The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

As they returned, nothing was the same as when they left.

There were no blockages on the road that had been marked on the map, nor any sudden collapses that required a detour.

The children were able to rest comfortably in the village without needing to camp, and they arrived at the Asterian territory faster than expected.

“Tiel.”

Ferdie gently shook the girl, who was asleep in his arms. Tiel rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked up.

“...Yes?”

“We’re here, you need to wake up.”

With a light laugh, Ferdie picked Tiel up and set her on her feet.

Tiel yawned softly and looked out the carriage window. Familiar scenery passed quickly by as they sped along.

They had finally arrived in Asterian territory.

“Already? I want to see Grandpa and Dad!”

“They must be really eager to see you too. And probably…”

Ferdie, who had been about to say something, furrowed his brow mid-sentence. Tiel tilted her head, confused.

“Big brother?”

“Could it be…?”

At that moment.

The carriage screeched to a halt. Ferdie quickly pulled Tiel into his arms to prevent her from falling. Tiel blinked in surprise as she found herself in her brother’s embrace.

“Tiel, are you okay!?”

Ludian gently brushed Tiel's cheek, checking her condition. Tiel nodded with a dazed expression.

“I’m okay…! But what’s going on…?”

“Why would they do something like this!?”

At that moment, Ludian looked outside the window, clearly angry. Tiel continued to look at her two brothers with a bewildered expression.

Ian Dross had been riding ahead, leading the knights, so he wasn’t inside the carriage, and Olivia looked a bit confused…

Everyone seemed to know what was happening, except for Tiel. She tilted her head and grabbed Ludian's sleeve.

Then.

The carriage door suddenly swung open with a loud creak. Tiel’s eyes widened as she turned toward the door. There stood…

“Tiel.”

“...Dad?”

Karsus Asterian was standing at the threshold of the carriage, holding onto the door frame. Tiel, still confused, quickly ran to him and buried herself in his arms.

“Dad? Why are you here?”

“I came to greet you.”

Behind Tiel, Ludian, Ferdie, and Olivia all sighed at the same time. Tiel finally looked up and gazed over Karsus's shoulder.

Behind him, the Asterian knights were lined up, standing without their weapons.

They had come to greet the Asterian children.

Seeing this scene for the first time, Tiel wriggled in Karsus's embrace, and Ferdie sighed before speaking.

“Today, even the ‘Crown Prince’ is here, yet you go and do something like this? I told you not to.”

“Crown Prince himself came; how could I just sit at the manor and wait for you? It was only right that I came out to greet you.”

“You only came out because you wanted to see Tiel earlier…”

Olivia muttered under her breath, but Karsus ignored her, lifting Tiel up and getting back on the horse.

Tiel, still on horseback, looked toward Ian Dross. When Ian noticed Tiel awkwardly sitting on the horse, he gave a subtle smile.

“Let’s go.”

Karsus pulled Tiel close to make sure she wouldn’t fall, then took hold of the reins. As soon as Karsus gave the command, the knights moved again.

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Ian Dross also gently pulled the reins and let them go. The carriage began moving again.

Tiel, still in her father's arms, returned to Asterian.

***

“Tiel!! I heard the news early! You’ve worked so hard. My granddaughter, you’ve had a hard time. Come here, let me give you a hug.”

Alpheus smiled brightly and opened his arms wide.

“Grandpa, don’t you see us?”

“I don’t think he does.”

“Well, it’s still the Crown Prince.”

“Leave it. Duke Evalt probably needs some time to relax.”

It was Ferdie, Olivia, Ludian, and Ian Dross who arrived next.

Alpheus gave Ian Dross a quick formal greeting before pulling Tiel into his embrace.

Tiel laughed as she wrapped her arms around Alpheus’s neck.

“I’m back, Grandpa!”

“Ah, yes, yes. You’ve come back safely, haven’t you? Oh, no need to ask, I’ve already heard the news from the head of Arne.”

“Yes, I’m back safely. The head of Arne was kind, and my older brothers and sisters took good care of me.”

“Good job, well done. Come here, Olivia, Ferdie, Ludian. You’ve worked hard. Very well done.”

Alpheus stretched his arms out to the other grandchildren.

However, Olivia didn’t look too pleased.

“Now?”

Olivia asked irritably. Ludian, who had been quietly watching, spoke up.

“Well, if you and Grandpa are standing side by side, of course, he’s going to hug Tiel first.”

“Well, that’s obvious! Tiel is cute… and Grandpa is…”

“So let’s understand. He’s waited seven years for a grandchild and had to send her away after less than a year. He must have been worried.”

Olivia nodded reluctantly at Ferdie’s words.

Alpheus affectionately patted each child in turn. They all received his touch with content expressions.

Karsus stood behind, watching the scene. He knew how much Alpheus had waited for the children, so he didn’t interrupt.

Watching silently, Ian Dross cleared his throat.

“I’ll head back now. I have a duty to report to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince. We will officially thank you at Asterian soon…”

“That’s not necessary. In fact, I’ve received more from Asterian.”

Alpheus set Tiel down. He noticed that Tiel wanted to thank Ian herself.

As soon as Tiel was set down, she lightly ran to stand in front of Ian.

“Are you leaving already?”

Tiel looked up at Ian Dross with a sad expression. Ian nodded, smiling.

“You miss me after we’ve been together this long?”

“Yes, of course. It feels sad to be apart after being together for so long… When will you come back to Asterian again?”

At Tiel’s question, Ian Dross remembered when he met Rowen at the Nestian estate.

The girl who asked when he would visit Nestian again. Ian Dross suddenly felt frustrated with the memory and slammed the carriage door as a way to vent his irritation…

But strangely enough, Tiel’s question didn’t annoy him at all.

‘Is it just me? If I were really that annoyed, I wouldn’t have gone on such a long journey for her.’

Ian Dross glanced at Tiel for a moment before speaking.

“After reporting to His Majesty the Emperor, if I have time, I will stop by the Asterian manor.”

“Then… can I write a letter to you?”

“A letter?”

“Yes, I want to write a letter to you.”

Tiel nodded eagerly.

Not long ago, when she parted with Clemence at the Arne estate, she had seen Olivia and Clemence exchanging farewells with a promise of letters. Tiel had vaguely wished she could send a letter to someone, and Ian Dross was just the right person!

Ian Dross, who had been staring at Tiel’s sparkling eyes for a while, let out a hum and then asked.

“Can you write?”

“A little…”

“If I can’t read your handwriting, what will I do?”

“If you don’t want it, just say so, Ian Dross. I’ll take Tiel’s letter instead.”

Ferdie, watching the exchange, butted in. Tiel, with a pout on her face, looked back at Ian Dross.

Not wanting to anger Tiel with a playful remark, Ian Dross quickly recovered the situation.

“It’s not that I can’t read your handwriting. Write the letter. If writing is hard, just draw a picture and send it.”

Ian Dross carefully took Tiel’s hand.

“Then, no matter how busy I am, I’ll make sure to read your letter and reply.”