‘The cloth fell off the table, and he just happened to find the rabbit and was about to bring it to the hall,’ Rune explained dozens of times before he could finally escape Valence’ interrogation after an hour.
“Everyone’s out of their mind.”
His complexion had worsened overnight as he crossed the dim garden. The look of injustice flickered in his unfocused eyes.
He never expected that the head of the family would step in over a mere rabbit.
Though the atmosphere seemed generous, as if they were sharing a friendly chat, Valence’ occasional words revealed her fondness for the rabbit.
Rune stopped walking for a moment and rubbed his still tingling lips. The young rabbit had a surprisingly strong bite.
‘My lip might have burst if I wasn’t careful.’
When he lowered his head slightly, the curls around his ears became disheveled. As he mulled over the recent incident, he recalled the scent of the black panther that had poked his nose.
The panther had drenched the rabbit in pheromones, as if to assert ownership. Initially, he wondered if the arrogant panther had fallen in love, but the attitude towards the rabbit was no more than that of a pet.
Moreover, the rabbit, who switched between human and true form, seemed intent on hiding this fact.
‘Could it be… that Grace doesn’t know the rabbit is a beastfolk?’
That cunning black panther? No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. Even if he didn’t know the rabbit was a beastfolk, why did he mark the rabbit with pheromones?
Furthermore, a beastfolk who has undergone humanization can only stay in their true form for half a day at most.
So, it was odd that a rabbit capable of human form stayed in animal form for so long. It might be faster to find parts that aren’t suspicious.
‘What is she hiding?’
As the activities of the wolf tribe intensified and alliances with the lion tribe were being discussed, the timing of the rabbit’s appearance was suspicious. Everything was shrouded in mystery.
Rune lightly licked his lower lip as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
* * *
Despite the small commotion, the ball ended smoothly. However, unable to calm down, I swallowed dryly in the heavy atmosphere.
As soon as Ahin returned to the bedroom, he flopped onto the sofa without even changing out of his tailcoat. He looked as if he was sobbing.
And on top of that, Everine, who followed him in, cast a reproachful glance at me.
I’m also barely holding onto my sanity, so what’s all this about? I couldn’t fathom the behavior of these black panthers.
While I was giving them a suspicious look, Ahin whined.
“Everine, please convey a message to Vivi.”
“Gladly.”
Even if you don’t say it out loud, I can hear it all. I pursed my lips, recalling the time I directly answered Rune. Of course, an unfamiliar voice didn’t come out like it did then.
“I’m disappointed, Vivi.”
‘What’s he talking about now?’
I wrinkled my nose as I suddenly remembered how I had run madly from the ballroom. From Ahin’s perspective, it was like I attempted to escape after he politely asked me to dance. I felt a pang of guilt, but thinking back, running out of the ballroom was probably the best choice.
“Tell her I’m disappointed.”
“Lord Rabbit, Ahin says he resents you.”
Everine’s serious voice echoed as he delivered the message. Everine, if you’re going to relay a message, do it properly.
“How could you try to escape with a lion instead of your partner?”
“Did you prefer a lion over a black panther?”
He wasn’t even relaying the message properly. Ahin, lifting his head from the sofa in a mess, stared at Everine.
“Say it correctly.”
“Lord Rabbit, say it properly. Lion or black panther.”
“Everine, I was talking to you.”
“My apologies.”
Everine, who didn’t look sorry at all, took a step back. However, his posture remained very respectful. It made one wonder how someone like him managed to keep his head under Ahin.
“Get out.”
Eventually, as Ahin fiddled with the scabbard beside the sofa, Everine disappeared quickly as if by teleportation.
I, who was staring blankly at his silently fleeing back, stiffened.
Although we spent nights together, I strangely tensed up whenever I was left alone with Ahin. Moreover, today I had created a new secret from him.
‘Human…’
In this puzzling situation, the only thing I could guess was the pheromones.
It was the same with Ahin, and the same with the fox beastfolk. As soon as I inhaled someone else’s pheromones up close, I transformed with distinct pain.
“Vivi.”
When I raised my head at the call, Ahin, who was lying diagonally on the sofa, was looking at me.
“Where’s the crown ornament? You were wearing it earlier.”
Realizing belatedly that the weight on my head was gone, I made a troubled face. With the incident of turning into a human, the crown couldn’t have stayed intact. The faces of Ulpes and Meimi, who had clapped continuously, flashed faintly.
“Well, it doesn’t matter.”
With a vivid smile, he lowered his hand from the sofa and picked me up. Although his habit of grabbing the nape of my neck rudely had decreased recently, his touch still made me wary.
Moreover, as he lifted me with both hands while lying down, Ahin filled my downward view. His disheveled silver hair and the loose cravat seemed strangely dizzying, making me look away for no reason.
“It’s no wonder the lion was curious. I had smeared pheromones on you.”
Flinching, I trembled and looked down at Ahin again. A white rabbit reflected in his red eyes.
‘The black panther’s pheromones are reeking from you.’
It was the same claim as Rune’s.
‘But when?’
When did he smear pheromones on me? According to the hypothesis, I might turn into a human the moment I inhaled pheromones up close.
But until now, I hadn’t felt any special scent except when Ahin bit my neck. Was it a more blatant pheromone, not just a general scent?
Wanting a detailed explanation, I swung my right front paw to urge him.
“Since you’re a beastfolk, sometimes you emit pheromones. So I kindly hid it with my pheromones.”
Ahin, who kindly explained, lightly shook me left and right in the air. Right, even now, I’m a proper beastfolk with pheromones felt inside my body. Nodding in agreement as I swayed, I suddenly covered my mouth with a shocked face.
‘W-what did you just say?’
He knew I was a beastfolk? I wanted to yell out loud. Looking up at me, Ahin’s lips curled up brightly.
“I also know you haven’t completed your humanization.”
* * *
With the breeze blowing, my white fur and worries scattered. Looking up at the unusually high sky, I let out a heavy sigh.
‘The rabbit beastfolk crossed the border to check on your survival. Oh, but I killed them, so I couldn’t hear more than that.’
The events of last night floated around in my mind. How could someone with such a kind face say such chilling words?
‘I thought all rabbits were like Vivi, but they had more whiskers than I expected.’
I couldn’t even begin to guess whose face he was describing. Given his nature, it was hard to believe he truly couldn’t hear more. But he seemed to know for sure that I was a beastfolk and hadn’t completed my humanization.
‘Did he hear about the family too?’
Nobles typically had many children, so it wasn’t uncommon to abandon those who brought disgrace. Ahin, being an only child, was an exception.
‘The rabbit beastfolk who crossed the border… They must have been sent by my parents.’
Since those who entered the black panther territory never returned, they might have sent their subordinates to confirm my survival.
Thinking this far, I felt a bit bitter. How would Ahin react if he found out the detailed path of how I was abandoned?
‘I like Vivi because she’s a rabbit.’
The next words that came out momentarily made my heart ache. It was a strange expression to me, who had been despised for being a half-blooded beastfolk.
But putting all this aside, the most troubling was Ahin’s murmuring with a serious face.
‘It would be troublesome if you were human.’
Startled, I looked up to see Ahin flashing an angelic smile, as if it was nothing.
Normally, I would dismiss it as the black panther’s nonsense, but now it was different. Just yesterday, I had turned into a human and returned.
Could there be a reason why it would be troublesome if I were human, or perhaps he had an attachment to rabbits? Whatever the reason, it was a very disconcerting statement.
‘Does he not welcome me becoming human…?’
If possible, I wanted to get inside Ahin’s head, even for a moment. Moreover, meeting Rune Manionts in my human form was another source of anxiety.
“Dear.”
Lost in my gloomy thoughts, I heard Valence’ low call.
“Your pheromones are quite scattered.”
She chuckled and sipped her tea. Realizing this, I quickly checked my body.
Caught up in my thoughts, I had unconsciously let my pheromones scatter. As I hurriedly reorganized them, Valence gently patted my head, as if pleased.
“Your scent makes me feel good.”
‘Scent?’
Judging by her words, it might be the reason for our frequent tea times.
‘What kind of scent is it, exactly?’
I brought my paw to my nose, but sadly, it was impossible to smell my own pheromones.
“You have very nice pheromones.”
Were they really nice pheromones? I kept sniffing my front paw until I suddenly froze.
Pheromones. It was a word related to everything that had happened to me recently.
* * *
“Lord Rabbit, be careful not to trip over the stones.”
I heard Meimi’s concerned call from behind. When I turned my head, I realized I had put quite a distance between us.
‘Quickly, quickly!’
“Hurry, Meimi!” I signaled with my paw to urge her to follow quickly, then turned and ran again.
Meimi had her own strict principles. Walks should be in the garden, reading in the library, and exercise in the training grounds.
So, with my paws accelerating, I sprinted towards the training grounds.
‘Your scent makes me feel good.’
I couldn’t take Valence’ words lightly. As the leader of the black panther territory, she must have reached an unimaginable level.
‘Ahin, you’ve been sleeping more lately.’
‘Being with Vivi makes me not want to get up.’
‘You only sleep in when you have a lot of morning work.’
‘Did I?’
I had paid attention to the conversations between Ahin and Everine. Thinking back, Ahin had shown a peculiar obsession with sleeping beside me from the start. It might be related to the pheromones.
‘Some argue that if the inherent ability of pheromones is too strong, humanization can be delayed.’
A passage I read in “Pheromone Theory.” If,
‘I fall into that category.’
Just yesterday, I became human, something I had thought impossible, so the hypothesis wasn’t entirely out of the question.
Soon, the training grounds closest to the tea room came into view. Skidding to a halt, I kicked my back leg towards Meimi.
‘Meimi, wait there.’
It would be problematic if she noticed my pheromones. Stamping my foot, I widened the distance until Meimi seemed small.
There were no hawks in the sky to threaten me, nor any signs of people nearby. Yet Meimi, ever vigilant, drew a dagger from her apron.
‘That’s reassuring.’
Leaving her fierce presence behind, I focused my mind.
Pheromones, besides having a scent, possessed unique abilities. However, this wasn’t true for all beastfolk.
The abilities varied significantly with bloodlines, and many beastfolk had no abilities at all. Thus, beastfolk with good bloodlines occupied positions of power, forming the current continent’s hierarchy.
Consequently, as a member of the noble Rabian family, it was likely that I also possessed some ability.
‘…If only I could find it.’
I might become a fully humanized beastfolk, not an erratic one. Though I had many worries, it wasn’t too late to properly humanize and then deal with them.
Thinking back to when I inhaled the pheromones of Ahin and the fox beastfolk, before feeling pain, my entire body’s pheromones had gone wild.
Half-rising, I stretched both front paws into the air. I cautiously released the pheromones I had kept in check, focusing on gathering the energy into my paws.
Then, a huge pheromone I couldn’t sense before arriving at the black panther territory began to move.
* * *