The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 45

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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 45
Tiel stretched his front paws toward Olivie, and she seized the chance, scooping the snow leopard cub into her arms.
“Oh my… he’s so soft.”
“Drop him and you’re done for.”
Ferdi warned in a lazy drawl, but the girl paid him no mind. Her lovely pale pink eyes fixed on the cub nestled against her chest.
“Tiel, you like me, don’t you? Yes? You like your sister very, very much, don’t you?”
“Whine-whine!”
Of course I do—how I wish I could tell you so, Tiel thought with frustration. In his beastified state, there was no way to speak directly to Olivie.
Each time Olivie burst into delighted laughter, a cool breeze swept gently across Tiel’s body.
It really was refreshing.
The snow leopard cub, who had spent the whole day panting with his tongue lolling out in the heat, could finally produce contented sounds.
“…Tiel, you like Olivie?”
“That’s strange. It doesn’t make sense. This girl is all muscle—she’d be rock-hard to hold, and your backside would go numb.”
“Do you have a death wish, Ludian?”
Olivie growled again, and gray wolf ears flickered atop her head before vanishing just as quickly.
She had become aware that Tiel was in her arms.
Yet Tiel showed no fear or flinching at her growl.
It made perfect sense: Olivie’s breeze was caressing him with such gentleness and care.
‘She’s so kind. Really wonderful…’
Cradled in Olivie’s embrace, Tiel began to purr. Ferdi and Ludian stared at him in utter shock.
“You didn’t make that sound when you were in my arms, Tiel.”
Oops. Did I? Tiel’s eyes rolled around sheepishly.
“He wouldn’t even let me hold him!”
That was because Ludian’s arms were warmer than Ferdi’s. Tiel simply blinked, ignoring his brothers’ complaints.
“Ahaha! So I’m way better than you two! You’re so cute. Really adorable. Tiel, want to come live at my house? If you want, I’ll kick Dad out of the best room in the mansion and give it to you!”
“…Isn’t the best room in the mansion Father’s?”
“So what! Dad’s an adult, so he doesn’t need a nice room. But Tiel is still a baby, so he absolutely needs a wonderful one.”
Had Stefano, the head of the Wolfgang Family and Olivie’s father, heard such a declaration, he would have wept at raising such a daughter.
Ferdi and Ludian shook their heads in resignation. Tiel, meanwhile, paid no attention to their banter and continued purring contentedly in Olivie’s arms.
Just then, Ferdi opened his mouth with a rather serious expression.
“But really, why does Tiel like Olivie so much? He doesn’t usually take to strangers.”
“Right, and it can’t be comfortable being held like that. Look at her form—she clearly has no experience holding a child.”
“Hey, I can hear you, you know?”
“We meant for you to. I just don’t understand. If only we could ask Tiel.”
Ferdi’s gaze turned toward Tiel. There was no way to converse with him in his beastified state. Tiel blinked in frustration as well.
‘How can I explain that Olivie’s arms are so cool?’
Fortunately, Tiel didn’t need to answer himself. Olivie simply began laughing as if they were being ridiculous.
“Don’t you get it? My arms are cool, that’s why!”
“Cool arms?”
“Duh! You dumb black leopards. He’s a snow leopard—obviously he came from somewhere cold!”
As Olivie gestured, cool air spilled from her fingertips and swirled through the room.
Ferdi’s neatly tied hair and Ludian’s bangs were sent flying in all directions.
Tiel nodded vigorously in agreement. Yes, yes, big sister Olivie is right!
“…Ah.”
Only then did Ferdi remember that the Asterian Mansion tended to run warmer than most other residences, and he let out a small sigh.
“All this time… I didn’t know. Because Tiel never told us.”
“I didn’t know snow leopards were so sensitive to heat either, not until I met Rowen Nestian.”
At the name Rowen Nestian, Tiel’s eyes widened. Rowen?
‘Why is Rowen being mentioned?’
Olivie continued stroking Tiel’s small back with a bored expression.
“That person, what was their name again? Anyway, we met at someone’s tea party. That person made such a fuss about how hot their mansion was. I thought it was just them being dramatic, but seeing Tiel, I guess it wasn’t entirely unreasonable!”
Tiel nodded. The odds were high that Rowen truly couldn’t bear that heat.
Unlike Tiel, whose bloodline was half black leopard and half snow leopard, Rowen was a pure snow leopard! His fur was twice as thick and long as Tiel’s.
So that mansion was probably genuinely unbearable for him… though that didn’t excuse his complaining, of course.
“Tiel, if you’re too hot, you should tell your brother.”
Ferdi rang the bell to summon a servant. The servant entered quickly and bowed.
“Is there something you require?”
“Bring us some ice cream.”
“Yay! Ice cream! Bring me double, double helping!”
“She gets half. Tell her to go on a diet.”
“Seriously?”
Ludian and Olivie bickered before the servant could even leave.
The servant, accustomed to this dynamic, murmured “Four servings of ice cream, with an extra-large portion for Miss Olivie” and departed.
Tiel’s eyes, which had been drooping from exhaustion, brightened instantly at the word “ice cream.”
***
Iandros settled into his chair and retrieved his pen and ink. He gazed at the blank parchment for a moment.
“Are you going to write a letter?”
Sedric asked gently. Iandros shook his head.
“I want to get in touch with Estella. Is the carrier pigeon ready?”
“Yes, I’ve seen to it that it’s been well fed and watered, so it should deliver the message without difficulty.”
At Sedric’s words, Iandros nodded and began writing across the parchment without hesitation.
To summarize: he had recently met a girl by chance, and he hoped Estella would create clothing for her.
Sedric, catching a glimpse of Iandros writing, asked with alarm in his voice.
“You intend to give Miss Tiel one of Estella’s dresses?”
“Yes, I promised her one.”
“But Your Highness…”
Sedric hesitated, clearly troubled.
Estella was renowned for creating garments only for royalty and nobility from various nations. Even the wealthiest commoners could offer her unlimited gold and never wear one of her designs.
So wearing Estella’s clothes meant…
“Your Highness, I fear this may not be advisable. Especially now, when Crown Princess Candidates are being selected…”
“What does that matter? If I want to give her something, I give it.”
Iandros dismissed Sedric’s concern lightly.
Iandros was well aware of what rumors might arise from giving Tiel one of Estella’s dresses now.
But.
‘Then, how would it be to spend your birthday at the Asterian Mansion? I’m sure my brothers and Father would be delighted.’
Tiel was the first person ever to make such a proposal to Iandros.
It was only natural. Who in the empire would dare suggest to the Crown Prince that he spend his birthday at their house?
Only Tiel could have made such an offer.
And Iandros had been grateful for it.
No matter how grand a celebration he held, the loneliness within him could never be filled. Rather, the grander the event, the more hollow and desolate it made him feel.
No one had ever wished him well from the heart, nor had anyone wanted to be near him…
So canceling this year’s birthday celebration stemmed from the same reason.
‘You wish to cancel your birthday celebration?’
‘Yes.’
Fortunately, since the timing coincided with the Luminarie festival, the Emperor had accepted the proposal to forego the birthday celebration.
Iandros had thought that settled it. A birthday meant nothing to him anyway.
But then this girl—who didn’t even know when her own birthday was, and who had never been celebrated on it a single time—
‘Yes, me, and Iandros, and Ferdi, and Ludian…’
had shown concern for him.
The moment Iandros took Tiel’s hand, he felt the loneliness that had weighed on his heart dissolve like snow.
So he wanted to give her everything within his power.
“Tiel needs a dress, doesn’t she?”
Whatever he could do for her, he would.
This time, it happened to be a dress.
The boy folded the finished letter carefully, placed it in an envelope, sealed it, and handed it to Sedric.
Then he withdrew another sheet of paper.
This time he meant to write a personal letter.
Iandros’s pen glided across the paper, moving with fluid grace.

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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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