The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 153

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

Chapter 153
“Iandros!”
Tiel gathered the hem of her dress lightly in one hand to keep it from catching beneath her feet, then bounded down the spiral staircase with delight and threw herself into Iandros’s arms.
He caught her with practiced ease, holding her close as the lace at the hem of her dress fluttered like white butterflies.
“Tiel, I’ve told you not to run.”
Iandros chided her with a slight furrow of his brow, though he showed no sign of actually pushing her away from his embrace.
Iandros had grown considerably—now nearly as tall as Cassius—and so Tiel had to lift her chin to meet his eyes, just as she did with her other brother.
When she lifted her chin and their eyes met, she saw a beautiful young man regarding her with his brow slightly furrowed.
Now well into manhood, Iandros had earned a place among the noble ladies of Crasion as one of the Three Most Handsome Men alongside Ferdi and Ludian, though his popularity had waned somewhat since he was already betrothed.
Yet Tiel did not for a moment think Iandros less handsome than her two other brothers.
If Ferdi and Ludian had heard her thoughts, they might have made quite a fuss, but Tiel sometimes found herself thinking Iandros was actually more handsome than either of them…….
“I came running because I wanted to see you. Didn’t you want to see me?”
After gazing at Iandros’s face for a long moment as if admiring a work of art, Tiel chattered away and gently embraced his waist before letting go.
Though they had not held a formal betrothal ceremony, the two had lived as each other’s bonded partner and betrothed for quite some time now, and so there was no awkwardness in how naturally they held each other, like an old married couple.
Iandros looked down at Tiel with an expression that said he couldn’t argue, then bent slightly at the waist and continued.
“I wanted to see you very much, Tiel. That’s precisely why I came all this way to Asterian myself. Do you think I visit Asterian on a whim because I have nothing else to do?”
Tiel quickly shook her head. Iandros was the Crown Prince of Crasion, and when the current Emperor stepped down from his throne, he would be the only man to inherit it. Of course he couldn’t afford to be idle!
With cheeks flushed a little brighter, Tiel took Iandros’s hand and led him toward the garden.
As Tiel and Iandros stepped into the garden, the servants of Asterian quickly prepared the most beautiful table, laying a cloth and arranging flowers so that the two could sit comfortably and talk.
Fluttering!
In that moment, a white carrier pigeon came flying from the distance and landed on Tiel’s shoulder—the very pigeon Iandros had given her when she turned twelve.
“Please sit here!”
Tiel pointed to the table, then turned and looked back at Iandros. The brooch fastened to her chest sparkled ceaselessly—another gift from Iandros.
Thanks to it, despite being a snow leopard who felt the heat keenly, Tiel remained comfortably cool throughout her stay in Asterian…….
“I won’t refuse.”
Iandros smiled slightly as he replied.
He sat at the table in the center of the garden. Tiel seated herself directly across from him. The servants brought them two cups of tea, sugar cubes, and freshly baked cookies.
“Well then……. May I ask now?”
“Ask what?”
“It’s not just because you wanted to see me, is it? Did something happen again?”
Tiel’s round eyes fixed on Iandros. He sipped his unsweetened black tea, his eyes narrowed slightly.
“It really is just because I wanted to see you. And while I’m here, I wanted to ask if there’s anything you’d like as a birthday gift.”
“You’re lying…….”
“Doubting the Crown Prince of the Empire?”
“But I’m your betrothed……. Please tell me. Did something else happen?”
Tiel asked urgently.
Iandros drank his tea in silence for a moment, then lifted his eyelids and looked at the young woman seated before him.
Tiel’s thin lips were pressed firmly together. Iandros knew this expression well—the girl was being stubborn with him now.
“Nothing’s happened. It’s just what you already know. Jay still hasn’t been found, and the Emperor…….”
“Not that!”
Tiel cut him off. Iandros looked at his betrothed without displeasure.
A young woman with hair as white and beautiful as fresh snow, braided halfway and pinned up, gazed at him with sharp eyes.
“That’s not what I’m curious about!”
Tiel looked at Iandros.
Years ago, when Tiel was twelve, someone had invaded Iandros’s Subspace.
Since then, his Ability had become noticeably unstable, despite the fact that Tiel and Iandros had formed a Bonded Imprint together.
Perhaps it was because the Imprint was incomplete. But that wasn’t what mattered now.
What mattered was that Iandros’s Ability had become gravely unstable ever since.
As Tiel had done when she was younger—calming Ferdi, Ludian, and Iandros when their Abilities ran rampant—she had tried to soothe him now, but it was proving difficult.
She had managed to calm him a few times when he was on the verge of losing control, yet despite her tireless efforts, Iandros’s Ability seemed to never truly stabilize.
As a result, he lived perpetually as if walking a tightrope. Even as she had grown so much, Tiel felt a deep sadness that she could not help Iandros more.
“I was asking whether something more has happened related to your Ability.”
“Hm.”
Iandros exhaled softly.
After all, he could never hide his physical condition from Tiel.
By forming an Imprint with him, she was bearing his Ability alongside him.
So it was not right to hide his condition from her. And yet Iandros felt an impulse to do exactly that.
‘Is it because I dislike seeing her worry about me?’
No, that wasn’t it. Iandros actually welcomed her concern. So what was the problem? Iandros’s eyes narrowed.
‘Is it because I dislike worrying her?’
Her worry over him was welcome. But causing her worry—that, he hated. How contradictory could a heart be?
Yet his betrothed, ignorant or heedless of his thoughts, opened her already round eyes as wide as she could and pressed him to continue.
“Iandros!”
“All right, all right. There have been no intrusions into my Subspace recently, but……. Several rooms within the Subspace have disappeared.”
“Rooms have disappeared?”
Tiel’s eyes widened as she asked.
Iandros’s Subspace was, as Tiel knew well, a grand mansion. A splendid, vast mansion—yet a great house with lights that never came on.
Rooms disappearing? Tiel’s eyes went round with bewilderment as she stared at Iandros.
“Just as I said—rooms within my Subspace have vanished. My Subspace does change frequently, so I didn’t think much of it at first, but lately…….”
“Lately?”
“Lately, doors won’t open, and I’ve been unable to move about within the Subspace more often. But I swear I didn’t come here to tell you about that. I really did come to ask about your gift…….”
“You should have told me right away if something like that was happening……!”
“Tiel, are you listening to me?”
Tiel’s eyebrows drooped and she nodded.
It was true—even if she had known beforehand, there was nothing she could have done to solve the problem.
Yet learning that his Ability had developed another problem made her feel inexplicably upset, and she found she couldn’t look him in the face properly.
…….
……Tiel?”
Iandros bent his head to look at her. Tiel sipped her tea and discreetly hid her face behind the cup.
“Are you pouting because I didn’t tell you right away?”
“I’m not pouting!”
“Then why do you have that expression on your face?”
“Because something is wrong with you, and I can’t fix it. I’m your bonded partner, and yet…….”
“A bonded partner can’t solve everything, Tiel.”
Iandros set down his cup and walked around the table to stand behind Tiel.
When Tiel reached out her hand, Iandros caught her small hand over her shoulder and looked down at her.
Tiel lifted her chin to gaze up at him. Shadows fell across her white cheeks.
“And you have already helped me more than enough.”
…….
“From the moment I first met you until now, always. So don’t be so impatient, don’t be upset, Tiel…….”
A breeze drifted past.
Iandros’s gentle, warm voice scattered on the wind.

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