The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

"Miss! Between pink and yellow, which color do you like better? Oh! There’s also lavender!"

"What kind of curtain fabric do you prefer? Would you like luxurious lace curtains, or simple and elegant chiffon ones?"

"Um, uh..."

Tiel, overwhelmed by the maids’ barrage of questions, darted her wide eyes around before clutching tightly onto Ria’s sleeve.

What on earth was happening?

Not long ago, she had leisurely woken up late, enjoyed a warm bagel, a cup of hot cocoa, and some fruit for breakfast, and had been resting peacefully in Ria’s arms.

Then, out of nowhere, a group of maids had excitedly barged in, declaring that they would create the perfect room for her. With eager nods, they bombarded her with questions, determined to learn every detail of her preferences.

While she appreciated their intentions, the idea of decorating a pretty room, Tiel found the questions overwhelming. She was naturally shy, and such attention made her uncomfortable.

And I don’t even know what I like...

It was only natural. Tiel had grown up wearing hand-me-down clothes that Rowen discarded.

Her room had been a dusty attic, where mice occasionally scurried past. Her meals had consisted of cold soup or hard bread.

Having grown up in such conditions, being asked about her preferences now left her flustered.

Caught between not wanting to answer and not wanting to ignore them, Tiel looked helplessly at Ria, silently pleading for help.

Just as Ria noticed Tiel’s silent cry and was about to send the maids away, there was a knock at the door.

The maids, who had been focused entirely on Tiel, turned their heads in unison.

The door opened, and in walked the head maid of the Asterian estate, Sophia.

"I told you all not to overwhelm the young miss, knowing how shy she is, and yet here you are again, ignoring my instructions," Sophia said, clicking her tongue in disapproval as she looked at the maids.

The maids, looking embarrassed, exchanged sheepish glances before retreating a step with faint smiles.

Still in Ria’s arms, Tiel tilted her head up to look at Sophia and bowed her head politely in greeting.

"Hello."

"Hello, Miss Tiel. I’m Sophia, the head maid of this estate."

Sophia’s sharp gaze fell on Tiel’s small hand tightly gripping Ria’s sleeve.

In that brief moment, she understood everything—the child’s discomfort and nervousness due to the sudden rush of maids. Sophia gave Tiel a polite bow.

"Please forgive their rudeness, young miss. They seem to have gotten a bit too excited about decorating your room and ended up overstepping."

The maids standing behind her nodded and bowed their heads in apology.

After ensuring the maids had shown proper contrition, Sophia turned back to Tiel, her gaze softening as she smiled.

"Everyone here is excited that you’ve returned to the estate. Things might feel unfamiliar and a little unsettling for now, but I ask for your understanding as they adjust."

Sophia’s gentle voice helped Tiel relax. Slowly, she nodded and replied cautiously, "Yes, Sophia. I didn’t think they were being rude. I’m happy they asked me about my favorite colors. But..."

Tiel hesitated, her lips trembling slightly as she struggled to find the words, her face flushing as she avoided Sophia’s gaze.

"I-I don’t really know what my favorite color is yet..."

She was already seven years old and still didn’t know what she liked.

Suddenly, she felt ashamed of herself.

And with that came a creeping fear—what if the people in the room thought she was pathetic?

But the fear was short-lived. Ria’s gentle voice quickly chased it away.

"Miss, it’s okay not to know yet. You can discover what you like from now on. Don’t worry. Even adults often don’t know what they like."

"Really?"

"Of course. For now, should we decorate the room as we see fit? And then, when you figure out your favorite colors later, we can change it to match your tastes."

Ria spoke soothingly, her tone reassuring and warm.

Tiel’s large eyes shifted from Ria’s face to Sophia’s and back again before she finally nodded with a smile.

"Okay."

Her smile was so radiant, her eyes curving into crescents, that everyone in the room involuntarily squinted as if struck by sunlight.

This is impossible...

She’s impossibly adorable...

No one said it aloud, but it was as if they could hear each other’s thoughts.

Even Sophia, the famously stern head maid of the Asterian estate, found herself flustered.

"Ahem..."

It had been a long time since Sophia had encountered a child this charming, and her face reddened as if it might burst.

Meanwhile, Ria gently hugged Tiel, softly laughing at the maids’ inability to contain themselves.

As everyone struggled to suppress the urge to squeal and punch a wall from the overwhelming cuteness of the young miss,

Tiel, the center of attention, simply looked at the maids with a puzzled expression, entirely unaware of the chaos her adorableness had caused.

***

Tiel’s room was completed at an astonishing pace, thanks to the overly enthusiastic maids and the furniture artisans generously compensated for their work.

The space was filled with wooden furniture carefully crafted with rounded edges to ensure the child wouldn’t get hurt. On the large bed, several layers of soft, plush blankets were stacked to make it as comfortable and cozy as possible.

A lovely pink cover adorned the pillow, perfectly sized for a child. In front of the sun-drenched window hung delicate silk curtains, along with a suncatcher that reflected light in countless directions.

The floor was covered with warm carpets to keep her feet from feeling cold if she walked barefoot. Directly below the bed, where her feet would first touch the floor, lay a fluffy rug made of the finest wool.

Under the orders of Karsus and Alpheus, the room was furnished with only the best materials. At first glance, the room appeared nothing short of magnificent.

When Tiel was shown her new room for the first time, she was so taken aback that she couldn’t speak for a long time. Her lips moved silently as if she was struggling to find words.

“This is... my room?”

When she finally managed to speak, she looked up at Parden, the butler, with a look of disbelief.

For a seven-year-old child to have such a spacious room all to herself felt absurd.

Although Tiel was too young to distinguish between premium wood and the finest fabrics, she could tell just by looking that the room had been decorated with the best of everything.

In the Nestian estate, the most extravagantly decorated rooms were Chender’s office and Rowen’s bedroom.

But even Rowen’s bedroom wasn’t this spacious.

The new bed in Tiel’s room looked twice the size of Rowen’s, and the soft blankets and high-quality ornaments scattered throughout the space far surpassed anything Rowen had.

Feeling overwhelmed by the extravagance of her new room, Tiel hesitated before cautiously looking up at Parden.

“Um, Parden...”

Noticing the young miss wanted to say something, Parden leaned forward slightly, lowering himself to Tiel’s level and offering his ear.

Tiel darted her eyes around nervously before leaning closer and whispering timidly into his ear, “I don’t really need such a nice room. It’s too much for someone like me...”

She meant every word. On the day she had arrived at the Asterian estate, she had truly meant it when she said she would be happy even staying in a barn.

Having even considered living on the streets if it meant not returning to the Nestian estate, Tiel couldn’t comprehend why she deserved such a luxurious space.

This room doesn’t suit someone like me, she thought, her small shoulders hunching in on themselves.

Parden, seeing her reaction, paused for a moment to consider where things had gone wrong. Then, looking directly into her eyes, he spoke.

“Young Miss, there is nothing in this estate that is too much for you.”

“...”

In her clear, golden eyes, Parden’s calm and reassuring expression was reflected.

“As Karsus-nim has said, the golden eyes that symbolize the Black Leopards are proof that you are the rightful owner of this estate. Nothing here is too much for you. If there is something you want, please let us know. If there is something you wish to do, feel free to tell us.”

Parden’s warm voice gently tickled Tiel’s ears.

The phrase “rightful owner of this estate” still felt strange and unfamiliar to Tiel, but she gripped the hem of her dress tightly and forced herself to nod.

“Yes.”

“Now, shall we take a look around the room? It’s a beautiful space that suits you perfectly. If there’s anything you don’t like or find uncomfortable, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll have it fixed right away.”

With a gentle push on her back from Parden, Tiel cautiously stepped into the room.