The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 144

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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 144
Tiel decided to postpone visiting Iandros for a little while longer.
Meeting with Iandros was important and urgent, but for now, welcoming Cassius back took priority.
‘Still, I really should visit Iandros.’
Tiel recalled the mysterious intruder she’d encountered in Iandros’s private space.
The pallid, exhausted expression on his face after meeting her.
She could do nothing to help with that matter herself, but if she couldn’t help, she at least wanted to be there beside him.
After meeting with Cassius, Tiel resolved to seek out Ludian and left the room with Lia.
That was when she ran into Cassius, who was coming upstairs to find her.
“Dad!”
Tiel called out to him cheerfully and threw her arms around him. Cassius lifted his small daughter into an embrace.
“Tiel.”
Though she had grown remarkably since he’d first seen her, she remained impossibly small to him.
She fit perfectly in his arms with room to spare—proof of her youth. Cassius held her close and pressed a light kiss to her smooth forehead.
“Seems you were having fun. Though… where are you headed?”
Cassius noticed that Tiel’s clothes were outdoor wear rather than indoor dress and asked carefully.
Tiel saw her opening and planted a quick kiss on Cassius’s cheek before answering.
“I want to go see Iandros! I’ll be back soon.”
“Tiel.”
“I know this isn’t a safe time to be going out. But there’s something worrying me. Couldn’t I just slip away for a very short visit?”
Tiel’s eyes widened with appeal.
Watching those bright, glimmering eyes meet his own, Cassius felt himself weakening. He always did when she looked at him like that.
“Take either Ferdi or Ludian with you—you’re not going alone. And the guards must accompany you as well.”
“Yes! Understood, Dad! Thank you!”
Tiel threw her arms around Cassius’s neck and squealed with delight. He shook his head in defeat, tousling the back of her head gently.
“You must be careful. Some of the culprits haven’t been caught yet. They may try to attack you again.”
“They escaped?”
“Yes. I delayed them at the entrance long enough for them to slip away.”
With that, Cassius withdrew a Glass Orb from his pocket.
It was the Glass Orb that Tiel had given him, saying it might be helpful.
But something seemed odd about it.
‘Why is it so dark?’
The orb she’d given Cassius had clearly glowed with bright fragments of light, but the one he now returned was murky, as though it had absorbed every shadow in the world.
Tiel took the orb in both hands and asked:
“Did you use the orb I gave you?”
“Yes, I did. Without it, I wouldn’t have captured the last one either.”
“But… why did it become so dark?”
“I was going to ask you that myself, but it seems you don’t know either. I threw the orb into that Black Mist, and it absorbed the color like this.”
Tiel furrowed her brow as she listened to Cassius’s explanation.
Until now, Tiel had used her Ability to defeat countless “mysterious dark entities.”
And most of them had simply scattered and vanished when she wielded her Ability, as if shattering into fragments.
She’d never seen them absorbed like this. Tiel nodded first, then tucked the orb into her pocket.
“Since it’s my Ability, I’ll investigate further! Perhaps I can learn something.”
“Please do. And your orb was tremendously helpful. Thank you.”
Cassius gave Tiel one final gentle caress before setting her down on the floor.
The hem of her lace-layered dress swayed as she landed lightly on her feet. Tiel gripped the orb in her hand and looked up at Cassius.
“I’m glad it helped! I hadn’t been able to figure out what ‘it’ was until now. Maybe this time I can.”
“Once we catch the one who fled, perhaps.”
Tiel nodded in agreement.
And she spoke.
“It might be connected to Arcadia, actually.”
“Arcadia?”
“Yes. The curses on the Beastmen living in Arcadia reacted to my Ability. If the darkness where you were also reacted to my Ability, then…”
“Then it might be a force of the same nature as the curses there. I understand.”
Tiel considered mentioning what happened when Ludian went berserk, but decided against it. The information about Arcadia alone seemed sufficient.
‘I wonder how he’s doing.’
The Last Heir of Everard.
It had been a long time since Tiel had heard any news of that boy.
She resolved to ask Cassius about him soon enough, then parted ways with her father and headed toward the carriage.
“You’re going out, Miss?”
“Yes! Dad gave permission—oh! He said I had to bring one of my brothers with me. I almost forgot! Just a moment, I’ll go get one of them!”
“Very well, Miss. Take your time. I shall have the carriage ready.”
Asterian’s butler smiled warmly and offered a light bow.
Tiel climbed the spiral staircase again toward Ludian and Ferdi’s rooms.
The two boys were currently confined indoors, lounging about in their chambers, so they were easy to find.
Knock, knock.
Tiel knocked on Ferdi’s door first.
The reason she chose Ferdi’s door before Ludian’s was simple: Ferdi’s room was closer to the staircase.
The door swung open gently, and Ferdi appeared in the doorway.
“Tiel?”
Ferdi had been reading and wore transparent Glasses perched at the tip of his nose. Tiel glanced past him into the room.
Thick books and parchments were piled high on Ferdi’s desk. He must have been studying.
“Am I disturbing you?”
“Not at all. Want to come in?”
Ferdi stepped aside and spoke. Tiel shook her head.
“No! If you’re not busy, I have a favor to ask!”
“I’m not busy. What is it?”
“I want to go to the Imperial Palace to see Iandros, but Dad said I absolutely must take one of you with me. If you’re not busy, would you mind accompanying me to the Palace?”
“The Imperial Palace?”
Ferdi narrowed his eyes.
“Didn’t you just see Ludian recently?”
“Yes, but there’s something I’m worried about. If you’re busy, you don’t have to go. I could ask Ludian instead…”
“I’m not busy.”
Ferdi cut off her words and rested his hand on top of her head.
“Your father said to go with one of us, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s fine if just I go. Ludian’s probably asleep.”
Ferdi spoke without even opening Ludian’s door. Tiel nodded at his words.
‘Ah, of course!’
She’d almost made the mistake of opening Ludian’s door first and waking him.
Tiel felt relieved she hadn’t done so, and cast a glance at Ludian’s closed door.
“Let me change into outdoor clothes and I’ll be right out. Wait here.”
“Okay, I’ll wait.”
Ferdi’s voice seemed a bit softer than before—probably to avoid waking Ludian.
Unaware of Ferdi’s consideration, Tiel thought him wonderfully kind and waited for him outside the room.
Ferdi emerged soon enough in his outdoor clothes, a Jacket with gold buttons draped over his shoulders.
The Jacket, embroidered with small leopard spots, was splendid and striking. And the face above the Jacket was even more so.
At moments like this, Tiel was struck anew by just how handsome her brother was.
Before, she’d had almost no opportunity to meet other Beastmen, so she hadn’t known. But now she could tell: Ferdi’s face was beautiful enough to count on one hand.
“Why are you staring so intently?”
Ferdi asked lightly, with the air of someone who already knew the answer.
“You look especially striking today!”
Tiel gave him the answer he wanted. Ferdi looked pleased and lifted her into his arms.
He carried her out through the front entrance. Outside, a carriage awaited, prepared by the butler.
Ferdi climbed into the carriage with Tiel and settled her into the plush seat. Not long after,
the carriage door closed.
The carriage departed smoothly.

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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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