Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: The True Meaning of the Rabbit Headband
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"This is..."
The countess's brows furrowed deeply.
She reached into the basket and began picking up the garments one by one, examining them just as meticulously as before.
But unlike the gentle air from moments ago, now the atmosphere was cold and razor-sharp, like walking a tightrope over blades, as everyone awaited her judgment.
"William, Henry, Sir Howard."
"Yes, milady."
As the clothes began to spill across the table one by one, and the final headband joined them, the countess's lips—sealed shut for several minutes—parted, her voice slipping out with my name.
A voice utterly frigid.
With it, her gaze, fixed on the garments, shifted to me.
"Do you think you can mock me with this?"
My ears flattened flat against my head, my pupils swallowing my irises like a solar eclipse.
"......"
Her piercing gaze stabbed like a dagger to the lungs, and I swallowed hard without thinking.
Even though I'd anticipated this reaction, it was hard to suppress the primal fear triggered by a predator's eyes.
"Heh heh..."
I took a steady breath and let out a light chuckle.
Laughing in a situation where anyone could see it was inappropriate only made her frown deeper, baring her sharp fangs.
"Right now..."
"Would you hear me out for a moment?"
"......"
Even as I asked for a chance to explain, her expression remained icy as ever.
"I admit these are embarrassing to look at—revealing the body so brazenly, that is—but I truly believe they'd suit you, for several reasons."
The moment I saw her expression made it clear she wouldn't wait for a reply, so I pressed on, meeting her eyes steadily.
When conveying sincere intent, the most effective way is to hold eye contact with unwavering confidence, so even as my legs trembled, I kept my smile and gaze firm.
"......"
The countess seemed lost in thought, her ears twitching busily, her tail lashing wildly.
At the same time, the servant she'd brought—sensing something ominous in her demeanor—went pale and shot me a desperate, urgent glance.
Ah, I'm in deep trouble right now, like human bait.
I need to draw this out, so they'd better chop off my left hand...
"?"
As I waited for her words, hiding my shaking legs, her tail suddenly froze upright.
"Go ahead."
She spoke arrogantly, legs crossed and arms folded, as if daring me to open my mouth.
"Thank you."
"Skip the nonsense and get to the point."
"Yes."
Unlike the countess, who clearly wanted me to dive straight in, I needed a little time.
Her fear beam had left my mind blank; I couldn't even recall what I meant to say.
For now, I took a deep breath and picked up the black silk rabbit headband.
Unlike the count's, which faithfully recreated realistic rabbit ears full of earnest affection, this one was heavily stylized—elongated in shape, aside from that.
Best to start with why I made this.
"I did a lot of thinking after receiving your commission. 'Is it really okay to just wrap this up as is?' Because certain things kept nagging at me."
"Like what?"
"I'd heard you admire strong people. That Count Tigris matches your ideal type. And that you critiqued my posture and demeanor despite it being our first meeting."
"Yes."
"Yet for this commission, you prepared two headbands for your husband: one predator, one prey. Correct?"
"...Yes."
"That struck me as odd."
"Ha..."
The countess let out a disbelieving laugh, slamming her tail against the floor.
"Why is that odd?"
"I can't say how the count acts in private, but I can't imagine the man who repelled beastkin prejudice and secured his position choosing a feeble image. Especially not someone who settled in beastkin territory as a human for his wife's sake—he wouldn't pick something against her tastes. It's practically a waste of money."
"We're not so poor that outsiders need to worry about our finances."
"I know that well. But I believe no one buys clothes without reason. So even if this seems like a frivolous expense at first glance, there must be some motive behind it."
She reacted sharply, but I smiled, acknowledging her point before offering a new possibility.
Sure, some people buy on whims, but for someone like Countess Tigris, the odds were near zero.
She's renowned for her frugality.
"This is purely my speculation, but... I wondered if you might be craving a change."
"I wanted a change?"
"Five years is short yet long. Long enough to maintain a fresh, vibrant relationship, yet a point where monotony might start creeping in."
"Our marriage is still harmonious, so no need to worry."
"Monotony doesn't kill every relationship. It varies by couple—you can still be harmonious, intimate, loving. But it's not exactly the same as before. Harmonious, but the freshness faded. Intimate, but the passion cooled."
"......"
"That's why escaping that staleness requires changing not just the environment, but yourselves too."
Usually, children bring dramatic shifts to family life, but mixed couples often struggle to conceive.
Breeding is possible, but they're not the exact same species.
And the Tigris couple, five years married, still had no heirs.
Not unusually slow, but a time when impatience might set in.
"I saw the rabbit headband you commissioned as subconscious evidence of that desire for change."
"I don't see how a rabbit headband reveals inner thoughts."
"Not everyone, but those raised strong and tough often struggle to express their true feelings directly. They see it as weak or shameful. Such people tend to convey it indirectly instead. I suspected the rabbit headband might be your indirect way."
I placed the headband I'd been holding back in the basket.
Then I slid the basket ever so slightly toward her and continued.
"And if your husband wants a fresh change, wouldn't it balance things if you changed too? It'd be unfair for only one side to evolve. Perhaps he'd like to see your delicate, dainty side at least once."
The last part felt a bit too bold, but I'd said my piece, so I leaned back slightly.
"......"
A heavy silence descended on the lounge once more.
The countess kept her legs crossed and arms folded, staring at me intently, while her servant and Emily held their breaths, watching for her reaction.
"I heard you out well. For your honesty, I'll be honest too."
"Yes, I'll take whatever you say."
"It's unpleasant."
"......"
"To think your excuse boils down to this... Didn't it occur to you how rude it is to speculate wildly on someone else's marriage?"
"That's..."
She glared without hiding her displeasure, and I gritted my teeth.
Failed.
Utterly failed.
I'd felt like I was overreaching, and sure enough...
"I'm sorry. I was shortsighted and acted rashly."
I apologized to the countess at once, gathering the scattered clothes from the table and pulling the basket toward me.
"I assume you're not taking these, so I'll put them aw—"
"Hold on."
"Pardon?"
As I closed the lid and moved it aside, her hand smacked mine, stopping me.
"I didn't say I wasn't taking them."
"Koff...!"
Her unexpected words startled me so much I choked.
"Ugh... Pardon?"
I pounded my chest, suppressing the cough, and stared at her in bewilderment.
The flow had screamed rejection, yet she twisted it like this—mind utterly blank.
"Wh—why? Well, just... I thought your rude advice wasn't entirely useless."
As I gazed at her, she hid her tail, cheeks flushing, and offered a flustered excuse with unconvincing irritation.
Tsundere?
Or just strict about separating personal and business?
Insufficient data either way.
But I could picture how she'd act in front of her husband, and my lips twitched.
"...No, I was thinking of throwing in a complimentary service as an apology."
Expressing that outright might provoke her, so I calmly closed the basket lid and changed the subject.
"...Please do."
"Understood. Give me ten minutes; I'll whip something up quick."
"Ahem...!"
I cleared my throat, leaving the embarrassed countess behind as I headed to the workroom.
Nothing too fancy—something to hide under a scarf, like a bowtie collar choker.
The more options, the better.