Became the Step-Mother of the Rabbit Female Lead (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 2
April… no, April seemed to be watching me nervously, then suddenly began trembling violently, large tears welling up in her black eyes and dripping down.
Wh-what? Why are you crying? I was utterly flustered, panicking and unsure what to do.
Just then, a cold voice of an elderly woman rang out from nearby.
“Miss April, there you are. But…”
The woman gave April a stern look, then shot me a sharp, piercing glare.
She’s trying to kill me with her eyes! Instinctively, I hugged the rabbit tightly in my arms and hunched my shoulders as the older woman asked in a thorny tone,
“Why is Princess April crying? What have you done to her?”
“…?”
Excuse me? You seem to be misunderstanding something. I didn’t do anything at all!
‘Just who do you think you are…?’
Frowning and glaring back at her, I suddenly realized something.
This woman…! She was the very person who, in the original story, raised April into a lady who, even past twenty, acted as if she “knew nothing about anything”!
One could say she preserved April’s innocence, or harshly, that she raised her into a naive fool.
Thanks to that, the romance between innocent April and the scheming male leads became far more entertaining… No, that’s not the point right now.
Clearing my throat lightly, I spoke to her in a calm tone.
“Mrs. Milton. You seem to be under a misunderstanding. I haven’t done a thing. This rabbit—no, the princess—jumped into my arms first.”
Mrs. Milton, full name Agnes Milton.
April’s governess, she was rigidly old-fashioned, stubborn, and an extreme ascetic.
She was also a wolf shifter.
Yes—that’s right. They entrusted a rabbit’s education to a wolf…! Well, given that April was the only rabbit shifter in this entire place, I suppose they had no other choice!
How terrifying must it be for a rabbit to be taught by a wolf—especially such a strict one? In an instant, I understood why April had run away.
“…Are you seriously expecting me to believe that? If you truly did nothing, then why is the princess crying?”
I don’t know either. Maybe she’s scared because you’re too strict.
‘At this rate, every time April cries, the blame just lands squarely on me…’
It probably wouldn’t help now to insist, ‘I’ve genuinely reformed!’ But I should at least try. I smiled kindly and said,
“I swear—I truly did nothing. But Mrs. Milton, it seems you’ve done something wrong to April.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
As if to confirm my words, April stole a quick glance at Mrs. Milton, then buried herself even deeper into my arms, pouring out another waterfall of tears.
If she’d been in human form just then, I was sure we’d have heard a loud, wailing “Wahaaaah—!”
My clothes were instantly soaked as though drenched in rain… Wait, are rabbits naturally this tearful? Must be a shifter thing.
“Don’t cry, shh. Be a good girl, or your eyes will puff up.”
Before I realized it, I was already soothing the rabbit, gently patting her fluffy back and wiping away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
…Well, what else could I do? How could anyone ignore a tiny rabbit sobbing so pitifully? Maybe Gloria could, but I’m no cold-hearted monster.
The rabbit gradually calmed down while clinging tightly to me, still shedding tears. Meanwhile, Mrs. Milton stared at us with a shocked expression.
…Understandable. ‘Gloria,’ infamous for her hatred of shifters, was practically public enemy number one in this household—yet here she was, unexpectedly comforting rabbit shifter April with kindness.
‘If this really were Gloria, she’d have grabbed April the moment she jumped into her arms and thrown her across the room.’
She’d have shouted, “You disgusting monster! Do you even know who I am, clinging to me like this!”
“…I always thought you despised shifters…”
Mrs. Milton muttered, utterly dumbfounded—clearly stunned.
After all, despite her stern exterior, she deeply cared for April. To see April clinging to someone she assumed was wicked must have been utterly infuriating.
With one hand still gently stroking April, I cleared my throat and spoke.
“Looking back on my past, I realize I’ve done many wrongs. So I’ve decided… to become a new person from now on…”
“…”
Silence. The kind where you’d expect a crow to fly by cawing, “Caw! Caw!”
Damn it. I’ve ruined everything. By spouting such unbelievable nonsense, I’ve only deepened the suspicions of the one person who was already the most distrustful!
Possession really isn’t for just anyone. Of course people would be suspicious if someone changed overnight—how could I possibly pull off a convincing act? Protagonists of possession stories deserve acting awards.
Mrs. Milton gave me a look that clearly said, “I know you’re pretending to be kind for some hidden agenda.”
It’s unfair! I really am a good person now. But Mrs. Milton, who couldn’t possibly know my true feelings, declared with burning conviction, as if fulfilling a sacred duty,
“Princess April, please come with me. I’ll escort you back to your room.”
At that, rabbit April vigorously shook her head. She glanced quickly at Mrs. Milton, then buried her face even deeper into my chest.
Mrs. Milton predictably looked shocked once more by April’s refusal.
And I thought quietly to myself,
‘She’s probably just avoiding her lessons…’
Just then, footsteps approached from nearby.
Turning my head, I saw a man with an unrealistically striking appearance—someone I knew I’d never get used to.
April’s adoptive father and the leader of the wolf shifters.
Duke Grayan Salisbury.
…Indeed, an utterly unapproachable aura radiated from him.
It made you instinctively shrink back, somehow.
Without realizing it, I tensed up as I looked at him.
Grayan paused in surprise upon seeing April nestled snugly in my arms, then started walking toward us.
His gait was exactly like that of a top predator at the apex of the food chain—natural, given he was the alpha of the wolves…
“What’s all this commotion?”
Grayan addressed me instead of Mrs. Milton. Perhaps he was at least trying to treat me as the lady of the house. I calmly answered, gently stroking April’s rabbit ears.
“The princess seems frightened. I don’t know why exactly, but she was crying heavily, so I’ve been comforting her.”
“…My lady did this?”
“Yes, I did.”
Grayan looked slightly skeptical. That stung a little. Was Gloria’s reputation really that dreadful? Well, of course it was… I shouldn’t expect anything decent from Gloria’s past—it was surely a minefield of dark history.
“…Very well. I’ll take April with me then. April? Come here.”
Grayan extended both hands gently as he spoke in a kind voice. I was momentarily dazed by the aura of the ‘father’ I’d only ever read about in text. I nearly reached out to take his hand myself.
This wolf… he’s dangerously charming in so many ways! I’d better be careful, or I’ll be in serious trouble.
“April…?”
Grayan stepped closer and called her cautiously, but rabbit April shook her head and clutched tightly onto my sleeve with her front paws.
A flustered Grayan glanced at me warily—as if worried I’d suddenly toss April away… Could he at least give me the benefit of the doubt?
‘Somehow, I get the feeling living as Gloria is going to be really tough…’
I let out a deep sigh, causing the rabbit in my arms to flinch slightly. She lifted her head and looked up at me with extremely timid eyes.
“…”
Unconsciously, I smiled and adjusted my hold on the rabbit before speaking to Grayan.
“I’ll just keep her with me for now.”
Though there was the glaring issue that everyone in this household—perhaps everyone in the world—seemed to view me as a villain, at least the start hadn’t been bad.
‘Unlike in the original story, I hadn’t become a terrifying figure in April’s eyes.’
How had April and Gloria’s first meeting gone in the original, you ask? It was so bad you’d want to call the police immediately and report, “Child abuser here!”
In the original, April, suffering from a cold, bumped into Gloria in the hallway—and instantly collapsed, transforming into a rabbit from sheer shock.
And what happened next…? Well, you can guess. Gloria screamed, “Disgusting!” and kicked the rabbit away…
‘Was she insane…? Seriously, she must’ve been completely unhinged.’
But my first meeting with April was different from the original. For one, April wasn’t sick, and instead of colliding in human form, she’d started out as a rabbit.
Yes, a rabbit…
Just how long did she plan to stay in rabbit form?
Setting aside why the plot diverged from the original, I was deeply bothered that April—perfectly healthy—showed no intention of shifting back to human form.
“Are you hungry, maybe?”
I asked the small, snow-white fluffball wriggling on the plush sofa cushion.
A pair of pointed ears suddenly popped up from the round fluff, followed by a head—or rather, she lifted her head.
With ears perked and head raised, the fluffball finally resembled an actual rabbit. Still curled up, she stole shy glances at me. Holding out a carrot cut into bite-sized pieces, I waved it gently and asked,
“Want some?”
“…”
She stared at me with big black eyes, then abruptly turned her back.
…Could she really be offended? Just because I waved a carrot in front of her? But come on—it’s a carrot! Aren’t rabbits supposed to love carrots?
‘Wait… what do rabbits actually eat?’
I thought hard but drew a blank. I only knew rabbits were herbivores. But then again, shifters generally ate like humans.
The author had explicitly repeated at least twenty times, “Shifters have dietary habits similar to humans,” so I remembered that clearly.
‘Hmm, if shifters eat like humans…’
I rang a bell to summon a servant and requested lunch for two to be brought to my room.
Soon after, two or three maids entered, setting down a generously spread table filled with delicious-looking dishes.
The savory aroma made the rabbit lift her head and sniff curiously. Seeing that, I smiled softly—and she instantly startled, quickly turning away as if pretending nothing happened.
Chuckling quietly, I sat down first and began an exaggerated ASMR-style feast, making loud, satisfying eating sounds and dramatic compliments.
The rabbit’s ears kept twitching attentively.
Her round, turned back started trembling slightly—then, as if making some grand, heroic decision, she slowly rose from the cushion.
I nearly burst out laughing but stuffed a piece of chicken into my mouth just in time.
The rabbit crept cautiously toward me, peeking up as if checking my reaction, then—her tiny black eyes sparkling—leapt forward.
In one bound, she landed on the table and gaped at the lavish spread before her, revealing small front teeth. Those little teeth…! So adorable!
“Want to try this? It’s really tasty.”
I pointed to a fresh salad made of vegetables and fruits, but the rabbit coldly turned her head away.
Fine, eat whatever you like. I’ll just watch and see what you choose…
“…?”
Without the slightest hesitation, her front paw decisively reached for a piece of steak.
Hey, that’s rare steak…
Her soft paw turned red from the steak’s juices and blood. Boldly, the rabbit opened her mouth and took a firm bite.
She skillfully tore into the meat and began chewing heartily. The way she relished it—ripping, chewing, savoring—was clearly not her first time. She must have often eaten meat while in rabbit form.
Even the corners of her mouth were stained red with blood…
‘This… is visually jarring…’
My brain suffered a massive visual glitch. A rabbit eating meat just felt… wrong? Aren’t rabbits herbivores? Sure, shifters were generally omnivorous—but still.
Just then, the rabbit looked up as if sensing my gaze.
She stared at me silently for a moment, then extended the steak piece toward me as if offering a kindness.
Her black eyes seemed to ask,
‘Want some?’
“…”
A rabbit offering steak to a human…
With an indescribable feeling, I gave a faint smile and shook my head.
No, you go ahead and eat…
The shifter system in this world was slightly unusual. They weren’t animals that gained human forms, nor were they hybrids of human and beast.
In this world, shifters were “humans who took on animal forms.”
What’s the difference? …I don’t know either. The author insisted there was a distinction between “animal → human” and “human → animal.” If the original creator says so, then so be it.
Anyway, that’s why shifters could assume animal forms—but otherwise, they were practically no different from humans.
Which is precisely why… they could eat steak like this…
“…”
April ate very well. Had someone been starving you? Well, it’s good you’re eating—but couldn’t you at least do it in human form…?
I wanted to nag her to shift back, but there’s a saying: “Don’t disturb a dog while it’s eating”—though in a world with shifters, maybe that phrase isn’t quite appropriate.
‘I’ll just let her eat.’
I watched April with a soft, slightly dazed smile. She’d already devoured her third piece of steak and was now reaching for a fourth.
The way she nibbled it with her tiny mouth was genuinely adorable—adorable, yet somehow wrong considering she was eating steak… You’re a rabbit, for goodness’ sake.
‘…Truly a rare sight you couldn’t pay to see…’
Soon after, April finished the entire bowl of steak cleanly. I’d hoped she might eat the salad for dessert, but she didn’t even glance at it. Are you really a rabbit…?
“…Hmm, I think we need a bath.”
I murmured, staring blankly at April’s messy state. Her pure white fur was smeared everywhere with steak sauce and blood.
April inspected her tiny body thoroughly, then drooped her rabbit ears sadly. …So cute! Gah, still adorable—even if she’s a carnivorous rabbit!
‘That’s it! I’ll give her a bath myself!’
Thanks to my part-time job at a pet café, I was confident in bathing animals! I sprang up and scooped April into my arms.
Startled, the rabbit’s ears shot straight up, and she squirmed wildly in my hold. I gently soothed her in a kind voice so she wouldn’t be scared.
“It’s okay, I’ll wash you. Let’s go to the bathroom.”
“…”
A strange look came into the rabbit’s eyes. Her starry black eyes gazed at me with unreadable emotion.
I smiled warmly and gave the rabbit a few soft pats.
“Now that I think about it, April—you know I’m your new mother, right? This is exactly the kind of thing a mother does.”
With a slightly proud, boastful air, I pushed open the bathroom door.
April, who’d been staring at me intently, slowly folded her ears down and gently grabbed hold of my sleeve with both front paws.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
This thought is hillarious 🤣🤣
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” – Arthur C. Clarke.
It kills me that she is using important spirits to grow strawberrys 🤣🤣🤣