TSROTRATBP Chapter 17

After parting from her, I gazed out the window with melancholy eyes as Meimi carried me. Unlike my clouded mood, the weather was brilliantly sunny with the sun high overhead.

'Nice weather...'

Hah—a regretful sigh escaped involuntarily. As expected, conveying elaborate intentions while in rabbit form proved impossible. Today my stumpy front paws felt particularly resentful.

Just before border security intensified, at the hour when sunset stained the sky. Rabbit beastmen with black masks concealing their identities entered black panther territory's border.

Walking the overgrown path, they exchanged furtive glances. Bones presumed to be beastman remains were scattered along one side of the route.

'This is...'

The team leader guiding the rabbit beastmen frowned. Recently even the second wave of investigators sent by the Raebien family hadn't returned. Apparently they'd been hunted by black panthers here.

'Strange.'

The leader's eyes filled with doubt as he examined the bone fragments. They shouldn't have been easily hunted by just a few black panthers. Moreover, the simple task of confirming one rabbit's life or death was being strangely delayed.

"Trespassing across the border again."

At the voice suddenly emerging from behind, the rabbit beastmen quickly turned. There stood Ahin and Iverin alongside several black panthers.

"Who are you!"

"I'd like to ask you that."

The rabbit beastmen's pupils trembled finely as they faced Ahin's refreshingly handsome appearance. Just examining the red eyes both men possessed and the surrounding black panthers confirmed they were black panther clan members. Moreover, judging by how they'd noticed not the slightest hint of presence until spoken to, these were considerably skilled individuals.

'Could it be.'

The leader swallowed dryly, his gaze falling on the bone fragments. If these beastman bones were the handiwork of these black panther clan members... A chill ran down his spine. Soon shifting his gaze, the leader examined the swords hanging at Ahin and Iverin's waists with searching eyes.

"...This is none of your—"

"Looking for a rabbit?"

At Ahin's interruption, the leader's shoulders flinched.

"I picked her up."

Picked up? Darkness instantly clouded the rabbit beastmen's eyes. The Raebien family side had wanted the rabbit killed, yet she was apparently still alive.

Sensing opportunity from their hesitation, the black panthers beside Ahin and Iverin bared their fangs—apparently hungry.

"Planning to take her back?"

Ahin restrained the growling black panthers with a faint smile. Because that smile felt far from benevolent, one of the rabbit beastmen who'd harbored hope spoke up.

"If you're protecting her, perhaps to our side—"

"Look at yourselves—no different from night thieves. We cannot hand Miss Rabbit over to such suspicious individuals. Miss Rabbit has now perfectly adapted as Master Ahin's emergency rations, so give up."

Iverin's claim poured out like a broken dam, creating an instant cold silence. Despite the bizarre content, his expression remained deadly serious.

'Miss Rabbit...?'

'Emergency rations?'

For the rabbit beastmen, these were titles they'd never encountered before. Emergency rations, no less. The leader asked in bewilderment after some time processing Iverin's words.

"Emergency rat—no, then is the rabbit's status alive or..."

"Do not casually speak of death. Even today Miss Rabbit began her lively morning by kicking this Iverin with her hind legs."

What kind of mentality claims emergency rations one moment, then forbids questions about life or death the next?

The rabbit beastmen's mouths fell slightly open in bewilderment. As the atmosphere grew increasingly strange, Ahin clicked his tongue and turned to Iverin.

"Iverin, what exactly are you trying to say?"

He voiced the earnest question the rabbit beastmen had wanted to ask. Yet Iverin maintained his cold expression and clasped his hands behind his back.

"I could not contain my fury at their audacity in coveting Master Ahin's emergency ration that is Miss Rabbit."

"Too many unnecessary words mixed in."

"Who knows? These people might intend to kidnap Miss Rabbit."

"So they came to personally kill her."

The chilling conversation seemed too sinister for jokes. While Ahin and Iverin's exchange continued, the rabbit beastmen who'd confirmed the rabbit's survival exchanged glances.

'...Leader, what do we do?'

'We retreat for now.'

'After coming all this way?'

'Judging by their lack of clear presence, they're considerably skilled. Prepare to scatter as we flee toward our territory.'

'I see. That strange conversation is likely a ploy to make us lower our guard.'

Seizing an unseen rabbit proved impossible anyway, and returning to the Raebien family to report this fact seemed the better course. Just as the rabbit beastmen examined escape routes and turned their bodies, a peculiar pheromone flowed into their noses.

"Gack!"

Their entire bodies went limp as though waterlogged cotton. Though they recognized it as predator pheromones and immediately tried drawing up their own, it proved futile.

"Kuk,"

All movement had already escaped control. One by one their bodies collapsed to the ground due to the ability that had instantly overwhelmed them.

"Haaaack."

Eventually one rabbit beastman who couldn't endure the powerful pheromones fainted with rolled-back eyes. Ahin gestured to the black panthers watching those crawling on the ground.

"Finish them."

The moment the command fell, the black panthers bared their sharp teeth and rushed forward.

"Aaaaah!"

"Gack!"

The scent of blood spread thickly through the brush. Ahin crossed through the scene of merciless slaughter and drew the sword at his waist. Soon he approached the leader who'd been issuing commands from the front and slowly leveled the blade.

"A few questions. Were you planning to take the rabbit back?"

"That..."

The leader's voice trembled facing the threatening blade. Unable to move his body, it felt as though his head might fly off at any moment.

"Ah, doesn't matter anyway since she's already in my grasp."

Ahin glanced toward the estate direction with a slow smile spreading across his lips. Iverin, recognizing it as the black-hearted smile he occasionally wore, offered advice.

"Master Ahin, you're making a villainous expression."

"Quiet."

"Yes, sir."

Having sealed the ceaselessly flapping mouth, Ahin turned back to the collapsed leader. He must have released too much pheromone—the man was on the verge of foaming at the mouth. When Ahin reduced the injected pheromone's intensity, the leader finally gained breathing room and gasped.

"Haah, huk,"

"I want to ask about that rabbit."

"Wh-what..."

"Her identity. She's not an ordinary rabbit, is she? First—is she a beastman?"

Swish—the moving sword tip pulled down the mask concealing the leader's identity. Though cold air touched his exposed face, he kept working his mouth. As the hesitation lengthened, Ahin released a regretful breath.

"Can't be helped if you won't talk."

The sword instantly pierced the leader's thigh. As excruciating pain suddenly surged, he thrashed with a scream.

"Aaaaah!"

"Seems like more of you will cross the border next time, so I'll ask then."

Shhk—the blade withdrew from the thigh and rose high. Blood flowing down the sword dripped onto the leader's bare face. His reason devoured by terror, he threw up his arms and shouted.

"I-I'll talk! I'll tell you!"

The sword descending to split his head in two abruptly stopped. The leader looked up at the emotionless smile with frightened eyes and quickly spoke.

"Haa... th-that rabbit is a beastman."

Though he'd suspected, having it directly confirmed made the mirth vanish from Ahin's eyes. The sword scraped near the leader's neck as though urging him on.

"Ugh,"

"But she won't transform into human form. Is she still a baby?"

Even as he asked, Ahin found the question rather ironic. The rabbit had absorbed not just Continental language but knowledge necessary for beastmen—too much to be called a baby.

That wasn't all. Watching her use her front paws to offer greetings of sorts when meeting Valens was truly remarkable. The leader, observing Ahin's returning sneer, continued speaking.

"No. Sh-she's already eighteen."

"...Eighteen?"

"A freak who couldn't undergo humanization even after her coming-of-age ceremony."

The life of the leader who'd protested he'd only come to confirm life or death didn't last very long.

Thunk—the sword cutting through empty air severed the neck of the rabbit beastman who'd survived to the very end. Ahin slowly licked the blood spattered on the back of his hand and made a regretful sound.

"...I forgot to ask about Vivi's family."

Iverin, who'd been in a daze the whole time, wore an 'oh no' expression.

"My apologies. I was quite shocked and only just remembered."

Both their dismayed eyes settled on the leader. The corpse now incapable of answering had transformed into prey for the rushing black panthers. Watching the black panther pack devour greedily, Ahin waved his hand.

"Ash, that's enough. Go."

The pack leader Ash gestured acknowledgment. After a brief time, the satiated black panthers scattered through the brush in all directions. Iverin tore his gaze from their retreating forms and muttered.

"Eighteen makes her our age, doesn't it?"

Not just any rabbit, but an eighteen-year-old beastman. Doubt clouded his red eyes as he chewed over the leader's testimony.

"Impossible. A beastman who couldn't undergo humanization even after her coming-of-age ceremony?"

"Then does a rabbit using Continental language or reading books make sense?"

Ahin smiled faintly and sheathed his blood-stained sword at his waist. His attitude remained far too relaxed despite hearing such shocking facts. Iverin released a hollow breath facing him.

"So My Lord was certain from the start that Miss Rabbit was a beastman."

"To some degree."

"...Why did you pretend ignorance when I speculated she was another species?"

"Watching you agonize was amusing."

"Despicable taste," Iverin muttered, his expression growing complicated. Though she might be a baby rabbit, the fact that Ahin had been sharing sleeping quarters with a beastman of similar age felt remarkably awkward.

"Just what..."

While he fell into his own world, Ahin settled onto a nearby boulder. For Iverin who'd never properly encountered Vivi's pheromones, this reaction was only natural.

"Even so, a beastman incapable of humanization.... If she cannot become human, doesn't that mean she must live as a baby rabbit with sapient consciousness?"

"That option isn't bad either."

Ahin answered evasively and swung his legs mockingly.

"My Lord, why?"

Iverin's frustration reached its peak as he openly contorted his brow. Then Ahin, who'd been smirking, also made an unusually serious expression.

"Iverin."

"Speak."

The atmosphere instantly turned cold, as though the main point would finally emerge. Sensing this, Iverin tensed inwardly and waited for what would follow.

"That rabbit..."

"Yes."

"When she sleeps, I want to devour her."