The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 170

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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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Episode 170
It was just as Iandros and Tiel fled from Ferdi and Ludian’s room.
From a distance, Iandros’s aide Cedric approached him.
“Cedric?”
Iandros furrowed his brow in question. Cedric drew near and offered a respectful bow to Tiel, Iandros, Ferdi, and Ludian.
“I present myself to the Head of Household of Asterian.”
Cedric’s greeting was concise yet courteous. Tiel acknowledged it with a nod.
“His Majesty has issued a command that you and Tiel be escorted to the Imperial Palace.”
Cedric then cut straight to the matter. Tiel’s eyes widened while Iandros’s narrowed.
“Tiel? Why?”
“I am not privy to the full reasons. I merely convey His Majesty’s command.”
Cedric replied.
Iandros, clearly displeased, strode past Tiel with long steps as he spoke.
“Today is Tiel’s birthday. Far from offering congratulations, I have no intention whatsoever of bringing her to the Imperial Palace. Tell His Majesty to summon us another time.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
Only then, upon hearing Iandros’s words, did Tiel realize that today was indeed her birthday.
‘I was so caught up I’d forgotten…….’
There had been so much to attend to since this morning. It was hardly surprising that Tiel had let her own birthday slip from her mind.
Iandros told Tiel he would send her a gift soon, then pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
“I’ll come again next time. And forgive me, but it seems from the situation that I must take you to the Imperial Palace as His Majesty commanded…….”
“I’m perfectly fine with today…….”
“Today I’m not fine with it. It’s your birthday. I distinctly told His Majesty that today was your birthday—has he gone senile……?”
“Your Highness!”
Cedric, who had been listening quietly to Iandros’s words, called out in alarm.
Iandros gave a dismissive nod, instructed Tiel to rest well, and then departed the residence.
Afterward, Tiel was led by Lia to her bed, where she was made to lie down and sample one by one the desserts the Asterian kitchen master had prepared specially for today.
Ferdi, Ludian, and Cassius visited in turn to keep her company and share in the desserts, so even confined to bed, she found the afternoon far from dull.
Moreover,
‘Thank goodness Iandros’s Subspace has a place like that…….’
Tiel murmured as she felt the Ability flowing abundantly within her body. Tiny fragments of light sparkled like grains of sand in her open palms, ceaseless and bright.
Though far less than the Ability she had possessed before, it flowed through her now.
That alone was enough for Tiel…….
“……Hm?”
The fish swimming around Tiel suddenly grew restless.
Tiel stopped her thoughts and watched the fish intently.
“What’s wrong?”
The fish darted busily about her, swimming as if eager to tell her something.
Tiel rose from the bed, bewildered.
Yet the fish collectively pointed below the bed, circling frantically.
“Is there something under the bed?”
In response to Tiel’s question, the fish glowed faintly and rippled their fins.
Tiel carefully knelt and bent her head to peer beneath the bed.
And there,
“……!”
A small Salamander lay hidden beneath the bed, watching her with an embarrassed expression.
Tiel extended her hand with a bewildered look. The tiny Salamander promptly scrambled onto her palm.
“Why are you here?”
Tiel knew Salamanders well.
These Salamanders had been created from Asterian’s Flame Ability, much like her fish,
But unlike her fish, which behave as though possessed of will, Salamanders obey only their master’s commands.
Yet this one oddly seemed to possess will of its own.
Even now…….
“…….”
Tiel watched quietly as the Salamander, bashful, tried to bury its head in her palm.
“How is this possible? Whose Salamander are you? To my knowledge, no Salamander has ever behaved this way…….”
It couldn’t have been ordered to ‘show embarrassment before its current owner.’
Which meant the embarrassment stemmed from the Salamander’s own will—yet to Tiel’s knowledge, no one in Asterian possessed such a technique.
In fact, throughout the entire Crasion Empire, Tiel alone could create an Ethereal Fragment that moved as though possessed of consciousness.
Puzzled, Tiel reached to gently stroke the Salamander’s head when she felt a familiar presence flowing through its body.
“……Hm?”
“……?”
“This is…….”
When Tiel lightly pressed the Salamander’s head, it squeezed its eyes shut.
Then, within the flame, fragments of light with a different quality sparkled.
The sparkle within the flame was so fleeting that anyone but Tiel would likely have missed it entirely.
Yet it was Tiel who now held the Salamander in her palm.
Tiel realized her own Ability was flowing through the Salamander’s body.
“How did you do this? Is such a thing even possible? Who is your master? Can you lead me to your master?”
The Salamander, troubled, rolled its large eyes back and forth before suddenly jumping from her palm.
Then it scurried away in a hurry.
Tiel followed the Salamander. Just as her fish had guided her through the Subspace, the Salamander glanced back at intervals to ensure she was keeping up.
Then it halted before a certain door. Tiel recognized it at once.
“Father?”
It was obvious—the door before which the Salamander had stopped was Cassius’s room.
It was a room Tiel had entered dozens of times a day since childhood. It would have been strange not to recognize it.
Tiel crouched down and extended her palm, and the Salamander promptly climbed onto it.
With the Salamander resting on her palm, Tiel opened the door.
Cassius, who had been reviewing documents, set them aside and looked at Tiel in mild surprise.
“Tiel?”
“Father! Actually, I discovered something in my room and I thought you might know what it is…….”
As Tiel finished speaking, she moved to offer the Salamander to Cassius when she froze.
Her palm was empty!
Where had it gone? Tiel looked around in alarm before spotting the Salamander fleeing toward the corner.
Tiel caught it. The Salamander did not struggle but gazed up at her with sorrowful eyes.
“It was hiding under my bed, but I think…… you must be its master.”
“…….”
Cassius approached Tiel with a puzzled expression. Tiel handed the Salamander to him.
The Salamander rubbed its head against Cassius’s palm, seeming to take comfort in it, yet its tail twitched uneasily as though anxious.
“It is my Ability.”
“I thought so?”
“But this is……—what is this? My Salamanders don’t move like this. Which means it’s almost…… as though it were alive.”
Cassius murmured. The Salamander stiffened. The tiny flame Salamander ceased rubbing its cheek and raised its tail.
“I assigned the Salamander to you. I ordered it to watch over you quietly, unseen. But…… what on earth is this?”
Unable to hide his bewilderment, Cassius held the Salamander up to his face.
The Salamander kicked its four legs frantically.
***
“This isn’t how it’s supposed to work!”
Rowen cried out, gripping her head in both hands.
The sound was sharp and piercing as a shard of ice—high-pitched enough to slice through a dozen humanoids with ease.
Rowen hurled the ‘fish’ she had created with her Ability against the wall in frustration.
The fish fashioned from Rowen’s Ice Ability shattered against the wall, crumbling helplessly.
Then it promptly melted away, leaving no trace.
Rowen squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear even the sight of it, and vented her exasperation in a gush.

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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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