Chapter 7: Chapter 7: A rabbit With Secret

The cold night wind moved quietly through the academy forest as Lina carried Qhuin back toward the dormitories. Her arms ached slightly from holding him for so long, but she didn’t loosen her grip.

Behind them, the unconscious Shadow Fang Wolf remained hidden among the trees while the distant voices of approaching guards echoed deeper within the forest.

Lina walked quickly, her heartbeat still unstable from everything that had happened tonight. From the attack to the corrupted beasts and then the terrifying crimson pressure that exploded from Qhuin’s tiny body.

And most importantly, the sight of him drinking blood beneath the moonlight.

Even now, the image lingered vividly in her mind: his glowing crimson eyes and the cold air around him. The way the air had felt heavier for a moment.

Qhuin rested quietly in her arms while silently observing the academy grounds around them.

The hunger inside him had finally calmed, although not completely, he still had a faint burning sensation that remained deep inside his chest, but it was manageable now and for the first time since he entered this body, he no longer felt weak and unstable.

The blood from the Shadow Fang Wolf had restored some of his strength, and most importantly, he had awakened a skill.

His crimson eyes shifted toward the floating blue system screen that only he could see.

⸻

[Status]

Name: Qhuin(Snowy)

Race: Snow Rabbit (Mutated)

Level: 1

Rank: E

Blood Energy: 38/100

Hidden Bloodline: Vampire Noble (Sealed)

Skills:

Blood Predator Lv. 1

Crimson Pressure Lv. 1

Evolution Path: Locked

⸻

Qhuin focused on the system message

"Still weak.". He thought, compared to his previous life, this amount of power was laughable.

Then, entire kingdoms feared his presence. Now? He could barely overpower an injured beast. This only felt humiliating, but still, he had proof now that he could grow stronger.

That mattered more than anything.

As they finally exited the forest, Lina unconsciously slowed her pace. The academy grounds had become quieter after the chaos earlier. Only a few guards and professors could still be seen moving through the pathways, their expressions tense while discussing the beast attack.

Most of the students had already returned to their dormitory. Lina hesitated for a moment before looking down at him.

"...You won’t bite me too, right?"

Qhuin blinked staring at her with completly offensed by her words

"Squeak."

Lina laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Okay... yeah, maybe that was a stupid question."

Qhuin looked away proudly, as if he would randomly attack his own contractor. He still had standards, well.... Mostly.

The two continued walking quietly for a while before Lina suddenly spoke again, her voice softer this time.

"You know... I really thought you were just a normal rabbit."

Qhuin’s ears pinched up..

"But tonight..."

Her fingers tightened gently around him.

"...you protected me."

Qhuin remained silent, well he wasn’t protecting her specifically it was just that the corrupted beasts were simply irritating, and technically, if she died, he died too so he only made a practical decision, nothing more.

’Absolutely nothing more’ he pondered

Lina smiled faintly while absentmindedly stroking his fur with her thumb.

"Thank you."

Qhuin froze for half a second, he felt that warmth again from the previous time.

’Why did human touch feel strangely calming in this body?’

’This is ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous.’

As they reached the female dormitory building, the entrance doors suddenly swung open, and several girls rushed outside after spotting Lina.

"Lina!"

"There you are!"

"We heard you ran into the forest!"

One of them quickly grabbed Lina by the shoulders. She was tall with dark brown hair tied into a ponytail and sharp amber eyes filled with worry.

Another girl stood behind her adjusting her round glasses nervously while staring directly at Qhuin with obvious curiosity.

"You’re alright?" the ponytailed girl asked quickly.

Lina nodded.

"I’m fine."

The girls visibly relaxed.

Then, their eyes slowly drifted downward toward Qhuin, particularly toward the faint bloodstains around his mouth.

The girl with glasses blinked several times. "...Why does your rabbit look terrifying right now?"

Qhuin’s eye twitched.

The ponytailed girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously observing Qhuin

"...Did it bite something?"

Lina panicked, trying to explain.

"N-No! It’s just—"

Before she could finish, Qhuin suddenly let out a dramatic yawn, then he lazily dropped deeper into Lina’s arms, looking completely harmless and sleepy.

The girls around paused.

"...Cute," the girl with glasses whispered automatically, her expression softening instantly.

Qhuin smirked.’ Excellent recovery.’

The ponytailed girl sighed while crossing her arms.

"You seriously worried us."

Then her expression softened."You should avoid dangerous places alone. Especially after tonight."

Lina lowered her head slightly and nodded.

"...Sorry."

Qhuin silently observed the interaction between them. ’This is Interesting, so she did have friends.’ Although they were not many, there were enough people who cared to worry about her.

Eventually, the girls returned inside together while discussing the chaos spreading throughout the academy.

Apparently, several students were injured during the beast attack near the northern grounds. Rumors were already spreading rapidly among the students.

Some believed monsters were appearing more frequently near the academy while others claimed the professors were hiding something important.

Qhuin listened carefully to Lina’s arms. More notably, was that several students had mentioned strange magical disturbances occurring within the forest recently.

That immediately caught his attention.

’Something stronger is hiding there’ he thought quietly and his instincts were rarely wrong.

Once they finally returned to Lina’s room, exhaustion hit her all at once, and she collapsed face-first onto the bed with a tired groan.

"Today feels unreal..."

Qhuin lightly hopped onto the windowsill and sat there silently, staring outside the surrounding. The academy towers glowed softly beneath the moonlight, silver light reflecting across the massive structures. The scene was beautiful and peaceful.

After several moments, Lina slowly sat up again, hugging a pillow against her chest.

"...Snowy."

He glanced toward her.

"You understand me... don’t you?"

Silence filled the room.

Qhuin calmly stared back at her without moving then Lina hugged the pillow tighter, her eyes filled with concern .

"I know it sounds weird, but..."

Her pale blue eyes remained fixed on him.

"Your eyes feel too human sometimes."

Qhuin’s expression remained calm, his tiny nose moved along with his whiskers, but internally, he was slightly impressed. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

This girl’s instincts were sharper than expected, most humans ignored things they couldn’t explain, but she noticed patterns.

’A very dangerous trait’ he thought

Before she could continue, a loud bell suddenly echoed throughout the academy.

DONG.

DONG.

DONG.

A magical voice spread across the entire campus moments later.

"All first-year students report to the central courtyard tomorrow morning for official class assignment and combat placement."

"Attendance is mandatory."

The announcement repeated twice before fading away. Lina immediately groaned into the pillow.

"Combat placement already..."

She looked genuinely nervous now, her shoulders slumping slightly, Qhuin tilted his head.

’Combat classes?’

This academy truly trained beast contractors like soldiers, Lina buried half her face into the pillow.

"I’m definitely going to embarrass myself..."

Qhuin rolled his eyes internally, pathetic confidence but still he understood her concern.

A mortal-grade rabbit contractor entering combat training alongside talented nobles with powerful beasts?

Humans would mock her endlessly.

"...How annoying." He hated unnecessary attention, and if Lina became the academy’s laughingstock it would inevitably drag him into the spotlight too. Leading things to become very troublesome.

The system suddenly appeared again.

[New Objective Available.]

[Increase Bloodline Awakening Progress.]

Reward:

Skill Unlock

Evolution Requirement Discovery]

Qhuin’s eyes sharpened slightly. If he could evolve then..., be believed this was what truly mattered; his weak rabbit body was temporary.

Eventually, he would regain power, not these insignificant scraps he possessed now. His gaze slowly shifted toward the moon outside the window, and a faint smile appeared on his rabbit face, making him look comical.

The smile of a predator slowly awakening once more.

Aurelius Academy believed him to be harmless, he planned to show them what they had allowed inside.