“I will prepare some refreshments. Please, take a rest.”
The subtle scent of old trees tickled my nose. As Meimi, who had secured the books with marble, stepped back, I, who had been reading on the floor, raised my head and surveyed the vast library.
True to the mansion, the library was magnificently grand. Books innumerable lined up to the point of counting difficulty, forming rows.
‘He’s late again today.’
The dusk had long settled. On days when Ahin returned late, my daily routine naturally extended.
He was late yesterday too; perhaps his schedule has been busy lately. Idly staring into space, I refocused my gaze on the book.
「Pheromone Theory」
The book handed over by Madam Valence was now frayed enough to fall apart. As I fervently read, my eyes stuck to one spot.
「Some argue that if the inherent ability of pheromones is too powerful, it delays humanization. As an actual case, a fox with difficult-to-handle pheromones achieved humanization at the age of five—」
Flap-flap, the speed of flipping through the pages with my paws increased. However, contrary to my expectations, there was no further mention of that sentence. Just two lines in total.
‘…Powerful pheromones delay humanization?’
This was the first time I had come across such information in all the pheromone literature I had read. Curious, I tightly closed my eyes and concentrated on the energy swirling within me.
‘Hmm.’
Regrettably, instead of something powerful, only a fluffy, cotton candy-like energy floated around.
The fox in the book had undergone humanization by the age of five at the latest, so perhaps my case was different. It might be a peculiar phenomenon unique to the fox clan.
As I frowned, I turned my gaze toward a strange presence I had felt for a while.
‘A servant…?’
Recently, there had been a noticeable increase in unfamiliar employees around the mansion. Typically, many temporary employees were employed during family events, but this servant kept pointlessly rearranging vases and wiping shelves, repeating meaningless cleaning tasks.
As our eyes met, he slyly stretched out his hand and gently twisted the corners of his eyes.
“Come here—”
Tsk tsk, his gesture was unmistakably suspicious, making me pull back.
‘Do not underestimate a rabbit’s wariness.’
Until now, the mansion’s employees, due to my high status as Ahin’s feed, generally did not approach me in this manner. Most of the time, Meimi firmly held her ground.
Moreover, this servant before me carried the most cunning impression among all the black panthers I had encountered. As I sharpened my eyes, sure enough, his previously gentle gaze transformed.
‘Ack!’
Startled by his sudden attempt to cover me with a rag, I quickly retreated. The servant, with a stern expression, blocked the way to the exit, standing with his back to the distant security guards. It was clear he intended to capture me.
‘There’s no one around.’
Even Meimi had not returned yet. Due to the lateness of the hour, aside from the security guard at the entrance, it was just the servant and me in the vast library.
I waved my forepaws trying to signal for help, but the guards outside were too far to notice. As another hand came flying towards me, I hastily dodged and ran backward.
‘Why is he chasing me!’
As I ran deeper into the library, I checked behind me and swallowed dryly.
The servant was thankfully slow, perhaps preoccupied with not alarming the nearby guards. Additionally, the linear arrangement of the bookshelves allowed me to use my small size to my advantage.
I just needed to run around the bookshelves towards the entrance. I was momentarily relieved until I saw something horrifying.
‘What, what is that?’
A faint light emanated from the servant’s body as he began to shrink. Soon, a dark brown wolf, which should absolutely not be here, revealed itself.
My heart sank, and I momentarily went blind with fear. Drool dripped from the slightly agape jaws of the wolf.
‘Why, why…!’
Why was there a wolf here? Its eyes were definitely red.
I screamed into the air, though it was a question without an answer. The wolf, having shed its human guise, now moved with enhanced agility, rapidly closing the distance.
‘Is this the work of a wolf beastman.’
‘Since ancient times, there has been frequent strife between the territories of the black panthers and the wolves.’
‘The wolves have always coveted other territories.’
Fear consumed my thoughts. My sprinting feet screeched to a halt as the cold night air chilled my sweat-soaked body.
‘No.’
The terrace. Ahead was a dead end, with no further path to take. The wolf, realizing this as well, looked around leisurely like a satiated beast.
Thump-thump, the silent steps were unbearably frightening. I stumbled backward, and my hind feet dangerously hovered over empty air.
Ah… As I stepped back onto the terrace railing, I trembled as I faced the wolf. A wave of profound fear surged over me.
“…Vivi?”
Startled. A low voice from below caused both mine and the wolf’s eyes to tremble.
It was a relaxed, drawling call, completely unaware of the critical situation. Never had I thought I’d be glad to hear that lazy voice.
‘Ahin!’
The emotions overwhelmed me. Peering out from the railing, the lamp light revealed two figures below. It was only the height of three floors, but it felt immensely distant.
Below the terrace, Ahin was accompanied by a lion beastman, whose relationship seemed rather sour. It was certainly the person Meimi had described as Rune Manionts from the lion clan.
‘Is that lion still here?’
This wasn’t the time for such thoughts. Quickly checking behind me, the wolf hesitated for a moment. I stuck my face out again and frantically waved my forepaws, signaling for help.
‘There’s a wolf here!’
A real wolf, drooling profusely. Despite my desperate cries, Ahin casually waved his hand as if greeting someone.
“Lord Manionts, you should wave back.”
“……?”
“Responding to a greeting is basic manners, isn’t it?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
That’s not it! Frustrated, I slightly raised my body and flailed my legs back and forth. However, Ahin and Rune frowned simultaneously, clearly not understanding the meaning.
“What does it mean?”
“How should I know that?”
“This is why lions are said to be useless.”
“What did you say?”
Moreover, a useless argument ensued. The hesitating wolf’s eyes flashed as he licked around his mouth with his tongue, stealthily attempting to approach.
‘…It’s, it’s coming.’
Retreating step by step, I found no further path to escape. Regrettably, they still couldn’t see the situation here and continued to argue over the meaning of my gestures.
‘You beasts, this is not the time for that!’
The sound of the wolf’s paws grew closer. It was a dizzying height, but there was no time to hesitate. My body narrowly dodged the sharp claws and eventually plunged into the air.
“How does a rabbit greet?”
“He’s a genius rabbit… Vivi!”
In an instant, not only Ahin’s but also Rune’s pupils dilated enormously. They reflexively stretched their arms upward.
‘Aaaaah!’
As the ground rapidly approached, my descent accelerated, the biting fear palpable. My limbs flailed until suddenly, I was enveloped in something substantial. Still unable to stabilize, I thrashed and clung frantically.
“Vivi, hold on,”
Hearing a familiar voice close by, my panic-stricken mind slowly regained clarity.
‘…Hair?’
The moment my vision cleared and I saw silver hair, my blood ran cold. I halted my movements and seriously contemplated the current situation.
Clinging to Ahin’s forehead, messing up his face and hair—aside from the wolf, I might even die by a black panther’s hand.
“Vivi.”
Ahin, managing to detach my frozen form from his face, frowned.
“Why did you suddenly jump? Do you have a hobby of enjoying thrills?”
As if you’re one to talk nonsense? Dangling in mid-air, I would have kicked him with my hind legs if I could. Not sure if I was the only one thinking this, I caught Rune’s eye, who looked utterly dumbfounded.
“Lord Grace, don’t you smell something strange?”
Rune, who had been standing idly, suddenly looked up at the terrace. Following his gaze, Ahin’s eyes darkened.
“…Wolf.”
No sooner had he spoken than a painful howl from a wolf sounded from above.
Soon, with hurried footsteps, Meimi appeared at the terrace railing, her expression unusually distraught.
“Master Rabbit!”
Meimi’s wandering gaze finally rested on me, cradled in Ahin’s hands. A sigh of relief escaped her, dispersing into the air.
‘Meimi…!’
Seeing her, I felt as if I had escaped the shadow of death. My body, tense from the ordeal, relaxed, and I felt on the verge of tears. Then, Ahin’s cautionary whisper reached my ears.
“Don’t cry now.”
As if he’s never encouraged me to cry more. Annoyed, I glared at him, and he responded by rounding his eyes. His narrowed red eyes seemed truly cautionary, and biting my lip, I swallowed the tears.
* * *
According to Everine’s explanation, the wolf that appeared in the library was a hybrid beastman of the black panther and wolf clans.
No wonder his eyes were red—mixed with the blood of the black panther clan. Moreover, after being attacked by Meimi, the wolf chose to end his own life.
He had infiltrated through a simple recruitment process for temporary employees, and late that night, an incident occurred where all employees reverted to their true forms to prove they were part of the black panther clan.
Given the precarious relationship between the black panther and wolf clans, using a hybrid beastman for infiltration was unthinkable in rabbit territories.
Why did he attack me specifically? Was it due to extreme hunger, or did curiosity arise because I am Ahin’s prey?
Moreover, choosing to end his own life was an act so alien to the world I had lived in, it seemed like a distant tale.
As various questions flooded my mind, I was abruptly pulled from my thoughts by an outstretched hand.
‘Move away.’
I slapped the back of the hand sharply, and the large hand retreated. This interaction had repeated itself for the tenth time already.
While Ahin and Everine were out investigating, Meimi and I were waiting in his office. The problem was Rune, the lion beastman, who kept reaching out to me as I sat on the sofa.
‘Why is this beast even here?’
As another hand sneakily approached, Ahin’s voice echoed in my head.
‘Vivi, if you come back with that scent one more time, then…’
‘Then…’
Then…! Shivering, I forcefully knocked Rune’s hand away.
“Ouch.”
‘I hit because it hurts.’
Glaring daggers, I inadvertently avoided direct eye contact with the distinctive gold eyes of the lion clan. His hand, reddened from our repeated scuffles, then turned to look at Meimi.
“Excuse me. This one, it’s a beastman who’s removed its humanization, right?”
“It’s a perfectly ordinary rabbit.”
Meimi denied it curtly. However, since being a beastman was half true, I was startled and backed away cautiously.
Could it be like Madam Valence sensing my pheromones? But I was sure I had them well-concealed.
“It shouldn’t be.”
Undeterred in his questioning, Rune spoke again, his voice overly confident.
“My apologies, but it is an ordinary Lord rabbit.”
“Ordinary? I’ve heard rumors about a rabbit that understands human speech.”
“It’s a somewhat special Lord Rabbit.”
Why can’t she leave out ‘Lord Rabbit’? Sometimes Meimi really sticks to her guns.
“Is that black panther really keeping you as a pet?”
Rune, scanning me with his golden eyes, sneered. Up close, his expression was sharp and bored, a stark contrast to Ahin’s playful demeanor. There was a hint of the typical laziness characteristic of lions, too.
“Of course. How could anyone make sense of a mad black panther’s thoughts.”
Last time it was about Ahin being insane. Although it was a fair point, I wondered what kind of status allowed him to speak so freely about such matters. Rune murmured as our eyes met, filled with curiosity.
“Why did the wolf target you, I wonder.”
“…”
“Well, you do look rather tasty.”
Clearly, these predators’ minds were filled with nothing but hunger. How else could one spout such cruel nonsense?
Unperturbed by my shock, Rune casually checked his pocket watch.
“With such a disturbance, the ball might be delayed.”
“The invitations have already been sent. Unless there’s a major issue, it will proceed as planned.”
“Ah, what a hassle. Can’t we just go back to our territory?”
As Meimi responded, Rune slumped back against the sofa with a frustrated look. Mumbling to himself, he seemed to dread returning to his sister.
‘A ball?’
Watching Rune’s curly hair become disheveled by his agitation, I finally understood why there had been an increase in staff.
The Rabian family also hired temporary staff during balls. Although I never had the opportunity to participate, a mansion of this size might host an event twice the scale of a Rabian gathering.
Given that other clans were attending, the scale was unfathomable. I stole glances at Rune as I pondered absently.
“You must be quite shocked? It’s not uncommon for other species to infiltrate the leader’s residence.”
Misinterpreting my gaze, a smile crept across Rune’s bored face. It was a mocking smile, suggesting that such matters were trivial to him.
“This isn’t exactly a place for herbivores.”
“Lord Manionts.”
Meimi quickly intervened, perhaps concerned about my state after being chased by a wolf. Although the fear hadn’t completely subsided, my pupils shook for a different reason now.
‘Wait… what?’
Ah, unwilling to face reality, I pressed my paws to my head and crouched down.
The Grace family. Valence Grace. Ahin Grace.
The vague chatter of the Rabian mansion’s maids flashed through my mind.
“It’s been chaotic in the province recently.”
“A delegation from the hyena clan passed through the city. They chose a shortcut through the border forest, which leads directly to the Grace family territory. Just appeared in the village suddenly.”
“Oh dear, and just their luck to be adjacent to the black panther territory. It happens to be the leader’s clan.”
They often gossiped about the ferocious beasts, mostly discussing the black panther and lion clans that bordered their territory. Finally, I understood the feeling of déjà vu when I heard Madam Valence’s full name.
‘It was the leader’s clan…!’
In a territory without royalty, the leader was essentially the head of all black panthers. Naturally, the image of a large mansion with several annexes and a lavish interior sprang to mind like a panorama.
So, Madam Valence being the leader of the black panther territory meant that Ahin, as his successor, was…
‘The future leader of the black panther territory.’
Stay calm, stay calm. However, unable to settle down, I found myself pacing back and forth on the sofa.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Master Rabbit?”
While their voices filled with curiosity reached my ears, they passed through without much thought. Now I could understand Ahin’s whimsical nature and his seemingly arrogant demeanor as if he owned the world.
‘Do they always say beastmen die off in the Grace house?’
‘They say the forest is full of corpses. How can we understand the world of predators?’
As I spun in place, I eventually collapsed onto the sofa in a heap.
‘He wasn’t just a noble young master, but a leader?’
It felt as though everything around me darkened, just like the fur of a black panther.
* * *