The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 6

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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 6
Cedric’s eyes refused to believe what he was seeing.
He pulled the handkerchief from his front pocket and wiped the lenses of his glasses clean.
After putting them back on, he alternated his gaze between Ian and the “thing” in Ian’s hands.
Unfortunately for Cedric, his eyesight was perfectly accurate.
What Ian held in his hands was indeed a baby Snow Leopard.
“…Your Highness, are you joking with me?”
Cedric asked carefully. Ian shrugged as if to say why he would do such a thing, then set the Snow Leopard down on a cushion.
“See? Nothing to fear, is there?”
Ian asked in a surprisingly gentle tone. The baby Snow Leopard glanced toward Cedric before nodding cautiously.
Watching the scene unfold, Cedric desperately wished that everything he was seeing was nothing but a dream.
Please, let this all be a dream.
Let that small creature Ian had just pulled from his Subspace be anything but a Snow Leopard.
And yet, no matter how many times he looked again, the little being was unmistakably a “baby Snow Leopard.”
The fur, white as freshly fallen snow, was the very symbol of the Nestian Family.
Snow Leopards are born only within the Nestian Family, and Black Leopards only within the Asterian Family.
Occasionally they were born among ordinary leopards, but in such cases, it was almost always because the bloodline carried a mix of Nestian and Asterian ancestry from previous generations.
It was extraordinarily rare for Black Leopards or Snow Leopards to be born anywhere outside of Nestian and Asterian.
Having reasoned this far, Cedric pressed a hand to his throbbing forehead.
The Nestian household possessed exactly one young Snow Leopard of this age.
A seven-year-old girl—Rowen Nestian.
‘But surely Rowen was held in the arms of the Nestian Family Head when the carriage departed?’
As far as Cedric knew, there was no other young girl in the Nestian Family besides Rowen Nestian.
Not officially, and certainly not from what he had witnessed with his own eyes.
Then who in the world was this child?
Ian paid no attention to Cedric’s confusion and spoke instead.
“We’re heading to the Asterian Family estate.”
Cedric, having given up on understanding, pressed him further.
“And why are we going to the Asterian estate?”
“Because I have to deliver her there.”
Ian gestured toward the baby Snow Leopard with his chin, his tone suggesting that such explanations should hardly be necessary.
“Your turn now. Introduce yourself.”
Ian placed his hand firmly on top of the Snow Leopard’s head. The small creature, watching both Ian and Cedric carefully, turned slowly in place.
And in that moment, a ragged little girl appeared before Cedric’s eyes.
She had luxuriant white hair and golden eyes that sparkled brilliantly in the afternoon light—a lovely child.
Cedric found himself unable to ask another question, his gaze fixed between Ian and Tiel.
His stare apparently frightened the young girl, for tears began to well up in Tiel’s eyes.
At this, Ian shot Cedric a sharp glare. Cedric met his gaze with an expression of protest and innocence.
“…M-My name is Tiel.”
After deliberating for a long while, the girl spoke through a trembling voice.
With her head hung low, fumbling over her own name, she looked painfully vulnerable.
Cedric realized he had frightened the girl. He decided to remain silent and listen carefully to what she had to say.
“I’m…on my way to Asterian to meet my father.”
Tiel unfolded a bundle of blanket she had brought with her and showed it to Cedric as she spoke.
Inside were two hard, stale pieces of bread, a worn locket, a cheap-looking fountain pen, and various trinkets that looked like children’s toys.
“My grandfather didn’t like me, so…that’s why….”
As Tiel spoke of her grandfather’s dislike for her, she studied Cedric’s reaction carefully.
From Tiel’s response alone, Cedric could discern that the child had not been treated properly while growing up in Nestian.
Just then, Ian suddenly interjected. He pointed to Tiel’s eyes as he spoke.
“Look at her eyes, Cedric.”
Only then did Cedric notice that the girl’s eyes were different from those of other Snow Leopards.
Snow Leopards typically bore light-colored eyes from birth.
Snow Leopards had light eyes; Black Leopards had golden eyes.
There was only one circumstance under which a Snow Leopard and Black Leopard could possess eyes of different colors.
A Hybrid.
Tiel bore both the white fur that symbolized Snow Leopards and the golden eyes that symbolized Black Leopards.
It was unmistakable proof that Tiel was a Hybrid of Black Leopard and Snow Leopard blood.
In that moment, certain thoughts flickered through Cedric’s mind.
‘…Rena Nestian and Cassius Asterian.’
Rena of the Snow Leopard family and Cassius of the Black Leopard family—despite their families’ opposition, the two had borne a child together and built a life.
They had twin sons, and Rena was soon to give birth to their third child.
Had she not vanished so suddenly one day.
Rena disappeared at full term, and not long after, Nestian announced her death.
The Asterian Family did not even receive her body, knew nothing of whether the third child lived or died, yet had to hold her funeral nonetheless.
Everyone simply assumed that if Rena was dead, the child must be dead as well.
‘Then…could this child possibly be…?’
Cedric’s gaze fell upon the small, unassuming girl before him.
He asked with a voice that trembled slightly.
“If I may ask, Miss Tiel—how old are you exactly?”
“I’m seven years old now.”
Tiel counted on her fingers as she answered.
The timing aligned. If this child truly were Rena and Cassius’s daughter, it made sense that Nestian had kept her hidden.
If it had been discovered that Rena’s child was alive, Asterian would certainly have come to claim her.
Having thought this through, Cedric stared at Ian with his jaw slack.
Ian merely shrugged in response.
The coachman urgently spurred the horses forward. The carriage carrying the three of them raced toward Asterian at the fastest pace possible.
***
After three days and nights of unrelenting travel, the carriage arrived at the territory of the Black Leopards.
Despite Cedric and Ian’s repeated objections, Tiel insisted on chewing only the hard black bread she had brought with her.
‘I can’t burden them any further.’
Tiel thought of Ian and Cedric, who had shown her such consideration the entire journey.
Ian and Cedric had been truly kind.
They had given up the better seats in the carriage for her, and Ian had even used his ability, offering to let her rest inside his Subspace whenever she felt uncomfortable.
She had never encountered such kindness in her life, and so Tiel found both Ian and Cedric utterly bewildering.
‘Usually everyone frowns when they see me.’
Yet Ian and Cedric always looked at her with smiling faces.
Cedric had seemed rather frightening at first, but over four days, Tiel had come to understand how gentle a person he truly was.
He had even bought her new clothes, worried that her thin garments might make her catch a cold.
Tiel had protested, but Ian and Cedric had been adamant.
Their reasoning was that if she fell ill, it would reflect poorly on the Asterian Family.
Because she did not wish to trouble these kind people, Tiel accepted their offer.
They had purchased a warm dress and a lighter dress for her at a nearby dress shop.
It was the first dress she had ever owned.
Back at the estate, she had worn nothing but a worn nightgown that Rowen had discarded, day after day.
The dress, made from bright, cheerful yellow fabric like forsythia flowers, made even a wretch like her look quite pretty.
And the dress had six pretty ribbons sewn along the front. Tiel couldn’t help but fidget with the hem in her excitement.
Yet Ian and Cedric apologized for not being able to buy her something better, and promised that once they returned to the Capital, they would send her an even lovelier dress.
Though Tiel had protested vigorously, it seemed they truly intended to purchase and gift her a beautiful dress upon their return.
‘Someone like me…wearing something like this…is it even right?’
Tiel touched the soft frills of the dress as she pondered this.
It seemed far too fine for her to wear. Such a dress suited only someone as beautiful as a princess—like Rowen.
But then Tiel closed her eyes firmly and shook her head vigorously.
The Asterian Family despised her terribly.
If she was to make any impression at all, it had to be with fine clothes. Tiel offered a silent prayer of thanks to Ian and Cedric.
Then,
Whoa—!
The carriage came to an abrupt halt. Tiel’s eyes widened as she peered out the window.
A small gasp escaped her lips.
“Wow….”
The Asterian Family estate had an entirely different atmosphere from Nestian.
Unlike Nestian, which lay buried under snow, the main gate entrance was ablaze with flowers of every hue.
Beyond that stretched a vast lawn tinged with green, and upon it stood the magnificent Asterian estate in all its towering splendor.
In that moment, Tiel’s courage faltered.
‘Will this really be all right?’
With a sinking feeling that she might be turned away on sight, Tiel squeezed her eyes shut.
The gatekeepers of Asterian, recognizing the carriage marked with the Imperial Seal, opened the main gates.
The carriage glided smoothly through and came to rest before the grand entrance of the sprawling estate.
Then, a hand gently tapped Tiel on the shoulder.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“T-Together?”
Tiel’s eyes went wide as she looked back. Ian opened his eyes slightly, as if to say it was obvious.
Cedric had already descended and was standing ready to escort Ian and Tiel.
Tiel, still bewildered, grasped Ian’s hand and jumped lightly from the carriage.
Just then, an elderly man with white hair came hurrying toward them from a distance.
Tiel stood a step behind Ian and Cedric, observing the approaching figure.
The old man appeared to be the Asterian butler. He smiled broadly and bowed respectfully toward Cedric and Ian.
“Crown Prince Ian, I am honored to receive you. May Crasion’s blessing be upon you.”
“May Crasion’s blessing be upon you. Parden, I’d like to meet the Family Head of Asterian.”
The old butler, now addressed as Parden, gave a troubled laugh.
“The Family Head is away on business. Is there an urgent matter?”
“Yes, quite urgent. I must see the Family Head at once.”
Cedric extended his hand toward Tiel.
Tiel unconsciously took it.
And so she found herself naturally stepping forward.
Tiel stood between Cedric and Ian, her gaze shifting between Parden and Cedric.
At that moment, the hand holding Tiel’s tightened slightly.
Cedric opened his mouth to speak.
“Please inform the Family Head that we have found what appears to be the youngest daughter of Asterian.”
A sudden silence fell over the scene.

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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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