The Duke's Killer Rabbit [BL]

Clint was busy looking around at the people, buildings, and the tall statue in the middle of the fountain, when Elric stepping down from the carriage, robes fluttering softly as he landed neatly on the stone path with calm expression

His head turned left and right, watching the people passing by merchants shouting their prices, kids running with paper kites, and nobles being followed by attendants carrying bags.

Elric's brows furrowed as he stared at Clint, who looked more amazed than cautious, like someone who had never seen a place like this before.

Then Elric said, "What? If you arrived yesterday, shouldn't you have seen this town already?"

Clint didn't look at him at first, still focused on everything moving around him, but then he replied in a flat tone, "I was blindfolded."

Elric's gaze sharpened for a moment as he studied Clint again.

His eyes dropped down to Clint's simple clothes, then to his shoes, and back to his face.

Then, more to himself than to Clint, he muttered under his breath, "So… you were a slave probably from other kingdom, That explains your strange clothes."

Clint either didn't hear him or didn't care to respond. His focus had shifted to the town itself.

This was the first time since arriving in this strange world that he was out in public not trapped in the Duke's estate.

His amber eyes scanned the market stalls with hanging fabrics, the food carts steaming with hot soup, the guards at the gates casually watching travelers go in and out.

Everything was strange but familiar in some way, and he couldn't help but take it all in.

Clint tilted his head and asked, "Where are we?"

Elric exhaled slowly and adjusted his sleeves as he walked a few steps ahead.

He looked back at Clint over his shoulder and answered clearly, "You're in Aurelion. This is the capital town of the Valedor Kingdom."

Clint looked around once more, letting the name sink into his thoughts.

'Aurelion… the capital,' he thought.

Elric turned around, his eyes scanning Clint again from head to toe, and then asked, "Where's your sigil?"

Clint blinked, confused. "My what?"

Elric's eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion flashing across his face as he stepped closer.

"All servants of the Duke receive a sigil, some form of mark or token so others will know they belong to the Duke's household and are not to be harmed or questioned."

Clint looked confused for a second, then slowly reached inside his shirt and pulled out a thin leather cord that hung around his neck.

Attached to it was a small, oval-shaped pendant with a silver dragon carved into the center.

It wasn't large or flashy, just simple and light, but detailed enough that anyone who saw it would recognize the crest.

"I've got this," Clint said, showing it to him.

Elric stepped closer and looked at the pendant, his eyes lingering for a second before nodding once. 

Clint let the pendant fall back against his chest and tucked it inside his shirt again, his fingers lingering on it for a moment as a memory floated to the surface.

A few days ago, when he was still in bunny form, the Duke had placed the necklace on him. He was asleep that time and waking with it in his neck. Clint didn't bother removing it as it look good on him.

Back then, he thought it was just a collar or some decorative thing nobles did with their pets.

But now that he was human, the necklace was still there. It hadn't disappeared or fallen off.

Somehow, it had changed with him. Adapted to his human body like it belonged there from the start.

'So that's what that was for,' Clint thought, staring down at his shirt. 'Even as a rabbit, he gave me something to protect me... or mark me.'

He wasn't sure which was worse. Then Elric turned around again, his robes swaying with the motion. "Follow me."

The town spread out before Clint in a wide mix of smooth stone roads and older cobbled paths, with buildings made of pale stone and dark timber, their windows trimmed in brass and curved glass that shimmered under the sun.

Though it clearly had a long history, with spired rooftops, carved lantern posts, and ivy crawling over walls, there were also surprising touches that reminded him of a more modern world.

Strange glowing lamps strung between corners, moving message boards with softly humming runes.

Clint's eyes darted from one corner to the next as people passed by in fine cloaks or leather aprons, some carrying glowing tools, some whispering into glowing stones by their ears.

It was strange to him how the world looked so much like a fantasy kingdom, yet it didn't feel stuck in the past at all.

Elric walked ahead calmly, hands behind his back and Clint followed behind him, muttering under his breath that he better get proper clothes soon or he'd end up looking like some runaway farm boy.

Soon, they turned down a quieter street where the shops were larger, cleaner, and had guards at the doors.

Clint could tell by the smell alone that they were no longer in a common market this was a noble district.

The shop they stopped in front of had a long arched window where enchanted cloth floated and folded on its own behind glass, the name etched in gold above the entrance in letters he couldn't read.

And two attendants stood outside, wearing identical silver-trimmed uniforms and elegant gloves, standing straight with practiced grace.

As they stepped forward, Elric pulled out a small brooch from his pocket smooth, silver, and shaped like an open eye surrounded by Five stars and showed it without a word.

The attendants looked at it, their eyes widening, and both of them bowed deeply.

Without question, one pushing the doors open at once while the other ushered them in with a respectful tone.

Clint rolled his eyes with a quiet tsk, stepping inside with Elric.

Inside, the shop smelled like lavender and burning incense, the air cool and lightly glowing with enchanted threads floating from the ceiling like ribbons as seamstresses worked at floating scissors

and whispering spells to weave fine clothes for invisible mannequins, the walls lined with rows of cloaks, coats, tunics, and boots, all sparkling under light spells cast overhead like soft golden chandeliers.

Elric said a few calm words to the manager, who bowed again and quickly waved over several attendants.

Clint watched him from the side, narrowing his eyes.

The man stood there like a perfect noble—shoulders straight, voice steady, hands tucked behind his back and Clint couldn't help but scoff inside.

'Look at him,' he thought. 'All calm, all smiles, all soft words—this guy's a damn actor. All innocent now, but earlier he was about to roast me alive.'

He kept his arms crossed as the staff gestured for him to follow, and Clint gave a sigh.