The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family - Chapter 74

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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 74
Breath of the Snowy Plain.
Now it was one of Nestian’s few remaining treasures. And yet…….
“I shall grant your wish.”
At the Emperor’s words, Chender clenched his fist in secret.
Hand it over? Him?
Moreover, Asterian’s black panthers were famously intolerant of cold, so the Breath of the Snowy Plain would be utterly unnecessary anyway!
Chender gritted his teeth.
The Five Great Families had participated in the Succession Competition, and so they shared equally in the obligation to grant the victorious participant’s wish.
Which meant Nestian had no choice but to surrender the Breath of the Snowy Plain if Ferdi wanted it.
Even if it was one of Nestian’s few remaining precious artifacts…….
‘One of the few remaining treasures we have left!’
Chender ground his teeth together, glaring daggers at Ferdi. But Ferdi stood with his back turned, not sparing Nestian even a glance.
“I’ll procure as much of the Breath of the Snowy Plain as I can. A promise is a promise, after all.”
“I am grateful for your grace.”
Ferdi turned with a bright smile toward Tiel.
On Tiel’s chest, the Brooch that Iandros had given her was pinned.
A Brooch crafted from refined Breath of the Snowy Plain.
‘It’s still spring, so it should be fine enough. But soon it’ll grow much warmer.’
When summer came, it would be incomparably hotter than now, and a single strand of Breath of the Snowy Plain would prove wholly insufficient.
So Ferdi intended to gather as much of the Breath of the Snowy Plain as he could, filling Tiel’s entire chamber with it.
So his younger sister would never suffer from the heat.
After the Succession Competition ended, the children climbed down from the dais and rushed toward where their retainers waited.
Ferdi strolled at ease toward Tiel and scooped her into his arms.
“Not hot anymore, are you, Tiel?”
“Brother!”
Tiel wrapped her arms tightly around Ferdi’s neck, rubbing her soft cheek against his with the affectionate gesture of a kitten.
“Brother, you were amazing!”
“Was I?”
“Yes! You were the best, truly!”
Tiel nodded, recalling the summoned beast blazing with flame.
Ferdi’s Ability grew stronger with each passing day.
Was it because Tiel was by his side? Or perhaps because Ferdi never neglected his training.
What was certain was that his Ability continued to grow stronger, and by the time he reached manhood, he would possess an Ability incomparably greater than that of any other family.
And that realization was not Tiel’s alone.
…….
…….
Every Head of Household from the other families present had clearly witnessed the magnitude of Ferdi Asterian’s power.
Cassius already possessed a stronger Ability than Alpheus, and by the time Ferdi ascended to Head of Household, Asterian would have become an even more formidable family.
That realization planted a small spark of unease in the hearts of every other family’s Head of Household.
At that moment,
“Tiel—!!”
Olivie came dashing from afar, attempting to snatch Tiel from Ferdi’s embrace.
“Not happening.”
But Ferdi was Ferdi. He spun smoothly with Tiel still in his arms, letting Olivie dash past without contact.
“Hey!”
“Don’t lay hands on my sister.”
At Ferdi’s firm words, Olivie glared at him with narrowed eyes.
“You keep doing this. Yesterday you wouldn’t let me spend time with Tiel either.”
“That’s because you were being unreasonable yesterday. You should’ve made a proper request.”
Watching Ferdi and Olivie bicker once more, Tiel reached out with practiced ease and grasped Olivie’s hand.
“I missed you so much……!”
And with equal ease, she soothed and coaxed her.
“Right? Right? There’s really no one like our Tiel! How about it? Was I cool?”
“You, who lost.”
Ludian scoffed.
Olivie struck like lightning, seizing Ludian by the hair.
Ludian retaliated just as fiercely, gripping Olivie’s wrist.
In the brawl that erupted in an instant, Cassius, who had been watching quietly from behind, stepped in and plucked both his son and niece away—one in each hand.
“What exactly is wrong with you two?”
Cassius set Ludian and Olivie at arm’s length from each other, then looked toward Ferdi and Tiel.
“You may stay and enjoy yourselves longer, but don’t linger too late.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Yes, Papa.”
Ferdi and Tiel answered obediently. Cassius nodded, released Olivie and Ludian’s napes, and walked toward where Alpheus was.
Olivie stopped glaring at Ludian and took Tiel from Ferdi’s arms, asking as she cradled her:
“By the way, did you see Iandros?”
“Here, you should call him Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“So did you or didn’t you?”
“Didn’t see him. Strange. By rights, he should’ve been sitting up there with the Emperor.”
Ludian gestured toward the Emperor’s seat.
Iandros’s place was empty.
Tiel listened quietly to her siblings’ words, then tilted her head in concern and asked,
“Could it be that Iandros is……, unwell?”
“Unwell? Him?”
“I’ve never seen him sick. Have you?”
“No.”
Olivie, Ludian, and Ferdi pondered for a while, then concluded that Iandros was probably just unwilling to attend, and moved on.
After all, to them, Iandros was not a matter of great importance.
Though his absence was troubling to Tiel……, when Ferdi, Ludian, and Olivie glossed over it so casually, Tiel had no choice but to do the same.
“We ate pretty much everything worth eating yesterday. What should we do now?”
“Don’t know. Anyway, let’s go somewhere. If we stay here, people will come talk to us.”
“Who?”
At Tiel’s question, Ludian nodded.
Behind them, Young Noble Ladies and Young Nobles from other families were hovering, hoping to strike up conversations with Ludian, Ferdi, and Olivie.
Children who had heard their parents’ words about how it wouldn’t hurt to build connections with the heirs of the Five Great Families—that was clear.
Of course, Ferdi and Ludian had no desire to cultivate such friendships, so they decided to leave.
“Come on, before they get any closer…….”
As Ferdi, Ludian, Olivie, and Tiel were about to board Asterian’s carriage and depart,
Tap.
Someone grabbed Ferdi’s shoulder.
Ferdi reflexively cradled Tiel closer with one arm while conjuring flame to his other hand with a swift crack.
“Who…….”
But when he turned to see the face, his eyes narrowed considerably.
“Iandros?”
Iandros nodded.
Iandros was now draped entirely in a Black Robe, his head lowered. If he hadn’t raised his face, no one would have known who he was.
The question was why Asterian’s knights hadn’t stopped this suspicious figure from approaching the children…….
Olivie tilted her head at Iandros’s strange appearance.
“Why are you dressed like that? Why didn’t you come to the competition?”
“I have my reasons.”
Iandros extended his palm to Tiel. Tiel smiled brightly and took his hand.
“Iandros, I was worried about you!”
“Get in the carriage. We can’t be seen.”
“Can’t be seen? By whom?”
Iandros didn’t answer, instead hopping nimbly into Asterian’s carriage first.
The other children exchanged bewildered looks but didn’t stop him. They followed and boarded the carriage as well.
Asterian’s carriage was very spacious, with plenty of room even after five children were inside.
The carriage door closed, and a knight peered through the window at Ferdi and asked,
“Where shall we go?”
“For now……, to the residence.”
At Ferdi’s word, the knight nodded and withdrew. Soon the carriage began to move slowly forward.
Only after the carriage had departed did Iandros remove the Black Robe he’d been wearing. His brilliant golden hair, which had been hidden beneath the robe’s hood, tumbled out in disarray.
“So explain yourself. Why were you wandering around dressed like that?”
Ferdi asked pleasantly.
But Iandros ignored Ferdi’s question entirely and pulled a small pouch of Candy from his pocket, suddenly thrusting it toward Tiel.
“Here, eat some. I bought these on the way.”
“For me? Thank you!”
Tiel accepted the pouch with a bright laugh and popped a piece into her mouth.
Iandros watched until she had taken one Candy and settled back against the carriage seat with a casual air before speaking flatly,
“Grandfather wouldn’t let me leave. He told me not to show my face at the festival at all.”

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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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