The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 43

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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 43
***
“Tiel.”
Cassius took the baby snow leopard into his arms and planted a light kiss on its small head. After handing Tiel over to Cassius, Lia stepped back and bowed her head.
“When the young lady called for me, she was already in her beastified form.”
“Good work. You can go now.”
Lia gave a brief bow and hurried out of the study in quick, light steps.
“Mew-ow…”
Tiel pressed her soft paw pads against Cassius’s chest, kneading gently. The delicate pink bean-shaped toe pads compressed with each push.
If Tiel’s paws hadn’t been clean, her prints would surely have left marks shaped like tiny beans across his chest.
“Why did you suddenly beastify?”
“Mew-ow!”
The baby snow leopard shook her head vigorously. This was not something she had chosen to do.
It just happened when I woke up! Tiel flailed her paws frantically, trying to convey her meaning through gestures alone.
“So it wasn’t your doing?”
“Mew!”
Tiel nodded eagerly. Cassius laughed as if he understood well enough. His large, thick palm came to rest on her head.
Tiel folded back her two ears in rhythm with Cassius’s stroking, positioning herself for maximum comfort.
“I see. It’s because you’re still young. Your control over your Ability and beastification is still immature, so it’s happening against your will.”
“Mew-ing…”
“When will it wear off? Well, usually it takes a day or two.”
A day or two? Tiel, who had assumed it would only last half a day at most, felt her face darken noticeably.
Beyond the frustration of not being able to communicate properly, being in beastified form was far, far too—
‘Far too hot…’
The fluffy fur made everything twice as warm as usual. Tiel rolled over in Cassius’s embrace, exposing all four pink paw pads.
“…How adorable.”
Whether Cassius knew or didn’t know what Tiel was thinking, he gently stroked her soft belly.
“Mew-owww!”
No, I’m saying I’m hot!
Cassius’s hands were twice as hot as anyone else’s. Of course they were—he possessed a Flame Ability! The baby snow leopard squirmed restlessly.
But Cassius didn’t understand what Tiel was saying. In the end, Tiel had no choice but to let him stroke her belly as much as he pleased.
So hot… The baby snow leopard’s body went limp. Yet Cassius still failed to notice that Tiel was sensitive to heat.
The Asterion Mansion was a home of black leopards who wielded the Flame Ability. It made sense that the people gathered here were accustomed to warmth rather than sensitive to it.
There had been an occasion when Rena Nestian, a snow leopard, stayed at the Asterion Mansion.
However, because Rena could regulate her own body temperature using her Ice Ability, the people of the Asterion Mansion never even realized that she was sensitive to heat.
‘Goodness, it’s really hot…’
Tiel, however, had not been born with an Ice Ability, so she couldn’t regulate her own body temperature.
‘I didn’t notice this before the beastification.’
Before, it had been only slightly warm, but now, covered entirely in fur, she was nearly roasting.
Just as she was thinking of herself as a well-done pie, Cassius glanced at a clock and murmured tiredly.
“It’s time for the meeting already.”
At the mention of “meeting,” Tiel stirred in Cassius’s arms and began to rise.
Cassius was planning to call Lia and return Tiel to her room before the meeting, and while he was at it, he’d find the coolest spot in the chamber.
Just as she was about to jump down—
“…!!”
Cassius stood, cradling Tiel firmly in his embrace. The startled baby snow leopard pressed her front paws against his arm urgently.
But Father, you said you were going to the meeting…!
Cassius paid her no mind and walked onward, holding Tiel securely. The small snow leopard nestled in his broad chest, her eyes darting about.
‘Is he planning to set me down in my room on the way?’
But Tiel’s hopes were dashed the moment Cassius boldly crossed the threshold of the conference room, Tiel still in his arms.
“…!!!”
“!!!!”
Both Tiel, now in the middle of the conference room, and Alpheus, along with the retainers who saw the Marquis suddenly appear carrying a baby snow leopard, were rendered speechless in shock.
Among them, only Cassius remained unruffled. He walked calmly to his seat and sat down.
“My apologies for being late. As you can see.”
Cassius indicated his daughter, still held in his arms and wearing a dazed expression, with a tilt of his chin, pulling his lips back into a smile.
“Something came up with my daughter.”
“Tiel? Is that Tiel?”
Alpheus rose sharply and approached. Tiel, flustered, nodded—then suddenly lifted both hind legs.
‘Grandfather!’
“Mew-ow!”
But Alpheus couldn’t take Tiel into his arms. Cassius swiftly snatched her back and held her firmly against his chest.
“Shall we begin the meeting?”
“You damned—”
Cassius tilted his head with an easy smile. It was the smile of a victor.
Thanks to this, Tiel found herself observing the Asterion Household meeting from Cassius’s lap.
‘My goodness… she’s truly adorable.’
‘I remember when our daughter was just that size. Ah, how time flies…’
Whispered conversations drifted through the room now and then. Tiel’s ears perked toward the sound.
Cassius shot them a warning look, but the retainers’ eyes wouldn’t leave Tiel.
Her snow-white fur and luminous golden eyes were so endearingly beautiful that even passersby would turn to look.
And Alpheus, the head of the Asterion Household, was no more focused on the meeting than anyone else.
‘Why did she suddenly beastify? Curse it, she’s my granddaughter, but she’s impossibly cute!’
Alpheus kept glancing at Tiel. Each time their eyes met, Tiel beamed back at him.
The sight was truly… so endearingly precious that it made his heart ache. Alpheus resolved that once the meeting ended, he would summon a painter at once to preserve Tiel’s image on canvas.
The meeting concluded swiftly while Tiel, nestled in Cassius’s arms, blinked drowsily and struggled to keep her eyes open.
It was the cutest and most unfocused meeting in all of the Asterion Household’s history.
***
“Tiel, my dear!”
Only after the meeting ended could Alpheus finally hold Tiel. His face brightened as he cradled the small baby snow leopard.
“Mew-ow…”
Tiel wrinkled her nose slightly and gently nudged away Alpheus’s approaching face.
‘Grandfather is even hotter than Father…’
Cassius had been bearable, but Alpheus’s heat was far too intense for Tiel in her current state to endure.
At Tiel’s rejection, Alpheus’s expression crumpled with hurt.
“My dear…”
“Mew…”
“D-did this old grandfather do something wrong?”
Alpheus asked hesitantly, his voice wavering with shock. Tiel’s eyes widened, and she shook her head vigorously.
Grandfather had done nothing wrong! If anything had to be criticized, it was only that his body temperature was far too high.
Tiel paused, thinking it over. Alpheus looked far too wounded.
Behind him, Cassius was covering his mouth with the back of his hand, barely suppressing a smirk.
The baby snow leopard, after a moment’s consideration, buried her head in Grandfather’s whiskers and nuzzled him. A soft purring rumble emanated from her throat—the sound of contentment.
‘You haven’t done anything wrong, Grandfather!’
“Mew-ow!”
Tiel rubbed her head against his beard, her front paws working frantically in the air. Her small feet kicked uselessly.
Alpheus, deeply moved by this display, pulled Tiel close and continuously stroked her soft fur.
“At once—summon a painter at once! I must have my precious granddaughter’s adorable form immortalized in a portrait!”
A portrait? Really?
That enthusiastically? Tiel tilted her head in confusion and glanced sideways at Cassius.
As Alpheus buried his face in her chubby belly, an even stronger wave of heat washed over her.
Tiel sent a distress signal with her eyes to Cassius. Fortunately, he understood her plea at once and rescued her from Alpheus’s arms.
“I shall search for a painter. But now, let her go. The child is uncomfortable.”
“What? But she brought her head to me! She made those happy sounds too!”
“Tiel finds it difficult to refuse, even when she wishes to.”
Cassius, having extracted Tiel from Alpheus’s embrace, shrugged.
I’m sorry, Grandfather, but your embrace is just too warm… As if to comfort the saddened Alpheus, Tiel stretched out her front paw slightly and winked.
Just then—
“Father—!!!”
“Grandfather!!”
The study door burst open, and Ludian and Ferdi rushed inside.

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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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