The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

The Day of Their Return to Asterian Territory.

Before stepping into the carriage, Tiel hesitated and looked up at Karsus.

"Before we leave... is there any chance I could see Ian-nim?"

Since that day at the imperial palace, Ian had neither sought her out nor allowed her to visit him.

As a result, Tiel had spent her entire stay in the capital without seeing him once.

"I don’t think that will be possible. But I’ll let him know that you wanted to see him."

Karsus gently ruffled his daughter’s hair, as if to console her. Tiel nodded, looking rather mature for her age.

"Alright, thank you!"

"Good. Now don’t worry and get in the carriage."

With a firm yet careful lift, Karsus picked Tiel up and placed her inside. As soon as she stepped in, Ludian naturally pulled her close to sit beside him.

"Tiel, are you feeling sad?"

Tiel nodded.

"Yes... a little. Ian-nim helped me at the palace, but I never even got the chance to properly thank him."

"You have nothing to thank him for. That bastard should be thanking you."

"Exactly! Our baby nearly got hurt because of him!"

Ludian and Olivia both snapped, voices sharp with irritation.

Even Ferdie, who normally would have taken the logical approach and calmed them down, simply nodded in agreement this time.

"You don’t owe him anything, Tiel."

Being branded with Ian Dross—being his mate—meant that she now shared the burden of his body’s strain and the instability of his ability.

The only saving grace was that their bond was incomplete.

But even a partial bond was still a bond. Whenever Ian lost control, Tiel would suffer the consequences.

Ferdie, for just a brief moment, seriously contemplated whether it would be better to simply kill Ian Dross.

But then, his gaze met Tiel’s bright, unwavering eyes, and that thought quickly vanished.

No matter how young she was, this was a choice she had made for herself.

If he and Ludian continued dwelling on their frustration, all they would be doing was making her decision look foolish.

"If you really want to see him, I’ll send a letter telling him to come to Asterian. You are his so-called ‘mate’ now, so he should make the effort."

"Ah, that’s... not necessary..."

"And who said we'd let him in? Even if he wants to come, we’re not letting him step foot inside!"

"Exactly! No one without the Asterian name is allowed in our estate!"

Olivia declared boldly.

Ludian, unimpressed, cast a dry look in her direction.

"You sure sound like someone with the Asterian name."

"......"

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get off. You don’t have the Asterian name, so by your own rules, you’re not allowed in the carriage."

Olivia nearly grabbed Ludian by the collar but restrained herself when she remembered Tiel was sitting right beside him.

As the children bickered, the carriage finally started moving. Tiel pressed her cheek against the windowpane, gazing outside.

Short if you called it short, long if you called it long—either way, her time in the capital was over. Now, they were heading back to Asterian.

Life in the capital was fun, but...

I still love Asterian more.

Because the Asterian estate feels like home. Because it feels like a place I can always return to.

Leaning against the carriage window, Tiel watched the trees and houses blur past her view—until sleep eventually took over.

Noticing this, Ludian pulled out a blanket and gently draped it over her. Then, with practiced ease, he guided her to rest her head on his lap.

The carriage sped through the roads, carrying them swiftly toward home.

***

"Tiel, we've arrived."

Ferdie gently shook the sleeping girl awake. Tiel stirred, brushing her tousled hair to the side as she groggily opened her eyes.

"Mm? Already?"

"Yeah, we're here. Come on."

Still half-asleep, Tiel instinctively reached out. Ferdie lifted her up with ease and stepped out of the carriage.

They had departed in broad daylight, but by the time they arrived, the night sky was pitch-black. The servants of the Asterian estate had all gathered, bowing their heads in greeting.

"Welcome home, my lord."

Standing at the front, Parden inclined his head respectfully. Alpheus and Karsus, having stepped out of the other carriage, gave him a slight nod in response.

"Any issues while we were gone, Parden?" Karsus asked.

"No, my lord. Please, head inside."

Parden bowed once more before leading the group—Alpheus, Karsus, Ferdie, Ludian, Olivia, and the still-drowsy Tiel—into the estate.

Tiel blinked sleepily, resting her cheek against Ferdie’s shoulder.

I’m home...

She lifted her heavy eyelids, gazing at the familiar faces of the estate’s staff, the corridors she had come to know, and the grand staircase leading up to her room.

It hadn’t even been a full year since she had come to Asterian, and yet, it already felt like home. That was proof of just how well the beastfolk of Asterian had treated her.

"Should we bring dinner to your rooms?" the head maid inquired.

Everyone nodded. The long carriage ride had left them utterly exhausted—no one had the energy to sit and dine at the table.

"Make sure to prepare something soft for Tiel," Karsus added.

"Of course, my lord."

The head maid bowed, and the other servants quickly scattered, moving to prepare meals to be delivered to each room.

At that moment, one of the maids hesitated, watching Ferdie still holding Tiel.

"Young master, would you like me to carry the young lady?"

"It’s fine. I'll hold her."

She didn't protest. Everyone in the estate knew how much Ferdie liked carrying Tiel.

"Understood, young master."

Still cradling his sister in his arms, Ferdie walked toward her room.

Only after arriving did he finally set her down, ruffling her hair before speaking.

"Tiel, even if you're sleepy, make sure to eat first. Skipping meals isn’t good for you."

"Mm... okay. I promise...."

"You better keep that promise. I’ll check later."

Tiel nodded obediently. Ferdie, seemingly satisfied, chuckled before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek and heading out.

Waiting just outside, Ria stepped in with a warm smile, holding a set of nightclothes.

"Miss, let me help you change~"

With practiced ease, Ria dressed Tiel in her nightgown, undoing the neat braids in her hair so she could rest comfortably.

Not long after, the maids returned, carrying trays of food into the room.

"Would you like to eat in bed?"

"Can I? But I might spill..."

"If you do, we’ll just change the sheets. It’s no trouble at all! Please, make yourself comfortable."

After a brief moment of thought, Tiel chose to sit at the table instead. She didn’t want to make extra work for the maids.

A warm meal was laid before her—hot soup, tender meat, and fresh salad.

"Please eat, my lady. You must be hungry after such a long trip!"

"Mm... I'm not really hungry. My brothers kept feeding me the whole way..."

Every hour, Ferdie and Ludian had practically shoved food into her mouth.

"A baby should never be even a little hungry!"—that was their logic.

Sometimes it had been soft bread, sometimes sweet candy, sometimes fresh fruit. Thanks to that, Tiel had spent the journey either eating or napping.

As she cut into a piece of soft meat and popped it into her mouth, she turned to Ria.

"Ria, do you know about the land where morning never comes?"

"Of course! In the Crassion Empire, there's no one who doesn't know about it. A long time ago, beastfolk used to call it Arcadia."

"Arcadia? But why don’t people call it that anymore?"

"Arcadia means ‘paradise,’ my lady. In ancient times, it was said to be a truly blessed land, which is why it was given that name. But..."

Ria smiled faintly.

"Now, as you know, it is a place where the sun no longer rises. That’s why people stopped calling it Arcadia. But who knows..."

Tiel swallowed the piece of meat she had been chewing, listening carefully.

"If the sun rises there once more, and morning returns, perhaps it will reclaim its name—Arcadia. Though for now, it remains a dark, forbidden zone, swallowed by shadows."

"Uhm... can I ask one more thing?"

"Of course, my lady! Ask me anything!"

"Why is it a place where beastfolk can’t enter? Did beast shapeshifters... do something wrong in Arcadia?"