The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 47

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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 47
“Tiel! You’re absolutely adorable!!”
Olivie scooped Tiel into her arms. Ferdi, looking thoroughly exasperated, peeled Olivie away from Tiel.
“Don’t just grab her like that. Who’s going to be responsible if her Dress gets wrinkled?”
“If it gets wrinkled, we’ll just buy her a new one!”
Tiel giggled softly from within Ferdi’s embrace. When Ria heard that Tiel had been permitted an outing, she’d taken great care to dress her beautifully.
She’d braided Tiel’s hair, which now gleamed with healthy lustre, and tied it with a pretty Ribbon.
The pale sky-blue Bonnet, meant to shield her face from the sun, complemented her blue-toned Dress perfectly.
Dressed so prettily, Tiel looked like a tiny porcelain doll. Now Olivie finally understood why Ferdi kept such a close watch over her.
Olivie tapped Ferdi playfully.
“Hey, Ferdi.”
“What now.”
“I get it. If I had a little sister like Tiel, I’d never want to hand her over to anyone else either.”
Olivie made a show of wiping away tears, making sniffling sounds. Ferdi looked ready to smack her then and there.
But since there was some truth to what she’d said, he held back. She wasn’t wrong. Tiel was hardly someone he wanted to share.
The Asterian knights, handpicked by both Ferdi and Ludian, stood ready around the Carriage. Tiel took each of her brothers’ hands as they headed toward it.
“Good day to you, young masters, young ladies. I am honored to serve as your escort today.”
The knight of highest rank among them bowed respectfully. Tiel returned the gesture with a small, polite nod of her own.
“Yes, thank you so much.”
The knights’ faces broke into broad smiles at the sight of the small, well-mannered little girl.
“?”
Ludian regarded them with confusion. The knights quickly composed themselves and regained their solemn bearing.
“Step on the footrest, Tiel.”
Ferdi helped steady Tiel as she stepped onto the running board and climbed into the Carriage.
With Ferdi’s assistance, Tiel managed to board without stumbling or falling.
Olivie climbed in next, then Ferdi, and finally Ludian.
Once the children had all boarded, the Carriage door swung shut.
Tiel gazed out the window, her face alight with anticipation.
Before long, the crack of the whip sounded, and the Carriage lurched into motion.
“Sit up straight, Tiel.”
Ferdi pulled Tiel back into a proper sitting position so she wouldn’t slide off the seat.
He even tucked a plush cushion behind her for support. Tiel laughed brightly at his meticulous care.
“Thank you, Ferdi.”
“Think nothing of it. Just let me know if you’re uncomfortable. You can sit on my lap if you’d like.”
Olivie, who had been watching the exchange, narrowed her eyes and spoke up.
“Sigh—Ferdi. If you treated other Noble Daughters even half as well, every single Noble Daughter in the Empire would be utterly smitten with you!”
“Don’t talk nonsense, Olivie.”
“But seriously—look, even now there are Noble Daughters lined up for miles waiting for you. A little more kindness and you could have every Noble Daughter in the Empire eating out of your hand. Tiel, your brother, you know—out there he’s—”
“Out there he’s what?”
Tiel tilted her head curiously. She’d thought Ferdi was kind and gentle to everyone. Was that not the case?
Just then, a small flame sparked to life at Ferdi’s fingertips—a warning. Olivie, undeterred, summoned wind from her own hands in response.
“Stop it! Both of you, stop it!”
If Tiel hadn’t intervened quickly, Ferdi’s Fire Spark and Olivie’s Wind would have collided and caused an explosion. Tiel seized Ferdi’s hands and looked up at him urgently.
“You promised not to fight! If you keep doing this, I’m going to tell Father everything!”
“…Sorry, Tiel. I didn’t mean to.”
“You can’t fight in here. Understood? If you’re going to fight, do it outside.”
Tiel spoke gently but firmly. Ferdi nodded like an obedient lamb.
Ludian and Olivie burst into laughter, clutching their sides. Tiel turned and glared at both of them as well.
“You two as well!”
“Okay, okay Tiel, ha-ha, yes, I hear you.”
“Ha-ha, understood Tiel. Yes, we’ll behave. Ah, how is it that you’re adorable even when you’re angry?”
The two of them continued giggling for quite some time after their apologies.
Each time Tiel felt Ferdi’s hand tremble slightly, she squeezed his hand a little tighter.
***
“Hello, sir!”
Olivie burst through the Bakery door with an energetic shout.
“Miss Olivie!”
A man who’d been inside baking cakes and cookies came rushing out to greet her.
His face and apron were smudged with white flour. This was Michelle, the Bakery’s owner.
The Bakery was located in Asterian territory, and since Olivie had lived practically her whole childhood at the Asterian Residence, she’d grown quite close with its owner.
Olivie’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the display case of cakes.
“What’s the most delicious thing you have today?”
“It’s fig season, so they’re particularly sweet and delicious. How about our Fig Cream Cake?”
“Perfect! Five slices of cake! We’ll eat them here!”
“Of course, just give me a moment and I’ll bring them right out for you.”
Michelle replied with a warm smile. Olivie turned sharply to look at Ferdi, Ludian, and Tiel.
“None of you are allergic to figs, right?”
“Isn’t it a bit late to be asking that?”
Ludian asked.
“This is going to be delicious! Right, Tiel?”
Olivie ignored him.
Tiel nodded. She’d never had fig cake before, so she was curious what it would taste like.
“Oh, today the young mistress has joined us as well. As a special service, I’ll wrap up two slices of Strawberry Pie for you.”
“Wonderful, thank you!”
Olivie cried out happily and led Tiel to a window seat, gripping her hand. Ferdi and Ludian followed, muttering complaints.
“Really, you can eat cake all you want back at the Residence.”
“But eating outside tastes different than eating inside, you fool.”
Ludian and Olivie bickered. Tiel carefully sipped her juice, agreeing silently with what Olivie had said.
‘It really is different.’
The spot where Tiel, Olivie, Ferdi, and Ludian sat was bathed in sunlight from the window, with warm afternoon rays pouring down.
And each time the Bakery door opened, there came the gentle chime of a bell.
Beyond the glass, so many people moved peacefully through the street. Tiel couldn’t tear her gaze away.
‘So this is what the outside world is like.’
She was beginning to understand why Rowen loved outings so much. In a place like this, how could one not? Her golden eyes, bright as sunlight itself, gleamed with wonder.
“Here we are, your cakes.”
Michelle brought out the cakes himself, served on wooden plates. Unlike the fine dishware at the Residence, everything here was made of wood.
Soon more customers began to arrive, so Michelle left with a cheerful “Enjoy!” before hurrying back to work.
“Here, this is for you, Tiel.”
Olivie pushed two slices of cake in front of Tiel. Ferdi handed her a Fork, and Ludian laid a Napkin across her lap.
“Go on, try it!”
Olivie urged her on with eager eyes. Tiel nodded and carefully carved out a corner of cake with her Fork, bringing it to her mouth.
“…!!”
The cake was…truly delicious.
The food at the Asterian Residence was certainly delicious too, but this was different.
The whipped cream melted softly on her tongue, and the sweet-tart flavor of the fig complemented it perfectly.
“It’s really delicious!”
Tiel said, beaming.
While it wasn’t as refined as what she ate at the Residence, to Tiel it was more delicious than any cake in the world.
Because.
“Tiel, have some juice too.”
“Do you like it? If you do, let’s pack a bunch to take home when we leave.”
“The Strawberry Pie is going to be delicious too!”
It was a cake eaten on her first outing with the sister and brothers who gazed at her with such warm, gentle eyes.
She felt certain she would remember the taste of this cake for a very long time.
Small sparks of light burst forth from Tiel’s surroundings.
It was Tiel’s Ability.
Overwhelmed by emotion, her Ability leaked out without her realizing.
“Oh! Tiel!”
Olivie noticed first. Soon after, both Ferdi and Ludian realized that Tiel was unconsciously using her Ability.
“I-I didn’t mean to! It’s just that I…”
Then, within Tiel’s hands, a fish-shaped light swam into being.
The small light, resembling a little fish, passed through the cake, gently brushed against Tiel’s nose, and faded away.
Tiel watched the light disappear, then smiled radiantly.
“When I’m very happy, my Ability tends to leak out like this.”
Fortunately, the children were seated in a sun-drenched spot, so Tiel’s display of her Ability went unnoticed by the other patrons.
The children, reassured, finished their cakes.

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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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