In most territories, the leader typically passes the reins to the next successor once they reach middle age.
However, the rabbit territory had an ancient tradition that deviated from this norm. In the rabbit lands, the seat of power is only passed down when the current leader’s life comes to an end.
The head of the rabbit territory, Hever Amon, had already passed on all his power to his children and now lived a relatively prosperous and leisurely old age, with only his honor left intact. Well, except when his aide interrupted his cocoa.
“Master, that’s your last cup for today.”
As the elder Amon stirred a lump of sugar into his warm cocoa, his sharp, narrow eyes shot up at his aide.
“You didn’t say anything when I shared multiple cups with Sir Grace yesterday. Amazing how long one lives—you find yourself yielding sometimes. Are you saying that this young black panther is scarier than me now?”
With the patience accumulated over years, the aide, who had long grown used to such rebukes, calmly drew the curtains of the sitting room.
“The staff seem unusually restless today.”
It was a hectic morning. Due to the flames that had risen from the banquet hall garden the night before, the atmosphere in the mansion was still uneasy, even after daybreak.
“You all gave this old man quite the grand candle for his birthday. It’s enough to make me shed a tear.”
“It’s a relief that there were no casualties.”
In the end, the banquet for Chief Amon’s birthday had to end early. The rabbit territory nobles quickly went through the formalities and left the mansion, leaving only nobles from other territories.
“Excuse me.”
The conversation between the two was interrupted by the presence of a servant. Aven, who had visited early in the morning despite the breach of etiquette, was led into the drawing room. Facing Chief Amon, who sat at the head of the room, she bowed deeply.
“I greet the honorable chief.”
“Sit down for now. So, what urgent business has brought you here at the crack of dawn?”
Chief Amon, with both hands resting on his ample belly, laughed with a friendly smile. After exchanging brief pleasantries, Aven quickly got to the point.
“Have you completed the investigation regarding the fire in the garden last night?”
“This old man is merely a figurehead, so the investigation is being handled by members of the family. The dry weather means we are considering the possibility of spontaneous combustion.”
Chief Amon, who had been stirring sugar cubes into his second cup of cocoa, glanced slyly.
The aide waiting in the distance shook his head, signaling that it was absolutely not allowed.
Ignoring the signal, Chief Amon joked that it would be a disaster if his sugar levels dropped, and took a sip of the cocoa.
“It could use a bit more sweetness.”
Facing the easygoing elderly man, Aven felt a pang of bitterness. Although it was her first time meeting Chief Amon personally, the chief didn’t seem as reliable as the old reputation suggested. The sight of Amon sipping cocoa nervously while glancing at his aide only deepened Aven’s distrust.
Perhaps she should have sought the next chief instead of Amon. Regret momentarily surged through her, but she steeled her resolve.
Even so, the next chief was someone who cowered before Amon, and in any case, her goal was merely to stall Ahin Grace’s actions by buying time, so it didn’t matter whom she met.
More precisely, it wasn’t Ahin Grace, but Vivi who needed to be delayed. To ensure she couldn’t leave for the Black Panther territory.
“I came to inform you about the fire incident. As someone who was in the garden at the time, I would like to provide testimony.”
Smiling softly, she handed Chief Amon her share of the sugar cubes, evading the aide’s gaze.
* * *
The conversation didn’t last long.
Chief Amon, watching Aven’s back as she left the drawing room, picked up his third cup. The sweet aroma wafted from the cocoa, into which he had also added Aven’s sugar cubes.
“As if it wasn’t enough that an uninvited guest was at the banquet hall, it felt like someone had caused an explosion on purpose. The prestige of the Amon family is truly in shambles.”
The aide, who had naturally taken away the cocoa cup, nodded.
“If it’s not spontaneous combustion as Lady Rabian testified, this could become a big issue. But how does Lady Rabian know that the rabbit beastfolk who was at the fire scene was an uninvited guest?”
“Wasn’t her testimony given on the condition that she wouldn’t be questioned? Instead of sending apology gifts to the banquet guests, we should be asking for their cooperation in the investigation.”
“Don’t speak as if it’s someone else’s problem. Lord Ahin Grace was mentioned, after all.”
“What’s with your sudden enthusiasm? Are you particularly wary of Sir Grace?”
The aide, who had been through many ups and downs, was a person who rarely even raised an eyebrow at most matters.
“To be precise, it’s discomfort. From the start, this fire—”
“Hey, watch your mouth. Who knows? There could be a beastfolk turned into a mouse or a bird eavesdropping.”
Even though the drawing rooms of noble families were constructed to prevent small animals from entering, the aide still glanced around unnecessarily, then frowned deeply.
“Anyway, I’ve always found that person uncomfortable. It feels like I’m being played with in their grasp.”
“I understand your concerns, so you can stop emphasizing it. In any case, make sure you communicate this matter properly to the family members. This old man won’t be able to attend the meeting. My hands are shaking because my blood sugar is low.”
Despite the gravity of the matter, Chief Amon spoke in a lively tone, walking briskly across the drawing room.
Watching him rub his protruding belly as he left, the aide let out a deep sigh. The three tea cups, which had contained cocoa, were now empty.
* * *
The scorching sunlight tickled my face.
“Ugh—”
A groan that I never made escaped my lips. I frowned in my sleep and tried to avoid the sun, then opened my eyes.
Despite having a human form, it seemed my bad sleeping habits hadn’t changed, as the first thing I saw was a strange ceiling due to lying sprawled out.
“A bed…?”
I thought I had fallen asleep leaning on the sofa after putting a damp cloth on Ahin’s forehead. While I recalled the events of the previous night, I turned over to lie on my side.
Compared to me, who was sprawled out, Ahin, the actual patient, was lying diagonally, taking up only the minimum space.
Did I wake up and move to the bed at some point?
Carefully reaching out, I touched Ahin’s forehead. His fever had subsided, and his skin had regained its color, indicating he was on the mend.
Lying there in the same position, I unintentionally gazed at his plump lips.
Unable to tear my eyes away from his closed, red lips, I bit my own. My chest didn’t pound, but instead, it ached with a sharp pang.
As time passed, I could no longer deny the growing feelings within me. I had vaguely recognized them for a while, so accepting them felt surprisingly calm.
The carefully built sandcastle in my heart was being swept away by the waves of Ahin.
When did it begin? Perhaps from the moment he called my name, the sandcastle had started to erode little by little.
Still, I had tried so hard not to become a shameless rabbit. I never forgot my place.
Being of a different species, the disparity in status was only the beginning; I wasn’t food or a pet. Above all, the most ambiguous thing was that I wasn’t even human.
I constantly reminded myself that I couldn’t stay by Ahin’s side in this form, in this relationship, forever.
Even in fairy tales, love only comes true when the frog prince becomes fully human. How much higher, then, would the wall of reality be, when this wasn’t a fairy tale?
Although Ahin’s attitude had softened significantly compared to the beginning… Was it affection toward a pet that had sprouted, or was it just a flat desire for ownership, including my abilities?
‘Not that I’m curious about what’s going on in his head.’
Wouldn’t peeking inside his mind just drive me crazy?
Lost in various thoughts, I suddenly realized that both of us were in a mess.
There was no need to mention my condition, having rolled around in the garden while wearing a dress, and Ahin was also wearing a loosely buttoned shirt.
He usually dressed neatly, even with a cravat and handkerchief when donning his light armor. Yet, for some reason, he was oddly careless only when he slept.
Since we could talk, I figured that today, I should firmly warn him about the dangers of this Vivi.
‘The blanket, where’s the blanket….’
As I quietly pulled the blanket up, I squinted at Ahin’s neck, revealed between his shirt collar.
When I realized what it was, I was struck with horror.
‘Wh-what is that?!’
The bite mark I had left during the night had become an embarrassingly visible scar.
It was entirely different from the fang marks Ahin had left on my neck, which remained as scars. My pupils trembled wildly as I stared at the red bite mark.
‘…I need to fix this.’
No matter what, in any case. Even if I had to return to being a baby rabbit.
If the chief physician or anyone else saw that mark, hiding in a rat hole wouldn’t be enough. Not to mention, I couldn’t let Ahin see it in the mirror.
‘It’s a relief I discovered it first.’
It would have been easier if I were still a rabbit, but since I had mastered the art of subtle movements, I held my breath and reached out my hand.
As my trembling hand touched Ahin’s shirt collar, my fingers shook uncontrollably. Unable to bring myself to touch the bite mark, I carefully pulled the shirt collar down.
Just as I summoned my pheromones to my trembling hand, I met Ahin’s gaze—who knows when he had opened his eyes.
A deep silence passed between us. His unwavering gaze alternated between my flushed face, my outstretched arm, and the hand tugging at his shirt collar. His red eyes cooled down, losing their warmth.
“You promised with your own mouth last time not to touch me by mistake while I was sleeping.”
It didn’t take long for Ahin’s face to be filled with contempt and disdain. Startled, I shook my head so vigorously that my cheeks quivered.
“No, no! I was just—trying to heal the wound on your neck….”
“…….”
“I… I accidentally bit you last night….”
Even to me, it sounded like a stammering excuse, as if I didn’t know what I was trying to say. The corners of my eyes and earlobes burned. My face heated up as though it were about to explode, and I was sure I looked like someone caught doing something suspicious.
“Forget it.”
When Ahin calmly buttoned up his shirt and turned his back on me, I nearly burst into tears. His broad back, as cold as a gust of wind, signified a clear break.
“Ahin, please listen to me.”
I hurriedly got down from the bed and ran to face him.
Ahin, who was biting his lips so hard that they were turning red, was suppressing a laugh as he covered his eyes.
Clenching my fists tightly, I grabbed a pillow. To hell with these feelings that were growing inside me—despite my inner turmoil, I found myself hating Ahin again today. I wanted to crush him.
* * *
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