Rabbit-eared beastmen were known for being weak, even among other beastmen.
In their society, they were often seen more as pets or decorative companions than as strong individuals. They were expected to be cute and beautiful, and it was through their looks that they gained status. Their white fur was seen as the most desirable.
In this world, beastmen had only one fur color. As they aged or became sick, their hair might fade or mix with white, but by nature, their fur was a single solid color. And in this society, color carried deep and powerful meaning.
Most of the children in the church had dull shades like brown or gray. It was no coincidence. Those colors were seen as undesirable and it was associated with low social status.
The children born with such colors were often abandoned, disowned, or handed over to places like the church. The gold and silver color were considered the most noble, followed by white that was symbolizing purity, black for strength, and red for passion or fire. Bright, clear, and vibrant colors were praised and welcomed.
When Bao Bei had first come to the church, there had been another child named Koslov who had blue sky fur and he had been adopted before he turned three. Among the older children, even job opportunities were influenced by their fur color.
In that system, Judy's dull gray color was especially cruel. For a rabbit-eared beastmen like Judy, whose kind was supposed to be cute and elegant, that muddy tone was a curse.
His parents must have been ashamed when he was born and it's likely doing everything they could to hide him from society.
Eventually, like many others, they abandoned him at the church.
The fact that they didn't leave him to die in the forest or mountains was, in this world, almost considered an act of mercy.
To other rabbit-eared people, seeing someone like Judy must be unbearable.
They probably felt disgusted, irritated, even angry just by his existence.
And then there was Bao Bei—his fur was something else entirely.
A mix of pure white, brown, and rich black, all clearly divided across his coat like some kind of pattern. Finnick had never seen anything like it before.
As he gently stroked the soft fur on Bao Bei's head, Father Finnick's heart grew heavy.
Bao Bei would never have a normal life. He would always draw stares, whispers, and unwanted attention from other people.
He would likely be bullied or rejected without cause. It would be nearly impossible for him to find a stable or respectable job.
And yet, just like the merchant who had approached today, there were always those who craved the strange and rare.
Not in a kind or honest way—but in twisted, abusive ways. Finnick knew too well that some people, especially the worst of the wealthy and powerful, were drawn to beastmen with "flawed" or rare colors.
They believed that such children existed outside the rules and that no one would care what was done to them.
Those were the kinds of monsters that Bao Bei would someday have to face.
If someone was big and strong like Timmy, they could probably survive on their own—working in the fields, doing jobs in the mountains, or even becoming an adventurer or mercenary who hunted monsters.
However, both Judy and Bao Bei were far too weak for that kind of life.