Ch. 209 An Embarrassing Sight
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 209: An Embarrassing Sight
Translator Note
So, in the chapters that first introduced Harnielle they were referred to without a gender, however in this chapter they are referred to as a she so going forward Harnielle will be referred to using She/Her pronouns!!
The forest, white as if dusted with snow. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t snow but the plants and soil themselves that were pure white.
The faint, multicolored glow emanating from them proved they weren’t lifeless. If anything, their mystical vitality only drew more admirers.
‘My new horn’s starting to grow…’
Deep within the beautiful forest of the White Tree, the unicorn Harnielle, currently in human form, absentmindedly touched her forehead.
After checking to ensure nothing was amiss, she settled by the cliff’s edge to rest. Though the place was usually peaceful, accidents still happened now and then—after all, many creatures lived here.
Take the Mirror Rabbits, for instance. They gathered daily at the cliffside, waiting for their lost kin.
These peculiar rabbits could mimic other creatures’ appearances. Months ago, the youngest of their group had tumbled over the edge while playing, vanishing into the dark, twisted abyss below. Yet, they still waited, hoping against hope for its return.
Harnielle pitied them, but there was nothing to be done. The vast barrier of tangled space surrounding the White Forest kept them safe.
Over the years, she’d seen countless beings fall into the abyss—those who sought to harm the forest, the merely curious, and the fools who believed dying near a holy site would grant them salvation.
As the forest’s guardian unicorn, she couldn’t care less. They’d been warned. Only pure-hearted humans held any interest for her.
Now, seated at the cliff’s edge, she idly stroked the rabbits, killing time. To industrious humans, she might seem lazy, but what could she do? This was her nature. From her perspective, humans were the ones living needlessly hard lives.
“Another one fell today…”
Lately, something peculiar had been happening.
—Whoosh.
A black bird plummeting into the abyss.
The Barrier above the pit forbade movement—stones thrown would drop instantly, and birds couldn’t flap their wings. Over time, even outside birds instinctively avoided the area.
Yet here was a large, pitch-black bird forcing its way in, only to fall. Not just one or two, either. Dozens had dropped over the past few days.
They didn’t seem interested in the forest, diving straight for the abyss. Since they posed no threat, Harnielle left them be.
“Are animals outside committing mass suicide now…?”
What a pitiful world. If even virgins could give unicorns headaches these days.
With a faint sigh, the forest’s indifferent observer gently patted the rabbits.
***************
Appearance-wise, it was rather cute.
After all, it looked exactly like Sugar.
In the hallway of Steele’s male dormitory, it sat wide-eyed, chewing with puffed cheeks, an innocent sight—save for the fact it was munching on a houseplant’s leaves, which made it seem a bit dim.
“What the—what is that—”
Sugar barely held back a curse. She rarely swore, but especially not in front of Riley.
“Shh.”
He nudged her, and she quieted, crouching low. Sugar, Riley, and Trace hid around the corner, peeking out.
“We found the culprit, but…”
“Culprit?”
Trace lowered his voice, addressing Sugar.
“My image was caught on the dorm’s security feed, and it’s causing trouble. I’ve never even walked these halls… So we’re hunting the imposter to clear my name.”
“Ah. I heard about ‘you’ appearing in the male dorm. I even sent a letter.”
“That was a prank letter, wasn’t it?”
“But now you’ve found this?”
“You’re awfully casual about this… Whatever. Professor, why are you here?”
“Came to check on you. Wondered how things were going.”
“So… you’re here to watch the show?”
“Look there. As a demonology professor, I’ve some expertise in creatures… Its movements are distinctly animal-like.”
“Hey.”
“Sugar’s a bit beastly herself, but…”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sugar glared at Riley, who’d chimed in. She scowled at both men in turn.
“Quiet and watch. See how it’s wiping its cheeks? That’s grooming behavior. Likely an animal.”
“Grooming? An animal?”
Suppressing her irritation, Sugar studied “Sugar.” After eating the leaf, it alternated wiping its cheeks, scrunched its eyes shut, then rubbed its neck and shoulders before biting its own clothes.
“Definitely grooming, but…”
Then it froze abruptly, eyes darting around warily.
“If it had ears, they’d be twitching. Eats plants, highly alert, grooms often. Probably a rodent.”
Sugar nodded along, though analyzing a person like an animal felt odd. Still, even she could see the resemblance.
“But it doesn’t use its hands well. Dexterous species hold food, but this one only uses its mouth.”
The creature—now nibbling the plant again—stuck out a small red tongue, struggling to fit the leaf in its mouth. It smacked its lips, tongue flicking in and out, never thinking to use its hands.
“Hmm… Ah! A rabbit. Maybe a rabbit.”
“A rabbit?”
“Yes. Rabbits aren’t rodents—they’re lagomorphs. But their habits resemble herbivorous mice. Skittish, groom often, poor with their paws.”
“Hah…”
Sugar silently watched the rabbit version of herself before hesitantly speaking up.
“Hey… Um, could everyone turn around for a second…?”
It was too embarrassing to keep watching. Seeing something with her face act like a mindless animal made her skin crawl.
That thing—drooling as it licked leaves, shoving its face into potted soil, hopping around on all fours—was unbearable to witness.
“Professor. She’s embarrassed, so please.”
“Right, right. Must protect a young lady’s dignity.”
Even Riley chimed in, so Trace obligingly turned away.
“But Riley… Why are you still watching…?”
“I can keep looking. Just in case something happens. Someone should stay on guard.”
“Fair point. I said it’s a rabbit, but we don’t know for sure yet.”
Riley’s stubbornness earned a nod from Trace.
“Ugh… God… Seriously…”
Sugar, flushed with humiliation, covered her eyes—just as Rabbit-Sugar reached the lounge.
With the dorm empty during break, the trio quietly repositioned themselves behind the lounge wall, peeking out as before.
“Now it’s grooming on the couch. Stretching out. Looks way more relaxed.”
“Must like the spot. Feels safe. Definitely rabbit-like.”
“But why does it look like Sugar?”
“No idea. Maybe someone altered its form, or it has mimicry abilities.”
As the two men theorized, Rabbit-Sugar began licking its leg—from knee to toe—with loud, sloppy strokes.
Sugar clutched her head. This humiliation, in front of Riley—no, no, NO—
“Stop… Please, just stop…”
“Relax. That’s not you.”
“If you’re gonna comfort me, at least stop SMILING—”
“Whoops.”
She knew he’d been enjoying this the whole time. Worse, Riley was probably thinking, “So she does still feel shame.”
The truth was, Sugar did feel shame—deeply. But her love for her childhood friend outweighed even that. She wanted him to see her at her most vulnerable, to accept every part of her, even the embarrassing ones.
But not like this.
That thing had her face but wasn’t her.
Look at ME, not that—
Her rising disgust was cut short by a sudden realization.
…Wait. Why’s it climbing the couch armrest—?
Then it hit her.
Oh no. Oh NO.
It was in heat.
Sugar bolted without looking back.
Her entire body burned, steam practically rising off her like a boiling pot.
No. NOPE. ABSOLUTELY NOT.
“Sugar, wait—!”
“I CAN’T! I WON’T! IF ANYONE’S GONNA EMBARRASS THEMSELVES, IT’LL BE ME!!”
She shrieked something that would’ve made her parents weep, startling Rabbit-Sugar into a frantic leap. The creature kicked off the wall—definitely rabbit-like agility—but no match for human speed.
“Got you—!”
—or so she thought.
“Squeak!”
In a blink, the impostor shrank, transforming into a small, white, translucent-furred rabbit and slipping through her fingers.
Wait. I’ve seen this before.
“A Mirror Rabbit…?”
“Ah! That explains it. They mimic creatures they’ve seen. But why’s a rare beast in the dorms? And when did it copy you?”
“Later! Catch it first!”
She sprinted off, ignoring Trace’s lecture.
The rabbit zipped up walls, zigzagging madly. By the time Sugar caught up, it had stalled at the stairs.
“Ha! How’s that tiny body gonna climb—?”
It was the size of two tennis balls. No way it could—
Thump. Kick. Bounce.
Three precise jumps—off the wall, the railing, the opposite wall—and it landed on the next floor.
Sugar screamed.
She could technically scale the stairs in seconds using magic, but being outmaneuvered by a rodent triggered primal rage.
“RAAAAAAAAH!!”
She launched herself up, kicking off walls like the rabbit had, even trampling a “NO ENTRY” sign.
Rabbit-Sugar darted into the hallway; Sugar blindly followed, eyes locked on the white fluffball.
“GET BACK HERE!!”
The rabbit was slowing—exhaustion setting in. In a confined chase, stamina was key. Seeing her chance, Sugar’s heart raced.
Almost—!
The thrill of magic coursing through her veins. The giddiness of finally clearing her name. Sugar charged forward, throwing her whole body into the chase.
The rabbit leaped.
Sugar leaped after it—and pounced.
“Got you for REAL this time!”
After a short but frantic pursuit, she finally caught it.
The Mirror Rabbit squeaked and squirmed in her arms before finally going limp, panting heavily—too exhausted to fight anymore.
“Cheeky little thing. Copying my face.”
She ruffled its fur, inspecting it, then suddenly paused.
“…Huh?”
A question forced its way into her mind.
This was… strange. She definitely hadn’t left the building.
Had she been so focused on the chase that she didn’t notice her surroundings?
“Where… is this?”
A dreamlike space stretched before her—indigo void crisscrossed with ribbons of light. No end in sight. No way to tell where to go.
This was not the male dorm hallway.
…
“…Sugar.”
Riley had expected something to go wrong.
The moment Sugar’s eyes burned red as she stubbornly climbed the stairs—
The moment she ignored the “NO ENTRY” sign—
He knew.
Having been by her side for so long, he felt it. A suffocating dread coiled in his chest, pushing him to run faster. He chased her shadow, her fleeting form—
But when he stepped into the hallway, reaching for those white locks—
The world shifted.
And she was gone.
“…”
Steadying his breath, he pressed a hand to his piercing.
*147 2461 -834*
*1 1 1*
*1856 -29 87*
*99999 99999 99999*
Sugar’s coordinates flickered chaotically, changing every second.
‘Spatial distortion…’
The same dreamlike realm—indigo void, misty light-ribbons tangled in impossible geometries. No ground, no sky. Floating shapes adrift in the abyss.
The dorm hallway had swallowed them into this twisted space.
And Sugar wasn’t here.
Again.
White hair slipping through his fingers—again.
This wasn’t the first time. Memories of losing her, of desperately searching, already haunted him. She’d always vanished, time and again.
But he refused despair.
Even now, as emptiness threatened to repeat, his eyes burned with resolve.
No matter what, I’ll find you. Keep you by my side.
Just as he’d sworn to her in a world on the brink of collapse.
“…I won’t lose you. Never.”
He stared at his left hand. At the ring Sugar had shyly given him in the carriage to Steele. A playful, precious gift.
“No matter where this space takes us… No matter what tries to tear us apart—I’ll chase you to the world’s end and beyond.”
With quiet determination, he pressed a kiss to the ring.
A vow to her, even if she wasn’t here—
“Um…”
—to her—
“So, hey…”
—to her—
“…”
“…What?”
“Riley… I’ve been behind that cube the whole time… And, uh…”
He whirled around.
There stood Sugar, clutching the rabbit, cheeks blazing. Fidgeting.
“…”
“…”
“…How much did you hear?”
“Since you said my name…”
“…”
Oh.
So everything.
“…”
“…”
Awkward.
Painfully awkward.
Silence hung between them.
Riley’s ears burned red. His face stayed neutral, but his ears betrayed him.
Sugar’s lips twitched—then curled into a smug grin.
“Well! Glad everyone’s safe.”
And just like that, Professor Trace popped into existence beside them, completing the absurd reunion.
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