The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 241

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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 9
“……Iandros.”
Tiel opened her mouth carefully.
“Iandros, you’ve done so much. You worked so hard to help me. It must have been difficult for you too…….”
Iandros waited patiently until Tiel finished speaking.
“Thank you for staying with me.”
As Tiel finished, she smiled softly. In that moment, Iandros caught a glimpse of her as a child overlaid upon her present face.
Tiel had undergone countless changes since childhood until now, yet her smile remained unchanged even as she grew.
Realizing this, his chest stirred with an unexpected warmth, and Iandros, overwhelmed, could only manage a nod after a brief silence.
The two of them sat on the beach for quite some time afterward, rising only after the sun began to set.
The hem of the wet one-piece dress had already dried. Her feet, which had been immersed in seawater, were now soft and dry.
Just as Tiel thought the sun was setting and there would be no need for a hat, she reached to remove it.
“Doesn’t it feel a shame to go back just yet?”
Iandros took the hat from Tiel’s hands and asked.
Tiel gazed at Iandros quietly, then nodded with a bright smile.
“Yes, I’d like to spend more time playing with you.”
“Good, I thought as much. Let’s go back, take the carriage, and head to the village. I’ve heard they hold a large night market around this time of year in a village not far from here.”
“Do we not need to eat dinner? You must be hungry…….”
“I’m fine, but what about you? There will be plenty to eat at the night market, so we won’t need to dine at the palace.”
“Then I’m fine too. I’m not that hungry.”
Iandros and Tiel chatted quietly as they made their way back to the villa.
Upon returning, they had a light tea and a piece of bread, gently washed the sand from their bodies, changed clothes, and then prepared to head out again.
They had to wash—both were covered in sand.
After Tiel finished her preparations, she carefully opened the door adjoining Iandros’s room.
Iandros was putting on his jacket, ready to leave.
Since both planned to conceal their identities at the night market, they wore simple clothes unlike their usual attire.
Yet it seemed that simply dressing plainly could not hide what nature had given them. Despite wearing a plain and ordinary jacket, Iandros looked refined and expensively dressed because of his face.
Tiel approached carefully and helped him adjust his jacket, then asked.
“Should we cover your face too? Your golden hair is too striking for hiding your identity…….”
“Too eye-catching, you mean? Even so, it should be fine. The night market will be crowded, and it’s dark now that the sun has set, so it won’t show clearly. The real problem, though…….”
Tiel wound her white hair around her finger and laughed awkwardly. It was hardly the time to worry about anyone else.
“Since it’s dark……won’t it be hard to see?”
“It will show, but no one will pay much attention, as I said—there will be too many people. Still.”
Iandros made a small gesture, and one of the handmaidens brought over a hair ornament.
It was a decoration to conceal her hair. Iandros personally covered Tiel’s hair with it, then gently kissed her forehead.
“This will do nicely.”
Tiel felt the spot where he kissed her suddenly flush with heat.
She opened her eyes wide in surprise and looked up at Iandros, then quickly took his hand and turned away.
Both of her cheeks had flushed pink.
“Yes, thank you…… Now, l-let’s go quickly! We’re tired, so we should hurry and get back.”
Her voice betrayed her confusion from the kiss just moments ago, but Iandros did not press on the part his fiancée wished to hide.
“Yes, let’s go, Tiel.”
***
The carriage carrying the two came to a halt some distance from the night market.
Although they had taken a carriage without the Imperial seal of Crasion, it was still so elaborate that it drew attention, so it was better to disembark from afar.
Tiel took Iandros’s hand as she stepped down from the carriage and looked out toward the distance.
From far away came the loud chatter of countless beast-kin. She could see many lights burning brightly.
The lights stretched out in a line as long as the beach. It was truly a massive night market.
“Wow…….”
“Have you ever been to a night market before?”
“It’s my first time.”
Tiel walked forward, still holding Iandros’s hand. The knights escorting them kept watch from a distance, remaining alert but not intrusive.
With their protection, there was nothing to worry about even in the crowd. Soon, Iandros and Tiel arrived within the night market and merged into the throng of people.
There were truly many things within the night market.
“Flowers imported from Arne! They won’t wilt even if you don’t water them for a whole week—perfect as a gift for your lover!”
“This was imported from the land of Arcadia—necklaces made from shells found there. Look at the color, it’s different from others, isn’t it?”
“This one is from Asterian territory!”
“And this from Wolfgang…….”
Countless goods imported from various places sat on vendor stalls, waiting for someone to purchase them.
The scale was enormous, and the items themselves seemed far from ordinary.
Then.
“Oh!”
Someone passed by Tiel and bumped her shoulder slightly.
Iandros wrapped his arm around Tiel’s shoulders and drew her close to his side.
“Be careful. Don’t let go of my hand. There are so many people here that if we get separated, it’ll be difficult to find each other again.”
Tiel could have found Iandros quickly using her Ability, but she decided not to mention that.
“Yes, I’ll be careful not to let go.”
With so many people and so much noise, Tiel and Iandros had to press their faces close to each other’s ears to converse.
But it wasn’t unpleasant, and the two found themselves truly enjoying the night market’s atmosphere.
Holding Tiel’s hand, Iandros approached the vendor who had been loudly selling “flowers from Arne.”
“A bouquet of flowers, please.”
“An excellent choice! You’re giving it to your lover beside you, yes? I’ll wrap it beautifully for you!”
The flower vendor hummed happily and pulled out a bouquet, tying a ribbon around it.
It was notably fuller than the other bouquets.
“Here you are. Enjoy your time here!”
At those words, both Tiel and Iandros flinched slightly. Was it so obvious they were outsiders?
But as they glanced around, they quickly relaxed. This was a renowned travel destination, and there were many other beast-kin who appeared to be tourists besides them.
Iandros handed the bouquet to Tiel and whispered.
“You seemed unable to take your eyes off these flowers.”
“Yes, I thought they were so lovely. When the vendor said they were from Arne, it made me remember the time I spent there…….”
Tiel smiled softly.
As Iandros gazed at her, something seemed to resolve within him, and he took her hand firmly.
“Hmm? Iandros?”
Gripping her hand, he began to make his way through the numerous vendor stalls crying out their wares.
“I’ll take this too.”
“And this.”
“This looks nice as well.”
After moving through the crowd for a while like this, Iandros’s hands were soon filled with countless items.
Tiel gasped in alarm and tried to take the many things he was holding—all gifts for her—from his hands.
“Iandros! Why did you buy so much? It must be heavy to carry. Let me take those…….”
“Tiel, you haven’t forgotten your fiancé’s Ability, have you?”
Leading Tiel to a quiet spot, Iandros quietly opened a Subspace, placed the items inside, and closed it again when no one was looking.
Iandros’s hands were now completely empty.
“……!”
Tiel’s eyes grew wider and wider as she stared at her fiancé, who had impulsively bought so many things and stuffed them into the Subspace.
But Iandros simply shrugged as if it were nothing.
“Shall we go again? If there’s anything else you’d like, just say the word anytime.”

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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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