Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Successor Doesn’t Matter, But Healing Does — Episode 114

“Elvia is taking a vacation?”
“Yes. I sent her.”

Lion stood before his grandfather and explained the matter briefly.
He said he hoped that since Elvia had gone to the Hot Spring, at least for today no one would call for her.

“I see.”

Patrick nodded and studied Lion intently.

“I’ll be staying at the estate the whole time today.”

Lion recognized that gaze—the unspoken questions in it: ‘You’re not planning to cause trouble somewhere else, are you?’ and ‘Elvia’s not even here?’ So he offered his defense.
Patrick, seeing this, couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

‘So the boy got Elvia to take a vacation.’

Her temperament had changed remarkably in such a short time.
Patrick himself had not failed to suggest rest to Elvia.
In fact, whenever the opportunity arose, he’d urged her to take a break or a vacation.
But the answer that came back was always a refusal.
She said that even moving about as she did, she found it hopelessly tedious, and if she stopped to rest entirely, who knew what would happen to her.

‘Then again, at that time……’

Elvia’s mental fatigue had already accumulated considerably.
To compare it to a machine—she was like one whose oil had all worn away, creaking with every movement.
But if you stopped such a machine, what would happen?
It would seize up entirely, never to be used again.
Elvia had understood her own condition well, which is why she had refused Patrick’s suggestions.
But then Lion removed that fundamental wound in her heart, and everything changed.
He created memories for her, filled her days with joy and pleasant times so she’d never be bored.
Such things had a profoundly positive effect on Elvia’s transformation.

‘What a remarkable boy.’

Patrick was certain Lion must have seen through Elvia’s true nature even before he found the contract.
That’s why he’d deliberately retrieved it from the Labyrinth.
Yet the boy had shown not the slightest sign of it.

“I believe Elvia should receive compensation commensurate with the effort she’s devoted to House Asteri.”
“Mm.”

He truly had a deep mind.
Though on the surface he always did peculiar things, Patrick found himself thinking that Lion’s depths and steadiness might actually surpass his own.

“Understood. After all, Elvia isn’t exclusively yours to command. Even if something needs doing, I won’t call for her.”
“Thank you.”

He’d known his grandfather would agree.

‘He seemed to care about it all along, subtly.’

His heart seemed to match his own.
Yes. She deserved the rest.
He knew better than anyone how hard Elvia had worked, caring for the estate and for him all this time.
That’s why he’d wanted to give her free time like this whenever he could……
Truth be told, if I’d said “You’re free for the next few days!”, she probably would’ve refused outright.
After all, one has to learn how to rest, doesn’t one?
But Elvia had spent centuries bound to House Asteri with no respite, doing nothing but work—so naturally, she’d forgotten how to rest at all.

‘That’s why I mentioned the Hot Spring.’

Though I had to admit, the fact that Freyanya was going along was somewhat unexpected.

“I-I’ll be going then! This sounds like it’ll be so much fun!”
“So it would seem.”

Watching the two of them move about the estate carrying bathing supplies, I felt there was nothing to worry about.
Perhaps they got along better than I’d expected?

“Ah, how did you find the Sikhye?”
“Curious flavor. There’s a subtle spice that rises at the finish—quite clean.”

If Grandfather had deemed the sweet Sikhye more than acceptable, that meant it was quite good indeed.
Similarly, Ricshel—who’d lost his hesitation about new foods after the banana sweet potato incident—had drained an entire bottle.

‘Good thing. I was worried the taste might be too narrow.’

With the whole family approving, it was a complete success.

“Then I’ll go distribute the remaining Sikhye.”
“Go on, then.”

Lion bowed briefly and stepped through the doorway.

‘But…’

Patrick turned over the questions in his mind that he couldn’t quite voice aloud.
There were three bottles left in total.
Two would go to Rickson and Barg.
But who was the last bottle for?

‘The boy’s circle has grown wider, then?’

Well, it hardly mattered.
There wasn’t a single thing within the Asteri Family Estate that could harm Lion.
Patrick set down his pen, drained the Sikhye from the bottle, and placed it beside the first potion bottle Lion had given him, sealed with Preservation Magic.
It seemed peculiar, perhaps, but it was a small hobby he’d recently acquired.

* * *

While Lion went about the estate distributing Sikhye,

“Ugh…”

Barg opened his eyes to terrible muscle soreness.
Just from twitching a single finger, his arms and shoulders—even his chest—throbbed with pain.

‘Where am I?’

Looking at the ceiling, he was relieved it wasn’t outdoors at least.
The afterlife?
Ah. Right.
I’m alive.
In a flash, the recent memories rushed past.
Rampage, confrontation in the forest, mindlessly swinging claws, and then—a tremendous sound.
The Young Master fell from the sky…….

“Huh?”

Barg jolted upright, forgetting even the pain that had racked him moments before.
Though immediately after, the terrible muscle soreness caught up with him, and he let out an involuntary groan.

‘T-the Young Master fell through the air?’

Somehow it seemed he’d been saved, but entire stretches of his memory had been torn clean away.

‘I—I need to find him…… I have to get out of here.’

Panic flooded through him.
What had I done? It was surely something terrible…….

Crash!

The moment Barg rose from the bed, he fell flat on his face in spectacular fashion.
Small wonder—his body hadn’t yet recovered enough to support him.
By rights, his muscles should have been completely ruptured, and he should have lost his nails and teeth from the abuse.
He had only escaped with muscle soreness thanks to Lion’s Potion.
But Barg, not yet fully conscious, hadn’t realized this and had collapsed the moment he tried to bolt…….

“W-what was that?”

Jake, who had been dozing in the chair beside the bed, jolted awake at the sound and glanced frantically around.

“Oh? You’re awake…… Hey! Are you all right?”

Jake sprang to his feet and stood in front of the struggling Barg.

“J-Jake…… what happened to me…….”
“What happened? You went into Rampage and tore the place apart. You should’ve seen yourself—covered in blood like a butcher when you showed up.”

With that, Jake grunted and hauled the fallen Barg back onto the bed.

‘Good grief.’

He’d known this creature was Beastkin, but now he could tell for certain—the thing was heavier than any ordinary person.

‘That explains the raw power he showed during our sparring match.’

The body beneath was essentially packed with compressed, combat-hardened muscle.

“Just take it easy. Let me see…….”

Jake left Barg settled back on the bed and scratched his head furiously.
The captain had definitely told him to report the moment Barg woke, but looking at how this was playing out…….

‘The moment I step out, he’s going to bolt.’

Jake rummaged through the drawer. The captain had given him a manual for exactly this situation.

“Ah, here it is. So first…….”

-Upon Barg’s awakening, summon me immediately.

‘……I’m sorry, Captain. I don’t think that one’s going to work.’

-Right. That one’s failed, then. Let me tell you the next approach.
-When Barg wakes, he’ll certainly thrash about. Calm him down and tell him everything that’s happened so far.
-After that, suggest he’s about to apologize to the person he wronged, and imply that attempting it with a body still recovering would be pointless. Guide him in that direction.
-If he still insists, strike the back of his neck and knock him unconscious.

“…….”

Isn’t that rather harsh for someone who’s just woken up?

-Barg is a Beastkin. Remember that, Jake. Remember it well.

‘Right. Fair point.’

That final phrase made the Knight Commander’s intent perfectly clear.
If he didn’t disable him in one blow, everything would fail.
Jake recalled Barg on the verge of Rampage.
The speed and strength that would’ve dropped Jake where he stood without hesitation.
And that stone-like weight behind every movement.

‘Still, at least he’s conscious now. I should tell him what actually happened.’

With that, Jake cleared his throat and was about to launch into the story when—

Creak!

The door swung open.
Not the Commander, but——

“Whoa! Y-Young Master!”

It was the eldest Young Master—the one who’d treated Barg.
Jake’s mouth fell open before he remembered to bow properly.

“Shh. It’s fine, don’t get up. I just came to visit in secret——”

But——
Barg, who should have been lying quietly in bed, was draped awkwardly across the mattress.
The moment their eyes met, he let out a start and began scrambling.

“That is—Barg’s woken up, hasn’t he.”
“Indeed.”

Now Lion understood the situation entirely.
So Barg had awakened, and his memory wasn’t complete.
He was surprised to see Lion, so he must remember something.

‘Then.’

Lion gave Jake a slight nod.

“I’ll watch from here. Go ahead and report, then come back.”
“Sir? But——”

It could be dangerous.
Barg was in quite a volatile state right now.
Gentle and timid as he was by nature, the Rampage had only just subsided.
And on top of that, he’d woken earlier than expected——

“Go on. I’ll be fine.”

At Lion’s soft but resolute words, Jake set aside his doubts and bowed deeply.
Right. He was the benefactor who had saved Barg’s life. He was surely far more capable than Jake himself.

“Understood!”

Jake hurried from the room, but paused partway out, turned back, and bowed even lower.

“……Thank you so much for saving my friend!”

The words were brief and plainly spoken, yet brimming with sincerity.

‘So the fellow does have friends.’

He seemed to be adapting well to the Knight Order, better than expected.
Lion smiled warmly and nodded, and Jake departed quickly from the room.
His face had flushed the color of a radish, perhaps because he’d never had cause to offer such thanks before.
And so only Lion and Barg remained in the room.
Lion settled naturally into the chair Jake had vacated and regarded Barg.

“A good friend, indeed.”

Barg stared after the place where Jake had gone.
The anxious, frantic pounding in his chest eased somewhat.

‘Friend……’

Of course Barg thought of Jake as his friend.
But he had never dared dream that Jake would return the sentiment.
He had been certain—certain—that Jake would despise him……

“How does your body feel?”
“Ah.”

Lion’s calm and gentle voice soothed Barg’s mind further.
It felt as though nothing had happened at all.
His body ached too much for it to be a dream, though.
But it didn’t hurt worse than before.

“I’m, I’m all right.”
“Lies. You look like you’re in quite a bit of pain.”

Lion set down two bottles of Sikhye, and Nature fluttered up and began pecking at Barg’s thigh.

“Ugh!”

In an instant, a sharp jab of muscle soreness shot through his nerves and up into his head.

‘Ah, it hurts……!’

Barg’s eyes brimmed with tears as he looked at Nature.
Even though this tiny spirit had only pecked him, it hurt.

“Ah, something doesn’t feel right.”

Barg quickly confessed the truth.

“I see. You should rest without worrying about anything else for a few more days.”
“Yes……”

Since the person in question insisted he was fine, there was nothing more to say on the matter.
No, honestly—it was cowardly, but it felt so good that they treated it as if nothing was wrong.
Jake and the Young Master both.
They must have seen every sordid, brutal side of me.

Bang!

The door swung open harder than before.
And there stood the Knight Order Commander, breathing heavily as if he’d rushed here in haste.
He strode toward me with a fearsome expression and……

Whoosh!

He pulled me into an embrace.

“……Ahhhhhhh!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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