return to the mansion.”

Was it that simple? I was astonished and slightly opened my mouth. Ahin, looking down at me bewildered, finally smiled his usual inscrutable smile.

“Yeah, let’s return.”

Returning. Compared to my desperate escape to avoid meeting the priest, it was an ending too easy and disconcerting.

“Miss Rabbit.”

Everine, oblivious to my absurd feelings, stepped closer to Ahin holding me. He then reached out and carefully tidied my ruffled fur.

“This Everine is not a warrior but a scholar. Hence, I would prefer to decline any sudden running.”

“Everine, don’t talk too closely.”

“I respect even this cold aspect of Master Ahin.”

“Mouth.”

“Yes.”

Everine, who had finally been silenced, led the way. Watching the two beastmen alternate steps towards the carriage, I suddenly felt drowsy. The mention of returning somehow made my body feel languid.

* * *