The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

"We really have to leave tonight? Isn’t that a bit too rushed?"

Ian Dross Crassion spoke after quietly listening to the conversation between the others.

"We’ve already made all the preparations, so there shouldn't be any problems with leaving," Clemence replied calmly.

"Hmm... What do you think, Ferdie?"

"We should listen to Lady Iris. No one knows that land better than Arne does. Even I just learned that there are only two ways to cross that river."

"I agree with Ferdie’s older brother. It’s best to listen to Lady Iris. After all, we came here to ask for her help," Tiel said, and Ludian nodded in agreement. Clemence and Olivia exchanged looks and then also nodded lightly. Ian, somewhat reluctantly, agreed as well.

"We're leaving tonight. You should rest until then..."

After finishing the conversation, Iris left the room with light steps.

The children, gathered in the bedroom assigned to Tiel, spoke with worried faces.

"Do you think it’ll be alright to go like this? Clemence?"

"If Lady Iris says so, then it must be. Besides, the knights of Arne are always watching the changes in the Ocean River, so if the commander said it’s necessary, it’s probably not wrong."

"I have a question."

Ian Dross looked at Clemence. Clemence nodded, signaling him to ask. Ian’s emerald eyes shifted between Clemence and Tiel.

"When we're in that land and the way is closed, what will happen?"

"We’ll need to get out before then..."

"So, you mean, we don’t know exactly when the river will close. That’s why you’re rushing us in, right? But what if the river closes while we’re already in?"

At Ian's question, the children fell silent. They hadn't considered that possibility.

They knew the Ocean River was hard to cross, but they hadn’t thought there would be a specific time when the path would open and close.

Had they known in advance, they might have reconsidered this journey for safety's sake. After a brief pause, Ferdie pointed to Ian.

"Can’t you use your ability? The dimensional rift creation—you can create a subspace that connects to another space, right?"

"It’s impossible. I can’t pinpoint the location to create it. If I miss, we might fall right into the middle of the river."

"Hmm... Should we turn back now? I don’t like the sound of this danger."

Olivia suddenly hugged Tiel tightly. Tiel carefully gripped Olivia’s arm that was wrapped around her.

"But if they're sending us off, isn’t it okay? Besides..."

Tiel glanced at Clemence without realizing it. Clemence Arne, the heir to Arne who would take over after Iris.

Clemence was accompanying them on this journey. Iris wouldn’t put so many heirs in danger. Understanding what Tiel meant, Ludian nodded.

"That's true. Arne has been watching the Ocean River for years. They must be confident that it’s safe for us to leave. They wouldn’t send us if there was any real danger."

"There are signs before the river closes. Once we cross, a few of the knights will stay behind to monitor the river. The river won’t close immediately, so even if that situation arises, we should be able to escape safely..."

Clemence answered. Ian Dross stared at Clemence for a moment, as if still uneasy, before abruptly turning and leaving the room.

"Wait a minute."

Ferdie followed Ian Dross outside.

***

"Ian, what's wrong?"

Ferdie grabbed Ian Dross’s wrist. Ian raised an eyebrow and then lowered it, avoiding Ferdie's gaze. The boy shook the arm that had been grabbed.

"What? Let go, and talk."

"Your words aren’t wrong, but you seem unusually sensitive. You’ve been on edge since earlier. Is it my imagination?"

"It’s just your imagination, Ferdie. It’s never been like that."

Ian Dross replied. Ferdie chuckled and answered.

"Ian Dross, do you think I’ve only known you for a day or two? If something’s bothering you, just say it. That way, we can think together about the things you're worried about."

Ferdie looked at Ian Dross seriously. Ian Dross, who had been glaring at Ferdie’s face, sighed irritably and leaned against the wall.

"Why does the departure have to be at night?"

"Suddenly?"

"According to what you said, the river won’t just change overnight, so why do we have to leave at night?"

Ferdie seemed to think for a moment, tilting his head before replying.

"Maybe it’s because if we leave at night, we can cross the river in the morning. It's better to leave at night and cross in the daylight than trying to cross at night."

"I mean..."

Ian Dross squinted as he gazed into the distance. The boy recalled the first time they camped.

"The path that was on the map was gone when we arrived."

And the children had to face such situations repeatedly. The problem was that these things only happened the night before they were about to enter the villages.

It was as if someone was deliberately trying to make the children sleep outside, as if there was a reason they needed to sleep outside.

Fortunately, nothing happened, but Ian Dross couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. Was it really just his imagination?

"It’s strange, Ferdie. In fact, when we were coming here, the path we intended to take was gone."

"I noticed. It wasn’t directly threatening, so I didn’t say much."

"After going through that kind of thing six times, now I even doubt this... Do you think Iris Hilde Arne is really someone we can trust?"

"I don’t trust Iris. I trust myself, and I trust you, Olivia, Ludian, and Tiel."

Ferdie smiled as he pointed to Ian and himself.

"First of all, we’re not going to get stuck there. Clemence Arne and Arne’s elite knights are with us. And just like Tiel said, Iris Arne isn’t the type to put her own daughter in danger."

"That’s right."

"So, I don’t think we need to worry about the river... And I bet your next worry is about people trying to target us. But who would dare to go after us?"

"Hmm."

"My grandfather and father aren’t fools. If we were really going to be in danger, they wouldn’t have sent us in the first place."

The eleven-year-old boys were speaking with surprising arrogance. It was like they were saying none of the other families could match up to them.

But truly, unless another family, excluding Asterian and Wolfgang, poured all their strength into attacking, no one in the Crassion Empire could defeat Ferdie, Ludian, Olivia, and Ian Dross.

Ferdie lightly patted Ludian’s shoulder.

"So don’t worry, just rest. We’ll have to leave soon."

"Ferdie."

Ian Dross looked at Ferdie. His emerald eyes met with the fiery golden ones in the air.

"What I’m worried about is not you, me, Olivia, or Ludian."

"Hmm."

"What I’m worried about is Tiel. No matter how bright our night vision is, if we’re attacked at night, I might not be able to protect Tiel. Protecting someone while fighting is always harder than just fighting for yourself."

Those were the words Alpheus and Karsus had said to Ferdie. Ferdie, for a moment, saw Alpheus and Karsus in Ian Dross.

Ian Dross, then, wasn’t looking like a friend but like a protector.

"Ian Dross, you worry too much. She has the Light ability. Darkness can never overpower light."

Ferdie smiled lightly as he pulled Ian Dross’s hand away. Ian Dross still had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"And even if such a situation arises... you and I will definitely be able to protect Tiel."

Ferdie’s voice was filled with trust. After finishing his words, the boy turned and returned to the room they had just left.

But Ian Dross couldn’t easily agree with Ferdie’s words. He ran his fingers over the mark left near his neck.

Ian Dross Crassion had already failed to protect Tiel Asterian.

That fact felt like a large thorn, lodged in his throat, and whenever he swallowed, it felt like it was stabbing him.