Recently, Ahin has been sticking to me much more frequently.
Originally, I spent most of my time with Meimi except for mornings and evenings, but lately, he’s been coming to me whenever he has free time. It was really suspicious behavior.
‘Ash, wake up. Ahin might come soon.’
Noticing Meimi’s anxious glance at the edge of the training ground, I shook Ash. I shook and pushed with my paws, but Ash just made a contented purring sound.
‘This is not the time to be lounging around, Ash!’
I felt sorry, but sometimes I practiced pheromones on Ash.
Ash, the experimental subject, would stagger like a drunk or fall asleep stretched out if affected by the pheromones. She was in the latter situation now, lying sprawled in the training ground, fast asleep.
Eventually giving up on waking her, I sighed and sat down. As an ordinary animal, she showed no signs of waking up, probably because she lacked a defense mechanism against pheromones.
‘Is it that pheromones work more easily on animals than on beastfolk…?’
Though it was a fairly difficult process, I had drawn two conclusions from recent events.
One, if I came into close contact with the pheromones of a beast or another person, I might turn into a human. And two, I had an ability related to sleep.
The first hypothesis hadn’t been properly tested, but the second was certain. Evidence lay before me in the form of Ash, deeply asleep. I shook Ash again as I stood up.
‘Ash, you need to wake up.’
From the beginning, Ahin had shown a strange obsession with sleeping with me. Given that he had discovered I was a beastfolk, he might have an inkling about my pheromones too.
In any case, it wasn’t good to be seen practicing. It was inherently difficult to read his mind. Instinctively, the thought of revealing my cards to him made me uneasy.
“Is she dead?”
‘Why would Ash be dead?!’
I snapped in irritation at the almost blasphemous question and opened my eyes wide. There he was. Ahin, who I hadn’t even noticed approaching, was bending over and looking down at me.
“You seem to be getting along well with Ash.”
His beautiful silver hair sparkled in the sunlight. Protecting Ash with my front paws, I glared at him. This wicked beast, who took me from my bed and banished Ash to Everine’s bedroom.
“Protect me like that too.”
His whining voice was quite pitiful. I snorted as I looked at Ahin, who wrapped himself up as if he were fragile. Maybe he should get rid of those muscles attached to his arms before saying such things.
“Ash.”
Ash, who woke up at the right time, greeted Ahin by nuzzling her head. Feeling secretly jealous, I narrowed my eyes.
“Ash, whose side are you on?”
Of course, being Ahin’s black panther, she was naturally on his side. As evidence, Ash was happily circling around Ahin.
Getting along so well. Muttering to myself, my body suddenly floated into the air without warning.
“Let’s go, Vivi.”
‘Where to?’
It wasn’t even past lunch yet. Moreover, Ahin was dressed not just in a shirt and vest but also wearing a jacket, indicating he intended to go out. Remembering that our last outing had been to the temple, an uneasy feeling surged.
“It’s not the temple, so don’t worry.”
Reading my thoughts accurately, Ahin gently stroked my back.
“Who knows? Vivi might be helpful.”
What did that mean? I looked up at Ahin, hoping for an explanation, but he just flashed his red eyes briefly.
There was no further explanation. He rubbed his fingers together, summoning Ash, and began walking towards the main gate.
* * *
Seated on the cushion of the carriage, I turned my head this way and that. Unlike the fancy carriage from last time, this one had rusty, shabby interior walls.
“Lord Rabbit.”
I made a face as if I had bitten into something bitter when I met Everine’s gaze while examining the worn interior. Something about the name Everine just annoyed me. Oblivious to my thoughts, he stretched out his hands.
“It’s been a while since you’ve been out. Come here, I’ll hold you comfortably.”
Slap, unfortunately for Everine, Ash knocked his hands away as she sat on the floor. Rubbing his hand, which now bore a red mark, Everine grumbled indignantly.
“Ash, you are truly too much.”
Too much? Ash and I both glared at him simultaneously. The overly respectful tone he used for Ash only made him more irritating.
“Don’t I bring you a midnight snack every night? You can’t do this.”
Acting all upset when he wasn’t even remotely so, Everine made a huffing sound. Ignoring him, Ash nudged her head toward me as if to say, “Did I do well?” I stroked her gently with my paw, eliciting a purr that, if she weren’t a huge predator, would have been genuinely endearing.
“By the way, Master Ahin. Isn’t this outing a bit dangerous? It’s the Endellus region, and it’s practically a secret mission.”
‘Endellus region? Secret mission?’
I didn’t know the details, but the words alone sounded terrifying, making my fur stand on end. Ahin pushed me over with his fingers, making me roll around on the cushion.
‘Stop it!’
The carriage jolted, and the world spun around me, making me dizzy. I bit down on his finger in retaliation.
“It’s better not to be away from Vivi for too long these days. There are lions roaming the estate.”
His answer was vague. Ahin, pretending to be in pain from my bite, wore a graceful smile.
“…Master.”
Unlike my odd interpretation, Everine’s eyes briefly filled with disgust.
“You followed Lord Rabbit around yesterday too. It’s serious.”
Indeed, Ahin had been persistently following me lately. During walk times, he’d poke his head out of the office to greet me with “Hello, Vivi,” or insist on joining tea time with Madam Valence, saying “Vivi, I want to come too.”
He even followed me to the study, saying things like, “Vivi, you try signing this,” while handling paperwork.
He might truly seem like a predator obsessed with a rabbit. Even I sometimes felt that way, so it was a plausible perception from others’ viewpoints.
“Seriously.”
“It might be rabbit fever.”
“Stop talking nonsense and make the report.”
“Yes.”
Everine, finally silenced, picked up the papers next to him. The sound of thin sheets flipping filled the air.
“The drug currently spreading in the Endellus region has various symptoms, suggesting it might be experimental or a narcotic. It’s quicker to obtain the drug and analyze it precisely.”
“What evidence is there that it originates from the wolf territory?”
“It’s still just a hypothesis, no clear evidence yet. If we catch the initial distributor or smuggler of the drug, it should be easier to interrogate them.”
“Since we’re going there ourselves, we might as well catch one.”
Drugs? Narcotics? I listened to their conversation in a daze, glancing between Ahin and Everine. Involved in such dangerous matters were Ahin, Everine, me, and Ash. Just the four of us, with only two knights as escorts.
“It’s definitely a drug related to pheromones. Considering it caused the death of beastfolk, it likely stimulated pheromones.”
“Probably. Especially since the Endellus region had an epidemic two years ago, smuggling drugs in would have been easier.”
The more I heard, the less it seemed like something I should be involved in. It felt like a story from a distant land until Ahin’s hint suddenly came to mind.
“Who knows? Vivi might be helpful.”
What help could a baby rabbit like me possibly offer in a dangerous drug-related case? I pondered, looking up at Ahin, who was staring out the window with a strangely cold gaze.
“Quite a few.”
As Ahin’s mood darkened, Everine also turned to look in the same direction, stopping the conversation.
“They seem tireless. Or maybe it’s because we’re close to the Endellus region. Could they be the ones responsible for spreading the drug?”
Before I could grasp the meaning of those words, the carriage screeched to a sudden halt. In an instant, Ahin reached out and grabbed me, preventing me from being flung forward.
If he hadn’t caught me, I would have surely hit the floor. What was going on? My heart racing, I looked around.
“Master Ahin!”
The outside became chaotic as the carriage door flung open. One of the knights, with a troubled expression, appeared.
“It’s an attack by wolf beastfolk.”
“I know. How many?”
Ahin, calmly handing me over to Everine, picked up his sword.
“Apologies, but it’s hard to get an accurate count due to many hiding their presence.”
An attack by wolf beastfolk. While I was pale with fear, everyone else remained unnervingly calm, as if this urgent situation was nothing new to them.
Even the two knights, who climbed onto the carriage as if to spectate, seemed unfazed. In contrast, Ahin got off the carriage and looked back at Everine.
“Everine.”
“Yes, sir.”
An arrow struck the ground at Ahin’s feet. He effortlessly dodged it, grabbed the door handle, and spoke slowly.
“Don’t open the carriage door until everything is dealt with. And don’t open the windows either.”
“Pardon…?”
It was an unusual command. Though puzzled for a moment, Everine bowed in agreement.
“Understood.”
Arrows flew again, hitting with sharp thuds.
Suddenly, I recalled the time Ahin had been wounded by wolf beastfolk. Watching him deflect arrows with his sword, I looked at him anxiously, and he gave a slight smile.
“Vivi, don’t fight with Everine and stay quiet.”
This was no time for jokes. Before I could even protest, the carriage door closed.
Everine reached out and cradled my anxious self with both hands.
“Lord Rabbit. This happens often, so there’s no need to worry. Bang, swoosh, thud, and it’s over.”
What were bang, swoosh, and thud supposed to mean? His explanation was missing so much context, and the onomatopoeia he used just made me more uneasy.
“Um….”
At that moment, one of the knights seated opposite me spoke up cautiously.
“Attacks by the wolf clan or assassins are common for Master Ahin. Using pheromones, he can handle them easily, so he often avoids bringing us along as escorts. His pheromones are so strong that if we get affected, it becomes problematic.”
So that’s why the knights waited in the carriage. Nodding in agreement, another knight added:
“Master Ahin even cares about the lives of mere guards. He’s truly a man of great compassion.”
The more I listened, the more it felt like they were exaggerating Ahin’s virtues.
Wasn’t it more that he found having escorts bothersome? As I looked at them skeptically, Everine added:
“Lord Rabbit, therefore you can relax until the battle is over.”
Telling me to relax in the midst of a bloody fight. As soon as I focused on the sounds outside, the carriage shook, and arrows shattered the window. The old carriage lacked iron bars on the windows.
“Aah!”
With an unknown scream, the clash of metal was clearly heard. The horrifying noise made me jump, and I could sense faint pheromones.
‘…Pheromones?’
Turning around, I immediately covered my nose upon smelling the scent wafting in through the broken window. I couldn’t focus on the battle outside anymore.
What if I reacted to the faint pheromones? Inhaling more pheromones here could turn me into a human.
Imagining that, my face turned pale.
‘No, absolutely not.’
Not in front of Ahin, Everine, and the knights. If my appearance changed, I’d be naked, and Everine and the knights probably didn’t even know I was a beastfolk. Besides, Ahin had once told me to keep my beastfolk identity hidden if possible.
“Lord Rabbit, what’s wrong?”
Seeing me suddenly hold my breath, Everine looked puzzled.
“Ah, you must have been startled by the broken window. Don’t worry; this will be over soon.”
“The window breaking is unavoidable… but Everine, didn’t Master Ahin tell us not to open the windows?”
The knights, using cloth to temporarily cover the window, looked puzzled.
Recalling the peculiar order, Everine frowned.
“First, let’s make sure to completely block the outside with that cloth.”
“Yes. But… even if Master Ahin is worried about the effects of pheromones, this shouldn’t harm our bodies.”
That’s only true for you. My face darkened, feeling the pheromones filling the carriage.
Why did Ahin order to block the carriage entrance and windows?
Thump, thump, my heart began to pound furiously.
‘I can’t breathe.’
Holding my nose and shaking my head, I finally exhaled heavily. I might suffocate if I kept this up.
“Lord Rabbit?”
Catching my breath, I felt a strange nausea. It was a pain I had become quite familiar with.
‘No, no!’
Sensing the ominous signs, I jerked my head up. I made eye contact with Ash, who was watching me with concern from the front.
For a few seconds, our trembling gazes met. It was in that moment.
“Ash!”
Everine rarely screamed in surprise. Ash, who had grabbed me from Everine’s hands, kicked open the carriage door and jumped out.
The view shifted rapidly. With everything shaking so much, I could only see dirt and green trees, and I caught a whiff of someone’s bloody scent.
Covering my mouth, I pressed down on the urge to transform.
‘I feel like… throwing up.’
Especially with Ash running with me in her mouth, it felt like my insides were being jostled around.
Soon, the sunlight disappeared, replaced by a cool breeze. Feeling something hard against my body, I realized I was on the ground and rubbed my eyes.
The throbbing in my head made my vision blurry. The aftermath of being exposed to pheromones was evident.
Sometimes it hurt, sometimes it didn’t. This time it hurt again. My unique condition was as unpredictable as its cycles.
Curled up in pain, Ash licked me gently.
‘Where are we?’
It could be dangerous to stray too far from the carriage. But it seemed better than transforming into a human back there.
Despite the pain, I lifted my head to look around. Dim light filtered through the thatched roof of a shabby hut.
An abandoned house? I dropped my head back to the ground and took a deep breath.
“Damn it, what kind of monster… huh? What’s this?”
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice echoed through the hut.
“A beastfolk?”
“I can sense pheromones, though faint.”
Two figures stepped in, casting shadows against the light.
Ash, with her fur bristling, made a threatening growl I’d never heard before. Standing on my trembling legs, I looked up at the two men.
‘Light brown eyes…’
They were likely from the wolf clan, judging by their eye color. They must be part of the group that attacked the carriage.
It seemed we had fled from Ahin. Realizing we needed to escape, I reached out a paw toward Ash.
“That rabbit can’t even stand.”
One of the wolf clan members scrutinizing us frowned.
“Let’s kill them both. We can’t have them causing a ruckus.”
“Yeah, that crazy bastard… he’s slicing off arms with a smile.”
“Wait, what about Damian?”
“He died a while ago.”
The man spat out blood-tinged saliva and reached for his sword. With a scraping sound, the blade was drawn in the confined space.
Panting, I looked up worriedly at Ash, who seemed ready to pounce at any moment. Against a beastfolk skilled in handling pheromones, especially a predator from the wolf clan, a mere black panther stood no chance.
‘Ash!’
As soon as the wolf beastfolk moved, Ash leaped and lunged at him.
“Ugh.”
The beastfolk barely avoided having his arm bitten off, deflecting Ash with the back of his sword. In the process, an unknown pheromone spread. It seemed the wolf beastfolk had targeted Ash with it.
“What a nuisance.”
As expected, Ash stumbled, unable to maintain her balance. In a flash, the sword slashed near Ash’s leg. With a painful scream, blood splattered from the wound.
‘No!’
In such a dire situation, I hated myself for being too weak to even move. All I could do was lie there, watching the scene unfold.
‘Ash!’
Despite her injuries, Ash stood firmly in front of me, protecting me. The pheromone and blood scent filling my nose made my mouth taste bitter.
‘Please…!’
Swallowing my pain, I focused on the pheromones swirling inside me. Whether it would work like during practice with Ash was uncertain.
‘Please, please.’
Please. Just then, the sword pierced through Ash’s lower back. With a horrible sound, blood splattered onto my face.
“For once, just… Ugh, what’s this?”
Both wolf beastfolk staggered simultaneously.
“What…?”
Their faces paled, and they clutched their heads.
Could it be my pheromones had worked? Just as I desperately tried to summon more pheromones, a dark figure flashed before my eyes.
“Aaaaah!”
Ash, seizing the opening, lunged at one of the wolf beastfolk, sinking her teeth into his neck. Again and again, her fangs pierced through.
Soon, the wolf beastfolk, eyes rolling back, collapsed backward.
Quickly turning, Ash leaped at the other man. He, too, unable to move, had his neck bitten and was slammed to the ground.
“Ugh, ack!”
A groaning scream echoed. Ash didn’t stop her assault, biting and tearing. The wolf beastfolk’s limbs convulsed before going limp.
Ash, having confirmed the death of both wolf beastfolk, turned her gaze to me. Blood dripped from her fangs.
Staggering towards me, Ash collapsed with a thud.
‘Ash!’
Forcing my pain-ridden body to move, I crawled across the floor. Dragging myself, I barely managed to reach Ash.
Blood from her wounds soaked the ground.
As I looked helplessly at the scene I didn’t want to believe, my vision started to rise.
Suddenly, I was standing on two feet, and my hands were no longer paws but human hands.
As I looked down at Ash, white hair spilled over my face. My hand, which had been touching his wound, was now smeared with warm, sticky blood.
“Why.”
…Why now? What good is it to turn human now? Ash, who fought so bravely, seemed to be on the brink of death.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I caressed Ash with trembling hands. My palms were soon soaked with her blood.
“Ah…”
A cracked voice escaped my lips.
As I hugged Ash and leaned in, a warm sensation touched my cheek. It was the feeling of Ash’s tongue licking the tears off my cheek.
In a life-or-death situation, who was worrying about whom?
“Ash, Ash…”
The tears I had been holding back burst forth like a flood. As I fumbled around, touching Ash, I quickly shook my head.
I couldn’t stay like this. I needed to call for help from Ahin or Everine immediately. Just as I reached that thought, I heard the sound of a door opening.
“No way.”
Light spilled in from behind, casting a dark shadow.
Protectively cradling Ash, I turned my head. It was likely another wolf beastfolk who had come following the screams.
Tense, I opened my eyes slightly wider. The silver hair reflected in the dim light entered my view.
“Ahin.”
Our eyes met in mid-air.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, it felt as if even time had stopped. Ahin’s red eyes, which had been staring at me without a flicker, gradually grew dull.
With that familiar, unsettlingly emotionless expression, he closed the open door.
As the air stopped moving, the mixed scent of pheromones and the metallic tang of blood assaulted my nose.
Holding the doorknob, Ahin turned his gaze back to me. A suffocating silence followed.
Finally, his voice, deeper and more subdued than usual, broke the silence.
“…Vivi.”
* * *