The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

Ferdi was not a natural-born genius like Ludian.

While Ludian was specialized in strong abilities and their application, Ferdi excelled more in academic research and the study of abilities rather than direct combat.

That was also because Ferdi’s madness was more severe than others.

He could only use about half the abilities that Ludian could.

So, for Ferdi to be able to use his abilities to this extent meant he had put in an extraordinary amount of effort.

And that also meant he was the best person to teach Tiel how to properly use and apply her abilities.

"An image?"

"Yes. Imagine yourself using your ability properly."

Ferdi glanced at the flames still flickering in Ludian’s palm before lightly clenching and unclenching his own hands.

Then—

Whoosh—!!

A massive blaze erupted from Ferdi’s hands.

It was a towering pillar of fire, no less impressive than Ludian’s. Tiel’s eyes widened in astonishment.

"Keep imagining it. Continuously."

Ferdi’s soft voice settled in her ears.

The pillar of flames swayed wildly, as if it could engulf the boy at any moment. Strands of his hair, caught in the heat and wind, fluttered helplessly.

Then, the fire rising from his hands gradually began to take shape.

The flame pillar, surging high as if it could pierce through the open-air training ground, roared even larger than Ludian’s.

"Imagine what you want to do."

Ferdi murmured, and as he did, the flames shifted accordingly.

As if recognizing their master, the fire coiled tightly around him, forming a burning barrier that prevented anything from approaching.

"That crazy bastard...!"

"Uwah!"

Startled by the overwhelming force, Ludian quickly rushed over, scooped Tiel into his arms, and took a step back.

Tiel stared, mesmerized, at the boy burning within the flames.

For a brief moment, the fire parted, revealing Ferdi’s face. His ability was astounding. But—

Something’s wrong.

Ferdi’s face was pale. As if... he was about to be consumed by the flames.

No—as if he had already been consumed.

It didn’t take long before the fire intensified even further.

Ludian, still holding Tiel tightly, spat a string of curses at Ferdi.

"You crazy bastard! Put it out, now! The kid’s scared! And do you even realize what state you’re in?!"

"...Ah, right."

Ferdi muttered absentmindedly. He had intended to teach Tiel how to use her abilities... Right.

He nodded slowly, as if just remembering.

Ludian gritted his teeth so hard they nearly cracked.

Tiel, still in Ludian’s arms, watched Ferdi with worried eyes.

Something was seriously wrong with him.

And Ludian seemed to realize it too.

Yet Ferdi himself acted as though he didn’t—no, he truly didn’t recognize it—and the flames only burned higher.

"I said, stop!"

But Ferdi behaved as if he couldn’t hear a thing.

The inferno now raged as if it would consume the entire training ground. Unlike Ludian’s fire, this felt genuinely dangerous to Tiel.

At this rate, it wasn’t just a matter of using his ability—he was burning himself alive! Tiel clenched Ludian’s collar tightly.

"O-Opp—"

"Yeah, fuck! I knew this would happen."

Ludian let out a frustrated curse as he set Tiel down in a safe corner.

That bastard’s completely lost it.

"Stay right here. Don't move. If you move, you’ll get hurt."

"Y-Yes."

"I mean it. Do not move."

The boy emphasized his warning several times before finally pulling away.

He extended his hand, summoning flames of his own.

A fire just as large as Ferdi’s roared to life in his grasp. Then, with a swift motion, Ludian forged a blade out of the flames.

"This is strange. He’s never lost control like this before..."

Every member of the Asterian family suffered from madness due to the curse.

Among them, Ferdi’s was the most severe. He had been born with great potential, but the madness prevented him from using his abilities beyond a certain limit.

But this... this was different.

The power he was unleashing now was only about one-tenth of his actual capability.

Ludian and Ferdi had been using their abilities together for a long time.

Ludian knew Ferdi’s condition well.

His brother wasn’t the type to lose control over this much power.

"Then why the hell is he suddenly like this...? Damn it, Ferdi!"

Ludian swore as he lunged straight into the raging flames.

Watching from the sidelines, Tiel gasped, holding her breath.

Ludian plunged into the firestorm, his flame-forged sword stabbing directly into the center of Ferdi’s inferno.

As the two boys’ flames collided, a massive explosion erupted.

BOOM—!!!

Thick smoke billowed, engulfing the entire training ground.

Tiel coughed violently, squinting through the haze to see what had happened.

Did it end?

But no.

Ferdi’s pillar of fire was still there.

Instead, it was Ludian who had been thrown back, wounded and sprawled across the ground.

Tiel’s eyes widened in horror.

"No... Hey! Wake up, Ferdi!"

Ludian coughed and shouted, his voice blending into the smoke and scattering into the void.

"Snap out of it! You can’t let it consume you!"

Tiel instinctively knew—Ferdi was in grave danger.

He was on the verge of being devoured.

The fire had started from Ferdi’s own hands, yet now it had spread uncontrollably, beyond even his ability to rein it in.

How did it end up like this?

She had only wanted to learn how to use her ability...

But now, it felt like everything was happening because of that.

A heavy weight of guilt pressed down on her fragile chest, crushing her like a boulder.

If she could, she would turn back time.

Back to before Ferdi was consumed by his own fire.

No—back to before she ever asked him to teach her abilities.

At that moment—

[Jump in, little one. Jump in.]

[You can save him...]

Whispers of an unknown presence murmured to her.

Tiel’s trembling gaze flickered between Ferdi and Ludian before she bit down hard on her lip.

Someone—something—was telling her that she could save him.

That she alone could calm him down.

She didn’t understand much about the madness that plagued the Asterian and Nestian bloodlines...

But—

"Ferdi oppa!"

—She knew this much.

Ferdi was in danger.

So, without hesitation, Tiel tore through the smoke and plunged into the fire.

Her trembling eyes steadied, locking onto Ferdi with unwavering focus.

"Tiel, no!"

Ludian lunged to stop her, but he was a moment too late.

Tiel stood right before Ferdi—who was on the verge of losing control.

"...Tiel."

Ferdi’s lips moved sluggishly as he uttered her name.

Tiel nodded and stepped closer.

"Don’t—don’t come near me. You’ll get hurt—"

"I won’t get hurt."

She had known from the start.

Ferdi and Ludian would never—never—harm her.

Even in his most hostile moments, the boy before her had been gentle enough to warm her cold hands with his own.

And in that instant, the flames that had raged endlessly—opened a path for her.

Without hesitation, Tiel stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Ferdi.

And she remembered.

That feeling, back in the underground chamber.

When she had been crying, and Karsus had called her name to soothe her.

And then—

The warm light that had enveloped her entirely.

I can do it.

If that moment wasn’t just a dream—then surely...

The moment she murmured those words, her small hands began to glow with a golden light.

From within her tiny palms, waves of golden radiance overflowed like rippling water.

Then, two small golden fish emerged—swimming in circles around Ferdi and Tiel.

They glowed with a brilliance that seemed to drink in the raging flames, swirling as if the fire itself were a river to carry them.

And slowly—they grew.

"Tiel, you—!"

What had started as tiny goldfish was now larger than the flames Ludian and Ferdi had summoned.

They swam through the entire training ground, their luminous bodies illuminating everything in their path.

And then—

The golden light streaming from Tiel’s hands, along with the massive glowing fish, wrapped around Ferdi.

Like a warm embrace, the radiance cradled him and surged outward, rippling past the training ground and beyond.

The entirety of the Asterian estate shimmered in a golden glow.

The flames that had roared wildly began to weaken—

Dwindling—

Fading—

Until finally, they disappeared completely.

Ferdi, who had been standing in a daze, slowly regained focus in his eyes.

His gaze landed on the small girl curled in his arms, and his expression shifted to one of shock.

Then, as the realization of what had just happened dawned on him, his eyes widened.

"Tiel—!!"

Ludian and Ferdi shouted in unison.

Ferdi held her tightly, as if afraid she might break—or slip away. Meanwhile, Ludian rushed forward, frantically checking her condition.

"Tiel!!"

Not long after, the doors to the training ground burst open.

Karsus and Alpheus had arrived, having heard the commotion.

By the time they reached her—

The entirety of the Asterian territory was already bathed in Tiel’s radiant light.