The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

Episode 73

“Do you think Perdi will win?” Thiel asked.

“Of course. They’re no match for him,” Lucian replied confidently.

Though the competition was supposedly fair, Asterian had dominated the victory for years. Occasionally, Nestrian would win, but those instances were few and far between. The competition seemed almost designed for Asterian to win.

The other heirs participated knowing they would likely lose. Furthermore, Perdi Asterian had an even stronger ability than Cassius or Alpheus at his age.

So, Perdi’s victory was almost a certainty.

Thiel looked at Perdi’s back and whispered to Lucian, “Then will the Emperor grant Perdi’s wish?”

Last year was Perdi’s first participation in Luminari. Despite winning, he hadn’t asked for any wish from the Emperor. Some called him arrogant for that, but Lucian understood why Perdi made that choice.

Perdi didn’t have anything he wanted, so there was no wish he found worth asking for from the Emperor.

Would it be the same this year?

Lucian’s gaze shifted to his small sister beside him.

‘This year might be different.’

Though Perdi and Lucian were brothers, they didn’t cherish or love each other in the conventional sense. They were once competitors, and now they functioned more as colleagues who understood each other.

But when it came to Thiel, both Perdi and Lucian cared for and loved her deeply. She was the precious little sister they would give anything for.

They wanted to fulfill Thiel’s every wish and give her everything she desired.

‘Perdi might make a wish this year.’

Lucian and Thiel’s eyes simultaneously turned towards Perdi.

The summons continued their race, each representing their family’s hope and pride. Perdi’s flaming leopard led the charge, maintaining a strong lead. The crowd watched in awe as the powerful and majestic creature blazed through the course, its fiery form a testament to Perdi’s abilities.

Rowan’s snow leopard struggled to keep up, its icy form melting as it got too close to Perdi’s summon. Frustration was evident on her face as she tried to maneuver her summon away from the heat.

Sterling’s lightning foal zipped through the course with bursts of speed, occasionally outpacing Perdi’s leopard but unable to maintain the lead due to its smaller size and stamina.

Clemens’s flower bird fluttered gracefully but lacked the speed to compete seriously with the more powerful summons.

Olivia’s wind wolf was swift and nimble, managing to stay close to the leaders but not quite fast enough to overtake Perdi’s creation.

As the race continued, it became clear that Perdi’s flaming leopard had a significant advantage. The gap between it and the other summons widened, making victory seem almost inevitable for Perdi.

Thiel watched anxiously, her small hands clenched in anticipation. She admired her brother’s skill and power, feeling a swell of pride for him.

Meanwhile, Lucian kept a keen eye on the race, understanding the significance of the competition and the potential wish that Perdi might finally ask for this year.

The excitement in the plaza grew as the summons approached the final stretch. The crowd’s cheers intensified, echoing through the streets.

Perdi’s leopard, with its blazing speed, crossed the finish line first, securing the victory for Asterian once again.

The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, celebrating the triumph of the Asterian family.

Perdi stood tall, his expression calm and composed as he accepted the accolades.

The Emperor watched with a satisfied smile, knowing that the competition had once again showcased the strength and abilities of Krasion’s noble families.

As the dust settled and the excitement began to fade, the Emperor gestured for silence.

“Perdi Asterian, you have won the competition. As promised, you may ask for one wish.”

Perdi glanced at Thiel and then at Lucian, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and spoke clearly, “Your Majesty, I wish for…”

All eyes were on Perdi, awaiting his wish.

He paused for a moment, then continued, “…for Thiel to receive the best education and training possible, so she can develop her abilities to their fullest potential.”

The crowd murmured in surprise, and Thiel’s eyes widened in astonishment.

The Emperor nodded approvingly.

“Very well, Perdi. Your wish is granted. Thiel will receive the best education and training the empire can offer.”

Perdi turned to Thiel, a smile on his face.

“This year, my wish is for you, Thiel.”

Thiel’s heart swelled with gratitude and love for her brother. She knew that with Perdi and Lucian by her side, she could face anything.

The competition had ended, but for Thiel, it marked the beginning of a new journey towards unlocking her true potential.

* * *

The summons crouched low at the starting line, ready to dash forward.

Rowan’s ice leopard, wary of Perdi’s flaming leopard, stood at the very end, away from the others.

Bang!

The starting firework went off, and the summons sprang forward in unison.

The children stood on the platform, controlling their summons remotely as they raced around the capital.

It was no easy feat, but these were the heirs who would one day lead their families.

Perdi’s flaming leopard dashed forward like a flash of lightning, quickly outpacing the other summons and taking the lead.

“Of course!”

The citizens watching from the sidelines cheered. They had expected nothing less from Perdi Asterian.

No one doubted that Perdi Asterian would win this race. It was no surprise, considering the Asterian family’s dominance in past competitions.

But there was something strange.

“Damn it…!”

Rowan clenched her fists and stomped her foot in frustration.

Those around the platform could see that Rowan’s summon was struggling to move forward.

Normally, Nestrian and Asterian would be vying for first and second place.

However, Rowan’s ice leopard lagged at the back, running the slowest.

“Damn it!”

Rowan stomped her foot again.

Perdi’s summon stuck close to Rowan’s, its heat melting the ice leopard’s legs, causing it to fall further behind.

Olivia’s wind wolf followed Perdi’s leopard leisurely, with Sterling’s lightning foal and Clemens’s flower bird trailing behind.

While the other heirs competed with ease, Rowan, realizing her summon was falling behind, grew more desperate.

This was Rowan’s first time participating in Luminari, and she was much younger than the other children, so her struggle was understandable.

‘No!’

The problem was that Rowan was a child who hated losing.

Despite Rowan’s frustration, Perdi’s summon quickly completed a lap around the capital and returned to the starting line with ease.

Cheers erupted from all around as the flaming leopard stood proudly at the starting line.

“As expected of Asterian!”

“Look at that summon! It’s magnificent!”

Perdi’s flaming leopard approached the platform and knelt low before Perdi, who calmly reached out to dispel the ability. The flames roared and then disappeared, taking the form of the summon with them.

Next to arrive was Olivia’s wind wolf, followed by Sterling’s lightning foal, Clemens’s flower bird, and finally, Rowan’s ice leopard.

The children dispelled their abilities one by one.

Olivia’s refreshing wind dispersed into the air, Sterling’s fierce lightning crackled and vanished, and Rowan’s crude ice melted away.

Rowan bit her lip, trying to hold back tears as she dispelled her summon.

Zender Nestrian was visibly shocked by the unexpected outcome.

“How could this happen…?”

Rowan’s ability, even at her young age, was much weaker than what Lena had shown at the same age.

But Rowan was of Nestrian blood and was expected to follow in the footsteps of Zender and Cornelia to become the head of the Nestrian family.

Yet, she had fallen so far behind?

Nestrian’s abilities were vastly superior to the other three families (Wolfgang, Iker, Arne).

When Asterian defeated Nestrian, it was due to compatibility, not a significant difference in the strength of their abilities.

So, no matter how weak Rowan’s ability was, it shouldn’t have been inferior to the other families.

Nestrian’s abilities were much more extensive compared to those of the other three families.

But Rowan had suffered a crushing defeat.

People murmured, glancing between Nestrian and Asterian.

Zender’s face flushed with embarrassment. Cornelia looked back and forth between her daughter and the other children, visibly flustered.

“Rowan,” Cornelia called out worriedly, but the girl standing on the platform did not respond.

The Emperor stepped forward, his presence calming the overheated atmosphere.

“Well done, everyone,” the Emperor said, and the five children bowed their heads slightly.

The Emperor looked at each child before turning his gaze back to Perdi.

“Perdi Asterian, you are the winner of this competition!”

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, prepared fireworks went off, and people cheered. The knights of the Asterian family stood tall, showing no visible reaction to the expected result, though their shoulders twitched slightly in pride.

Lucian and Cassius looked at Perdi indifferently, finding the outcome unsurprising, while Thiel clutched Lucian’s hand tightly, watching Perdi.

‘I wonder what wish he’ll ask for?’

It was hard to imagine Perdi making a wish.

Was it because Perdi was overly mature for his age? Or perhaps…

Just then, the Emperor raised his hand slowly, silencing the cheering crowd and the fireworks.

In the midst of the silence, the Emperor looked at Perdi Asterian and asked,

“Perdi Asterian, as the winner, I will grant you one wish. What is it that you desire?”

A hush fell over the audience.

People remembered how Perdi Asterian had not asked for any wish three years ago during Luminari and watched him with hopeful eyes.

Would he again ask for nothing?

Or…

Perdi spoke slowly.

“My wish is…”

The Emperor nodded, urging him to continue.

“I wish to have the Breath of the Snowfield.”

“Hm?”

Both the Emperor and Zender Nestrian narrowed their eyes at the unexpected wish.

The Breath of the Snowfield was a treasure unique to Nestrian’s snowy fields.

Why would Perdi Asterian want that?

“The Breath of the Snowfield?” the Emperor asked.

Perdi nodded clearly.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I don’t need just one flower. I would like to have as many as possible.”

“Huh…”

“That is my wish.”

The Emperor, puzzled, asked,

“You are Asterian’s black panther. Why do you need the Breath of the Snowfield?”

Perdi smiled as if he had been waiting for this question.

“My sister is very sensitive to heat.”