The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 216

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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 216
“Tiel must be trapped inside the Princess’s Subspace. I have to find her. Only the owner can open a Subspace.”
Iandros strode forward, his gaze fixed on the Leopard walking lightly beneath his hand.
The Leopard was still emitting a clear, radiant light—which meant Tiel was still safe.
As long as that light didn’t fade entirely, Tiel would be unharmed. Iandros stroked the Leopard with a surprisingly gentle touch.
“But how are we supposed to find the Princess? And even if we do, she might refuse to open the Subspace.”
“It doesn’t matter. I just have to find her first.”
Iandros touched the Bond inscribed near his neck.
Would it have been easier to find Tiel if this Bond were complete? Perhaps if it had been a full Bond instead of a fragmented one, he could have sensed where Tiel was.
But now, it was pointless to dwell on such things.
Iandros withdrew his hand from the Bond and looked toward Ferdi and Ludian.
“The Princess moved freely in and out of my Subspace. Some of that is due to her strength, but it’s more likely that we share the same Subspace.”
Iandros recalled the Princess’s memories that had overlaid his own Subspace before.
His Subspace would sometimes reveal Iandros’s memories in that manner.
Since the Subspace was virtually an extension of his body, it occasionally showed memories deeply imprinted in Iandros’s mind.
Yet the Subspace had shown the Princess’s memories.
That meant her power existed partially within the Subspace. Or else Iandros and the Princess shared a Subspace of similar resonance.
“Never before has there been two people with Spatial Ability in a single generation.”
Those who possessed Spatial Ability were born one at a time, separated by vast stretches of time.
Because of this, little was known about Spatial Ability, and its possessors could never encounter another with the same gift throughout their entire lives.
Yet in this generation, balance had shattered, time had twisted, and two Beast-kin with Spatial Ability had been born into the same age.
Iandros pondered how the Princess could possibly have invaded his Subspace.
It would make some sense if she had seized him and disrupted his mind before forcing her way in.
Yet the Princess had invaded every time when Iandros’s mind was clear and unguarded, and she had behaved within his Subspace as if she were its rightful master.
“Which means that if the Princess can invade my Subspace, then I can invade hers in turn.”
If the Princess could play master in Iandros’s Subspace, then Iandros could do the same in hers.
So all he had to do was find where the Princess was. Once he found her, he would force the Subspace open and rescue Tiel.
Even if it drove him completely mad in the process—even if his Ability ran wild—none of that mattered. Only Tiel’s safety was important.
“Where would the Princess be?”
Ferdi offered no further objections and fell into serious thought.
A massive fissure had opened above the Temple, its entrance gaping wide. But it was not the Princess who had opened it—it was Rowen.
Then where in the world was the owner of that fissure?
Just then.
Water droplets suddenly rose, buoying upward.
!
Iandros, Ferdi, and Ludian all widened their eyes in unison.
From the sea, from streams, from wells…….
Water droplets rose from everywhere, drifting upward. It seemed almost as though they were responding to Iandros’s voice.
Round droplets floated up and glinted in the sunlight, each collecting a handful of radiance along its curved surface.
The droplets converged in one place and merged together. Iandros watched the sight unfold, his brow furrowed.
The water droplets coalesced into a single enormous sphere. Sunlight pooled at its very center, glittering. Ferdi murmured, gazing at the massive droplet.
“……Is that Karl’s Ability?”
“I’m not sure……. But it’s definitely a Water Ability.”
Only Karl from Eberard wielded a Water Ability. Did that mean Karl was nearby?
Then.
“Your Highness!”
Karl approached from the distance, his face drained of color in shock. He stopped upon seeing the enormous water droplet, then turned his gaze to Iandros.
“I did not create this.”
“Then there is another person wielding a Water Ability?”
“No, this is my Ability. But I did not use it. My Ability suddenly responded to something.”
The moment Karl finished speaking, Tiel’s Leopard leapt onto the water droplet.
Splash!
The Leopard’s body, woven of light, shattered into fragments and scattered. In that instant, the tension holding the enormous droplet collapsed. Water poured to the ground.
Light and water mingled together, forming a river current. That water and light continued flowing onward.
In that moment, those present widened their eyes.
This scene—they had witnessed it before somewhere.
Yes, surely more than a decade ago…….
“At the reconstruction of Eberard and the revival of Arcadia…….”
Ludian murmured. He didn’t complete the sentence, but everyone present understood what he meant to say.
When the curse of Arcadia was shattered, at the Altar, Tiel’s and Karl’s Abilities had mingled, drenching the curse-blackened earth of Arcadia with moisture.
This sight was identical to that moment. Exactly as it had been then. Iandros’s pupils contracted.
He had no difficulty understanding what this Water Ability and this Light Ability were trying to tell him…….
“The Altar.”
Iandros murmured.
Karl asked back.
“Sir?”
“The Altar. The Princess is at the Altar. Everything in Arcadia originates from there. Karl, where is the Altar?”
Now that he understood Iandros’s meaning, Karl nodded with resolve.
“This way! Follow me!”
Karl sprinted ahead.
Ludian, Ferdi, and Iandros ran in pursuit.
‘Tiel.’
You’re still safe, aren’t you?
Iandros recalled the Leopard that had just shattered into fragments and vanished.
Thanks to it, he now knew which way to go—but ironically, he wished that Leopard had not scattered so.
***
How long had she been trapped?
How much time had passed? Five minutes? Thirty? A day perhaps? Or……. a week?
Maybe a year had gone by.
Tiel’s sense of time had completely collapsed. In darkness where everything was cut off, there was nothing left to discern.
Except for Orpheo’s occasional laughter echoing through, nothing could be heard. Except for her own two hands, nothing could be seen.
Even that light had dimmed, and Orpheo’s voice had cut off entirely, leaving Tiel truly alone in the darkness.
“Is there really no way out?”
Tiel spoke aloud to herself. Her own voice came back clearly. But that was all. No answer came.
If this truly was the Princess’s Subspace, then Tiel likely had no escape.
The Princess would not open it, and without the owner unlocking it, there was no way to break free from a Subspace through one’s own power alone.
There had been a time before when she was trapped in Iandros’s Subspace alongside him, but that had been possible because the Subspace’s owner was Iandros.
Now the Princess was not in an unstable state like Iandros was then. Tiel would not be able to escape.
And yet she was not anxious.
“Why is that?”
Perhaps she would never leave here. Perhaps she would remain in this darkness, slowly losing her mind—perhaps that was her fate.
But why was she not afraid? Could it be because a faint but warm light pooled in her palm?
Or perhaps……. the faith that those she loved would surely find her?
Tiel touched her nape. Her bare nape, unmarked by any Bond.
But in that moment.
Flicker!
In the darkness, a faint light glimmered.
Of course, Tiel did not notice.

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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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