The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 42

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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 42
‘Could I have been mistaken?’
Perhaps she had been. Ian’s Subspace was so dark that anyone unaccustomed to darkness couldn’t see more than a step ahead.
So she might well have misread the decorations or the liquor.
Yes, she probably had misread it. Tiel nodded to herself.
“Let’s go in, Tiel.”
Ferdi wrapped his arm gently around Tiel’s round shoulders. Ludian, hurrying after them, spoke with barely contained excitement.
“The dress is sorted! You’ll shine brightest at the Luminarie coming up.”
“Even without such a dress, our Tiel is the cutest and most beautiful.”
Ferdi added the thought. Tiel tilted her head at the unfamiliar word.
“The Luminarie…?”
“You’ve never been before…oh.”
Ferdi, who had begun asking in bewilderment, suddenly seemed to realize his mistake. He raised the back of his hand to cover his mouth.
At that, Ludian let out an exasperated sigh and pushed Ferdi’s shoulder hard.
“Tiel’s only seven years old. The Luminarie is held once every three years, so of course she’s never been. What were you thinking?”
“Oh, right.”
He’d thought she’d been raised locked away in the Nestian mansion and had never attended. Ferdi relaxed, realizing he hadn’t made a verbal blunder after all.
When he thought about it, Tiel was only seven—it was natural she wouldn’t know.
Ferdi explained kindly.
“The Luminarie is a festival for Lucette, the Goddess of Light. It’s held once every three years. There are many fun events. All the heirs of the great houses will attend as well.”
“Then…might Rowen come too?”
“Rowen? Rowen of Nestian?”
“Yes, and I was wondering if Cornelia as well…”
“I imagine so. If I recall correctly, Rowen of Nestian attended when you were four years old too. Cradled in a nanny’s arms.”
She was going to see Chender and Cornelia again, and Rowen too.
Tiel had thought that once she came to Asterian, she would never see them again. Her spirits sank.
‘Still, I want to go.’
A festival for the Goddess of Light—what could be more magnificent? Tiel had never even been to a festival, let alone left the house.
Her escape from Nestian to come to Asterian had been her first outing, and riding in a carriage to the Temple had been her second.
So this Luminarie would surely hold great meaning for Tiel.
After her brief moment of despondency, Tiel’s eyes sparkled again.
‘All right. Don’t lose courage.’
After all, as long as Father and Grandfather and my brothers are there, they won’t be able to drag me away.
And Cornelia, whom she always tormented and despised, wouldn’t be able to trouble her this time either.
Ludian, quick to sense Tiel’s worry, stroked her tousled bangs gently and spoke.
“Don’t worry, Tiel! If those people say anything to you, I’ll incinerate them all and make them disappear!”
“You can’t burn them, brother…”
Tiel stopped Ludian.
She didn’t particularly like Rowen or Cornelia, but burning them was still out of the question. Tiel shook her head once more.
“You can’t. Understood?”
Ludian, looking somewhat disappointed, nodded as if he understood.
“Fine, I won’t burn them. …Probably?”
At his rider, Tiel shot Ludian a pointed look. The girl decided this wouldn’t do and tugged at Ferdi’s sleeve.
“Brother, brother. Can you please stop Ludian…”
“What. People are off-limits, but a carriage should be fine to burn.”
Ferdi spoke lightly, as if discussing what to have for lunch.
Tiel meant to protest, but found herself at a loss for words.
***
Tiel had not undergone Beastification even once since escaping the Nestian mansion.
First, because there was no real need.
Second, because…
‘The mansion is too warm…’
The Nestian mansion was the home of the Snow Leopard Clan, situated in the heart of the snowy plains where blizzards raged year-round and temperatures never rose.
Of course, Tiel had shorter fur than the other snow leopards, so she had never adapted well to Nestian’s cold.
…Which was why she’d died such a pointless death before returning.
Yet Tiel was still a snow leopard.
She possessed fur longer and thicker than that of the black leopards, and could regulate her body heat by holding her tail in her mouth, so by nature she preferred the cold to warmth.
That was precisely the problem.
While the Nestian mansion lay in the heart of the snow-swept plains, the territory where the Asterian mansion stood had a mild climate year-round.
So naturally, the temperature didn’t suit Tiel. Even the short-furred Tiel found the climate unbearably hot.
Moreover, unlike the snow leopards who possessed the Frost Ability, the black leopards wielded the Flame Ability.
Which meant the Asterian mansion, bathed in flame energy, was far hotter even than the Asterian territory itself.
Was that the problem?
“…Mew?”
Tiel looked down at her hands. The scarred palms had vanished without a trace, replaced by soft pink paw pads where her hands had been.
Tiel sprang from the bed. She felt her body was lighter than usual.
She hurried to the mirror to check her appearance, and her ears and tail drooped.
In the mirror stood a small baby snow leopard, ears and tail hanging limp.
‘Why did I suddenly Beastify?’
It was strange. She had never been forcibly transformed before.
And for some reason, no matter how hard she tried, the Beastification wouldn’t undo.
Eventually, Tiel gave up trying to revert and went to the door to call for Lia.
But then.
‘…Was the door always this massive?’
The baby snow leopard tilted her head. Even young, a snow leopard was still a snow leopard. Tiel was on the smaller side, but she was still larger than most felines.
So she thought she should be able to jump and open the door.
But faced with a door far more enormous than she remembered, the confused baby snow leopard simply sat down in front of it.
And began to scratch at it.
“Mew!”
There was no choice. Since she couldn’t open the door herself, she had to scratch it like this to summon someone from outside!
But no matter how much she scratched, no one came. Normally, at least two or three maids, including Lia, would pass through Tiel’s room. It was strange.
‘I must be having bad luck today…’
Eventually giving up on scratching the door to summon help, Tiel sprang back onto the bed.
She intended to pull the cord beside the bed to call the maids.
“Whimper…”
Tiel whined softly and caught the long cord in her mouth. Then, with all her strength, she pulled.
Ding—.
A bell chimed through the long corridor. Tiel released the cord and wagged her tail happily.
Not long after, Lia rushed through the door.
“Young Miss! I apologize for being late—oh my?”
Lia’s eyes went wide when she spotted the baby snow leopard sprawled on the bed.
She approached without hastily touching Tiel, crouched to meet her eyes, and asked again.
“Young Miss? Have you undergone Beastification?”
“Whine…”
Tiel shook her head vigorously. I didn’t Beastify! I woke up and was like this!
But there was no way Tiel’s meaning could properly reach Lia. Tiel was still too young; she couldn’t communicate clearly while in Beastified form.
Older shapeshifters could communicate with their clan even while Beastified, but Tiel was still too young for that.
Lia pondered for a moment, wondering what the young miss wanted to say. Then she clapped her hands.
If this had been the usual Tiel, she would have immediately reverted the Beastification and explained what she wanted.
But the fact that she remained transformed and only pawed at the ground with her front legs made it clear that she couldn’t undo the Beastification.
“Young Miss, do you perhaps wish to see Lord Cassius? Is that why you summoned me?”
“Yip!”
Tiel nodded eagerly and nestled into Lia’s embrace.
I knew you’d understand!
Lia had a mysterious ability to sense Tiel’s feelings and heart even without her speaking.
Of course, that wasn’t because Lia possessed any special power—it was because Tiel was simply bad at hiding her emotions.
Either way, Tiel believed it was Lia’s ‘special ability.’ And Lia never disappointed that expectation.
Cradling the small snow leopard, Lia smiled warmly and stroked her soft fur gently.
“So that’s what you wanted, my dear. What a precious little girl. I’ll take you right away.”
Tiel rubbed her nose against Lia’s collarbone. When the soft fur brushed her skin, Lia laughed softly.

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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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