Living with the Dangerous Beast-Chapter 61: A Rice Cake

Sohwa could feel the small rabbit’s trembling body beneath her paws.

For the first time, she felt like a formidable predator.

‘I did it! I caught it!’

But her triumph was short-lived.

The rabbit, with a terrified expression, opened its mouth slightly.

“P-P-P-Please... Eat me in one bite...!”

The moment their eyes met, trembling under its long lashes, Sohwa felt her bite weaken.

How pitiful the rabbit was, caught by an inexperienced hunter like her.

It was obvious what would happen next.

Feeling sorry and seeing a bit of herself in the rabbit, Sohwa’s grip loosened.

The rabbit, still trembling, cautiously lifted its head.

“A-Aren’t you going to eat me?”

Instead of running away, it just stood there, asking such a foolish question.

Sohwa doubted the rabbit would live long even if she let it off the hook this time.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Ryeonhee. I was sent by the Dragon King of the East Sea to Mount Taeryong, but I got lost....”

“The Dragon King?”

It turned out the rabbit was on an errand for a high-ranking figure.

She couldn’t possibly eat the Dragon King’s messenger!

Sohwa, now having a reason to release her first prey, quickly let go of the rabbit’s neck.

“Tsk tsk. You should travel in your human form. There are dangerous beasts in these mountains, including me.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“Don’t venture to the north. A ferocious black dragon resides there.”

“Yes! I will keep that in mind!”

The rabbit nodded earnestly.

Pleased with her first successful hunt—even if she had to let her go—Sohwa smiled broadly.

“By the way, your ears are very big. I’ve never seen a rabbit with such large ears.”

She mentioned the large ears because they looked cute, flopping around with every movement.

Unlike other rabbits, this one’s ears were so big they couldn’t even stand upright.

But the rabbit, perhaps sensitive about its large ears, suddenly covered them and wrinkled its nose.

“Don’t... Don’t say such things!”

The rabbit’s face turned red, and it suddenly kicked Sohwa’s face with its hind legs.

“Eek!!”

For such a small creature, the rabbit’s hind legs were surprisingly strong, knocking Sohwa over.

“Ow! Ow! A rabbit beating a fox! Help, fox down!”

While Sohwa rolled on the ground in pain, clutching her face, the cheeky rabbit ran off into the distance.

“T-Talking about someone’s ears like that is clearly harassment!”

After beating her and still not satisfied, the rabbit turned back and shouted,

“T-That dumb rabbit!”

“You’re dumb too, you naive fox!”

The rabbit continued to shout back at Sohwa.

“You look like a piece of white rice cake!”

“What? A rice cake?!”

Actually, last winter was harsh enough that it left Sohwa’s fur so fluffed up, it almost covered her entire chin.

‘But still!’

A rice cake? A piece of rice cake??!!

‘How dare she call a noble predator like me a piece of RICE CAKE?!!’

Sohwa had faced many insults, but being called a rice cake was a first.

And hearing such an insult from a tiny rabbit definitely added salt to the injury.

The indignity made her face flush with shame.

‘How could a proud predator like me be ridiculed by something so weak and tiny?’

She clenched her paw in anger but couldn’t bring herself to strike.

“Go ahead and make your empty threats!”

The rabbit, as if mocking her, flapped its big ears and hopped away.

Sohwa watched the retreating figure but couldn’t muster the courage to chase after it. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

‘Those hind legs were strong. Very strong....’

What kind of rabbit was this, so brave to speak its mind even when caught in a predator’s jaws?

Though it appeared small and weak, it was clearly a ‘normal’ rabbit.

‘Oh dear, what should I do? I promised to succeed in hunting today and set an example for my kids....’

She felt ashamed to face her children.

Instead of succeeding in her hunt, she had been kicked and insulted by a mere rabbit.

What would Yongbeom and Hwibeom think of their mother?

Her steps slowed as she trudged back to their palace-like mansion.

Behind Sohwa, a massive figure rumbled the ground with each step as he chased after her.

“Ma’am! Ma’am!”

Her tail drooped, and her ears hung to the sides.

Seeing Sohwa walking so forlornly, he hurried over.

“Oh, it’s you, Woongsik.” She lifted her head at the sight of Woongsik, but there was no energy in her expression.

“I-I really caught a rabbit today. For real! It was a bit smaller than me!”

Out of embarrassment and shame, she started to make excuses, and Woongsik nodded sympathetically.

“Of course, of course. I’m sure you did.”

Seeing her so downcast from another failed hunt, Woongsik felt an urge to catch a dozen pesky rabbits himself for her.

“But that rabbit was...!”

“Did it escape by flying to the sky? Or did it disguise itself as a hideous goblin?”

“No, no, this time it was real!”