CH 15

Ashley looked over and saw that Clyde was just taking the black wolf out of the tub. Hank was beside him, wiping the black wolf with a large towel that he had spread out. He wiped the wolf’s belly, tail, and its ears gently, it was not too rough.

Six hundred years ago, when the black wolf would get out of the hot water, it would shake its body vigorously under the moonlight, sending drops of water flying off its body.

‘But since he woke up once, it means he slept on his own volition.’

Why is that? As she was pondering, Jeanne unexpectedly asked her, “Do you like cookies, Miss Ashley?”

“Yes, I like them.”

“I see. No. It was because you were eating it deliciously…” Jeanne turned her face away. She was somewhat brusque and listless.

Ashley was concerned and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine. It’s nothing.” 

She’d always answer her firmly, but for some reason, she seems to be faltering.

She asked her again, “Are you sure you’re okay?” Ashley was sincerely worried.

Jeanne’s shoulders slumped and she began to tremble. She seemed to be in conflict..

“Jeanne, you’re not alright, aren’t you? That’s right. Here, take this.” Ashley offered her carrot cookie. She had just received three more and this was the last one, “You’ll feel better after you eat it. Carrot cookies are delicious, aren’t they? I love them.”

Jeanne looked up. She looked like she was about to cry, “…Do you like it because it’s carrot cookies? Because of carrots?”

“Huh? Well, yes….”

How is it that she likes carrots when she’s a noble’s daughter? When she thought about it. At home, her mother would often tell her, “Are you eating boiled carrots again? You are not a horse, you should eat something better.”

She would retort in a small voice, “Not a horse, but a rabbit.”

Her mother’s sensitive ears heard her and said, “They’re both similar.”

She was told that they both are the same!? She was shocked. As she remembered that distant memory, Jeanne muttered, “Is that so… so you like them because they’re carrots.” And suddenly, she slapped herself on her cheeks with both her hands. A loud dry sound echoed throughout the stables.

Ashley was surprised and so were Clyde and Hank. They hurriedly went towards them.

“Jeanne, what are you doing?”

Instead of answering, Jeanne just rubbed her bright red cheeks and looked at the floor.

“Miss Ashley, I’m pretty good at making sweets. If, by any chance, I  make carrot cookies for Master Clyde, would you like to eat…the extras?”

“Yes, I would!” she quickly replied, nodding at Jeanne. 

She eventually bowed her head and cried out, “I’m so sorry Miss Ashley for everything I’ve done. I’m sorry!”

“For what?” She doesn’t remember anything done to her to be apologized.

Jeanne and Hank looked at each other when they realized that Ashley didn’t really understand. While Clyde behind them was happily laughing.

* * * *

Jeanne liked Clyde. Ever since she was sent by the royal court four years ago to the Sargent family as his escort and caretaker of the magical beast, she had always admired him. It was only natural since he has unparalleled good looks, high magic power and physical ability. He is also intelligent. Yet, he is not arrogant and treats everyone with kindness. It was not impossible not to fall for Clyde.

But there was something else Jeanne liked even more than Clyde. 

Yes―it’s a rabbit. A fluffy body with two long firm ears standing up, round eyes and tail. It would stand up on its hind legs with its little nose twitching, or it would curl up and tremble.

‘There is nothing else in the world as cute as that!’

Jeanne has thought so since she was a child. She has never told anyone about it. It didn’t suit her, who is considered as a savage beauty, to be a rabbit lover. That’s the reason why she doesn’t tell anyone.

Despite this, her love for rabbits did not waver. She’d secretly wear rabbit-shaped earrings, embroider rabbits on her underwear, and hang several pictures of rabbits in her room. Of course, to prevent anyone from discovering, she hides her earrings behind her hair, embroiders them in places where they cannot be seen, and covers the pictures over another picture. So, when Ashley asked her if she liked rabbits, she felt that her heart might jump out of her chest and flatly denied it. It was then, when Ashley nodded at her response, she thought of her looking like one.

‘No, I didn’t mean it.’

It was probably just her imagination. She must have been tired since she has been looking after the demon. Yes, that’s right. She dislikes Ashley, there’s no way. Ashley was brought by Clyde as his fiancée. She could see that Clyde is liking her more and yet she pretends that she doesn’t like him and runs away in terror.

Clyde is the kind of guy that would make any woman’s eyes light up. There is no way that there’s a woman who really doesn’t like him. And yet…

‘Disgusting woman.’

Since that was what she thought, she loathed her and acted like a jerk. However, it didn’t seem to work on Ashley. Jeanne couldn’t understand how she could be so bright when she was being mean and sarcastic in front of her. So, she observed Ashley, if she had anything to say, she would say it.

As a result, there were many things that she could have gone into, but she was also moved by Ashley’s kindness towards the demon. Then, she realized that her gestures and actions resembled something. Yes. It was as if―

‘No, of course not!’

She firmly denied it. The other party was the count’s daughter. Even if she was acting strangely or saying strange things, she was a noblewoman. So even if her whole body was trembling when Clyde would approach her carelessly, or even if she was quickly eating her favorite carrot cookie with her small mouth, there was no way she would do that. Because that would make her seem like a ra―

‘No, of course not!!!!’

Jeanne has six rabbits at home. She truly loves rabbits. Although her mother takes care of them now, she goes back to her parents’ house on her days off.  She loves and takes care of them as much as she can. It was truly a blissful time. She now misses them very much. The only thing she could touch is the demon.  There was a time when she closed my eyes and touched its black, fluffy fur and told herself that they were rabbits. But she couldn’t. She’s just missing the rabbits and she might probably be having weird thoughts like this because of that. 

That is why she could never admit that Ashley looks like anything like them. If she admits it, it would destroy the image of her that Jeanne built in her mind. And yet, while she was bathing the beast, she was staring at Ashley eating a carrot cookie when Hank quietly came up to her.

“Hey, don’t you think Master Ashley resembles a little animal?” he said.

Upset, she hastily denied it, “What nonsense! She’s not like that.”

Please don’t say anything anymore. She kept on wishing, but he didn’t seem to get the message at all. Hank continued with a chuckle, “A weasel? A raccoon? No, not a raccoon.”

“Hey, stop―!”

“That’s it. A rabbit!” He said it directly. Straightforward words that could not be misrepresented in any way. As a result, Jeanne snapped.

“Hank, you’re an idiot! What kind of nonsense are you talking about! How much do I have to put up with so you don’t think about 〇×△!!”  She was too agitated to even say the word.

“Hey, what the heck? What did I say to make you so angry?” he pouted at her, but she couldn’t forgive him. Now, she couldn’t stop seeing Ashley as a rabbit. She likes Clyde that’s why she dislikes her.. She’s his fiancée. Even though she should dislike her…

Ashley was staring at Jeanne and the others with wide eyes. She must be surprised because they suddenly started fighting. Even so, she still continues on nibbling her cookie. Is she unaware? She’s a noble. Does she like cookies that much?

When Jeanne asked her if she likes cookies, she replied that she likes carrots and then, her eyes seemed to have glossed as if her mind was elsewhere.

‘Like carrots! She likes carrots!’

She can’t do it anymore. She can’t fool herself. Once she realizes it, she slaps her cheeks with all her might as a reminder to herself. Jeanne is a magician, but she also has a sense of chivalry. If she does something wrong, she should punish herself.

She held her burning cheeks and sincerely apologized to her, bowing her head to the floor. It couldn’t be helped if she wasn’t forgiven. Her attitude towards her was nasty and she was prepared for it. 

Ashley then replied with a puzzled look on her face.

‘What? Is she serious? Was she not aware of my attitude towards her?’

What a big one! She took off her hat. She is not the same as those other women. She is indeed a person who seems a bit like a rabbit.

That night, Jeanne borrowed the kitchen from the kitchen maids. She carefully sifted the flour and mixed the eggs, butter and sugar. Then, she mixed in finely grated carrots and rolled out the orange dough flat. She is, of course, making carrot cookies. She shaped the dough one by one into rabbits. She even thought that it has been long since she has made sweets.

She told Ashley that she’s quite good at it since this is one of her hobbies. Still, she feels like she has been too occupied with waking the demon that she hasn’t had the heart to do something like this.

‘I hope she’ll be pleased.’

She’ll share some to Clyde, but she’ll never give some to Hank. With that in mind, Jeanne busily made cookies.