If You’re Being Held Hostage, Wiggle the Carrot! - Chapter 79 - Conspiracy Unveiled

Ivan just nodded vaguely and checked the hallway, poking his head around the corridors before turning back to the parlor.

“Oh, are you looking for the young lady?” Liam asked.

Liam could tell by Ivan’s demeanor who he was looking for.

Ivan replied with a grunt, “Somehow, I don’t see her in the mansion.”

“Haha, it seems the young lady enjoys being active.”

“Do rabbit people usually hop around like this?”

“Well, generally, they tend to be that way.”

Liam thought of the more common White Rabbits, though he had little knowledge of the Pink Rabbit tribe.

“Is that so?”

Ivan replied nonchalantly, then stepped out into the clearing. He glanced around, still unable to see her, and set off again.

Liam diligently followed, matching his master’s increasing pace. No matter how many times they circled around, he couldn’t find a single strand of pink hair.

Ivan became increasingly anxious. He couldn’t stay still, worrying about her being herbivore encountering a carnivore.

His brisk pace soon turned into a jog.

“M-Master!”

Ivan began to run at a pace that even his fellow wolf, Liam, could not keep up with. As he quickly circled the grounds, he came upon a strange pile of stones.

Picking up an unfamiliar stone and examining it closely, he felt an immediate discomfort.

“Pant, pant… My Lord, what on earth is this?”

Liam, trailing behind him, tried to pick up a rock that had fallen at his feet.

“Don’t touch it!”

“Oh!”

Reacting reflexively to Ivan’s words, Liam quickly withdrew his hand. He looked at the serious expression on the Duke’s face.

“…You stay here and guard these. No one else is to touch them, understand?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

As Ivan held the stone, he felt a chill. It wasn’t from the cold— it was the unpleasant chill he had experienced when touched by the spirits.

He ran towards the back hills connected to the back gardens. Somehow, he had a hunch that Ruby might be there. The stone pile happened to be the path to the back hills.

He remembered the day he’d run like he was being chased by a ghost. What if he hadn’t met Ruby that day? He’d still be suffering from hauntings, not knowing how to drive away those spirits.

He would have considered himself lucky if this was all just a one-off prank. Most everything started off small. Whether it be beastfolk or spirit, once you got used to it, you craved stronger stimuli. So Ivan’s tormentors must have gotten more aggressive over time.

Suddenly catching a faint whiff of blood, Ivan stopped in his tracks and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Ruby!”

He focused his sense of smell and followed the scent of blood. As he hurried on, he spotted a wolffolk in the distance. The wolffolk, appearing agitated, seemed unaware of Ivan approaching.

Ivan had deliberately kept a low profile. If Ruby was being attacked, he would have a better chance of protecting her if he caught them by surprise.

Ivan regretted not having brought his sword with him, and quietly approached the wolf woman hanging from the tree. Dressed in a maid’s outfit, the wolf, with her tail, ears, and even her nails out, climbed the tree menacingly.

As Ivan slowly looked up, he saw Ruby standing at the top of a large tree. As he scanned her figure, he noticed a long scratch on one of her calves. Rather than a mere scratch, it resembled a deep wound that was bleeding steadily. The thick, sweet scent of blood immediately assaulted his sense of smell.

Ivan’s heart pounded, and his pupils dilated widely as his eyes locked with Ruby.

“…Ruby.”

A strange desire surged from deep within him. The suppressed instincts rose rapidly, whispering in his ears.

Hurry and capture that delicious prey—