The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 103

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 103
Arne was a House that maintained Neutrality.
They sided with no one and involved themselves in no disputes……. It had been the same even when the House of Everard, the water-gifted lineage, fell to ruin long ago.
Yet Arne had just declared its support for Asterian. This was an extraordinarily grave matter. The problem, however, was…….
‘……But what good does that do us?’
‘How exactly do they mean to help? Are they saying they’ll eliminate Nestian?’
‘It doesn’t sound like it will help much, honestly…….’
The difficulty was that those present were not the Heads of Household of each House, but merely eleven-year-old Heirs—young ones at that, no matter how dignified they appeared.
They had no notion of how momentous it was for Arne to break its Neutrality…….
“I’m afraid we can hear you, you know…….”
Iris laughed awkwardly. Tiel watched Olivier and Ludian whispering and offered them a wry smile in return…….
“We are grateful for your words, but I believe it would be better if we discussed this matter with our grandfather rather than handling it ourselves.”
Ferdi, the most composed of them, spoke.
“Of course I intend to call upon the Duke. But first, since I received your letter, I thought it only proper to send a reply.”
Iris smiled.
“I merely wanted to assure you—there is no need for worry. Arne will aid the young lady with all our heart.”
Whether Iris’s words were sincere or false could not be discerned, but in any case, they posed no harm to the children.
The conversation ended with the children nodding their heads in acknowledgment.
Iris Hilde Arne apologized for keeping the weary youngsters so long, then summoned servants to show them to their rooms.
Tiel had been about to take Iandros’s hand naturally, but Ferdi swept her into his arms instead, foiling the attempt.
The Arne mansion exuded an atmosphere of warmth throughout.
While Nestian’s residence was sharp and cold like an ice fortress, and Asterian radiated splendor and classical grandeur, Arne felt like a cozy, orderly castle nestled in a forest.
“Our guests may each occupy one of the rooms on the second floor. They are the finest guest chambers in Arne. We have prepared them well, so please rest thoroughly, and should you need anything, ring the bell on the side table.”
The maidservant bowed respectfully. Iandros questioned her about something. Tiel opened the door to her assigned room and stepped inside.
It was a spacious, immaculate chamber, and numerous flowers arranged beside the bed filled the air with their fragrance.
“Arne seems to have so many flowers. How remarkable.”
“That’s because Arne’s Ability is Greenwood, after all. With it, they can make an extraordinary abundance of blossoms bloom!”
Olivier, who had followed Tiel into the room, swept her up and set her on the bed as he spoke.
“An Ability that makes flowers bloom……. It sounds truly wonderful.”
“They can’t just make flowers bloom! Arne’s Ability is far more remarkable than that. Let’s ask Clemens to show us the Ability later! What do you think?”
“Will that be all right? She might not enjoy displaying it.”
“No! She’ll love it! The people of Arne adore showing off their Abilities. They demonstrate them before their subjects two or three times a year. Most members of the House are naturally altruistic and enjoy using their Abilities for the benefit of others too~”
Olivier turned and walked over to where the flowers were arranged, picked one up, and gently tucked it into Tiel’s hair.
“My goodness, how adorable you are! Tiel, you shouldn’t be seen with flowers at all. This blossom’s beauty is utterly eclipsed by your cuteness…….”
At Olivier’s ticklish words, Tiel didn’t know what to do with herself and threw her arms around him.
“P-please don’t say such embarrassing things…….”
Tiel buried her face in Olivier’s embrace and mumbled. Olivier burst out laughing—a bright, tinkling sound—and tucked another flower into her hair.
“I’m not saying anything untrue! Everyone in this mansion would agree with me!”
Tiel bit back the urge to point out that the members of Arne who had actually grown these flowers probably would not…….
Just then, as Olivier stroked her head, he paused and looked back and forth between his hand and Tiel’s hair with a puzzled expression.
“Hmm……?”
“What’s wrong……?”
Tiel opened her eyes wide and looked up at Olivier. He gazed at the white hairs gathered in his palm, and his eyes brightened with delight.
“Tiel, you’re molting!”
“M-molting?”
“Yes! Your baby fur is shedding!”
In beastfolk society, the First Molting was considered as significant as a first birthday—it marked the stage when a child began their transformation into adulthood.
Had Tiel begun her First Molting at Asterian, surely all the inhabitants of the Asterian Mansion would have gathered to throw her a celebration!
Olivier felt a fresh pang of regret that Tiel was crossing this important threshold of maturation in such a distant land.
“Ah…….”
“What’s wrong?”
“W-will all my fur fall out and then grow back? Will all my hair disappear……?”
Tiel, who had never properly learned about molting or even heard it explained, was startled and clutched her hair protectively.
Her bright, round eyes grew as large as saucers.
Olivier let out a bright laugh and pulled Tiel into a tight embrace.
“No! New fur will grow in as the old falls out, so your hair will never completely disappear! Truly! So don’t worry so much. This is something to celebrate, dear~. And it will become even fluffier and cuter than before!”
“Is that really true?”
“Of course it is! And though it won’t happen, if by some chance all your hair did fall out, you’d still be absolutely adorable……. But if that were to occur, I’d pluck Ferdi’s hair for you and transplant it onto your head.”
……Why would she do that?
Tiel briefly imagined Olivier yanking Ferdi’s hair out like weeds, and immediately squeezed her eyes shut.
The image was far too vivid to entertain…….
“P-please don’t do that! You can’t pull out Ferdi’s hair!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. His hair is long anyway.”
By that logic, didn’t Olivier’s own hair reach even further? Tiel found she could never quite follow her sister’s reasoning.
Just then, the door burst open.
“Tiel, what are you doing?”
Ferdi, Ludian, and Iandros entered the room in sequence. Tiel raised her hand to wave at Ferdi, then let it drop again…….
She felt guilty toward him, having just imagined Olivier ripping out all his hair.
“What’s the matter? Why is she like this? You didn’t do something to her, did you, Olivier?”
As Tiel started to greet them, Ferdi, watching her with concern, asked sharply.
‘She hasn’t done anything to me yet……. Though she might soon do something to you.’
Tiel couldn’t bring herself to tell Ferdi that and instead gazed at him with something resembling sympathy.
“As if! Do I look like someone who’d do something to Tiel? I’d be more likely to do it to you!”
“True enough.”
“Quite true.”
“Yes…….”
Iandros, Ludian, and Tiel answered in turn, nodding their heads.
Ferdi gazed at Olivier with an uncertain expression, as though unsure whether to be angry or not.
“Anyway! That’s not the important thing right now!”
Olivier thrust forward the handful of Tiel’s white hair he had been holding.
The eyes of the three boys widened simultaneously upon seeing it. Iandros, Ferdi, and Ludian looked at Olivier with expressions of disbelief.
“You didn’t……. Did you pluck Tiel’s hair……?”
“Come outside, Olivier! This is a duel!”
“I never expected this from you……. I’m disappointed, Olivier.”
Olivier stared at the three boys in bewilderment and cried out.
“What is wrong with you fools! I would never do such a thing! Our little one is beginning her First Molting!”
***
[What is this……!]
A low voice rang out from the thick darkness, resonant and booming. Something writhed and gathered, bodies pressing and grinding against one another with a terrible sound—like the hiss of serpents coiling together.
[It should not have grown this strong already…….]
The voice attempted again and again to pull Tiel down into the darkness.
And since Tiel had not yet fully awakened her Light Ability, she should have been drawn down into the darkness as it willed……. Yet, somehow, she was not.
[Why is this not working!]
A terrible cry erupted from the darkness.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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