The Marquis, who had been frantically flattering, carelessly lifted his head and froze at the Border Duke’s gaze he met. The bear’s lips curled up crookedly, like eyeing prey in his grasp.

“Just as you say. Young Lady Ivona is still rather young, isn’t she? Girls that age are easily swayed by appearances.”

“…”

“Balboa’s heart belongs to Balboa. The Marquis knows this, I’m sure. The moment Young Lady Ivona uses her pheromones, it’s over, isn’t it?”

At the suspicious glance thrown his way, the Marquis froze with his smile still plastered on. His stiffly tensed spine was already soaked through with cold sweat.

‘D*mn it, that cursed bear knew even that?’

The first Balboa was said to have gifted reason to shapeshifters who lived like beasts following their instincts. 

It was widely known that the predators swore to revere and protect such rabbits. Combined with the trait that only females were born, the dominant perception was that Balboa were beautiful and fragile beings.

But surely they couldn’t have ruled the vast land of Alvidion for thousands of years with just such a naive oath of loyalty. Among the frontier nobility, some believed the Electors bred Balboa and monopolized power. But the intimate truth was never what was known.

‘Those rabbits! Nothing matches their foul tempers!’

In terms of innate physical strength, rabbits were practically at the bottom of the food chain. Perhaps because of that, Balboa were faithful to their desires like those with no tomorrow and blindly charged at what they wanted.

And that damned pheromone! Just like Mutheira said, Balboa rabbit shapeshifters had powerful pheromones as a weapon. 

Maybe the first rabbit didn’t actually gift reason but forcibly released pheromones and grabbed the predators by the collar. Balboa’s pheromones had such absolute influence over predator shapeshifters that one might think so.

Long ago, the heads of predator families were said to have fought over an emperor. If they had been members of ordinary families, it would have been embarrassing but just a common love affair.

But was a picky taste carved into Balboa’s bloodline? 

That emperor also supposedly had tastes that wouldn’t even glance at anyone unless they were the family head or next heir of each family. Eventually, the love affair spread into war between families and ended with several families being wiped out.

Of course, it’s true that predator shapeshifters have strong possessiveness over their mates. 

But no matter how much, they’re not blind enough to drag in their families and stake their lives. Things heated up this much because of that damned rabbit’s pheromones.

Once exposed to those pheromones, a predator supposedly forgets to eat or sleep and craves only Balboa’s love. The kings of their domains who run through the sky and earth and rule the vast waters end up whining like mutts and crawling at the emperor’s feet.

What made the problem worse was the rabbit’s trait of knowing no end once in heat. Once a Balboa went into heat, it seemed like an unquenchable fire of desire burned throughout their body. 

If not satisfied when and as much as they wanted, they would wildly wield their pheromones at the opposite s*x until their thirst was resolved. They didn’t care whether the target was already married, old or young.

Once exposed to the rabbit’s pheromones, they became Balboa’s blind slaves. They didn’t hesitate to obsess over receiving the emperor’s love or harm competitors. Duels never ceased daily throughout the imperial palace—you can tell how severe it was.

In such circumstances, weren’t there those who looked down on the emperor and tried to suppress them with force? 

But thanks to the many who already made foolish attempts, the predators learned very well.

Once exposed to Balboa’s pheromones, resistance was impossible. Only after suffering all kinds of side effects did the predators agree to a truce. 

The heads of each predator family supposedly knelt before the emperor and begged. They would carefully select and offer young, healthy men from each family, so please be satisfied within that.

Those who gained power that way were those now called Electors. Some say only the five families permitted to marry into the imperial family could withstand the rabbit’s stamina. 

Though it’s a fact that can’t be verified now.

In any case, the truth about Balboa’s pheromones was a fact passed down only through the five Elector families for generations. So Mutheira, who didn’t belong to the five families, shouldn’t have known this…

‘D*mn it, how did he find out…’

The Marquis’s yellow eyes glanced at the bear. Mutheira’s marble-like eyes turned fierce, driving the point home not to try anything funny.

“Once hit by Balboa’s pheromones, even the greatest hero ends up whining like a puppy and crawling at their feet. Surely you’re not thinking of humiliating me like that.”

“How could that be! A method is already prepared.”

The Marquis smiled skillfully while grinding his teeth inside. Naturally, true to Castillia who was seasoned as a merchant, the Marquis had prepared everything. However, the secret method to control Ivona was a trump card prepared for the bear’s possible betrayal.

To have to reveal such a thing already at this stage—it was so regrettable his insides burned. 

But Mutheira stood firm with a resolute air that he wouldn’t budge a finger until he heard the answer. The Marquis slowly opened his mouth with the feeling of swallowing bloody tears.

“…Doesn’t Your Grace find it strange? Why the rabbit, symbol of fertility, became so scarce in the end.”

“…Now that you mention it.”

Whether it was an unexpected topic, Mutheira’s plump face fell into thought. It was strange. There was once a time when there were so many imperial family members they were randomly married off to predators. 

That’s why those with even a little blood connection to the imperial family fiercely fought each other claiming to be imperial descendants.

But by the time the last rabbit breathed their last, predators who had rabbits as descendants were extremely rare. That’s why current Alvidion reached this state, wasn’t it? 

Eyes filled with questions turned toward the Marquis.

“Balboa, the rabbits, can choose which fetus in their womb to give birth to.”

“What?! What did you say? How is such a thing possible!”

At the unexpected words, shock settled on Mutheira’s stiff face.

“It’s only possible for rabbits. When they like their partner, they give birth to the next generation’s child as a rabbit and present them. That’s the secret of the Balboa bloodline passed down only through the maternal line.”

“My word! Such, how could…”

“At best, rabbits born rarely through atavism are all we can obtain.”

“That means…”

Mutheira couldn’t finish his words and shot up from his seat. In contrast to his composure lost, the Marquis slowly sat across from him and leaned back leisurely.

“How outrageous! All of Alvidion became a hellscape! Those damned rabbits created this mess by not giving birth to rabbits because they didn’t feel like it! My territory became a wasteland!”

Mutheira’s large face turned wine-colored as he rambled in excitement. In contrast, the Marquis’s voice lowered further.

“That’s right. Aren’t they utterly outrageous? But it’s also true that Balboa disappeared and shapeshifters who lost reason increased. As you said, we need rabbits.”

The Marquis turned his body toward the display cabinet on the wall. He took out expensive liquor he’d stocked to win Mutheira’s favor and opened it. 

As the scent of strong distilled liquor spread through the heated air, the bear’s eyes regained reason for a moment. The Marquis pressed a crystal glass into the bear’s hand and whispered while tilting the bottle.

“So Balboa must properly be confined and monitored. For Alvidion’s safety as well.”

“How is that possible? From what I know, their bodies are weak but their tempers are foul.”

The bear, who hastily sipped the strong liquor, asked with a clinging gaze. Going against Balboa was impossible. Once captivated by those pheromones, any predator fell into one-sided love.

In that state, the weapons predators used to subdue their targets were useless. Neither overwhelming pheromones nor forced imprinting worked. At worst, only the result of the rabbit dying from shock would occur.

But the Marquis’s leisurely attitude didn’t change. At that sight, Mutheira grew more anxious.

“…The rabbit’s pheromones aren’t almighty. After all, what controls them is the rabbit who owns the pheromones.”

“Oh?”

“What if that rabbit received thorough discipline from childhood and doesn’t even dare defy me? The problem is solved.”

“Hmm—that sounds plausible. But even so, we don’t know if they’ll obediently give birth to rabbits.”

Mutheira still hadn’t let go of his suspicion. Though irritation surged, the Marquis leisurely swirled his glass.

“So we must properly use carrot and stick. ‘The only one in the world who will love you is me.’ Carve it into their head like that. ‘The only way to receive love is to give birth to rabbits.’ Like this.”

“Is it possible with just that?”

Still, the bear held on to the end. The Marquis put his hand in his pocket and threw something on the table.

“…What’s this?”

“Clover is nothing but a trivial weed. But for Balboa, it activates or suppresses pheromones.”

“…?”

“It’s used as medicine when there are problems with pheromones, but… what if by mistake more than the proper amount is used?”

“…!”

“Ah, of course there shouldn’t be such mistakes for the noble body, but mistakes can happen anytime…”

As the Marquis’s words continued, Mutheira’s face brightened. The thought that these were vile words too horrible to speak about one’s own flesh and blood didn’t exist in either man’s head. 

Because the Marquis’s yellow eyes being as emotionless as handling livestock pleased Mutheira’s heart.

“Good! Very good!”

The bear threw his body into the armchair and raised his glass of liquor. Not a trace of earlier suspicion remained on his face as he burst into hearty laughter that shook the entire room. 

Clinking glasses and feeling the heat of the strong liquor flowing down his throat, the Marquis could finally smile sincerely.

The negotiation was a success.