The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

Alpheus had returned.

The children gathered in the dining room to have dinner with Alpheus and Karsus.

"Grandfather!"

Tiel called out happily as she saw Alpheus enter the dining hall. He chuckled and lightly patted her head.

"Tiel, did you have fun?"

"Yes, I had a great time. Where did you go, Grandfather?"

"I had an audience with His Majesty the Emperor. Now, let us eat before the food gets cold."

As Alpheus took his seat and picked up his utensils, the children followed suit, each picking up their own.

Silver knives and forks moved across their plates in a calm, unhurried manner. Alpheus quietly stabbed a piece of food with his fork without saying a word. Karsus did the same.

"Grandfather."

Ferdie, who had been patiently waiting for Alpheus to speak, finally broke the silence. Alpheus looked up.

"What is it?"

"Did you call us here because you had something to tell us?"

Ferdie set down his knife as he asked. Alpheus pressed his lips together as if pondering something, then shook his head.

"...No."

Anyone could see that he wasn't entirely without words to say.

"Ah, Grandfather, what were you about to say? Just tell us—mmph!"

"Quiet."

Olivia, who was about to protest, suddenly found her mouth stuffed with a piece of meat by Ferdie.

Muttering as she chewed the unexpected bite, Olivia glanced back and forth between Alpheus and Karsus.

Karsus looked completely at ease, but Alpheus had an expression that suggested he was displeased about something.

Realizing they wouldn't get any more answers, the children gave up on asking further and continued their meal in silence, occasionally glancing at one another.

Tiel lifted her head to look at Karsus.

Sitting across from her, Karsus met her gaze, the corners of his lips curling into a smile as he blinked at her.

"Is the food not to your liking?"

Noticing that her plate was still mostly untouched, Karsus asked.

Tiel quickly speared a small piece of meat with her fork and popped it into her mouth, shaking her head.

"No, it's delicious!"

"Then why are you eating so little today?"

"Um..."

Tiel glanced toward Alpheus.

He still wore a troubled expression.

With Grandfather looking so displeased, how could she possibly have an appetite...?

But Tiel didn’t voice that thought and simply shook her head.

Instead—

"Um, there's something I need to tell you."

Tiel spoke carefully.

Karsus, Alpheus, Ferdie, Ludian, and Olivia all turned to look at her at the same time.

Tiel wiped her mouth thoroughly with the napkin on her lap before looking straight at Alpheus and speaking.

"I... saw something strange in the streets."

"Something strange?"

Alpheus asked.

Tiel hesitated for a moment before carefully continuing.

"I felt like... something was watching me. I'm not sure, but—"

"...Something was watching you?"

Karsus, who had been listening quietly, asked in a low voice. His golden eyes flickered dangerously for a brief moment.

Caught off guard, Tiel pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"I'm not certain. I just thought I should tell you in case something happens later—"

"And what exactly is supposed to happen?"

Ludian cut in, setting his fork down with a soft clink.

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Tiel."

"...Brother."

Ludian, with a firm expression, pointed to Olivia sitting across from him.

"Because she’s here."

"?"

"If anything happens, she’ll get hurt instead of you, so don’t worry."

Olivia’s face contorted for a moment before quickly returning to normal.

"...Well, that’s true."

"Right?"

"Of course! If anything happened to our little baby, I'd obviously—"

"Enough nonsense. None of you are getting hurt."

Karsus spoke in a low voice. His tone was calm, but the weight behind it silenced the entire table.

"Tiel, continue."

Alpheus urged.

Tiel nodded and slowly resumed speaking.

"I couldn’t see it clearly, so I can’t say for sure, but..."

"You felt an ominous presence, didn't you?"

"Yes."

Originally, Tiel hadn’t planned on telling even Ferdie and Ludian.

She wasn’t sure exactly what she had seen. All that remained clear in her mind was a lingering sense of unease and discomfort.

But just in case.

What if—what if that presence really had meant her harm?

In that case, it was better to inform Karsus and Alpheus in advance.

I don’t want anything dangerous.

There was nothing more terrifying to Tiel than being separated from her family.

And that disturbing feeling she had experienced... It carried the terrifying possibility that it might truly tear her away from them.

Karsus nodded in understanding and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Don’t worry, Tiel. Once Luminarie ends, we’ll return straight to Asterian. The territory will be safe. But just in case, I’ll look into whether anyone else witnessed anything unusual."

"Yes, Papa."

"And you have your brothers and the Asterian knights as well. I’m not particularly worried, but..."

Ferdie and Olivia were heirs who would become heads of their respective households, and Ludian possessed abilities comparable to them.

Anyone hoping to challenge all three of them would need to be at least the head of another noble family.

In other words, it wasn’t easy for just anyone to harm these children. However, what worried Karsus was something else.

"Tiel, make sure you’re never alone."

A young cub was most vulnerable the moment it strayed from the pack.

Within the pack, it was perfectly safe. But once outside, that safety could no longer be guaranteed.

Above all else, the greatest concern within the Asterian family was the possibility of Tiel being alone.

"Ferdie, Ludian."

At Alpheus’ call, the two boys lifted their heads.

"Yes, Grandfather."

"Yes."

"Take care of Tiel. Don’t let her out of your sight."

The two immediately nodded without hesitation.

And with that, dinner came to an end.

In the end, neither Karsus nor Alpheus told the children anything.

The next day, the children didn’t go out.

The streets were crowded with festival-goers, filled with laughter and cheer, but Ferdie, Ludian, Olivia, and Tiel remained at the estate.

We’ve already enjoyed everything worth enjoying.

Ferdie shrugged. Ludian and Olivia nodded in agreement.

After two days, there’s nothing new to see at a festival.

That’s true. Everything fun happens in the first two days anyway.

Tiel had worried that they were staying behind because of her, but Ferdie, Ludian, and Olivia deliberately spoke loudly to reassure her otherwise.

They were kind people. Thanks to them, Tiel was able to spend a relaxing day at the estate.

And that evening—

"Brother?"

"What’s the occasion?"

At that moment, the maid standing behind Ferdie carefully draped a coat over Tiel’s shoulders.

"Huh?"

Tiel blinked and looked back and forth between Ferdie and the maid.

"Tiel."

Ferdie grinned. Then, he gently cupped her small, plump cheeks and rubbed them softly.

"Let’s go watch the fireworks."

"Fireworks? But..."

Tiel’s expression turned puzzled as she recalled how Ferdie had burned down the entire garden that afternoon.

Why are we doing that again?

Did Brother Ferdie... hate the gardener?

Ferdie, ignoring whatever Tiel might have been thinking, easily lifted the small girl into his arms and strode down the staircase.

At the bottom of the stairs, Olivia and Ludian were waiting, already dressed for the occasion.

Both of them wore unique masks.

"Sister? Brother?"

Tiel tilted her head as she glanced between them.

"Why are you wearing those?"

"You too."

Ferdie took a small half-mask from the maid and carefully placed it over Tiel’s face.

It was a petite, adorable mask in the shape of a leopard, adorned with sparkling gemstones.

Ferdie and Ludian’s masks were pitch black, like polished ebony. In contrast, Tiel’s was pure white and beautiful.

It had been specially commissioned by Ferdie and Ludian, designed to match their little sister’s image.