The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 41

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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 41
“Now that I think about it.”
Ian Dros raised an eyebrow as if the thought had only just occurred to him.
“His Majesty wished to meet Tiel.”
“His Majesty? Why? You don’t mean to say…….”
Ludian’s eyes sharpened.
Ian Dros Crasion—the young man was preparing to welcome the Crown Princess. That was why all the girls his age had become candidates for the position in the first place.
‘I knew something was off.’
Even while he should have been busy vetting Crown Princess candidates, he’d been coming to the Asterian Mansion every day. That had seemed strange.
But what if it meant……he intended to take Tiel as his Crown Princess?
Ludian clenched his fists, swearing to himself that he would never forgive such a thing.
The moment the word “Crown Princess” left Ian’s lips—even just the first syllable—he wouldn’t hesitate to strike the back of his head.
Laying hands on the Crown Prince constituted a Crime of Insulting Imperial Family, but he didn’t care.
If it was the only chance to save Tiel, Ludian would gladly strike his closest friend’s head a thousand times over.
Ian studied the expressions that had turned murderous on Ludian and Ferdi’s faces and shook his head.
“Don’t worry—I have no intention of doing any such thing. You two know better than anyone.”
……
“What it means to become Crown Princess.”
Ian had no intention of burdening Tiel with such a responsibility.
Even if he were to lose control and die, he would ensure that no harm befell her.
“So stop your needless worrying. It’s only that he seems curious about her.”
Ian extended his hand to Tiel. Without hesitation, she grasped it firmly and rose to her feet.
“Tiel’s Ability isn’t an ordinary one, after all. It’s only natural that His Majesty should be interested.”
The youngest daughter of House Asterian, believed to be dead.
At the same time, a girl who had manifested the legendary Light Ability.
It would be stranger if the Emperor showed no curiosity. Had Tiel been born to another house, she’d have been summoned to the Imperial Palace long ago.
Only thanks to Alpheus Ewald Asterian being the Emperor’s closest friend could they postpone her court appearance with the excuse that “the child is shy with strangers.”
Ian casually kicked Ludian out of the way. The seat beside the sofa was now empty. The young man settled Tiel in the place next to him.
“You shouldn’t kick your elder brother!”
Tiel was drawn to the sofa by Ian’s hand, yet she still managed to glare at him.
Ludian grumbled and tried to sit beside Ferdi. But Ferdi, displeased at losing Tiel, wouldn’t budge, so he ended up having to sit on another sofa.
“Fine. I won’t kick anyone. But Tiel, I wanted to ask you something.”
Ian waved his hand toward Ludian with an expression devoid of apology.
Ludian’s face twisted as he received what could hardly be called an apology.
Tiel didn’t speak until she’d seen Ian make his excuse to Ludian, and then she replied with a slightly curious tone.
“Yes! Please ask.”
“There’s a pink cushion in my Subspace that I’ve never seen before.”
……?
Tiel tilted her head in confusion.
Ian pressed on relentlessly.
“Is it yours?”
***
“Perhaps it’s time to show her now, Alpheus.”
The Emperor raised his teacup with a grave expression. His tone carried a note of reproach.
Yet the old man seated across from him remained unmoved and replied.
“The child is quite shy. Unlike her father, she is delicate, and should she come to the Imperial Palace, she would surely collapse.”
“But I cannot very well visit House Asterian myself.”
“The Luminarie will soon arrive. You may see her then.”
The Luminarie—the grand festival held once every three years, when all the people of the empire gathered to honor Lucet, the God of Light.
Since Tiel’s manifestation of the Light Ability had become known, she was bound to attend the festival.
For this reason, Alpheus had decided the Luminarie as the occasion for Tiel’s first official public appearance.
In other words, it also meant he would not present her to the world in any other way until the Luminarie—not even at the Emperor’s command.
Only Alpheus, both the Emperor’s closest friend and the patriarch of House Asterian, which upheld the empire itself, could have dared entertain such a notion.
The Emperor eventually gave up trying to break his will. Instead, he laughed softly and shrugged his shoulders.
“Ian seems to be taking considerable interest in the girl these days.”
“Since Your Majesty saved her, it is only natural that he should think of her.”
“Alpheus, you know the legend of House Asterian and House Nestian.”
Alpheus’s hand froze at the Emperor’s words. Yet he remained composed, dropping a sugar cube into his tea before responding.
“That is merely a legend of Asterian and Nestian, Your Majesty. It has nothing to do with the Crown Prince.”
Alpheus knew, because he was the Emperor’s friend, that the Crown Prince Ian Dros’s Ability was terribly unstable.
He also knew that someone who once possessed the same Ability had lost control, causing the deaths of countless people.
And he knew that the current Emperor, Wilhelm, was seeking a Crown Princess who would share in that power to prevent Ian Dros’s loss of control.
“Your Majesty.”
He knew all of it.
And he also understood the Emperor’s intent in broaching the subject of Tiel at this moment.
“It is a legend with no bearing on the Crown Prince.”
The legend that a child bearing the Light Ability would restore the true power that Houses Asterian and Nestian once possessed.
Power strong enough to calm the raging Ferdi and draw forth their original strength.
The Emperor intended to make Tiel Crown Princess so that she might share in Ian Dros’s power.
“Alpheus, I’m not saying we should act on this immediately. But…….”
“There is no ‘but,’ Your Majesty. The Crown Prince is her benefactor, and you are my liege.”
“Alpheus.”
“But she is my granddaughter.”
Alpheus spoke with unwavering resolve.
Ian Dros would be an excellent match for her. But.
“Surely you have not forgotten, Your Majesty.”
……
“I know the truth of that day.”
The Emperor’s brow furrowed. He said nothing more and brought his teacup to his lips.
Alpheus knew he had displeased the Emperor, yet he continued speaking firmly.
“There is no assurance that my granddaughter will not become a victim of that tragedy, nor any guarantee that what happened that day will not repeat itself.”
“Alpheus! I said I’m not asking you to act on this immediately! Stop this at once!”
“Wilhelm! Don’t even speak of such madness! Not my granddaughter. Do you think I don’t know what Imprinting is?”
Imprinting was not merely a matter of creating a partner to share an Ability.
Two people bound by Imprinting had to share life and death for all their days, bearing full responsibility for each other’s lives. That was the meaning of Imprinting.
And Alpheus did not wish his granddaughter to be bound in such a way.
Least of all for the sake of restraining Ian Dros’s loss of control.
Though they called it sharing an Ability, all three of them—the Emperor, Alpheus, and Ian—knew that any partner who took on Ian’s Ability was destined for an early death.
This was also why Ian refused to accept a Crown Princess.
The Emperor exhaled deeply. Then another sigh caught in his throat. He regarded Alpheus with an expression of weariness.
“Alpheus, calm yourself. You seem to be overwrought.”
“My apologies, Your Majesty. But my granddaughter cannot be the answer.”
“……True. I’m certain Ian Dros would refuse to be bound to your granddaughter absolutely.”
The Emperor spoke slowly.
“I know Ian. That boy has known such loneliness……but lately he doesn’t sulk so easily, nor does he lock himself away in his chambers.”
……
“I suspect it is thanks to your granddaughter. Perhaps she has soothed some part of Ian Dros that needed soothing.”
The Emperor’s expression carried a hint of sorrow. Alpheus listened in silence, then spoke.
“Your Majesty.”
……
“Do you still intend to keep the truth of ‘that day’ hidden?”
The Emperor nodded silently in response.
Alpheus asked nothing further.
***
“See you next time!”
Tiel gave Ian a light embrace and released him. Ian smiled in agreement and reached out to stroke her hair.
“Don’t touch me so carelessly, Your Highness.”
But Ferdi’s hand promptly brushed him away. Ian shrugged and climbed into the carriage.
“See you next time, Tiel.”
“Yes! See you next time~!”
“Keep your promises, Ian Dros.”
Ian casually ignored Ferdi’s words and boarded the carriage, which then departed.
Tiel watched the carriage recede into the distance and recalled what Ian Dros had asked her just moments before.
‘There’s a pink cushion in my Subspace that I’ve never seen before.’
‘Is it yours?’
At the time, Tiel had shaken her head. A pink cushion—that one had existed in the Subspace before she’d even entered it.
But what he said next left her with nothing to do but stare at Ian in bewilderment.
‘It’s the cushion decorated with golden thread and ribbons.’
The cushion Tiel had slept on that day in Ian’s Subspace was not such an elaborate one.

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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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