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Chapter – 17
“Ah.”
Solitaire couldn’t look away from his golden eyes that shimmered in the darkness.
Her breath caught, her chest felt tight, and a fluttering sensation stirred within her. At the same time, an unexpected surge of emotion rose in her heart. Heinrich seemed to notice it, blinking slowly as if he had sensed her feelings.
Solitaire shut her eyes tightly, overwhelmed by the intensity of her emotions.
“Why won’t you look at me?”
“Don’t get carried away.”
“I’m not being carried away.”
“Just close your eyes and sleep. You said you weren’t feeling well.”
“I’m fine now. Besides, I can hear your heartbeat.”
Though the darkness hid the blush creeping across her face, it couldn’t conceal the pounding of her heart or the roughness of her breathing.
Solitaire, panicked, pressed her lips together, pretending she couldn’t hear it. Heinrich exhaled audibly, asking if she really couldn’t hear him.
“…….”
“You can’t hear it?”
“It’s about to burst.”
The dialogue, lacking a clear subject, left it ambiguous who was being referred to.
“See, it’s because of you.”
“……!”
Her eyes snapped open at his words. What? What do you mean it’s because of me? But Solitaire didn’t have the courage to ask.
Heinrich, in no hurry to elicit her question, simply closed his mouth, letting his heartbeat be heard clearly.
Though his reply and her unspoken question vanished into the darkness, the unanswered tension lingered in their hearts.
The next morning, bathed in warm sunlight, Solitaire tried to turn over and get up.
But unlike usual, her hands felt something hard instead of the soft blanket, leaving her puzzled.
Why… hard…?
Thump, thump. A steady sound filled her ears, and she instinctively brought her ear closer.
What is this sound?
She remembered Heinrich climbing into her bed last night and the strange atmosphere that made her shut her eyes tight—but this situation was unwelcome.
Even without looking, she felt she knew exactly what her hands were groping.
As Solitaire fumbled in denial, Heinrich watched her panicked, trembling movements, unsure whether to let her know he was awake.
Seeing her mutter and flail helplessly, he eventually burst into laughter.
Startled by his laugh, Solitaire recoiled from him.
“Why… are you touching me?”
“Ah!”
She glanced once at her hands, once at Heinrich, and screamed, pressing her hands tightly over her eyes. She shook violently, as if refusing to remove them, denying the situation entirely.
After some time, Solitaire took several deep breaths and finally removed her hands from her face.
“Are… you not going out? I need to get ready.”
“For what?”
“First of all… that… those indecent clothes! Please.”
Heinrich glanced at his own clothes, the front loosened, giving off an awkward air.
Amused by her exaggerated reaction, he asked with a smirk:
“What’s indecent about them? You’ll have to show me to explain.”
“Just… figure it out!”
“You see, wolves aren’t as clever as rabbits; you need to explain things properly or they won’t understand.”
Heinrich’s teasing made Solitaire leap even higher. Normally, when startled, only her ears would pop up—but this time her tail had shot out as well. Hidden under her clothes, it was unlikely Heinrich would notice—but the thought made her uneasy.
She darted her eyes around like a dog desperate to use the restroom.
“Need to go to the bathroom?”
“No, I don’t!”
Seeing her flushed face and twitching ears, Heinrich considered commenting but wisely refrained. Too much teasing and her face might literally explode.
When Heinrich fell silent, Solitaire peeked at him and let out a sigh of relief.
“Now go out, quickly.”
“Am I going around like this?”
“You know it’s weird… so why are you showing me?”
“Sol, be precise. You were the one who crossed the line. And you’re the one who loosened the clothes. Don’t be so harsh.”
Heinrich, wearing a pitiful smile, began leaving the room in his disheveled state.
Solitaire hurriedly grabbed the blanket and followed. Watching Heinrich stroll lazily just a few steps ahead, her frustration boiled.
“Are you trying to show me everything?”
“Ah, monitoring me?”
“Put on decent clothes immediately!”
“…You’re the one who loosened them. Want me to undo more?”
As he teasingly moved to undo another button, Solitaire panicked. After struggling to protest, she calmed herself, took a deep breath, and muttered:
“Pervert.”
With that, she handed him the blanket roughly and turned away, stomping her feet to emphasize her anger. Her ears still twitched atop her head.
Heinrich, noticing something sticking out near her lower back, suddenly realized it and burst into laughter.
Standing outside her door, he couldn’t stop laughing, while Solitaire, inside, begged him not to. But Heinrich’s mind replayed the round shape of her tail, leaving him helpless.
Some time later, Solitaire’s tutor was finally decided.
The one who had annoyed Heinrich that day was chosen. The reasons were simple: a flawless résumé, recommendations from professors at prestigious schools, and being the only beastkin who could meet every requirement set by Heinrich and Hirups. Naturally, she became Solitaire’s tutor.
Heinrich found her meticulousness unnervingly perfect, but Sophia and Erémus reassured him with triple verification, ending the discussion.
“I’ll just teach her everything myself anyway.”
“Didn’t we already go over this? Besides, Raon will be around during all the lessons. This is basically free time for her.”
“Free time? I only made sure you had study time, not free time.”
“…I misspoke. Relax your gaze.”
After bickering with Heinrich, Solitaire arrived at the study room prepared for her. Even as he approached, Heinrich kept reminding her repeatedly.
“If something feels off…”
“Raon will be there,” she muttered, bored from hearing it ten times already.
Still wary, Heinrich acted like an overprotective parent, ready to watch the lessons himself.
“Or… should I stay in there with you? You do your lesson, I’ll do my own thing.”
“…Do you have separation anxiety?”
“And if I do…?”
Solitaire decided further conversation would be fruitless. She sternly warned him:
“Don’t come in. Three hours, no peeking.”
“What if you do?”
“I’ll tell Sophia and Erémus. They won’t let you near me, and I’ll report if you sleep in my room at night.”
“You’d be that cruel?”
Solitaire snapped her head away and disappeared beyond the door.
“Heh, young master… you really should behave normally.”
“Raon.”
“Yes?”
“Take off your clothes.”
“What kind of horrid request is that in broad daylight?”
Raon, acting as if she hadn’t heard, covered herself with her hands and stared Heinrich up and down.
“Hand your clothes over.”
“Trying to go in my place? You’ll be caught immediately…”
Since Raon didn’t enter, Solitaire peeked out, glaring at Heinrich, and Raon relayed his mischief.
“Milady! The young master told me to take off my clothes!”
Hearing that, Solitaire glared at Heinrich the same way, muttering:
“Filthy. Raon, come in quickly.”
“Eh?”
“Young master, you shouldn’t do that to Raon.”
Solitaire then slammed the door, vanishing from view. Left alone, Heinrich raised one corner of his mouth, thinking of the coquettish rabbit pretending not to notice his antics.
He wanted to open the door immediately to see her flustered, but resisted. A little patience before pouncing might make the game even more enjoyable.
“Sol, I’ve been lenient enough for now.”
