The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 20

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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 20
“You fancy that one? The little girl has taste just like her brothers.”
Alpius seized the Black Panther Doll by the scruff of its neck and thrust it into Tiel’s arms, muttering as he did.
Tiel clutched the soft Black Panther Doll tightly to her chest and looked up at Alpius with wide eyes.
“Yes! I really do like it. But… brothers?”
Now that she thought of it, Lena and Cassius had two other children besides Tiel.
Every time Chender Nestian scolded Tiel, he would mutter, “I should have brought those two instead.”
He would say that if he’d brought those two and raised them instead of the useless mongrel Tiel, they would have been far more helpful to Nestian.
Because of that, Tiel knew she had two other brothers.
She also knew they were far superior children than herself. But….
‘I was so distracted, I forgot.’
Since arriving at the Asterian Mansion, no one had mentioned her “brothers” to her, and she’d never encountered any other children in the house, so it had simply slipped from her mind.
As Tiel blinked in confusion, Alpius turned to Lia and spoke.
“So you haven’t explained Ferdi and Ludian to her yet?”
“No, sir. I thought it best to let her settle into the mansion first before mentioning them.”
“I see. Tiel, you have two older brothers. The eldest is Ferdi Asterian, and the second is Ludian Asterian.”
Alpius gently stroked the top of Tiel’s small head as he spoke.
“You’ll meet them soon, I’m sure. I sent word to them on your first day here that you’d arrived.”
“So then….”
“Yes, it seems they’re hurrying back from the Academy. You’ll see them before long.”
Tiel’s grip tightened around the Black Panther Doll.
The child buried her face softly into the doll’s fluffy fur, her eyes darting about restlessly.
‘What if they hate me?’
Fortunately, Cassius and Alpius seemed to like her well enough.
The other servants at the Asterian Mansion felt the same way. But….
‘Grandfather said Mother died because of me.’
Chender would scream at her repeatedly, “Your mother died because of you.”
So Tiel had come to believe with absolute certainty that Lena’s death was her fault.
And Lena was also the mother of Ferdi and Ludian.
Which meant their mother had died because of Tiel. The moment that realization struck her, the child’s face drained of all color.
Noticing her sudden pallor, Alpius turned to Lia with concern.
“Why has she gone so white all of a sudden? What’s wrong?”
“She may be shy around strangers, sir. Perhaps she’s not quite ready to meet the young masters yet.”
Lia gently lifted Tiel into her arms.
Tiel clung tightly to the doll as Lia held her, burying her face deep in the maid’s shoulder.
Alpius’s expression fell. He’d thought just moments ago that he’d earned some favor with his granddaughter.
He reached out carefully to touch Tiel’s small hand, speaking softly.
“I’ll have the gift boxes sent to your room. You can open them whenever you’d like. Understood?”
“Yes, thank you so much…!”
Tiel started to add a formal title to her response, then hesitated, glancing uncertainly at Alpius.
“…Grandfather.”
She added the word carefully, her voice tender as a first step.
In that moment, Alpius’s weathered face bloomed with light.
He smiled broadly and nodded.
“Yes, dear. Now go rest upstairs.”
Once Alpius had finished speaking, Lia excused herself and carried Tiel carefully from the room.
Alpius watched the receding figures of Tiel and Lia disappear down the corridor.
‘Grandfather,’ she said.
He’d heard that title countless times from Ferdi and Ludian, yet somehow it sounded entirely different coming from her.
The corners of Alpius’s mouth rose in an unguarded smile.
***
The toys Alpius had gifted her were far more numerous and beautiful than those Tiel had seen in Rowen’s room.
A Wooden Horse carved from fine, raw wood; a Mobile adorned with countless jewels; countless dolls and Wooden Blocks.
Tiel’s spacious room was soon filled to the brim with Alpius’s gifts.
As Lia had anticipated, she was assigned as Tiel’s personal maid, and after several days of eating quality food at the Asterian Mansion, her complexion had taken on a healthier, fuller glow.
So, truly, nothing was amiss.
Save for one thing.
“Why can’t I control my Innate Ability freely?”
Both Rowen and Chender could command their Innate Abilities as they pleased.
They said that since an Innate Ability is something you’re born with, you should naturally be able to control it freely.
And yet.
Tiel gazed down at her open palm. A faint, delicate light bloomed across the small expanse of skin.
Shimmer—
The expanding light soon took the shape of a tiny fish, dancing in lazy circles across her palm.
Tiel smiled down at the little creature with delight.
She couldn’t yet summon the large, powerful light like before, but with steady practice, she could now create this small fish.
The fins were still stubby and the form incomplete—hardly what one would confidently call a fish—but a fish it was nonetheless!
“Don’t be so impatient. Someday I’ll master my Innate Ability too.”
After all, Cassius had said she was a special child with a special gift. So one day…
she would surely be able to help the Asterian Family.
Just then, as if to comfort her, the little fish rose into the air and settled gently on the bridge of her nose.
‘You’re comforting me? Thank you.’
Tiel’s eyes grew round and bright. A soft blush bloomed across her soft cheeks.
The fish rippled its tiny fins.
Soon a handful of warm light enfolded Tiel’s vision in its gentle embrace.
Knock, knock.
A knock came at the door.
Tiel turned her head toward the sound.
The fish that had been swimming on her nose had already vanished.
The door opened, and Lia appeared.
“Miss, it’s time for dinner. Master Alpius and Master Cassius are waiting for you.”
“Are we eating downstairs today?”
Tiel tilted her head in question.
Until now, thanks to Cassius’s consideration, she’d been taking her meals in her bedroom and had never been to the dining hall.
“Yes, today you’ll dine downstairs. Does that trouble you?”
“No! I’m fine with it.”
Tiel quickly shook her head and rose from her seat, taking Lia’s hand.
The walk to the dining hall was quite long, but Lia adjusted her pace to match Tiel’s small stride, so the journey didn’t feel arduous.
The servants posted at the dining hall doors saw Tiel approaching and opened them for her.
Lia released the child’s hand gently.
“Go on in, Miss.”
“Yes.”
Tiel nodded and stepped inside the dining hall.
The first thing that caught her eye was an ornate chandelier and an enormous table draped in white cloth that stretched across the room.
It was similar to what she’d seen in Nestian, but far larger and more magnificent.
At the far end of that vast table sat Alpius Evalt Asterian, the family patriarch, and beside him sat Cassius. And…
“…?”
Two young boys with youthful faces sat across from Cassius, holding their utensils.
Tiel instinctively recognized them as her older brothers—the sons of Cassius and Lena.
She couldn’t have missed it. They bore a striking resemblance to Cassius.
“Tiel, come here.”
Cassius called to her in a warm voice at just the right moment.
Tiel blinked her large eyes rapidly, then rushed toward Cassius.
Cassius lifted her effortlessly and set her in the seat beside him.
So that small Tiel could dine comfortably at the table, several plush cushions had been stacked beneath her chair.
While Cassius portioned food onto her plate, Tiel stole glances at the boys across from her.
As one might expect of brothers, the two boys shared remarkably similar features.
Black hair symbolizing the Black Panther and eyes of gold; large, beautiful eyes and a sharp nose; lips carved with elegant lines.
Both were strikingly handsome. The only difference between these nearly identical brothers was…
‘Their hair is different.’
The boy seated closer to Alpius wore his hair long and tied back, while the boy beside him kept his cut short.
Otherwise, she likely wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart.
“Hello.”
Just then, the boy with lustrous black hair tied back greeted Tiel with a smile.
His voice was so kind that Tiel’s worries dissolved entirely.
“Tiel, these are the older brothers I mentioned to you before.”
When Ferdi offered his greeting, Alpius set down his utensil deliberately, as if he’d been waiting, and pointed to the two boys.
“Hello. I’m Tiel.”
I’m seven years old, Tiel added quietly, gauging their reactions.
But she couldn’t quite meet their eyes. Ferdi and Ludian still frightened her a little.
“Wait, she’s really this tiny? This is actually my little sister?”
“Ludian, watch your tongue. Don’t speak to your sister that way.”
The first speaker was Ludian; the second, Ferdi.
Ludian paused mid-chew, his mouth still full of meat, and studied Tiel with curious, raised brows.
“But this girl is strange, isn’t she? A Silver Fox’s fur with a Black Panther’s eyes? That’s not how it usually mixes.”

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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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