‘What on earth was that?’

The sweet body scent that seemed to smell like sunlight was clearly that of an herbivore. 

But when lewd fl*id flowed from her heated opening, the fragrance surrounding Ivona changed. A sweet yet fleeting scent resembling lilac, seemingly about to vanish at any moment, ignited a fire in his chest.

It was a scent that drew out a beast’s instincts and made him ferocious. The handful of reason left evaporated like water droplets on a hot iron plate. Only the desire to pull out his member and tear through that fragile body raged.

Yet his reason never completely snapped, clinging on tenaciously. The reason that was possible was the voice constantly echoing in his ears.

The master has not yet given permission.

It was a command seemingly carved into his instincts. And what whispered it was, absurdly, a pheromone that was no laughing matter. The fragile yet powerful fragrance wafting from Ivona’s body.

As far as Calix knew, there was only one existence with such pheromones.

“…What if, just hypothetically.”

“Yes.”

“If Balboa, if the rabbit that disappeared were to return, how would the Electors react?”

At the long-forgotten name, Edrington’s eyes widened. His composed face contorted with shock.

“If, if that were to happen…”

Calix didn’t bother waiting for his teacher’s words and spat out the answer.

“All the squabbles between Electors and whatnot would become pointless.”

“That’s right. The Emperor Father’s throne was merely a temporary proxy for the seat Balboa left vacant in the first place.”

The old knight received his master’s words like a sigh. 

Originally, the founder of the Balboa Imperial Family that ruled this land, Alvidion, was said to be a rabbit that descended from the moon. Passed down as a bedtime fairy tale parents told their children in every household, there was no one who didn’t know this story.

The rabbit was said to have gifted reason to shapeshifters who lived by instinct, no different from beasts. And they established a nation so the strong couldn’t harm the weak at will. 

That was the legendary story about the founder of the Balboa Imperial Family that originally ruled this land.

But with Princess Merluche, Calix’s grandmother, as the last, not a single rabbit bloodline remained on this land. The only reason Calix’s father could claim the throne was all thanks to his grandmother’s bloodline.

Even that wasn’t entirely his own ability. When the last Balboa breathed their last, shapeshifters who lost their reason one by one became monsters and began rampaging. 

The continent fell into chaos in an instant.

The lords were too busy fighting to protect their own territories. Meanwhile, those with even a drop of rabbit blood claimed the throne and waged war.

Snakes, wolves, leopards—those whose ancestors had connections with rabbits had the possibility of seeing a rabbit among their descendants at any time. 

That’s why the catastrophe occurred. Thanks to that, countless competitors died and what remained was Calix’s father.

So if the rabbit returned, it would be proper to return the seat and go back to being a subject.

“…But we don’t know if the Emperor Father will step down so easily.”

“Does the Emperor Father’s will matter? Wouldn’t the will of all the Electors be more important… Ah, so that’s what happened.”

Only then did the outline of how things worked form in Calix’s mind. In the last Elector War, Castillia hired many mercenaries with overflowing money. 

But Castillia was a family that had built assets through commerce for generations. They had never handled or led a massive military force.

Without a proper leader, the hastily gathered mercenaries scattered when the previous head of the family died. Without even properly securing military power, what more could come from having a rabbit shapeshifter than having it stolen?

Thinking that way, he understood why Ivona was imprisoned in the tower. Even if hidden as a child, once grown, her identity couldn’t be concealed due to pheromones. 

It made sense if it was a measure to prevent her identity from leaking. Still, he couldn’t help the unpleasant aftertaste.

‘Then who will compensate Ivona for the time she’s only been used, and how?’

To prevent this from repeating, all the Electors had to learn of Balboa’s existence simultaneously. Otherwise, someone might try to monopolize her again.

The unpleasant thoughts shattered with Edrington’s voice cutting in.

“But how did Your Highness…”

“Hm?”

Calix, who turned his head reflexively, was startled to meet eyes shining with emotion.

“How did you discover the fact that the Marquis hid Balboa?!”

“What…?”

“I thought you were wandering around thoughtlessly, but that wasn’t all there was to it?!”

“Ah, it’s not certain yet, so…”

Calix tried to urgently put the brakes on his teacher’s excitement. But having spent so much time together, Edrington caught on to the situation surprisingly quickly.

“You’re truly amazing. How on earth did you find out?!”

“…”

Even shameless Calix couldn’t answer easily. He hadn’t particularly investigated, and it was just incredibly good luck, wasn’t it?

Besides, the method by which he noticed was… that sort of thing. He turned his head slightly in embarrassment, but his teacher seemed to misunderstand it as an expression of modesty. 

A proud light settled on the teacher’s stern face as he looked at his disciple’s growth.

“As expected of Your Highness. This old man’s teaching was worthwhile. Now I can finally face the late Empress.”

Even in the dim lighting, he could clearly see tears sparkling at the corners of the wrinkled eyes. Calix felt his conscience prick even more. When the loyal subject who knew nothing drew in a breath filled with emotion, he finally had to turn his eyes away.

But as soon as he turned his eyes, what rushed in like a tide was the image of Ivona he’d just seen.

‘…She was cute.’

The blue eyes bewildered and at a loss when first caught, the slender body that trembled at every touch to a sensitive place… 

By the time he reached the image of tears beading up and finally falling from her chin to flow down her soft skin, he had to bite the inside of his mouth without realizing it. 

Otherwise, he felt like he’d tear that flimsy dress apart.

Only Ivona didn’t know how maddeningly her state aroused a man. Her showing such a sight to another man? Just thinking about it made anger and heat surge up.

Edrington, who couldn’t know Calix’s inner thoughts, assessed the situation in an excited voice.

“Castillia with wealth has obtained the rabbit, and combined with Mutheira’s military power, they could truly be called the strongest in Alvidion. It makes sense that the bear roused its heavy body to come all the way here. Then that noisy martial arts tournament must also be a method to supplement troops.”

Calix, who had been immersed in sweet imagination, was dragged out by the unpleasant name like being doused with cold water. The strongest military power and the wealthiest assets in the empire joined forces. 

On top of that, troops that only participated in a martial arts tournament and weren’t recognized as an army. It was a cunning and exquisite scheme that would have caught anyone off guard if they hadn’t known in advance.

Edrington continued.

“No matter which family a rabbit is born into, all rabbits inherit the Balboa name. Normally, they would have been brought to the imperial palace immediately upon birth and recognized with independent rights, but…”

The old knight’s face hardened. A beat late, Calix’s expression also sank coldly.

“They intended to marry her off before that could happen.”

“That’s right. If she grew up knowing herself as an ordinary shapeshifter, it would be difficult to disobey her father’s and husband’s orders. After that, if they announce she was actually Balboa, a perfect puppet is born.”

Calix ground his teeth. It was truly a devious idea a snake would come up with. In case of theft, hadn’t they thoroughly prepared a scheme to ruin what they couldn’t keep?

“…Is there a way to confirm the bloodline without Balboa going directly to the imperial palace?”

“There’s a sage who has served since Balboa’s descent. Even if you just cut the tip of a hair, they’d come running. After all, it’s the Balboa they’ve been searching for so desperately.”

“…They can tell it’s a rabbit just from looking at hair?”

“Once it falls from the master’s body, it returns to the original form’s fur.”

“I see…”

“But…”

At the curiosity in his teacher’s voice, Calix tensed without realizing it.

“Won’t you tell me?”

“What?”

“How on earth did you find that rabbit? And have you become close enough to ask for a strand of hair?”

The probing air was more persistent than ever. Calix panicked and grabbed Edrington’s shoulder to turn him around.

“I said it’s not certain. Now, the dispatch to send to the capital, hurry…”

“Do I look like I won’t pursue this? Your Highness’s fate hangs on this! And the other day with the pheromones too… Y-Your Highness?!”

Without even listening to the end, Edrington looked back in bewilderment at being pushed out the door. From how he held onto even the doorframe, his will not to leave until he got an answer showed. But Calix mercilessly pried off the desperate fingers.

“Now, now, it’s late at night.”

“Y-Your Highness!”

As soon as he pried off the last finger, the door closed heartlessly. Fortunately, Edrington seemed to remember this was the knights’ shared lodging. When the hesitating presence moved away from the door, Calix sighed and turned around.

‘Balboa’s rabbit…’

Looking at the bright moon, his thoughts naturally flew to Ivona. Despite keeping that clear face from childhood, how sensitive she was. Just recalling it made his insides boil, and Calix let out yet another chuckle.

“Really, she drives a shapeshifter crazy.”

When he took off his outer garment, something dropped to the floor with a thud. It was the handkerchief Ivona had hesitantly handed him on the night of the banquet.

‘Y-you should wipe…’

She had offered it without even meeting his eyes, her face red with embarrassment. Suddenly, Calix impulsively brought it to his nose. 

From the soft cloth, he could faintly sense Ivona’s pheromones. A scent so fleeting and futile it seemed like it would fly away with a breath, maddeningly so.

Just one breath and a blaze ignited in his chest. Calix breathed in even deeper, hoping Ivona would please be Balboa. Only then would he have justification to rescue her from Castillia’s hands.

Just imagining those clear eyes looking at him with gratitude made blood rush stiffly. And if that easily heated body warmed to his touch…

After brief anguish, Calix brought his hand to his waist.

“…Kuh.”

Just rubbing a few times while imagining Ivona, his member futilely *jaculated. Compared to her fragile, pale body, his member looked nothing but vicious. Just imagining it splitting that red, lewd opening made it stiffen with renewed vigor.

“What the hell did you do to my body, d*mn lady…”

The resentment poured toward the clear moon scattered futilely into the night air.