The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 126

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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 126
The return journey held none of the obstacles they’d faced going out.
No marked roads were blocked, no sudden collapses forced them to take detours.
The children rested comfortably in villages rather than camping, and they arrived in Asterian territory faster than anyone had predicted.
“Tiel.”
Ferdi gently shook the sleeping girl in his arms awake. Tiel rubbed her drowsy eyes and lifted her head.
“……Yes?”
“We’re here. Time to wake up.”
Ferdi laughed lightly and lifted Tiel to her feet.
Tiel yawned softly and looked out the carriage window. Familiar landscapes rushed past in quick succession.
They had finally arrived in Asterian territory.
“We’re already here? I miss Grandfather and Father so much!”
“They’ll be thrilled to see you. And probably…….”
Ferdi started to say something, then frowned and fell silent. Tiel tilted her head in confusion.
“Brother?”
“Could it be…….”
In that instant.
The carriage lurched to a stop with a screech. Ferdi pulled Tiel close to keep her from falling. She blinked, safe in her brother’s embrace.
“Tiel, are you alright!?”
Ludian brushed her cheek and checked on his sister. Tiel nodded, bewildered.
“I’m fine……! But what on earth is happening…….”
“I told you not to pull stunts like this!”
Ludian glared out the window, his irritation flaring. Tiel looked between her brothers, still lost.
Iandros rode at the front of the knight order on horseback and wasn’t in the carriage, while Olivier wore a baffled expression.
Everyone except Tiel seemed to understand what was happening. She tugged at Ludian’s sleeve uncertainly.
Then.
Bang!
The carriage door flew open. Tiel’s eyes widened as she turned toward it. There stood.
“Tiel.”
“……Father?”
Cassius Asterian stood in the doorway, his hand gripping the frame. Tiel scrambled forward with a confused cry and threw herself into his arms.
“Father? Why are you here?”
“I came to welcome you home.”
Ludian, Ferdi, and Olivier exhaled in unison from the carriage. Tiel lifted her head to peer over Cassius’s shoulder.
Behind him, the Asterian knights stood in perfect formation, unarmed.
They had come out to welcome Asterian’s children home.
Startled by the sight, Tiel squirmed in Cassius’s arms. Ferdi sighed and spoke.
“Why are you doing this on the day the Crown Prince himself visits? Didn’t I tell you not to?”
“With His Highness coming in person, how could I sit at home waiting for them? It was only proper to greet them.”
“You just wanted to see Tiel early…….”
Olivier muttered under his breath, but Cassius paid no mind. He lifted Tiel onto his horse and mounted behind her.
Atop the horse, Tiel looked at Iandros. When Iandros noticed her clinging awkwardly to the saddle, he smiled faintly.
“Let’s go.”
Cassius pulled Tiel close to keep her steady and gripped the reins. At his command, the knights moved forward again.
Iandros too gave his horse’s reins a light tug, and the carriage rolled on.
Tiel returned to Asterian cradled in her father’s arms.
***
“Tiel!! Word of your arrival came earlier! You’ve worked so hard. My precious granddaughter, you’ve worked so hard. Come here, let me hold you.”
Alpheus beamed and spread his arms wide.
“Grandfather, don’t you want to see us?”
“Apparently not.”
“Even though he’s the Crown Prince, this is a bit much.”
“Well, even Duke Ebalte needs time to catch up on old feelings.”
Olivier, Ferdi, Ludian, and Iandros stepped forward in turn.
Alpheus offered Iandros a respectful greeting, then swept Tiel into his arms.
Tiel wrapped her arms around his neck and burst into delighted laughter.
“I’m home, Grandfather!”
“Welcome home, welcome home. Did you have a good journey? No, there’s no need to ask. I’ve already heard from the Head of Household of Arne that you did splendidly.”
“Yes, I did. The Head of Arne was kind, and my brothers and sister took wonderful care of me.”
“Well done, well done. Come here, all of you—Olivier, Ferdi, Ludian. You’ve worked hard. You did wonderfully.”
Alpheus spread his arms toward his other grandchildren.
But Olivier’s expression darkened.
“Now you want us?”
Olivier asked sourly. Ludian, watching him, spoke up.
“But you’d do the same—if Grandfather and Tiel were standing side by side, you’d expect him to hug Tiel first.”
“Of course! Tiel is adorable…… but Grandfather is…….”
“So let’s understand. He waited seven years to find this granddaughter, then had to send her away after less than a year. He must have carried great worry.”
Olivier, Ludian, and Ferdi had grown up under Alpheus’s protection from infancy.
They were born in Asterian, so the protection of Asterian was their birthright. But Tiel had been denied even that most basic inheritance.
Having had to let such a granddaughter venture out, what could he have felt? Olivier nodded readily at Ferdi’s words.
Alpheus caressed each child in turn, and they received his affection with evident pleasure.
Cassius watched from behind, knowing how long Alpheus had waited for this moment, and he made no move to intrude.
Iandros, observing quietly, gave a soft, deliberate cough.
“I should take my leave. I have a duty to report to His Majesty on recent matters.”
“Your Highness, we are grateful. Asterian will offer you formal thanks soon——”
“That won’t be necessary. By that measure, I’ve received more from Asterian than I’ve given.”
Alpheus set Tiel down on the ground, sensing that she wished to thank Iandros herself.
The moment her feet touched the floor, Tiel bounced forward and stood before Iandros.
“You’re leaving already?”
Tiel looked up at Iandros with clear disappointment. He nodded and smiled.
“We’ve been together this whole time—you’re sorry to part?”
“Of course. We’ve been together all along, so it’s sad to be apart now……. When will you come to Asterian again?”
At Tiel’s question, Iandros suddenly remembered meeting Rowen at the Nestian Mansion.
That girl asking when he’d come back to Nestian. Iandros had been so irritated he’d slammed the carriage door as an outlet—but.
Tiel’s question didn’t irritate him in the slightest.
‘Is this natural? If I’d gotten annoyed at something so small, I never would have agreed to this long journey in the first place.’
Iandros looked down at Tiel for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“After I report to His Majesty, I’ll visit the Asterian Mansion if time allows.”
“Then……could I write to you?”
“Write to me?”
“Yes, I’d like to write you a letter.”
Tiel nodded earnestly as she spoke.
Not long ago, when parting from Clemens at the Arne Mansion, Tiel had seen Olivier and Clemens exchange the words “I’ll write to you!” as their farewell.
Since then, she had vaguely wished to have a friend she could correspond with. And Iandros was…… perfectly suited for it.
Iandros gazed at Tiel’s gleaming eyes for a long moment, then let out a soft sound and asked.
“Can you write?”
“A little…….”
“What if I can’t read your handwriting?”
“If you don’t want to read it, just say so, Iandros. I’ll read Tiel’s letters.”
Ferdi stepped in, watching them. At his words “if you don’t want to,” Tiel’s face fell and she looked back at Iandros.
Iandros, who had no wish to incur Tiel’s displeasure with a careless joke, quickly recovered the situation.
“I’m sure I’ll have no trouble reading your handwriting at all. Write. Send them. If writing is difficult, even a drawing will do.”
Iandros gently took Tiel’s hand.
“No matter how busy I am, I’ll always read your letters and send you a reply.”

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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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