The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 136

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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 136
Cassius hurried back to the estate upon receiving word from Alpheus, but by the time he arrived, the girl had already exhausted herself and fallen into an deep sleep.
The girl had indeed told Alpheus everything she knew, and he had his attendant record it all meticulously.
Before the girl lost consciousness from her ordeal, Alpheus posed the question that had nagged at him most.
‘But why didn’t you mention your brother straightaway when I first asked you about it?’
The girl hesitated, unable to answer immediately. He waited for her with patience, pressing her no further.
…….
‘Speak. Why didn’t you say at once that your brother was being held hostage, that you had no choice but to commit such an act? In the end, thanks to you bearing all that poison, Tiel came to no harm—had you simply told me this from the beginning, I would never have needed to press you so.’
‘I… I didn’t think you would help me.’
Lis spoke haltingly. Alpheus furrowed his brow.
‘You didn’t think I would help you?’
‘I thought you wouldn’t listen to me. They told me you wouldn’t. That no one would listen to what I said, and that in the end I would die……’
‘That Ossian character?’
‘It was Jay.’
Alpheus shook his head, signaling she need say no more.
It seemed they had subjected her to indoctrination beforehand, in case she should escape and seek help. That was why she had presented such an attitude of hopelessness, harboring no expectations of him whatsoever.
Alpheus had the girl moved from the dungeon to the servants’ quarters.
Of course, he could not fully trust her words yet, so he could not lift the watch entirely.
Alpheus confined the girl temporarily to the servants’ quarters and posted soldiers to guard the entrance.
When Cassius arrived later, he listened to Alpheus’s account of Lis and examined the careful notes his attendant had made.
He raised his eyebrows in perplexity.
“What in blazes is this? I can’t make sense of it at all. This name Ossian—I think I’ve seen it on the nobility roster before.”
Cassius pointed to the part where Ossian’s name was written.
Ossian Russell.
Ossian Russell, Head of the Russell Family, was a baron who ruled considerable lands.
The Russell Family had once been a beastmen clan possessing far more extensive territories, but through territorial disputes with other houses, they had lost more than half their domain and were now little more than a noble house in name only.
Since Ossian, Cassius, and Alpheus had never had occasion to meet, they had never seen him in person, but as Ossian was nonetheless Head of the Russell Family and a nobleman, they had at least heard his name mentioned.
“Have her identify him. She said she had seen both Ossian and Jay’s faces, so she might recognize them from a portrait. For now, I’ll have Ossian’s portrait procured and conduct an investigation into the Russell Family. I cannot move rashly until the evidence is certain.”
“She said they conducted experiments while keeping children confined, so they must have prepared a space within Russell lands to hold them. It would have had to be built somewhere remote, and since it couldn’t be discovered, visits would have been minimized. However, they would have needed to continuously supply necessities, so I believe it would be wise to search primarily for buildings in remote locations where money and goods flow in regularly but no people pass through.”
Cassius spoke with practiced efficiency. There was nothing flawed in his reasoning. Alpheus nodded in agreement.
“Very well. And for the time being, it would be prudent to restrict Tiel’s outings and prevent Ferdi and Ludian from returning to the Academy.”
“Ferdi and Ludian as well?”
“Yes. Even if those children possess sufficient ability to protect themselves, we have yet to identify what poison was used by the perpetrators, so caution is warranted.”
Cassius nodded at Alpheus’s words. The father and son sat in silence, sipping their tea for a long while.
They had initially thought this was the work of those who merely disapproved of Tiel becoming Head of Household, but it seemed the matter was far more complicated than that.
***
“She’s awake?”
Tiel opened her eyes wide and echoed the question. Ludian gave a straightforward nod.
“Yes, apparently she woke. They’ve moved her from the dungeon to another place now. Not that she’s any less confined, but still.”
“That’s a relief! So what did she say? What happened?”
Tiel suddenly seized Ludian’s arm, her eyes wide as she looked up at him.
Ludian wore an awkward expression as he gently pinched her cheek.
“That, I don’t know! Father and Grandfather didn’t tell us that much. They only said we should refrain from going out for the time being.”
“They’ll tell us when the time comes.”
Ferdi suddenly appeared from behind Tiel and lifted her effortlessly away from Ludian.
Though Tiel was intensely curious, she did not press further and nodded.
True to Ferdi and Ludian’s words, Cassius and Alpheus were the sort who always made certain to tell them what they needed to know.
Conversely, the fact that Cassius and Alpheus had not told them meant this matter fell into the category of things they need not necessarily know.
‘But I’m curious all the same.’
Why did they attack me? Could it have been sent by Grandfather?
Thender Nestian, Tiel’s own grandfather and Head of Nestian, had conducted himself with remarkable quietude these past five years.
He had taken no action to provoke Asterian, nor had he drawn their attention. It was fair to say Thender had scarcely left Nestian territory in five years.
It was not uncommon for heads of houses to confine themselves to their domains for years at a time, so it was hardly extraordinary, though there was something odd about Nestian’s situation.
They had cut off almost all contact with other territories over those five years.
Cassius had told Tiel of this, gently assuring her there was no need to worry about meeting Thender.
Yet with this incident, the very first suspect was Nestian—for Nestian remained a source of terrible and painful memory for Tiel.
‘It couldn’t be, could it?’
Tiel had grown considerably; her hair had grown long, her frame had shot up, and she had become a magnificent young beastwoman who wielded her Ability with confidence. Yet facing Nestian still frightened her somewhat.
The moment Tiel’s expression grew serious, Ferdi and Ludian—supposing she had become absorbed in brooding over the attack on herself and had soured—deliberately changed the subject.
“By the way, a gift arrived for you from the Imperial Palace. Iandros sent it.”
Ludian said.
“From Iandros?”
“Yes, it came with a letter. Come downstairs with us.”
“You’re going to love it, I’m sure!”
Ferdi gently set Tiel on the floor. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress with a quick movement of her feet and nodded.
Ferdi and Ludian descended to the first floor. The servants there were sorting and arranging the gifts that had arrived from the Imperial Palace. Iandros had sent quite a considerable quantity of presents along with the letter.
As Tiel came down to the first floor, the steward who had been organizing the gifts from the Imperial Palace approached and bowed deeply.
“The most important-looking of the gifts from Lord Iandros has been placed in your room. The rest we are cataloging for your review.”
“The most important-looking?”
“Yes, Head of Household.”
“I wonder what it is…! Thank you in any case!”
Tiel gave the steward a courteous and spirited bow, then climbed the stairs again with Ludian and Ferdi toward her room.
At the door, Tiel grasped the handle with a flutter of anticipation, looking between Ferdi and Ludian.
“What do you think Iandros sent?”
“I swear, it’ll be something you like less than what I’d give you.”
“I promise you, it’ll be something you find inferior to what I’d give you.”
At their words, Tiel pouted her lips slightly.
“Brothers, don’t say such things. All gifts are precious and good, no matter what they are……”
“All right, all right. Open it.”
Ferdi and Ludian, unable to help but break into smiles at their sister’s charming words, gave a nod.
Tiel’s eyes sparkled as she carefully opened the door.
Then.
Flutter-flutter!
A brilliantly white form came flying toward Tiel.

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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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