The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 180

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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 180
Andres, the High Priest of Lucette Temple, possessed a special power to distinguish between Abilities.
When Tiel first came to the Temple, he had recognized at a glance that her power was the Light Ability.
Andres’s eyes never deceived him. Tiel’s Ability was unmistakably the Light Ability.
And…….
‘Rowen’s Ability was definitely the Ice Crystallization Ability, but.’
Andres murmured, recalling the Ability Rowen had just displayed.
There was something remarkably similar between Rowen’s Ability and Tiel’s. For instance, those ice fragments that had taken the shape of fish.
‘It’s definitely the Ice Crystallization Ability, but just as Rowen said, there’s Light Ability mixed in too. How on earth…… could this be?’
There had never been a recorded case of one person possessing two Abilities. Without exception, everyone could only own one Ability.
Yet, brief though it was, Andres had seen the Light Ability mixed into Rowen’s Ability.
The exact same Light Ability as Tiel’s.
‘What in the world is this?’
His mind was in turmoil. Andres remained in his seat, staring blankly at the place where Rowen had vanished.
Something dark and serpentine had writhed in the spot where Rowen had left, but it was late at night, and because Rowen had extinguished all the candles, Andres could not see it.
***
“Rowen has come to Arcadia?”
Tiel’s eyes widened as she asked. Lia nodded, carefully braiding her hair.
“Yes, so I heard. Perhaps Alpheus or Cassius will arrive soon and give you more precise details.”
Lia, who had followed Tiel all the way to Arcadia, felt she had made the right decision to come.
Though Lia could have remained in Asterian, she had come to Arcadia because she wanted to care for the little young lady in her arms—though she was hardly little anymore, but such things hardly mattered—from up close.
‘I made the right choice coming here.’
Lia had sworn that if the leopards of Nestian tried any tricks on Tiel at this Festival, she would crush them so thoroughly they’d leave no bones behind.
Of course, if she faced off against Rowen or Thender, she wouldn’t last ten minutes before being sent flying, but she had confidence she could hold her own against the leopard knights below them.
After all, Lia was a humanoid beast leopard before she was Tiel’s maid. She was every bit as fierce!
Just as Lia and the rest of Tiel’s guards, upon hearing that “Nestian will be attending,” were kindling their own resolve,
‘Rowen is coming?’
Tiel herself gave it little thought.
Which was to say ‘she wasn’t enormously worried about Rowen’—not that she gave it no thought at all.
Tiel was aware that Je had hidden herself within Nestian.
She also knew that Ferdi, Ludian, and Iandros were making a dangerously ambitious plan to capture her.
They would likely infiltrate Nestian once this Festival ended. Everything according to plan.
With the Light Orb that Tiel had created.
‘But with so many people after me, surely Je wouldn’t have come here.’
To protect Tiel during her rare outing, knights from Asterian and Eberard were spread throughout Arcadia.
Neither Nestian nor Je could possibly harm her in such circumstances.
‘But why did she come?’
As Lia braided her hair, Tiel gazed into the mirror and pondered the question.
Truly just to participate in the Festival? But the Thender she knew would not send Rowen to such an official event for such personal reasons.
While Tiel deliberated, Lia finished arranging her appearance and carefully tied a ribbon at the back of her hair.
“There, all done, young miss.”
“Thank you, Lia. Your skill is truly wonderful…….”
“Nonsense! You’re absolutely beautiful today! How do you grow lovelier with each passing day?”
“I’m embarrassed…….”
“Embarrassed indeed! It’s the truth. Iandros will certainly say the same.”
“Eh? Iandros?”
Tiel spun her head around. Oh my! Lia laughed in surprise, and the ribbon tied in Tiel’s hair trembled with a soft twang.
“Has Iandros arrived?”
“Since the Festival is tomorrow, he’s likely speaking with the Head of Eberard at this very moment. That’s why I took special care today.”
Lia gently wrapped her arms around Tiel’s shoulders and turned her to face the mirror.
“It’s an Emerald Silk Ribbon—the exact color of Iandros’s eyes.”
“It’s beautiful……! I love it. It matches Iandros’s eyes perfectly.”
“Doesn’t it? I chose it with special care. Now go meet Iandros, young miss~”
Lia playfully squeezed Tiel’s shoulders once before releasing her. Tiel smiled back in response to Lia’s teasing.
But Tiel had no need to search through Eberard Mansion to meet Iandros.
Upon hearing that Tiel was staying in this manor, Iandros had come to find her immediately.
“Iandros!”
“Tiel, have you been well?”
Iandros gently wrapped his arms around Tiel’s waist.
Having been fiancés for so long, the two of them had long since grown comfortable with touching each other’s bodies.
“Tomorrow the Festival finally arrives. Are you tired or reluctant at all? If you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to.”
Iandros spoke in a tone that was both gentle and firm. Tiel shook her head.
“If I hadn’t wanted to, I wouldn’t have come this far.”
Iandros looked down at her, then seemed to consider something for a moment before sending all the maids in Tiel’s room away.
Then, drawing her close, he bent his head and whispered near her ear.
“Your Ability?”
“It’s still fine. I’ve been conserving it since then, and I haven’t felt the usual weakening, so I think it’s stable.”
As proof, the fish-shaped lights drifting around Tiel shimmered as brightly as before.
Iandros nodded.
“But if anything goes wrong, tell me at once. Understood? Don’t hide it…….”
“Yes, don’t worry. By the way, how are you doing? How’s your Ability these days?”
Tiel lifted her head sharply to meet his gaze.
But then——
‘What?’
Were Iandros’s irises always this clouded? Tiel narrowed her eyes, peering into his eyes.
Iandros’s irises were a bright, beautiful emerald green like the silk ribbon tied behind her hair.
But now they looked as though darkness had begun to seep in…….
Noticing that Tiel had fallen into thought, Iandros snapped his fingers with a sharp click.
“I’m fine. So…… it’s nothing serious. Nothing problematic except for a bit of fatigue.”
“You haven’t been trapped in a Subspace like before?”
“No, that hasn’t happened. If it did, I’d tell you first, so don’t worry too much.”
“But how can I not worry……! You’re my fiancé, after all. And…… you’re my companion too.”
Tiel murmured petulantly. Iandros scratched his cheek, then rested one large hand on top of her head.
“I didn’t mean I disliked your concern. I simply didn’t want to burden you. And my Ability is fine, probably…… Besides, I’ve learned a few things about the one who used to come and go from my Ability.”
“You’ve learned something?”
“I’ll tell you once I’m certain.”
“Yes, you absolutely must tell me!”
Only after extracting a promise from Iandros did Tiel release him.
Iandros left Tiel, saying he had someone to meet.
Countless humanoid beasts were gathering in Arcadia. Carriages bearing the crests of various houses crossed through Eberard’s gates without pause.
More humanoid beasts than could be compared to ordinary times had gathered to pray for Crasion’s peace, and to see with their own eyes once more the Legend of Light that had unfolded in this land more than a decade ago.
As Tiel observed the gathered humanoid beasts, she carefully cupped her hands and used her Ability. Like when she was young.
Light filled the hollow of her palms.
The amount of light Tiel produced now was too little to shower over all the assembled humanoid beasts,
‘But it’s daytime now.’
Even without Tiel herself, sunlight was raining down its own brightness over the heads of the other humanoid beasts.
A gentle breeze stirred, brushing softly across Tiel’s bangs.
At that moment, the light held in Tiel’s palms dimmed ever so slightly.
But Tiel did not notice this.
She merely thought it was the strength of Arcadia’s sunlight that day.

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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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