The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 268

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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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Special Side Story 18
Runa’s Salamander grew by leaps and bounds as time passed. Tiel hadn’t fed it anything special, nor had Runa manifested an Ability in the meantime, so Tiel consulted with Cassius about it.
Cassius told her that the Salamander’s power wasn’t something borrowed from him but rather its own inherent strength; therefore, the Salamander’s rapid growth could be seen as Runa’s own power growing stronger.
So as Runa’s Salamander grew larger, people could no longer dismiss the young princess as lacking an Ability.
Of course, even before, Runa had received her parents’ affection abundantly within the Imperial Palace, so she had never been slighted for lacking an Ability.
“Sally!”
Ever since the Salamander had chosen Runa as its master, the young princess’s standing had become all the more solid, and the number of people who worried about the Empire’s young princess—once a source of concern—had dwindled.
Moreover, when word spread that a Salamander with a sense of self had chosen the princess as its master, the nobility took notice.
An Ability, merely one aspect of the power of Abilities, possessed consciousness and had chosen a master?
Perhaps the very scope of what constituted an Ability might expand further. In that regard, both Runa and the Salamander received abundant attention and affection from all.
Of course, with the exception of Ain.
“Ow!”
Ain, who had carelessly left his tail exposed again only to have Sally bite it, quickly tucked his tail away into his clothes and glared at the Salamander.
“Why does this little thing keep doing this?”
Ain, now noticeably more grown, glared at the Salamander as he spoke. Runa seemed embarrassed, dragging the Salamander along as she shrugged her shoulders.
“Sally asked before why you always have your tail in your mouth……”
“And?”
“You said you hold it to regulate your body temperature, so it looks like Sally wanted to copy you.”
Runa shrugged her shoulders and pointed toward the room.
Ain’s room was filled with the flowers that had once decorated Tiel’s room in childhood, making it cooler than the other chambers.
Perhaps that’s why the Salamander found it a bit cold. Runa laughed awkwardly and pulled the Salamander into an embrace.
“Don’t be upset, I’ll talk it through so you stop biting, okay?”
“Hmph.”
Ain’s tail swished back and forth.
Ain was occupied with something important right now.
In the boy’s palm, a fragment of ice formed and vanished, then formed and vanished again.
Freezing, melting, freezing, melting.
“What are you doing?”
Runa, curiosity kindled, rested her chin on Ain’s shoulder from behind.
“Practicing.”
“Practicing what?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Ain gave Runa a slight push away.
In truth, Ain had always believed that he was the one who needed to protect Runa.
Ain was Runa’s older brother, so he naturally had to protect the weak Runa, who lacked an Ability.
But once Runa got the Salamander and it began to function as her faithful servant, Ain’s role had faded into insignificance.
‘It’s a good thing that Sally exists.’
But then what was Ain supposed to do?
Father had said Ain needed to protect Runa. But now Runa was a child who didn’t need Ain’s protection.
The Salamander would fulfill Ain’s role, and Runa would soon be able to protect herself without needing her older brother.
“Hmm……”
Ain didn’t know whether he should be happy about that or sad. Objectively, it was certainly a joyful thing. But from the perspective that his own role had diminished, it was sorrowful.
“Ah, I did it!”
Then Ain, who had just succeeded in crafting an ice fragment into an extremely intricate and delicate shape, broke into a wide smile.
And he swept thoughts of Runa from his mind. Well, good is good. Runa is an awfully complicated and tiresome girl, so not having to protect her meant a massive burden had lifted from his shoulders.
But.
‘Still, it feels a bit lonely……’
Ain murmured to himself, turning the ice fragment over in his fingers.
Even so, this lonely feeling would eventually fade. For now, it was simply a matter of Runa—who had always been at his side—no longer needing her older brother’s help, and that was what felt lonely.
Even that would be fine someday. There were certainly problems that time could solve.
But Ain thought he should confide this lonely feeling to Tiel.
Mother was wise, after all; perhaps she could make it so Ain wasn’t lonely anymore. Or perhaps she could find a way to help him embrace Runa’s early independence in a more mature light.
After thinking such things, his mood improved, thankfully.
The ice fragment remained intact even where Ain’s fingertips touched it.
***
“Welcome!”
Tiel approached cheerfully to greet Ludian. Ludian, dressed handsomely, greeted her back with a broad smile.
“Tiel!”
“What brings you all the way here?”
Tiel dismissed the waiting attendants and asked. She had made this courtesy so Ludian wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in the presence of those from the Imperial Palace.
“I came to see His Majesty the Emperor. And while I’m here, I wanted to see my sister’s face too.”
Thanks to Tiel having dismissed the attendants, Ludian no longer needed to maintain formality; he placed his hand on the head of the boy standing beside him as he spoke.
“My goodness.”
Tiel immediately recognized who the boy was and covered her mouth carefully. Raven then emerged from behind Ludian and hurriedly offered his respects.
“The Light of the Empire, Your Majesty the Empress. My respects.”
“Raven, it’s been so long. Have you come to see Runa?”
“I brought him along since I was coming to the Imperial Palace. I thought I should let him say goodbye to Runa.”
“Goodbye?”
“Yes, Beast-kin transformed into magical creatures have been appearing in large numbers near the Cliad Mountain Range, so I’ve decided to go suppress them in a hurry. This one’s coming with me.”
“……Even though he’s so young?”
“He’s worth his salt at this point. He won’t be fighting directly anyway.”
Ludian patted Raven on the back.
“And it was this one’s decision to come along. Isn’t that right?”
He looked at Raven warmly. It was less the gaze of a knight regarding a page and more the affectionate gaze of an older brother regarding a younger one.
Raven nodded in response to Ludian’s question.
“Yes, I volunteered.”
“I told him I’d write him a letter of recommendation for the Imperial Palace Knight Order once he returns.”
He chuckled and ruffled Raven’s black hair roughly. Ludian pressed down on Raven’s head, causing the boy’s neck to shrink back slightly.
Yet the motion didn’t seem one of fear. Raven’s two ears had turned slightly red with embarrassment.
Tiel regarded Raven with a somewhat worried gaze.
A letter of recommendation for the Imperial Palace Knight Order.
To even take the admission examination for the Imperial Palace Knight Order, one needed a recommendation letter from a noble house. Of course, having a letter didn’t guarantee admission—one had to pass the examination.
So Raven wants to come to the Imperial Palace through such a trial. It might have been a disappointing choice for Ludian, but her brother showed no sign of disappointment whatsoever.
Rather, it seemed as though he was supporting that choice.
‘He’s grown since then, but still so young. Will he be alright?’
But if Ludian was with him, there was no risk of Raven being hurt. Thinking that way, she felt a bit reassured.
Tiel lowered her posture slightly and brought her hand to Raven’s forehead.
The two fish that always circled around Tiel spun around Raven’s body in spirals.
“I see. I’ll support your choice, Raven.”
“……!”
“Every choice is important. I can’t dismiss the choice of a young boy simply because he’s young. I hope you have a good journey and that your brother will protect you well.”
At the gentle stream of words, Raven, who had been staring blankly at Tiel, nodded hurriedly.
Tiel watched him and chuckled softly.
“The Cliad Mountain Range is very far away—once you leave, you won’t see each other for some time. Runa will be lonely.”
“Um, Your Majesty.”
Raven asked carefully, gathering his courage.
“Before we leave, might I pay my respects to the princess? As you said, I think she’ll be lonely……”
Tiel, stroking Raven’s head, answered readily.
“Of course. This child will show you the way.”
An attendant standing where Tiel’s gaze fell approached with a bright smile.

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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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