When I think about it, I couldn’t say I had absolutely nothing to hide from Ahin. Of course, it wasn’t because I had ulterior motives like him—it was simply out of a basic instinct for survival that I hadn’t mentioned certain things.
Earlier that morning, I decided it would be good to share the unfinished conversation and called out to Ahin with a resolute look. By now, I was sure he wouldn’t harm me any further.
But perhaps startled by my determined expression, he quickly placed a pillow in the middle of the bed. He said it was a precaution to block the ever-scheming rabbit.
It was unfair, but I couldn’t exactly argue with him, and so our conversation continued with that absurd barrier between us.
For once, Ahin refrained from his usual cutting remarks and participated in the conversation calmly. We talked about my physical condition related to pheromones, the reason I had followed him here, and the incident in the garden.
He even hypothesized that if dominant pheromones were used properly, I wouldn’t revert to a rabbit, and the transformation from rabbit to human might be less painful.
I didn’t tell him everything, but I shared most of what had been weighing on me, and I felt oddly relieved afterward.
The problem was that Ahin didn’t mention anything about the fire in the banquet hall or the pheromone outburst, which were the things I was most curious about.
His eagerness to send me back as quickly as possible, under the pretense of having things to deal with, also seemed suspicious. There was something unsettling about leaving without answers.
“That pheromone attack….”
He had been in such pain.
At one point, I even checked to make sure he was still breathing. But given his status, I couldn’t just go around asking or speaking openly about it.
“…Grandfather seemed to know something too.”
I crossed the hallway with the resolve to get to the bottom of it, even if I had to tear apart the study at Grace’s mansion. With each step, I felt the stares of many people on me.
Reminding myself of my current role as a dancer, I made a conscious effort to walk gracefully. And then, I tripped.
“Of course.”
That’s what happens when you try to act out of character.
It wasn’t just the dress, which was more suited to a dancer, but the chilly weather that made the cloak I wore all the more cumbersome.
After dusting off my clothes, I resumed my walk toward Professor Jisnana’s guest room, only to stop in my tracks. The sound of two footsteps seemed to match mine, as if someone were following me in perfect sync. Even when I stopped, they did too.
‘Is someone following me…?’
I quickly spun around, but there was no one in sight besides the guards and staff stationed throughout the hallway. Sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating the pale hallway.
‘Am I imagining it?’
Whether it was real or not, there was no harm in being cautious in the face of potential danger. More importantly, I trusted my instincts as a self-proclaimed coward.
I paused, rotating my ankle to stretch my muscles. The professor’s room was just around the corner, and at least there were people nearby, which was some comfort.
“Time to run.”
I pushed off the ground, but just as I rounded the corner, I was pulled back by someone’s arm. My vision shook violently, and when it cleared, I found myself in a familiar location.
It was the storeroom Ash had brought me to when I transformed into a human. Reflexively, I swung my arm as if to swipe with my front paw, grabbing hold of something soft and furry.
“Ouch! My hair, that’s my hair!”
“…Rune Manionts?”
I quickly released my grip, but several strands of pink hair were already tangled between my fingers.
Rune, who didn’t seem too concerned about tidying his messy curls, mumbled.
“That’s too much. Why do you always pull my hair whenever we meet?”
“That’s because you—”
“Shh.”
Suddenly, Rune silenced me, causing me to cover my mouth faster than light, hunching down into a crouched position like a fugitive.
Rune looked down at me, bewildered, before lowering himself to sit on his knees as well.
“Do you even know what you’re hiding from?”
You were the one who told me to shush… Embarrassed, I shook my head.
“I saw someone tailing you.”
“A bodyguard?”
At that moment, the memory of Ahin’s words from earlier that morning resurfaced in my mind. He’d mentioned something about assigning a bodyguard temporarily since Meimi wasn’t around, saying it was someone I knew and that I might find them useful. I hadn’t really registered it, though, as I had fallen asleep soon after.
‘I don’t know anyone…’
Besides, the only person I could think of was the one right in front of me—Rune. My circle of acquaintances was painfully small. Lil was far too delicate to be a bodyguard.
‘Or was it one of the guards who saw me in Endellus?’
Was her name Mio? I racked my brain, but no one else came to mind.
“Well, the bodyguard might be looking for you, but can we have a little more time? You’re heading back to the Black Panther territory today, after all.”
I flinched at his words.
“How do you—”
“Rune.”
“…How do you know that?”
“I saw Everine getting the carriage ready. And given Ahin Grace’s temper, it was obvious.”
Rune, still sitting on his knees, propped his chin on his hand.
Why are we sitting here in such an uncomfortable position when there’s a perfectly good place to sit? As I pondered that, I suddenly remembered what I had intended to ask him and widened my eyes.
“Why a dancer, of all things?”
“What, wasn’t that you? You were the one who suddenly started prancing about.”
He teased me, knowing full well it wasn’t the case.
“And you even performed the traditional dance of the Rabbit Territory. Was it like this?”
Rune lazily wiggled his hand beside his face.
“Are you always such a lively one?”
“Please stop talking.”
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, I raised my hand to signal my plea.
I realized in that moment that extreme shame could actually make a person want to disappear. All I could do was glare at him as my ears burned hot. I had originally intended to ask him about the scented letters, but now I wondered if bringing up the subject would just drag me deeper into this awkwardness.
“Anyway, if you return to the Grace family, I won’t see you for a long time again. I thought that would be a little sad.”
“…Why would that make you sad?”
Rune opened and closed his mouth, caught off guard by the question. His normally lazy expression showed signs of discomfort, and then, as I watched, his face flushed from his neck to his cheeks.
‘Ah.”
I pieced it together—he had likely developed some form of affection or, at the very least, interest in me.
‘Why me?’
His reaction was painfully obvious. Why was this lion so honest with his feelings? This man, usually devoid of expression, was now stammering with a reddened face, and it left me feeling more confused than anything.
Now I felt like the villain who had toyed with an innocent lion. My vision blurred slightly as I stared at the ground, the uncomfortable silence thick in the air.
“At first,”
A soft voice broke the quiet, brushing past my ear. When I looked up, Rune’s face was still tinged with red.
“When I saw Ahin Grace carrying around a baby rabbit, I thought he’d finally lost his mind. He’s always been a bit unstable, ever since we were kids.”
Rune twirled his finger near his temple as he said this in a deadpan tone. I couldn’t help but nod in agreement. I had to admit, I was somewhat curious about Ahin’s childhood, too.
“I was already suspicious, but then I ran into you near the ballroom—when you’d just turned into a human for the first time, right?”
Remembering that unforgettable moment, I fidgeted with my hands resting on my knees.
“Yes.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask, but why were you under the table?”
Well, it’s because I tend to hide in small spaces when I’m scared. I didn’t answer, but Rune continued as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“You looked strange, anyway. Your hair was dragging on the floor, and the only thing you had on was a tablecloth. You could speak, but something about you seemed off.”
Looking at myself from someone else’s perspective, I must have seemed undeniably suspicious back then.
“There were so many strange things about you, it just made me more curious. Like that time in the Endellus tailor shop when you mistakenly tied a ribbon meant for your neck around your head.”
“…Who even ties such a large ribbon around their neck?”
“True, that designer had an unusual taste, so I’ll give you that.”
Rune casually picked up a handful of her hair and rubbed it, much like when we first met.
“And then there’s the occasional delicious scent.”
“…Butter?”
“Yep, that.”
“I heard it was roasted sweet potatoes.”
“No, it’s definitely butter.”
Who says I smell like butter? Imagining a rabbit roasted with butter, I subtly tugged at the strands of white hair slipping from his fingers. The loose strands quietly fell back into place.
While the conversation was completely abnormal, I wasn’t oblivious to the subtle undercurrent flowing between us.
The problem was mostly Rune. The way he spoke so earnestly with flushed cheeks, paired with his striking looks, was too much. His sharp, slightly narrowed eyes and muscular build weren’t just charming—they made things even more complicated.
Everine’s voice echoed in my head, reminding me that the Rabbit had a notorious flirtatious streak and only pursued beauties.
“And as time went by, I started thinking it was a little sad.”
Just as I thought I should put an end to this, Rune smiled brightly.
“Had you—no, Vivi—been in the Lion Territory, I might have been able to claim you too.”
* * *
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