The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 128

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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 128
“Punishment?”
Cassius spoke up at the same moment. Every eye in the room turned toward him. He continued without hesitation.
“Tiel has done nothing wrong. How can you use the word ‘punishment’? Let me be clear about this. My daughter did not leave because she made a mistake. She left to humor your unreasonable demands only because you people could not accept what was rightfully owed to her, despite her reasonable request.”
“Cassius.”
Alpheus, noticing his son’s agitation, gently restrained him with a light gesture. Cassius nodded in acknowledgment.
The Emperor waited patiently for Cassius to finish, then turned to Thender and spoke.
“Cassius is quite right. The girl has done nothing wrong—so why use the word ‘punishment’? It is inappropriate.”
“…I will be more careful.”
Thender bowed his head. Cassius and Alpheus said nothing more on the matter.
The Emperor settled back into his seat and looked down upon them.
“The Legend of Light has come to this land. The Empire shall know unprecedented prosperity through a child bearing the Light Ability.”
The Emperor continued.
“Thus she is more than fit to be the Crown Prince’s companion, and since the Imprint is already complete, she ought rightly to enter the Imperial Palace. And yet…”
The Emperor’s gaze turned toward Alpheus. Alpheus met his eyes, his weathered lips pressed firmly together.
“It would be improper to bring into the palace so soon one who is to inherit the position of Head of House Asterian.”
By these words, the Emperor publicly endorsed Tiel Asterian as the future Head of House Asterian.
This meant, in effect, that no other House could interfere in Asterian’s internal affairs.
It had always been the proper way. Each House manages its own affairs. Only the exceptional circumstances of this situation had prompted other Houses to insert themselves.
At the Emperor’s words, Thender bit the inside of his cheek so hard that he tasted blood. The others noticed his displeasure and watched him carefully.
Only House Asterian and the Houses that followed them showed no concern for Thender’s mood.
“We shall postpone bringing the child into the Imperial Palace until Tiel Asterian has grown, fully assumed her position as Head of House Asterian, and stabilized Asterian’s territories.”
Now Tiel could be elevated to Head of House without interference from anyone.
Under the name and protection of House Asterian, she would be safe.
“I thank you for this wise decision.”
Alpheus bowed lightly. The Emperor raised his hand. Alpheus straightened.
“Then let us set this matter aside for now. We must now discuss the disposition of the Land Without Morning.”
The Emperor seemed to consider for a moment, then traced his chin thoughtfully and spoke again.
“We cannot continue to call it by that name. As the Legend of Light has foretold, morning has come there as well.”
***
“So what happened?”
Ludian held Tiel close in his arms as he looked toward Alpheus and Cassius.
Alpheus raised his teacup with elegant grace and took a sip, then….
“What happened, Grandfather?”
“Ugh, you boy! Let a man catch his breath, won’t you? Who in blazes did you inherit this impatience from?”
Alpheus set down his teacup with a sharp sound, irritation flashing across his face. Yet none of the three—not Ludian, not Ferdi, not Tiel—seemed daunted.
“What’s to become of that land? Since it has no owner, will the Imperial Palace manage it for now?”
“Likely so. Unless we announce that an heir of House Everard survives, in which case things would change.”
That land had been managed by House Everard, the family of water, for generations. Even if Arne or Asterian stepped in to manage it, there was no guarantee they would do so well.
The Beasts living there were mostly those suited to water, so at minimum a House connected to water needed to take responsibility for it.
“But is there any Ability as strong as Everard’s?”
“Nestian’s Ability is the strongest we have, but their Ability cannot truly be called water-related.”
The lands of the Crasion Empire change gradually according to the Ability of the House that manages them.
For instance, Nestian’s territories are frozen cold like their Ability of Freezing, and in Asterian’s lands, patches of earth had appeared that burned fiercely hot.
Arne was considered the most pleasant place to live, for their Ability was New Green. Land transformed under Arne’s influence naturally became ideal for the Beasts to inhabit.
“But… the Arne knights stationed there and Clemens herself both saw an heir of House Everard appear. Will the secret really be kept?”
Tiel asked carefully.
“Arne will definitely keep it. They have nothing to gain from it becoming known that an Everard heir exists.”
Ferdi answered. Alpheus and Cassius nodded in agreement.
“Why?”
“If it becomes known that an heir of Everard survives, they can’t absorb Arcadia’s territory into Arne.”
“But if word gets out that an Everard heir is alive, wouldn’t everyone try to kill him? Wouldn’t it actually be better for Arne to spread the news? They could eliminate the Everard heir without lifting a finger.”
“In that case, other Houses who killed the Everard heir would move to seize Arcadia for themselves. For now, Imperial management is best, so Arne won’t make a move. Besides…”
Ferdi looked toward Alpheus. Alpheus nodded, understanding what he was implying.
“We received a letter from Arne earlier. It was unexpected—Arne, who had always remained neutral, choosing such a path.”
“Since they said they would walk the same road as Asterian, couldn’t we ask them, in Asterian’s name, to let the matter of Everard rest for now?”
“I already told them as much beforehand. Nothing more will leak out regarding that Everard heir. But truly… it is a remarkable story.”
After hearing everything the children had experienced there, Alpheus had initially shown profound astonishment.
An heir of Everard, thought to have been wiped out centuries ago, had been preserved; by strange coincidence, born in the same year as Tiel; and it turned out that an Everard bloodline was essential for Tiel to bring the morning.
It was as though the long-dead Head of House Everard from centuries past had foreseen all of this and left his son behind.
Alpheus looked at his granddaughter nestled in Ludian’s arms. Tiel sat contentedly in Ludian’s embrace, munching on a cherry.
Her round, pale cheeks moved continuously. Just as Alpheus reached out to pet Tiel, Ludian suddenly pulled her close, yanking her out of reach of his grandfather’s hand.
Alpheus’s hand hung suspended in empty air. An awkward silence passed between grandfather and grandchildren as their eyes crossed.
…
???
Ludian straightened awkwardly, and Tiel’s soft hair finally brushed against the hand that had been hovering in the air all along.
“You… what are you doing?”
Alpheus, too bewildered to speak, fumbled for words. In response to his question, Ludian, growing flustered for no good reason, scratched his head and spoke.
“Well… I’m so used to dodging Iandros’s hands that I just… I ended up dodging yours too, Grandfather.”
“Dodging whose hands?”
“Iandros keeps petting Tiel all the time!”
Cassius’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Iandros constantly touching Tiel, while Alpheus sat speechless with bewilderment.
No matter how close he and the Emperor were as intimate friends, no matter how friendly the Crown Prince was with the children—Iandros was still the Crown Prince!
So what did he mean by “dodging”?
“Ludian, are you aware that he is the Crown Prince?”
“Of course I am.”
“Then why are you dodging him?”
“Because I dislike him petting my younger sister.”
At Ludian’s blunt answer, Ferdi nodded in understanding. Alpheus looked at his grandchildren in amazement.
He couldn’t even begin to imagine how many instances of lèse-majesté these children had committed during that journey with Iandros.
***
“Hmm?”
Tiel tilted her head as she gazed into the mirror. She turned her body and looked toward Lia.
“Lia, don’t I look a little taller?”

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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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