No Entry Except for the Master - Chapter 7

“Any notable changes?”

“As you can see, it’s just quietly eating away, like any ordinary glutton.”

“I investigated the rabbit’s distribution path, starting from the destroyed information guild. But even the black market had no trace. I’m beginning to think they captured it themselves.”

“What about Rudy’s reaction?”

“Even though His Grace the Grand Duke personally dismantled the guild, he hasn’t taken any action. It seems he’s lying low. He probably thinks he’s erased all traces of himself and doesn’t want to stir things up unnecessarily.”

“So he’s playing it safe because he doesn’t know how much I know. Surprisingly wise of him, for once.”

They had wondered if the rabbit, raised in secret by the guild master, might be something special. But no matter how much they searched, they found nothing. At this point, even Teia and Cesar began to suspect the rabbit was simply intelligent, and had been pampered for that reason alone.

“Are you thinking of keeping it? If so, I suggest giving it a proper bath.”

The rabbit was still filthy, just as it had been when they first brought it. A servant had hastily wiped it down with a damp cloth upon arrival, but the matted blood stuck in its fur was still there.

The healer had disinfected it, so there was no risk of infection, but its appearance wasn’t pleasant.

“Isn’t it grotesque in a good way? Blood-covered fur doesn’t match that cute face.”

Squeak.

The rabbit let out a soft protest at Teia’s comment. When Teia gave it a pointed look as if daring it to say more, it quickly turned away with an expression of innocent denial.

Despite being hyper-aware of its surroundings, it still acted impudently—an amusing contradiction. Teasing it was becoming increasingly entertaining.

“But aren’t rabbits not supposed to get wet?”

The sweet juice and tart scent of the strawberry spread in his mouth. Teia absentmindedly picked up another strawberry when he noticed the rabbit approaching, as if drawn to him.

“They say water shouldn’t get into their ears, and you need to dry them thoroughly after washing.”

Cesar’s gaze followed the rabbit. He was uneasy—he knew that if Teia ever changed his mind, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill the rabbit. So the way the little thing scurried toward Teia, unafraid, was worrying.

“…Is it going for the strawberry?”

Drawn in by the fruity scent, the rabbit cautiously approached Teia’s hand resting on the desk. Encouraged by the lack of a harsh reaction, it looked up at him with round, pleading eyes, twitching its ears and tilting its head as it tried to charm him.

When Teia waved the fork with the strawberry over the rabbit’s head, its head followed the movement side to side, mimicking the fruit’s path.

“A zombie-rabbit trying to act cute isn’t exactly endearing.”

Just as the rabbit seemed hopeful, Teia put the strawberry back on the plate and swept it off the desk.

Thunk.

As if struck by lightning, the rabbit collapsed in despair, its ears drooping lifelessly. Watching its devastated expression with satisfaction, Teia grabbed one of its floppy ears and lifted it into the air.

…!

The rabbit’s eyes widened and its feet flailed. It had been told not to lift it that way, but Teia paid no mind and handed it off to Cesar’s palm.

The rabbit, teary-eyed again, rubbed its sore ear with its tiny paws. It was so small it could barely fill a palm—its wiggling figure evoked a strange sense of pity.

“Have someone, anyone, give it a proper wash.”

As a short break came to an end, Teia refocused on his backlog of paperwork. In contrast to his twisted personality, he was surprisingly diligent with his work. Cesar gave a quiet bow and exited the office.

“Your lifespan is longer than I expected.”

He murmured this to the rabbit still left in his hand, then went downstairs and handed it off to a passing servant to be bathed.

Beeeep!

The rabbit let out a pitiful cry as it was caught by the servant and washed like laundry in a warm bath.

After being thoroughly cleaned, it was wrapped snugly in a fluffy towel and delivered back to Teia’s office.

Under Teia’s watchful eye, the rabbit had to dry its damp fur all on its own, rolling and tumbling around on the towel until it was soft and fluffy again.