The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

the child because she was wary of strangers, now had enjoyed tea time with her.
It was enough to make him tremble with a sense of betrayal.

However, Cassius calmly retorted as if he didn’t care.

“Now that she doesn’t avoid my touch, I don’t mind meeting the child.
Besides, I called her here to explain her abilities.”

“Abilities?”

“Don’t you think she should know what kind of abilities she possesses?”

Recalling Thiel, who had looked down at his palm intently as soon as she regained her composure that day, Cassius murmured in response.

“Still, it hasn’t been long since she came to the mansion, and yet we’re already talking about this…”

“We need to know.
Thiel, she thinks she’s a useless child.”

“What? Useless? What’s useless about her?”

Alpheus abruptly stood up from his seat.
His widened eyes and the low, menacing tone in his voice were unsettling.

“She’s useless! Why would she be useless! 

Thiel was Alpheus’s own granddaughter and the rightful heir to Asterian.

It wasn’t just because Thiel manifested the “Ability of Light.” It was simply because Thiel was Thiel.

Because Thiel was Thiel.

She was the daughter of Cassius Celest Asterian and Lena Nestian.

There is no such thing as a “useless child” to parents.
Even if the child hadn’t manifested any abilities, Alpheus would have cherished and adored the child they had found.
That’s what parents do.
That’s what family is.

But to be called useless! Alpheus’s face became complexly colored.
His emotions were complicated.
However, he couldn’t simply blame the child for thinking that way.

There was clearly responsibility on the part of the adults, including Alpheus, for Thiel becoming like that.

It was regretful that they couldn’t protect her.
It was horrifying to have lived all those years without even knowing that she was alive.

Cassius looked at Alpheus, whose face was quickly darkening, and quietly spoke.

“You asked if she can be of help to Asterian.”

“Well then… Can I be of help to the Asterian family?”

Cassius’s face faintly wrinkled, recalling Thiel’s trembling voice.
Alpheus was at a loss for words, only parting his lips slightly.

“Grandfather said that if you’re a child, you should be a support to the family.”

“Zender, you bastard!”

To say that if you’re a child, you should be a support to the family, where is that forced notion coming from? It should be the family supporting the child!

Moreover, Thiel was only seven years old.

Nevertheless, the fact that he dared to say such things while being cautious meant that the child had been hearing such words for a very long time.

Alpheus, who had been fuming, slumped into his chair.

Afraid of easily startling, the face of his granddaughter, whom he hadn’t properly met yet, kept appearing before him like an adult.

“So, now is the time to discuss an important matter.”

Cassius’s gaze instantly became sharp and intense.

As he set down the teacup, the tea inside swirled.
Cassius’s figure was reflected in the tea but quickly disappeared.

“Nestian’s disposal.”

It was the most important issue.

At the same time, it was a matter that everyone in Asterian, including Cassius and Zender, was eagerly hoping for.

“Well, I was planning to send a letter to Nestian anyway.”

Alpheus’s face, which had been roiling with anger towards Nestian and guilt towards Thiel, suddenly calmed down in an instant.

Since Thiel had come to Asterian on her own, the rest was up to the adults.

It was time to send a letter to Nestian, informing them that they would be taking the child from Asterian.

In my heart, I wanted to ignore even such formalities, but I couldn’t.
If I did that, Nestian could later protest and take the child away.

Since Thiel had manifested the ability of Light, I couldn’t leave any traces that could be caught.
It had to be handled meticulously.

Without any hindrance.

And I also had to express my gratitude to the Crown Prince, who had brought Thiel all the way to Asterian.

The task that had been postponed under the pretext of taking care of the child had now arrived at the doorstep.

It had to be resolved step by step.
Alpheus tapped the armrest of the sofa and said,

“While Thiel is your child, she is also Lena’s child, so we cannot hold them responsible for hiding the child.”

Alpheus’s words paused and then continued.

“… But there might be other ways to make them pay the price.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Zender Vukan Nestian had hidden and abused the daughter of Cassius Celeste Asterian.

Now it was time for them to pay the price.