The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 32

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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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Episode 32
“That’s……!!”
It was Ancient Script. The kind now forgotten in the memories of people, readable only by a handful of those who remained.
And Alpheus and Cassius were among that handful.
They recognized the characters that had appeared on the stone wall instantly.
“Cassius…….”
“Yes, Ancient Script.”
Glowing letters covered the stone wall, inscribed as follows.
[When the long darkness has passed and light takes its rightful place in this world, Asterian and Nestian shall reclaim their true power.]
Then another line of text appeared.
[Light Suppresses Darkness by Mere Existence.]
‘Light suppresses darkness by mere existence…….’
Alpheus and Cassius understood at once what it meant.
Surely it referred to the moment when Tiel had calmed Ferdi.
‘Mere existence can soothe the Madness Curse…….’
It was a revelation of staggering proportions.
Precisely what the Leopard Clan had long desired.
Yet there was no fundamental cure in sight.
‘In the end, they’ll need Tiel to manage the curse.’
Tiel’s mere existence suppressed the Madness in both Asterian and Nestian.
Which meant that the moment this truth became known, every soul with ambition would move against her.
Nestian would pursue her to solve its curse, while the other houses would target her out of fear that Asterian and Nestian’s affliction might be lifted…….
‘How troublesome.’
But Cassius, Alpheus, and Asterian had no intention whatsoever of letting her slip away.
Losing Rena had been enough. They would not repeat that mistake.
Murder kindled in Cassius’s eyes.
His golden gaze blazed through the darkness, transformed into something feral and bestial.
Had Alpheus not intervened, fangs would have torn from his jaw.
“Stand down, Cassius.”
……
Cassius nodded. His eyes returned to their ordinary amber.
Not long after, the glowing Ancient Script on the stone wall faded away.
As Tiel’s power withdrew, absolute darkness descended upon the chamber once more.
The pooled light gathered into Tiel’s small palm.
The girl blinked, and the light was drawn back into her hand.
Finding its place, settling home.
Tiel could not read the Ancient Script, and so she had no way of knowing what those characters meant.
She could only infer from the grave expressions on Cassius’s and Alpheus’s faces that ‘it must have been something serious.’
Tiel asked carefully.
“Um, was it something bad that was written there?”
“No, Tiel. You did well.”
Alpheus approached the platform and lifted his granddaughter to her feet, sweeping her into his arms. Tiel squirmed for a moment.
“Oh, Grandfather! You’ll get dust on your clothes…….”
“It’s all right, child. You’ve worked hard.”
He paid no mind to the dust settling on his garments, only stroked her tousled hair while holding her.
“You’ve done well, Tiel.”
Cassius pinched Tiel’s soft cheek gently and released it.
The girl giggled and hugged Alpheus’s neck all the tighter.
Alpheus and Cassius left the chamber with Tiel in tow.
Once all three had exited, the mechanical sound returned, and the Bookshelf closed of its own accord.
Alpheus turned to look at the sealed door, then pointed out the spine of the book he had first pressed, showing Tiel once more.
“Tiel, you may come here whenever you wish from now on.”
“But you said this place was only for house leaders…….”
“Before it was the Secret Chamber of Heads, it was a chamber for those bearing the Light Ability. It is your chamber. You may come and go as you please.”
Alpheus brushed Tiel’s hair affectionately. She smiled brightly and nodded.
“Yes!”
Tiel glanced at the worn book’s spine.
She had a feeling she would grow quite fond of it.
That book had proven she was of Asterian’s blood—a gift she could never repay…….
There had been nights she’d lain awake, fretting that perhaps she wasn’t of Asterian’s line after all,
but now she felt she could rest peacefully, deeply.
Cassius, watching Tiel’s bright smile, reached up and stroked her fluffy hair.
Soft strands poked out between his fingers.
***
Tiel, Ferdi, and Ludian sat side by side at a long table, eating Blueberry Pie.
When you bit through the crisp, flaking crust, the sweetened blueberry syrup and warm, tender fruit flesh filled your mouth with a softness that was quite extraordinary—a truly excellent Blueberry Pie.
Tiel marveled constantly as she ate.
That such food could exist in the world…….
Every meal she ate in Asterian was fresh and wonderful day after day.
But the two brothers had already lost interest, nibbling a few bites before setting their plates aside.
A stark contrast to Tiel, who sat with her mouth wide open in admiration.
“Tiel, is it good? Should I ask them to bring more?”
Ferdi dabbed the corners of Tiel’s mouth with a napkin, asking warmly.
Tiel’s eyes darted about, gauging Ria’s reaction.
“But she said I shouldn’t eat too much…….”
“No, miss, young lord. One pie each. You must eat dinner later.”
“Then eat this.”
Ludian quickly pushed his portion of Blueberry Pie across the table to Tiel.
Then he looked up triumphantly at Ria and declared,
“I’m not eating it myself, so it’s fine, right?”
“Ludian, that’s not what Ria meant at all. You’re such an idiot.”
Ferdi sighed.
Tiel stared at the plate Ludian had set before her for a moment, then pushed it back to him.
“Brother, please eat it! It’s really delicious. One slice is enough for me.”
Tiel speared a piece of the cut Blueberry Pie with her fork and held it to Ludian’s lips.
Ah. His small mouth opened as though he were eating, though he wasn’t.
“You’re giving it to me? Tiel!”
Ludian accepted it eagerly, though pie crumbs scattered across his lips, which he didn’t mind one bit.
Ferdi, watching quietly, tapped the back of Tiel’s hand and asked,
“What about me, Tiel?”
“Oh, I’ll give some to you too, brother!”
Tiel hurriedly speared another piece of pie with her fork.
Ferdi, resting his chin in his hand, laughed at how adorable she was.
That was when it happened.
“Stop bothering your sister. Ferdi, Ludian.”
Cassius appeared suddenly and pressed down on Ferdi’s head. His neatly arranged hair became disheveled at once.
“We weren’t bothering her! What part of this looks like bothering?”
“That’s right, Father. We were just playing with Tiel.”
Ludian protested while Ferdi added his explanation, smoothing down his mussed hair.
Cassius shrugged and ignored both of them.
“Tiel.”
He looked down at his daughter, whose mouth was stuffed full of pie and cheeks puffed with chewing. Her round cheeks were perfectly plump.
Tiel finished chewing and swallowing the pie, then smiled broadly.
“Cassi—hup. No, um, Dad……!”
“Yes, daughter.”
Cassius cradled Tiel’s cheeks gently in his large hand, brushing away pie crumbs with his thumb.
Tiel blinked.
“You must eat dinner. You can’t survive on snacks alone.”
“Yes, don’t worry. I’ll eat dinner too.”
“Good. Eat well and rest today. Tomorrow we’ll need to go out.”
“Go out?”
It was not Tiel who asked, but Ludian.
Ludian, who had been snatching Ferdi’s portion of Blueberry Pie, tilted his head curiously.
“You’re taking Tiel outside?”
“Yes. The results of the Paternity Test came back. Don’t worry, Tiel. I’ll go with you.”
Tiel nodded vigorously. She no longer feared the Paternity Test results.
‘The Secret Chamber of Asterian has already recognized me.’
There was no possibility she was not of Asterian’s blood.
The Paternity Test would be a mere formality. But the Temple——she felt a little anxious about it.
Tiel was still quite shy, and she had never been anywhere besides the Asterian and Nestian estates.
But with Cassius accompanying her, she felt reassured, so she simply nodded with a smile.
“I’ll go with you too.”
Ferdi, who had smoothed his hair back neatly, stepped forward and placed his hand on Tiel’s shoulder.
“Then I’m coming too. What if someone tries to take Tiel away?”
It was an unnecessary worry within Asterian, but Cassius and Ferdi saw no need to point that out.
Cassius looked between his two sons in turn, then stood, hands sinking into his pockets.
“The Temple won’t be pleased.”
It was permission. Cassius ended with those words, stroked Tiel’s hair once more, and left the room.
Shortly after, Tiel finished off an entire plate of Blueberry Pie.

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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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