The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

Episode 79

Time flew by.

After the fireworks, Perdi, Lucian, Olivia, and Thiel decided they had experienced everything Luminari had to offer and refrained from going out again.

It was a wise choice.

“…Really?”

Thanks to Alpheus and Cassius, the children were accompanied by an overwhelming number of knights wherever they went.

It wasn’t a battlefield, and yet such a massive force was mobilized within the capital just to guard the children.

To be precise, they were there to guard *Thiel*.

When Lucian briefly stepped out to handle some business, not even a quarter of the waiting Asterian knights moved to escort him.

Though Lucian had no intention of taking a parade of knights with him, he was so irritated by their lack of movement that he threw himself back onto the sofa in frustration, refusing to go out at all.

As a result, the children stayed at the mansion until the festival ended.

And so came the last day of Luminari.

“Are we returning home today?”

Thiel asked, looking up at Leah, who was neatly tying her hair.

Catching Thiel’s gaze in the mirror, Leah smiled warmly and replied, “Yes, you’ll be heading back today. The servants have packed all your things, so you’ll likely leave as soon as the closing ceremony is over. Are you sad to leave?”

“Hmm…”

Thiel pondered Leah’s question for a moment.

She had built many precious memories with her siblings during Luminari. Of course, there were things she would miss, but…

“No.”

The girl firmly shook her head, her lips pressed together.

“Really? I thought you liked the capital!”

“I do! The capital is amazing—it’s a wonderful place. But…”

Thiel trailed off, her thoughts wandering to the Asterian estate back in their territory.

The grand and majestic mansion, the beautiful gardens, the hallways she had grown so attached to, and her own cozy room…

The capital was undoubtedly a great place, but no place in the world could compare to Asterian Manor.

To Thiel, the best place was Asterian Manor, the place she most wanted to return to. Even if she left it someday, she was certain she would always find her way back.

Understanding Thiel’s feelings, Leah chuckled softly and finished styling the girl’s hair.

She braided it into two neat pigtails, tying each with large yellow ribbons that accentuated Thiel’s charm.

“All done, Miss Thiel.”

At Leah’s words, Thiel, who had been sitting quietly on the bed, jumped to her feet.

“Do you like it?” Leah asked, holding a small hand mirror in front of Thiel. Without hesitation, Thiel nodded enthusiastically.

“I always love it! Leah, you’re the best…!”

“Why, thank you, Miss Thiel. That makes me very happy,” Leah said with a giggle.

Thiel was dressed in a beautiful yellow dress gifted by Ian. Unlike the dress she had worn on the first day, this one was adorned with frills and ribbons, emphasizing its sweet and endearing design.

With her hair braided and ribbons perfectly matching the dress, Thiel looked like a little doll.

Holding Leah’s hand, she descended the staircase carefully.

“Thiel!”

Lucian, waiting below, made to lift her up but froze mid-motion.

“…Thiel.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you a little too cute today? This is dangerous. Maybe we should take off these ribbons…”

“Stop talking nonsense and move, Lucian.”

With a calm reprimand, Perdi brushed past him and gently flicked one of Thiel’s ribbons tied to her hair.

“Thiel, you look adorable.”

“Thank you! You look amazing too, Brother!”

At first, Thiel had been shy and unsure how to respond to compliments, but now she had grown used to both receiving and returning them with ease.

Her time at Asterian Manor, where she was showered with love and learned how to express it in return, had taught her well.

This small change only made the servants love their young mistress even more.

Today, being the final day of Luminari, Olivia had already returned to the Wolfgang estate to attend the closing ceremony.

Thus, the children didn’t have to wait for her and boarded the carriage immediately.

Cassius and Alpheus were traveling in a separate carriage, so the three siblings rode together and set off.

The coachman wasted no time, urging the horses forward at a brisk pace to avoid delaying their reunion with Cassius and Alpheus.

Thiel sat quietly, carefully holding the hem of her dress, and gazed out the carriage window at the fleeting scenery.

Today marked her farewell to the capital.

* * *

‘It’s Ian!’

Thiel’s eyes lit up briefly. She had been worried, not hearing anything from him after he had gone inside earlier. Thankfully, he seemed okay at first glance…

‘Huh?’

Thiel squinted her eyes. Something about Ian seemed off.

Perdi and Lucian, noticing Thiel’s reaction, leaned in close and whispered near her ear.

“Thiel, what’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, I think Ian looks a bit strange today…”

At her words, both Perdi and Lucian turned their gazes toward Iandros Krasion, who stood some distance away.

Ian’s attire was the same as usual, but his expression was oddly vacant, his gaze unfocused.

“He does seem off,” Perdi murmured.

“He’ll handle it himself, won’t he? He’s the Crown Prince, after all,” Lucian commented casually, only to fall silent under Perdi’s sharp glare.

Ignoring her brothers, Thiel studied Ian’s face carefully. His expression was so dark that it almost felt like the air around him was dimmer.

Bright sunlight illuminated the rest of the area, yet only Ian’s surroundings seemed unnaturally shadowed, like he was engulfed by darkness.

‘It’s almost as if the darkness has swallowed him whole…’

Unable to take her eyes off him, Thiel remained fixated until Perdi gently placed a hand on her small shoulder and spoke kindly.

“If you’re that worried, let’s check on Ian after the closing ceremony. We can’t go to him right now, anyway.”

Thiel nodded at Perdi’s words.

Ian was seated next to the Emperor, in the Crown Prince’s place of honor. It wasn’t a situation where Thiel could just approach him to see how he was doing.

‘Alright, I’ll ask him later.’

For now, she resolved to wait patiently.

Thiel turned her gaze toward the heads of the great houses.

The closing ceremony was much shorter than the opening ceremony.

While the opening ceremony had been grand and boisterous, the closing ceremony was calm and subdued, designed to settle the excitement of the festival and bring it to a peaceful conclusion.

And though Thiel didn’t know what Alpheus had said to the Emperor, the Emperor did not call for her during the closing ceremony.

Thanks to that, Thiel was able to watch the ceremony comfortably and without any anxiety.

It was then.

“…!”

Her gaze met that of Zender, Cornelia, and Rowan from the Nestrian family across the way.

For some reason, Rowan’s eyes were swollen and red, as though she had been crying, her face pitifully puffy.

Thiel couldn’t help but widen her eyes at the sight. She had never seen Rowan like this before.

‘Huh…?’

Rowan rarely cried at the Nestrian estate.

Before she could, Zender and Cornelia would always fulfill her wishes.

‘But now she’s cried…’

Thiel felt a strange mix of sympathy and a faint, almost imperceptible sense of relief at the sight of Rowan’s tear-stained face.

Of course, she quickly chastised herself, thinking she was awful for feeling that way, and silently apologized to Rowan in her heart.

Regardless,

After sparing a brief glance at the Nestrians, Thiel shifted her gaze elsewhere. She still wasn’t ready to look at the Nestrians for too long.

Naturally, her eyes drifted back to Ian’s face…

And then it happened.

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted, the deafening roar and shockwave sweeping across the enormous square in an instant.