The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 239

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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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Side Story 7
“Tiel.”
“…Iandros!?”
Iandros had come to the Asterian Mansion, just as Cassius had anticipated.
Tiel’s eyes widened in surprise, and she hurried toward him, seizing his hand.
“How did you come again? Aren’t you busy? You’re always showing up here, Iandros…”
“You don’t mind, do you? I’ve nearly finished with my affairs. I heard you were almost through with your urgent matters too, so I came to collect you.”
Iandros drew Tiel gently into his arms. She glanced around to see if anyone might be watching, but fortunately, no one paid the two of them any attention.
Nestled in Iandros’s embrace, Tiel nodded.
“That’s right. I’ve cleared most of the pressing work. I was actually about to write you a letter about discussing our travel plans.”
“I wanted to spare you the bother of uncapping your stationery and dipping your pen in ink, so I came in person instead.”
“But I don’t find letter-writing bothersome at all?”
“Still.”
Iandros, still holding Tiel close, brushed back a strand of her hair that had slipped forward and tucked it into place.
“Have you given any thought to where you’d like to go?”
“Well, honestly, I’d be happy anywhere… I haven’t decided yet. What about you? Have you given it some thought?”
“Yes.”
Iandros looked down at Tiel.
“There’s a Southern Villa some distance from Asterian—a retreat for the royal family. It’s been some time since anyone used it, but it’s kept in pristine condition, so we could go rest there whenever we pleased. How does that sound?”
“The Southern Villa? That sounds lovely…! Is there a sea nearby?”
“Yes. There’s no mountain, regrettably, but there is an emerald-colored sea. I’ll take you to it. If you’d like, I’ll even take you out on a boat and gather shells for you.”
Iandros tickled Tiel lightly. She burst into bright laughter.
“Oh, how wonderful… An emerald sea—just imagining it is beautiful. And when should we depart?”
“The trial is at the end of next month, wasn’t it?”
“You really do know everything about me beforehand.”
“Of course. I keep informed of everything concerning you. In any case… I’ll have free time before the trial, so I was hoping to go and return before then. What do you think?”
“I’d like that. Father has been insisting I take some rest anyway…”
At this, Iandros smiled meaningfully.
He held Tiel even closer and rested his head against her shoulder.
“Then let’s make simple preparations and leave at once. A month should be plenty of time for the journey.”
“How long will the traveling take?”
“We have Wolfgang’s carriage, so probably three or four days.”
“Then we’ll have three weeks to do nothing but enjoy ourselves?”
“Yes—three weeks where I’ll spend time with you watching the sea. A week is too short, and a month would make the Black Leopards of Asterian resent me.”
Tiel laughed. Iandros was right. She couldn’t abandon the mansion for a full month.
She was the Head of Household of the Asterian Family, and though her urgent matters were settled for now, there was no telling when more would arise.
“All right, let’s go to the sea. I’m curious to see how beautiful the Southern Villa is.”
“I’ve never been there myself. But when I first heard of the villa’s existence… I decided that if I were ever to go, I would go with you.”
“Because you wanted to see the beautiful villa with me…?”
“Yes. I wanted to see it with you, and I wanted to show it to you.”
At Iandros’s words, Tiel laughed again, her joyful laughter filling the corridor.
***
“Tiel, have a safe journey,” Alpheus said, embracing her lightly before releasing her.
Tiel nodded.
“It’s not far, just a short trip,” she replied.
But why were so many people gathered to see her off?
Not only Cassius and Alpheus, but Ferdi and the maids who attended to her had all come out to bid her farewell.
“It seems like I’m going somewhere terribly far away.”
“…You will be going very far.”
Alpheus seemed startled by his own words, which had slipped out without thought, and cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Pardon?”
“No, Tiel. Have a safe journey.”
Then he stepped back. Next came Cassius, who gazed at Tiel’s hand for a long moment before wishing her well and letting her go.
Ferdi did the same. Tiel couldn’t understand why her family was acting so strangely.
They had always tended to overprotect and dote on her, but today was peculiar in a way she couldn’t quite grasp.
And why did they all keep staring intently at her fingers?
‘What’s wrong with them? Is something on my hand?’
But Tiel’s hands were perfectly clean.
Iandros observed the unusual behavior of the Asterian household for a moment, then gently guided his bewildered betrothed to the carriage and helped her inside.
Once Tiel had climbed in, the members of the Asterian Family all turned and departed.
Iandros settled Tiel into the carriage, draped a soft blanket over her lap, and closed the carriage door.
Shortly after, the carriage pulled smoothly away.
“I don’t understand their behavior. They were never quite like this before—today was especially strange…” Tiel murmured.
“I wonder why… Perhaps they were worried about us traveling?” Iandros replied.
If Tiel and Iandros were not betrothed, such a reaction would have been perfectly understandable.
But they were betrothed, and the two of them traveling together was entirely natural for a couple.
As Tiel pondered her family’s strange behavior, she found herself staring at her own fingers, then folded her hands.
Her family’s fussiness was nothing new. Besides, they were only acting that way out of concern for her, so there was no reason to dwell on it.
The carriage raced forward.
Tiel and Iandros rented out an entire inn along the way to sleep, then set out again the next morning in the carriage.
Since the carriage they rode in was a special one with Wolfgang’s Ability woven into it, the journey to the Southern Villa didn’t take long—just three days, as Iandros had said.
Three days and nights passed swiftly, and the horse hitched to the front of the carriage was changed once.
And then, at last:
“I smell the sea…!”
Tiel savored the breeze flowing through the open window and smiled happily.
The sea breeze truly was in the air.
Salt wind swept over them, gently ruffling both Tiel’s and Iandros’s hair.
Iandros sat across from Tiel, gazing out the window, and nodded.
“Yes, we’re almost there. The sea is right in front of the villa, so you can see it from the bedroom too.”
“If I were a water-dwelling Beast-kin, I could dive straight into the sea from the villa bedroom…!”
“No, you wouldn’t. The Tiel I know isn’t the sort of prankster who’d leap out a window straight into the sea.”
Iandros and Tiel laughed together, facing each other.
As they spoke, the carriage passed through the villa’s main gate and rolled smoothly along a well-laid brick path.
The carriage bearing Tiel and Iandros came to rest before the Southern Villa’s front entrance.
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived,” the Imperial Palace knight announced from outside, opening the door.
The villa’s attendants had all come out to receive the Crown Prince and his betrothed.
Iandros stepped out of the carriage first and naturally extended his hand toward Tiel.
“Come, take my hand.”
Tiel grasped it without hesitation. His hand was warm and firm—pleasant to hold.
As Tiel descended from the carriage, she lifted her gaze to the villa that belonged to the Crasion Empire.
‘Wow…!’
Though called a villa, it was still a palace, and its size far exceeded the Nestian manor house.
Moreover, it was appointed in a style entirely different from the Imperial Palace—and that style was beautiful in its own right, easily capturing Tiel’s gaze.
As Tiel and Iandros paused to admire the villa, a woman standing at the front of the staff approached and bowed respectfully.
“I am Dennis, in charge of the villa’s management. I shall ensure your stay is most comfortable.”

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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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