If You're Being Held Hostage, Wiggle the Carrot! - Chapter 60
Ivan, who had been silently observing Ruby, belatedly noticed that her eyelids and lips were swollen. Since there was hardly a place that hadn’t swollen during the latter part of her heat cycle, he hadn’t immediately recognized the peculiarity.
He looked at Ruby, who was struggling to put her ears back in with a soft chuckle.
“Excuse me.”
Liam, who had prepared the snacks, entered and spoke. Carrying a trolley filled with various items, he smoothly entered but hesitated for a moment.
The lady sitting on his master’s thigh and the master looking at her tenderly—there was a strange atmosphere emanating from the two. Liam’s pupils shook for a moment as he sensed something peculiar from both of them.
However, Liam was a butler. Soon, he adeptly concealed his expression and said, “I will set it down quickly.”
“Sure.”
Briefly responding, Ivan, still unable to insert Ruby’s rabbit ears, clicked his tongue and said, “There’s no sign of them going in at all. Are you sure you’re doing it right?”
“I’ve been thinking there were no ears on my head at all since a while ago, you know?”
“Then at least one ear should have gone in. You’ve been shaking your head so diligently.”
“Did you do it perfectly from the beginning? No, right?”
“I got it in perfectly from the beginning.”
“….”
“Putting it in, I’m pretty good at it.”
“!”
Ruby was left dumbfounded by Ivan’s shameless reply. What he’s talking about isn’t related to ears, right?
“Oh, Liam.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
After setting out delicious desserts and tea on the table, he straightened his back and answered. Even after calling Liam, Ivan did not take his eyes off Ruby.
Rather than backing off, Ivan continued to explore Ruby’s eyelids and lower lip with his fingertips, adding, “Bring some compresses to reduce the swelling. Also, get some stamina-boosting medicine from the family physician.”
“Yes, understood.”
Liam understood without having to tell Ivan who it was for. Even after Liam left, Ivan, still grumbling, watched Ruby attempting to insert the ears and reached out to pick up a dessert.
“Ah.”
He forked a suitable piece and extended it to Ruby’s lips, and she graciously accepted it.
“Think about it. We didn’t have ears and tails when we were born.”
“Such cruel words…”
“We may be beastfolk, but we still have human aspects. We’re not just creatures following instincts. We’re not beasts in the backwoods. Ah.”
Ruby opened her mouth again, and Ivan fed her a cake full of cream.
Ivan, who had learned from their time together that when she was babbling, she didn’t offer any rebuttals, took the opportunity to explain.
“Think of pulling the roots of where the ear begins.”
“Umm…”
As Ruby concentrated, imagining the roots as he suggested, she felt a sensation being drawn in. Closing her eyes and humming softly, Ruby opened her eyes wide in surprise, and Ivan smiled broadly.
“One side is a success.”
Ruby raised her hand to check her ear in response to his answer, but Ivan was quicker. He gently molded the remaining rabbit ear with a subtle touch.
“Hngh…”
“I know that a rabbit’s ears are sensitive, but yours seem to be exceptionally so.”
While saying this, he didn’t stop touching the rabbit ear. Deep in thought, he continued to fiddle with it.
“Um, please stop…”
“Hmm, by any chance, do you have any pink rabbits?”
“What?”
“Besides beastfolk, I mean, an actual animal.”
“Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before?”
“That’s a shame.”
He felt a conflicting mix of emotions. Ivan found it challenging to balance the desire to help her put the ear in place and the wish to continue touching it. The fur was exceptionally smooth and soft, making it difficult to let go. Now that he thought about it, why didn’t he think of touching her ears when she was in heat?
Despite some regret, he quickly accepted the situation. The effects of her heat lingered, as a rutting female that had been rubbing against him for over two days continued to flaunt herself in front of him, and he couldn’t resist the temptation.
“Now, shall we try to put the other one in?”
