It was a day when the mansion’s security seemed especially tightened. The knights’ eyes were even sharper than usual, and the servants seemed more tense than normal.
Ahin left the bedroom earlier than usual, and Valence informed her that pheromone training was not possible today due to her schedule.
Furthermore, Meimi suggested a walk not around the usual front gate’s rose garden but towards the small pond in the back garden. Seeing no harm in it, I was crossing the lawn, thoroughly enjoying the fresh air.
‘Is something going on?’
The atmosphere seemed only peaceful. No sooner had I thought this than the expression of a nearby security knight who caught my eye froze.
‘…huh?’
As I looked around in confusion, my body suddenly lifted into the air. It was a cautious touch, yet it seemed to avoid me for some reason. Thinking that Meimi had picked me up, I turned around, only to see an unfamiliar beastman looking down at me.
‘Who is he?’
This was the first man I had seen since coming to this mansion. To be a servant, his deep blue clothes and features seemed too luxurious.
Looking up at his light pink hair and golden eyes, I wondered if perhaps he was a herbivorous beastman.
Herbivorous beastmen are often said to have such beautiful golden eyes.
As I came to that realization, a sense of familiarity overwhelmed me.
‘But why?’
Why would a herbivorous beastman be in a mansion full of black panthers? But then again, my very presence in this garden was hard to explain.
‘A visitor?’
I peered curiously, my face betraying my inner delight. Amidst deepening questions, the man suddenly pinched his nose.
“…The smell of black panther is strong.”
‘He’s not a herbivorous beastman.’
It was then that I came to my senses and quickly looked around. The security knights who had approached within a certain radius did not try to stop or overlook his behavior, appearing rather awkward. They seemed unable to restrain the man casually.
‘Why?’
Could it be that he was a high-ranking individual in this mansion whom I had not yet encountered? However, his eyes were not the red typical of black panthers, but a golden color as if gold was embedded in them.
Turning my head again to look at Meimi, she, like the knights, was slightly frowning.
‘Me, Meimi!’
I turned pale, looking back and forth between the man and Meimi. Just before, what had shone between his lips were clearly sharp fangs.
‘Who is he, a predator?’
Since Meimi had been a part of my daily life, she immediately noticed my unspoken question and gave a slight nod of her chin. A predator, indeed. My mind reeled as I received her affirmative response.
‘And just where did you come from, you predator?’
Automatically, I stiffened and looked up at the man with eyes filled with fear. His once-beautiful face now seemed demonic.
The man didn’t stop at just picking me up; he brought his nose close to my neck. I could feel his light breath as if he was exploring.
‘What,’
As his unfamiliar breath continued to touch me, alarms went off in my head. It was a different sensation from before with Ahin, a feeling that made every hair on my body stand on end.
‘This beast!’
Desperately, I flailed about, hoping Meimi would intervene, but it was merely a futile struggle.
‘Meimi-!’
Meimi’s face grew even grimmer as our eyes met. After a terrifying moment, the man’s fine eyebrows grotesquely twisted.
“…Why does the scent of that black panther linger so strongly?”
How should I know that? And get rid of those terrifying fangs right now! In panic, I pushed the man’s cheek away with my hind legs.
As I was about to foam at the mouth from agitation, Meimi finally spoke up.
“Lord Manionts, I apologize, but—”
“Please put it down.”
For the first time, that deep voice felt welcoming. I hastily turned my head to see Ahin, more elegantly dressed than usual, standing there.
Why did such a wave of relief wash over me? I stretched out my paws toward Ahin.
“Unexpected. Lord Grace keeps a rabbit, I see.”
“Come here.”
Ignoring the man’s words, Ahin bent down and gestured for me to come. Fortunately, the man set me down on the ground without resistance.
‘Ahin!’
I dashed towards him and immediately hid behind the hem of his trousers, kicking my hind legs at the man. It was a timid threat. However, the man, unbothered by my feeble attempts, simply put his hands in his pockets.
“Since when did you develop such a hobby?”
‘What’s the relationship here?’
The ensuing words made me look back and forth between the two predators with a slightly surprised expression. They seemed to be of similar age, but there was an unmistakable sense of animosity in their voices.
Given that the man addressed Ahin with such informality, it implied that he must hold a status similar to his. Yet, despite the question, Ahin did not respond, instead picking me up with a serious expression on his face.
“It reeks of a filthy lion.”
‘A lion?’
There couldn’t have been a more shocking statement. My trembling eyes turned towards the man standing behind. His golden eyes were not those of a cow, as I had expected, but the distinctive golden eyes typical of lions. Why was a lion roaming around a mansion full of black panthers?
‘This isn’t right.’
This really isn’t right. This mansion was definitely not a place for a herbivorous beastman.
Overwhelmed with fear, I repeatedly shook my head while clinging to Ahin’s fingers. Then, his expression turned curious. His usually impassive red eyes seemed almost amused for a moment.
“Do you want to go to the lion?”
What nonsense is this? Turning pale, I made an ‘X’ with my front paws to express my refusal. Soon enough, Ahin seemed to understand and nodded lightly.
“Ah, so you want to become the lion’s prey?”
Has Everine’s company led you to such nonsense? Shocked, I opened my mouth in disbelief as Ahin appeared genuinely about to put me down.
‘No, no!’
I wanted to scream, but being unable to speak was frustratingly limiting. Clinging to Ahin’s hand as if it were a lifeline, a smile spread across his tidy face. It was a suspiciously odd smile.
“If you want to live, cling harder.”
At his next words, I let go of the hand I had been holding with a paw, and sighed. Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the lion, I had forgotten that Ahin was a rather unhinged black panther.
“Not clinging anymore?”
Seemingly disappointed that I was no longer clinging, the amusement vanished from Ahin’s sinister eyes. His slightly lowered eyelids could have looked somewhat forlorn if one were to exaggerate.
Would you want to cling if you were me? As I hesitantly stepped back, the tip of the lion’s shoe touched my body. Accidentally bumping my backside, I hurriedly looked up.
The lion, who had been looking at me with disdain, soon curled his lips in a mischievous grin. His bored-looking smile, typical of a lion’s lethargy, emerged.
“It seems the rabbit prefers the filthy lion over Lord Grace.”
“…That can’t be right.”
Ahin’s expression hardened as he approached without hesitation. In a tense moment, even the surrounding security knights seemed to freeze over.
Contrary to my fears, Ahin stopped right in front of me and lightly picked me up by the nape. Up close, Ahin’s expression wasn’t angry,
‘……?’
Was it seriousness or a look of disappointment? It was hard to determine his expression.
“Flirt.”
Ahin spat out a word of rebuke and stuffed me into his pocket.
“I’m just saying, in the territory of the black panthers, polygamy is prohibited.”
Why he would announce that like it was a matter of great importance, I couldn’t fathom. Before I could even grasp his intent, he had turned and was walking towards the mansion.
Struggling, I crawled out of the pocket and barely managed to cling onto Ahin’s shoulder. Behind us, a lion who was stretching muttered,
“…as always, that crazy bastard.”
Hearing it clearly, I nodded in agreement without even realizing it.
Yes, I really don’t understand what he thinks, either. It’s indeed an extremely accurate description.
* * *
After returning the baby rabbit to the bedroom, Ahin returned to his office and reached for his shirt collar. As he loosened the constricting cravat, a strange scent near his fingers made him even more uncomfortable.
Rune Manionts. That annoying lion had deliberately rubbed his pheromone scent onto the rabbit. Rune had always clashed with Ahin, so it was clearly a prank to make Ahin realize the rabbit carried his scent.
‘It’s become bothersome.’
Sitting at his office desk, he picked up some documents.
In recent months, the wolf clan had begun to make their presence felt.
The black panther clan’s leader, Valence, considering the potential for an unforeseen war, had sent an alliance treaty to the lion clan’s leader.
As expected, the lion clan leader had sent back a positive response immediately. They had always regarded the wolves as a thorn in their side, so the process was expedited.
Thus, Ahin, who was in charge of this alliance matter, had been busy from the morning.
Moreover, his mood was low, as he did not get along well with Rune Manionts, the son of the lion clan’s leader, who came for negotiations every time. And now, entangled with his own rabbit, he even felt an urge to grind him up.
“Master Ahin.”
Everine entered the office and approached him closely.
Tap, tap, Ahin tapped on the desk, and a thin file was extended towards him.
“The research materials you requested. I’ve investigated all the nobles of the rabbit territory, but there is no missing member or child from any noble family. Additionally, I also surveyed reputable merchants, yet since the date you brought Miss Rabbit, no one has gone missing.”
The file listed the personal details of the nobles and merchants of the rabbit territory. Ahin skimmed the bundle of papers back and forth and burst into a hollow laugh.
“Really a suspicious rabbit.”
His demeanor did not seem disappointed despite the lack of any significant information obtained. Observing his reaction, Everine cautiously began to speak.
“Only my opinion, but… could it be possible that Miss Rabbit is not a beastman, but rather a member of a different non-human species?”
“A different species?”
“Yes. Initially, I thought it might be a beastman who shifts between its true form and human form, but it’s been a month, and it still looks like a rabbit.”
“Indeed, its appearance hasn’t grown; it’s the same. Though it has gotten a bit fatter sideways.”
“Thanks to Master Valence, it has plumped up nicely. Maybe now would be a good time for rabbit roast.”
Due to some inexplicable favoritism from Valence, the rabbit was consuming high-quality hay and snacks sourced from various places, growing fatter day by day. Ahin imagined the rabbit rolling around the bed, a ball of fluff.
‘Not a noble then.’
The likelihood was slim. In the continent, noble titles were mostly held by beastmen with high-quality pheromones. In this situation, it was peculiar that despite having a strange pheromone, it was not a noble.
Although Everine hadn’t directly sensed it yet, the scent occasionally leaking from the rabbit was definitely a beastman’s pheromone. The scent became stronger with tears or intense emotions.
‘Surely that ability…’
Half-closing his red eyes, Ahin absentmindedly reached for a stitched-up wound on his back. Especially when deep in sleep, the scent the rabbit emitted was too subtle to be a typical herbivore beastman’s pheromone.
Valence, having reached a high state of discernment, had noticed this and focused her attention on the rabbit. High-bred predators were particularly sensitive to pheromones and other scents.
Moreover, if as expected, the rabbit’s ability was something that all beastmen on the continent would covet.
“Master Ahin.”
A voice filled with resolve echoed through the office. As Ahin looked up inquisitively, Everine clenched his fist with a serious expression.
“I will personally confront Miss Rabbit about their true identity.”
“If you do that, it might truly come to despise you.”
“Is that so?”
Lately, Everine’s greatest interest had undoubtedly been the rabbit. It seemed he thoroughly enjoyed the harsh responses that returned every time he teased. Thus,
‘Miss Rabbit. Please try to avoid going to the dining room during meal times. You might end up on the table.’
‘Miss Rabbit. How could you overturn the bowl of hay I prepared for you!’
‘Miss Rabbit. The chef says that rabbit is best cooked whole.’
Due to such misdeeds, now the rabbit shuddered at the mere appearance of Everine.
Moreover, after carrying around a book titled “All About Cooking Herbivore Animals” recently, the rabbit had seen him and, in a rage, ripped the book to shreds.
It was only then that Ahin realized the baby rabbit could act so aggressively.
Ahin’s red eyes, recalling the furious kicking of the rabbit, turned towards Everine.
“Everine, you’ve twisted things quite a bit.”
Now, just the sight of Everine was enough to make the rabbit snort angrily, and he had long since become an object of its loathing. With a glance that carried such implications, Everine felt somewhat wronged.
“I’d prefer not to hear such remarks from my lord above all others.”
“Say that again.”
“Master Ahin, to me, you are the origin of all things, like light itself. Furthermore,”
“Stop.”
“Yes.”
Pleased with the sudden silence, Ahin sank deeper into his chair.
Looking up at the ceiling, he suddenly remembered the moment he first found the baby rabbit. Two beastmen in black clothes, which only dishonorable ones would wear, were moving a basket.
‘The first time I’ve been ordered to abandon a child to the beasts.’
‘And there’s that rumor of an illegitimate child, isn’t there?’
‘We need to place it deep enough to avoid any backlash.’
‘Make sure it ends up in the hands of the black panthers, as ordered.’
Leaving it to die at the hands of the black panthers—as if it was a discardable piece. Recalling their conversation, Ahin unconsciously licked his lips.
Seeing him, Everine grew tense. A superior with that expression was always up to no good.
“My lord?”
Snapped out of his reverie, Ahin shifted his gaze from the ceiling to Everine. Slowly, the corners of his mouth curled up mischievously.
“Everine, should anyone come looking for that rabbit.”
“Yes.”
Ahin stretched out his hand and tapped a map on the desk. His fingertip was on the forest that marked the border between the rabbit and black panther territories.
“Kill them.”
* * *
Leave a Reply