The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

“Tiel!”

At that moment, a familiar voice echoed from afar. Tiel slowly turned her head.

Knight’s armor engraved with the Everard crest approached, and the Beastkin of Arcadia stepped aside, making way for them.

Tiel instantly recognized the boy riding at the front.

“Karl?”

Tiel murmured with certainty, and the boy, who had been sitting on the horse, jumped down.

With blue hair and aquamarine eyes, there was only one person in the entire empire with such a distinctive color.

“Karl Everard!”

Tiel exclaimed with joy, and as he approached, Karl kissed the back of Tiel’s hand. Without hesitation, Tiel offered her hand, her eyes sparkling.

Karl, who lightly kissed the back of her hand, looked up and smiled. His blue hair shimmered in the sunlight, like a wave catching the light.

Karl, now standing, was a head taller than Tiel. Tiel realized that she could no longer refer to him as a ‘boy,’ just as she could no longer call herself a ‘girl.’

“Have you been well?”

Karl asked kindly. His voice, now deeper than before, sounded unfamiliar to Tiel. She nodded, realizing how much time had passed.

“I’ve been well. How about you, Karl?”

“Thanks to you.”

Karl nodded lightly, turning his gaze to the Beastkin of Arcadia around them.

As soon as the Beastkin met Karl’s gaze, they smiled brightly, their ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) faces radiant with warmth. There was no trace of the darkness that once hung over them. Their faces were as bright as sunlight.

“It’s changed so much, hasn’t it? The young ones don’t even know that there was a time when this land was ‘that way.’ It’s all thanks to you, Tiel.”

Karl spoke of ‘that time’—the time when the sun never rose over Arcadia. Tiel looked around, smiling brightly.

“Yes, it’s really changed. It’s such a beautiful land. Beautiful Beastkin, too. I truly love it here.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Let’s go to the estate. Everyone has been preparing for your visit for a long time.”

Karl extended his hand to Tiel. Tiel gently placed her hand in his.

Karl’s hand was much larger than Tiel’s, and it seemed like there would be plenty of room even if she placed both hands on it.

Karl led Tiel toward the carriage prepared by the Everard estate. The Everard knights stepped aside, creating a path for them.

“Oh, I have my own carriage. Father and Grandfather are also...”

Tiel spoke cautiously, not wanting to dismiss Karl’s kindness. Karl shook his head as if to reassure her.

“I’ve already informed Duke Evalt and Marquis Celeste in advance.”

Tiel looked back briefly to check if Karl was telling the truth.

Karsus, Alpheus, Ludian, and Ferdie were watching quietly from a distance as Tiel climbed into the carriage with Karl.

‘If they hadn’t given prior permission, they would have stopped him. They care about me too much.’

So, seeing them stay back, Tiel knew that Karl must have received their consent. Without further worry, she got into the carriage prepared by the Everard estate.

The carriage wasn’t as lavish as the Asterian ones, but it was beautifully decorated.

Inside and outside, flowers unique to Everard grew abundantly, and golden fish, symbolizing Tiel, hung around the carriage.

It was a carriage prepared exclusively for Tiel, and no one could deny that fact. Tiel boarded it, escorted by Karl.

“We’ll take you to the estate, Tiel.”

“Please take care of me.”

Tiel smiled lightly. Karl closed the carriage door himself and mounted his horse. Normally, knights would do such a thing, not the head of a family.

‘It’s a relief that Karl has grown up well.’

Karl had become the head of Everard at the age of only six.

Even though there were many good adults around him to help, it was never an easy job.

Yet, seeing Karl grow so well and having rebuilt Arcadia like this made Tiel feel a strange sense of pride. She looked out the carriage window.

Beastkin of Arcadia stood on both sides, showering Tiel’s carriage with flowers.

“Tiel!”

“Tiel! Welcome to Arcadia!”

“Welcome to Arcadia!”

As a result, the knights guarding the carriage were covered in flowers, and one flower was even tossed into the carriage.

Tiel carefully picked up the flower.

The salamander and the golden fish that had been circling around Tiel pounced on the flower, sniffing it.

Then, with no sign of trouble, they rolled over and lay on Tiel’s lap.

Only then did Tiel bring the flower to her nose and inhale its fragrance.

This was the most fragrant flower Tiel had ever smelled in her life.

“Does the head of the family usually come to greet guests personally?”

Ludian asked with a puzzled tone. Ferdie, still focused on the Beastkin of Arcadia throwing flowers toward Tiel, answered.

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“Usually not, unless it’s the Emperor himself.”

In the territory of the Beastkin, the head of the family has the highest authority. Even if a visiting noble has a higher title, they must still show the appropriate respect within another Beastkin's territory.

But Karl, as the head of Everard, seemed to have forgotten his position and came out riding to personally escort Tiel to the Everard estate.

Ferdie made a thoughtful noise and furrowed his brow.

“Is it because Arcadia is in a remote area that the news arrived late? Maybe he doesn’t know that Tiel has a fiancé.”

“How could he not know? When we visited Arcadia, Tiel was with Ian...”

“Back then, Tiel was only seven, and Karl Everard was six.”

Ferdie shrugged. Ludian followed suit, making a similar noise and then following Tiel’s carriage with his eyes.

“So you’re saying Karl Everard might be interested in Tiel...”

“Stop with the nonsense, Ludian.”

Karsus interrupted Ludian’s words.

“As you’re talking about, this is Everard’s territory. It’s best not to disrespect Everard in any way. Besides, Karl Everard probably didn’t come out just for such a reason.”

Karsus also looked at the carriage with Tiel in it, which sparkled with crystal fragments, continuously gleaming like Tiel’s own abilities when she used them.

“The Beastkin of Arcadia said they never forget favors. Tiel is their benefactor. If it weren’t for Tiel, the Beastkin of Arcadia would have been wiped out that day. They probably want to treat her with the utmost respect.”

Ferdie and Ludian nodded in agreement, but still, the thought that Ian Dross would have felt uncomfortable in this situation lingered in their minds.

***

The door of Tiel’s carriage suddenly opened. Tiel cautiously leaned her head out.

Karl approached and offered his hand to help her down from the carriage.

Tiel didn’t refuse and took Karl’s hand, stepping out of the carriage.

“Welcome to Everard, Tiel.”

Karl said politely. Tiel, holding her dress, gently curtsied and responded.

“Thank you for inviting me to your estate, Karl.”

“I’ve arranged a place for you to rest. Please take a moment to refresh yourself. You’ve had a long journey.”

Karl gestured, and three maids approached, bowing.

“We will guide you to your room, Tiel. Please follow us.”

Tiel nodded and looked back at Karl, asking, “Where will the others stay?”

“Not far from your room,” Karl replied. Tiel smiled faintly and followed the maids, taking light steps.