The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 73

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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 73
“Do you think Ferdi will win?”
“Of course. They’re no match for him.”
Ludian spoke with ease.
Though the Competition was nominally fair, the Asterian Family had monopolized victory in every single one.
There were rare occasions when the Nestian won, but they could be counted on one hand—enough to say the Competition was held with the Asterian victory in mind.
Heirs of the other families had to participate knowing full well they would lose.
What’s more, Ferdi Asterian possessed an Innate Ability stronger than even Cassius or Alpheus had at the same age.
So Ferdi’s victory was virtually assured.
Tiel watched Ferdi’s back, then whispered carefully to Ludian.
“Then His Majesty will grant your brother his wish, won’t he?”
Ferdi had participated in the Luminarie for the first time three years ago.
When he won that year, he came back down without making any wish at all.
Some had called him arrogant for it, but Ludian knew why Ferdi had made that choice.
Ferdi had nothing he wanted, so there was no wish worth asking of the Emperor.
Would it be the same this year?
Ludian’s gaze shifted to the small girl beside him.
‘This year might be different.’
Ferdi and Ludian were brothers, but they did not cherish or love each other.
That was only natural—they had once been rivals before being brothers, and now they were less brothers than colleagues who understood one another.
But Ferdi and Ludian cherished and loved Tiel.
A beloved little sister for whom they would not begrudge giving their own flesh.
They wanted to give her anything she desired, to place anything she wished for into her hands.
‘Perhaps Ferdi might make a wish this year.’
Ludian’s and Tiel’s gazes turned toward Ferdi simultaneously.
***
The Summons standing at the starting line all crouched low at once.
They were preparing to dash forward.
Rowen’s ice leopard had positioned itself at the far end, kept at bay by Ferdi’s flame leopard.
Bang!
The starting firework burst, and the Summons sprinted forth all at once.
The children of each family stood on the platform, controlling their Summons from a distance as they had to circle the Capital once and return.
It was no easy task—and yet.
The children gathered here were the Heirs who would one day lead their families.
Ferdi’s flame leopard bolted forward like lightning, instantly overtaking all other Summons and seizing the lead.
“Just as expected!”
The citizens watching from the streets erupted in cheers, having seen the flame-bright Summon dart forward faster than any other.
Since everyone knew that Ferdi Asterian would win the Competition, this was hardly a surprising result.
What was strange, however—
“Ugh!”
Rowen clenched her fists and stamped her foot hard.
Those around the platform could tell from Rowen’s actions alone that her Summon was not performing properly.
By rights, the Nestian and the Asterian should be contending for first and second place.
But Rowen’s ice leopard was running dead last.
“Argh!”
Rowen stamped her foot once more.
Ferdi’s Summon had pressed close against Rowen’s, melting the ice leopard’s four legs as it passed, leaving her Summon falling further and further behind.
Olivier’s Summon pursued Ferdi’s with ease, followed in turn by Sterling and Clemens.
While the other Heirs moved through the Competition with relaxation, only Rowen—who had noticed her Summon badly lagging—showed any urgency.
This was Rowen’s first time participating in the Luminarie, and she was considerably younger than the other children, so perhaps it was inevitable.
‘I can’t lose!’
The problem was that Rowen was a young child who hated to lose.
Regardless of Rowen’s efforts, Ferdi’s Summon quickly circled the Capital once and returned to the starting line with ease.
The moment people saw the Summon blazing like flame and standing tall at the starting line, cheers erupted from all around.
“It’s the Asterian, as expected!”
“Look at that Summon! Absolutely magnificent!”
Ferdi’s Summon, the flame leopard, approached the platform where Ferdi stood and crouched low.
Ferdi calmly reached out and withdrew his Ability. Flames whooshed—! in the air, and the Summon’s form vanished.
Next to arrive was Olivier’s Summon.
Then Sterling’s, then Clemens’s, and then… Rowen’s Summon.
The children withdrew their Abilities in turn.
A fresh breeze resembling Olivier scattered into the air, violent lightning like Sterling crackled—! and disappeared, while crude ice like Rowen melted away with a whisper.
As Rowen withdrew her Ability, she clenched her lips as if holding back tears.
And Thender Nestian was deeply shaken by the result, far worse than he had expected.
“How… how is this possible?”
Of course, Rowen’s Ability was miserable compared to what Rena had displayed at that age.
But Rowen was of Nestian blood, the child who would someday become Head of the Nestian Household after Thender and Cornelia.
Yet to fall so far behind?
Fundamentally, the Ability of the Nestian and the other three families—Wolfgang, Iker, and Arne—differed enormously.
The reason the Asterian defeated the Nestian when the two families fought was due solely to Compatibility, not because the two families possessed vastly different levels of Ability.
So no matter how weak Rowen’s Ability, she should not have fallen behind the other families.
The Ability the Nestian possessed was far more vast than that of the three minor houses.
Yet Rowen had suffered a humiliating defeat.
At a result both expected and unexpected, people whispered while glancing between the Nestian and the Asterian alternately.
Thender’s face flushed red. Cornelia too looked bewildered, her eyes moving between her daughter and the other children.
“Rowen.”
Cornelia called to her daughter with a worried voice, but the girl standing tall on the platform did not turn around.
The Emperor stepped forward to calm the overheated atmosphere, wasting no further time.
“You have all done well.”
At the Emperor’s words, all five children bowed their heads lightly.
The Emperor looked slowly at each child in turn, then turned his gaze back to Ferdi.
“Ferdi Asterian, you are the victor of this Competition!”
The moment the Emperor finished speaking, prepared celebratory fireworks burst, and people cheered. The knights of the Asterian Family stood tall, unmoved by what was an expected result, yet their shoulders trembled ever so slightly.
Ludian and Cassius gazed at Ferdi with indifference at the inevitable result, while Tiel gripped Ludian’s hand tightly and looked at Ferdi.
‘What wish will he make?’
It was somehow hard to imagine what Ferdi might wish for.
Was it because he was unnaturally adult for his age? Or perhaps…
Then the Emperor slowly raised his hand. The thunderous cheers and fireworks ceased.
From within that tumult, the Emperor looked at the boy Ferdi Asterian standing tall and asked.
“Ferdi Asterian, having won the Competition, I shall grant you one wish. Speak what you desire.”
For a moment, silence fell.
Those who remembered that Ferdi Asterian had made no wish three years ago at the Luminarie looked at him with eyes tinged with anticipation.
Would he make no wish again?
Or perhaps…
Then Ferdi slowly opened his mouth.
“My wish is…”
The Emperor nodded as if urging him to speak.
“I wish to have Snow Breath.”
“Pardon?”
At the unexpected wish from Ferdi’s lips, both the Emperor’s and Thender Nestian’s eyes narrowed.
Snow Breath was a treasure of the Nestian, produced only in the Nestian’s snow fields.
But why would Ferdi Asterian want that?
“Snow Breath, you say?”
At the Emperor’s question, Ferdi nodded clearly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I do not need merely one. I wish to receive as much Snow Breath as possible.”
“Hmm…”
“That is my wish.”
At Ferdi’s firm words, the Emperor asked with a puzzled expression as if unable to understand.
“You are the black leopard of the Asterian—you should have no need for Snow Breath. Why?”
At the Emperor’s question, Ferdi smiled gently.
As if he had been waiting for this question alone.
“Because my younger brother is sensitive to heat.”

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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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