The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

In that fleeting moment of doubt, the girl dashed toward Tiel without any warning.

She reached for the bouquet Tiel was holding. Startled, Tiel dropped it.

"Ah!"

Ferdie, Ludian, and the Asterian guards attempted to block her, but the girl was quicker. She swiftly picked up the bouquet Tiel had dropped and retreated.

"No, this can't be happening..."

Had Ferdie and Ludian used their abilities, they could have knocked the girl down before she got close to Tiel, and even turned the bouquet in her hand to ashes.

However, Ferdie and Ludian weren't as quick in their reactions as Alpheus or Karsus, and they didn't see a reason to incinerate the bouquet.

"Well, um, you know. If you really want to take it back, you can."

Tiel, slightly flustered, said this looking at the girl. Ferdie and Ludian chuckled incredulously at the situation.

"What are you doing? Do you even realize what you've just done?"

Ferdie addressed the girl directly. Ludian, with a stern face, suddenly turned back to the guards and spoke.

"What are you doing not protecting her in time? Have the Asterian guards become this incompetent?"

The guards bowed their heads in shame at Ludian's rebuke. They should have protected them no matter the situation.

"I'm sorry."

Ludian gave the guards a brief glance, then turned to look at Ferdie, and then back at the girl clutching the bouquet tightly to her chest.

It was an absurd situation. A commoner had dared to snatch away a bouquet from a noble, especially one governing this land.

It was unthinkable. She deserved to be punished.

At that moment, Tiel gently tugged at the sleeves of Ferdie and Ludian.

"I'm fine, really. I'm not hurt."

Tiel quickly defended the girl, fearing her brothers might harm her.

She really was fine. There was no need to berate the girl further. Tiel was not one to be harsh on others.

Ludian looked sincerely apologetic as he spoke to Tiel.

"Tiel, I'm sorry. It's my fault. I should have prevented her from reaching you..."

Just then, the girl's expression turned deathly pale. No, it was more accurate to say it darkened terribly.

"Ugh!"

She seemed to be in pain as she suddenly dropped the bouquet she was holding.

The bouquet hit the ground twice, scattering petals and breaking stems. It lay disheveled on the floor. Tiel's eyes widened in shock.

"What...? Oh, brother."

"Tiel, step back for now."

Ferdie stretched out his arm to shield Tiel. Ludian nodded and pulled Tiel back to protect her, and the guards stepped in front of Tiel, Ferdie, and Ludian.

At that moment, the girl who had been grimacing in pain fell to the ground.

Tiel, startled, tried to rush forward but was caught by Ludian.

"Ah, brother! That girl!"

"Wait."

At Ludian's nod, the guards quickly approached to check on the girl. One of them carefully examined the bouquet.

"There's a trace of something broken inside here!"

The guard pointed out tiny shards of glass in the bouquet, which made Ferdie and Ludian's faces harden.

That meant the girl had intended to harm Tiel with the bouquet.

Protected by both her flame ability and her light ability, Tiel would not have been seriously harmed even if the bouquet had exploded in her arms. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"How ridiculous."

Yet, such an incident happening within Asterian territory was unforeseen.

Tiel, Ferdie, and Ludian had always maintained a close relationship with the citizens of their domain.

While other noble families also interacted closely with their subjects, Tiel, Ferdie, and Ludian were particularly fond of their people, having often wandered outside the estate since they were children and possessing strong abilities to defend themselves from an early age.

The citizens had always gifted [N O V E L I G H T] the children with the finest flowers and freshest fruits, and the children had always accepted these gifts without suspicion.

Thus, Ferdie and Ludian had never imagined such an incident could occur within their domain.

Ferdie looked at the girl. It was clear she would die if left untreated.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

They couldn't let her die before they discovered who had put her up to this. He commanded,

"Take her to the manor. Show her to the doctor to keep her alive, and lock her up in the dungeons of the Asterian manor."

At Ferdie's command, the guards swiftly picked up the girl. Tiel's face tightened as she grasped Ferdie's hand.

"Brother."

"Tiel, are you okay?"

Ludian turned Tiel around to face him. She nodded. She was fine, just a bit shaken.

But then.

"Huh?"

Tiel frowned slightly as she inspected her hand. There was a black smudge on her fingertips.

"What got on it?"

She pulled out a handkerchief and carefully wiped her fingertips. The stain quickly disappeared. It must have gotten on her when she received the bouquet.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. It's just that... she snatched the bouquet back again."

"But she was the one who gave you the bouquet in the first place."

"But she also changed her mind and saved me again, didn't she?"

Tiel looked troubled as she stared at the spot where the girl had collapsed.

"I wonder if she'll be okay? She looked in bad shape..."

"Tiel! You almost got hurt just now. You should be more worried about yourself. You're the head of the Asterian family."

"We should have brought more guards. We weren't vigilant enough. We never thought something like this could happen in Asterian territory."

Ferdie took Tiel's hand and turned her around. The remaining guards continued to escort Ferdie, Ludian, and Tiel.

"Let's return to the manor."

At Ferdie's words, the guards nodded. Tiel, feeling somewhat suffocated, kept looking back at the spot where the girl had fallen.

Her fingertips felt slightly sore.

***

"Miss!"

As Tiel dangled her legs while sitting quietly in her room, the door opened, and she smiled softly at the newcomer.

"Ria!"

"Miss! I've heard what happened. My goodness, what a mess! Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Ria took Tiel's hands and thoroughly examined the girl. Her touch was even gentler than Ferdie's or Ludian's.

Ria confirmed that not a single hair on Tiel's head was harmed before finally breathing a sigh of relief and stepping back.

"I'm really okay. Perfectly fine. Not hurt and not even that shocked anymore. And you know how well I can use my protective abilities."

Tiel waved her hand playfully, and a thin veil of light formed in front of her body.

Though it was very thin, it was as dense and strong as if woven from thousands of strands of gold thread. The veil was powerful enough to block anything. It was one of Tiel's signature abilities, now that she was twelve.

"So, I'm fine! But the problem is that girl... Ria, do you think my brothers will kill her?"

Tiel's expression became very serious. Ria, holding back her urge to state the obvious, finally spoke.

"Miss, although you ask me to call you 'Miss' as if you were still a child, you are the head of the Asterian family."

"Uh-huh, of course I know that."

"But that girl tried to harm the head of the Asterian family, so she deserves to be punished accordingly."

"But even though she saved me again?"

"What good does it do to save someone after pushing them into water? The fact that she pushed matters... Oh, I got worked up there. Sorry, Miss."

Ria smiled awkwardly and gently hugged Tiel. Tiel blinked as she nestled in Ria's embrace.

Having been comforted by Ria for a while, Tiel suddenly lifted her head within the embrace and looked up at Ria.

"Right! So where is that girl now?"