Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 122

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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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Successor or not, I’d prefer some healing — Episode 122

The priest Licht stood motionless in that spot, staring blankly at the man before him.
His silhouette resembled far too closely the figure he had seen in his dream.
Long hair loosely bound, a frame thin and straight, fragile as though it might crumble to dust.
And yet his presence carried an aura that seemed somehow solid and immense.

‘His hair color is clearly different, and I sense no Holy Power, and yet…….’

An overwhelming sense of déjà vu seized him.
Licht drew toward Lion as though entranced, moving slowly forward.
One step, then another.
Already within Licht’s pupils burned the eternal green flame, the source of Holy Power itself.
He needed to verify it.
The god’s message. The identity of that figure in his dream.
Why it had appeared in his vision wielding such tremendous Holy Power.
What that vision had meant.

“Priest!”
“……!”

Licht came to himself at the sharp call of his name.

“Ah.”

What in the world had he been about to do?
Guilt and shame crashed over him.
Worse still, the man before him was someone far more fragile than any ordinary person.
Licht flustered, unable to hide his burning face.
Lion gazed at Licht’s discomposure and smiled as though nothing had happened.

“It has been a long time, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, yes. It truly has been an age since we last met.”

Surely Lion must have sensed something amiss.
And yet he…….

“Please, do sit.”
“Yes. Thank you…….”

Licht sat without hesitation, accepting Lion’s invitation.

‘Compose yourself, Licht.’

No matter how vital a Premonitory Dream might be, no matter how urgently it demanded verification, one must never force it from another.
Such behavior was commonly called being “consumed by Premonitory Dream”.
It meant becoming so entranced by a vision—so powerfully drawn to it—that one would commit any act to serve it.
This was a mistake only novice priests made, something a priest of Licht’s standing should never do.
And yet…….

‘If it were anyone else, it would be dangerous. But for me, it would be truly perilous.’

He possessed the strength to compel another person—genuinely possessed it.
Licht clenched the fist hidden beneath his glove, released it, then clenched again, mastering himself through sheer will.

“Have you been well in my absence?”
“Yes. Thanks to the treatment you provided, my health has remained steadfast.”
“……I did nothing of consequence, but I am truly grateful your condition has remained so sound.”

Licht recalled the past from a few months ago.
How startled he had been when he treated this anonymous figure’s body.
No effect whatsoever.
Though reluctant to say it aloud, Licht was among those the Temple pushed forward as Archbishop candidates.
He was a priest whose command of Holy Power and the skill to wield it ranked in the top five.
Yet he could not offer even that much help.
The feeling back then…….
It had even left him consumed with guilt.
But today, after the dream and their reunion, something felt different.
A doubt had taken root: what if……?
What if this person surpassed him in power, and that was why Holy Power had no effect? That was the doubt gnawing at him.
Of course, he held no certainty that this figure was the one he had seen in his dream, yet his instinct screamed that it was him.
But.
Licht quickly shook his head.
That wasn’t what mattered now!
What mattered was the reason this person had come to meet him.
They were undoubtedly virtuous.
Then the reason must surely be virtuous as well.
Licht sat quietly and waited for Lion to speak.

“You seem to know why I’ve come to see you.”

Meanwhile, Lion smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

‘Well, it would be strange if you didn’t.’

Wasn’t it said that Licht would perform Peter’s Ceremony?
Lion decided to speak honestly.

“Yes. The truth is, I came to make a request regarding Peter’s adoption.”
“……Ah. Peter. I see.”

He knew well about Peter.
The child the Orphanage director worried over so much, the one this figure had helped with unwavering dedication.
And.

‘The child who possessed Holy Power that approached that of a formal priest…….’

A young child whom the Temple had plans to make a Divine Child.
Just as he had been.
Bitter memories flashed through in an instant.
Of course, Licht now lived a satisfying life.
Based on tremendous Holy Power, he lived almost revered within the Temple.
But had he found this life satisfying in the past……?

‘No. He had not.’

How many wounds had he endured at such a young age.
Now his life was satisfying, one he could forge for himself, but in the past it had been a life hemmed in from all sides.
Sealed off in every direction by blazing flames, unable to hide anywhere, denied even a single thread of shadow in which to retreat.
He had borne envy and jealousy upon his shoulders, and so never managed to form a single genuine friendship.
In that gnawing loneliness, he could share his torment with no one, only with Anyatras himself.
That was what it meant to be a Divine Child.
Always bright, always unblemished, always radiant, denied even the shadows that must naturally fall—living a sterilized life.
Now he dared not harbor resentment.
After all, had not Licht himself risen to the glorious position of Archbishop candidate?
But.

‘Peter…….’

To be blunt about it, Holy Power at that level wouldn’t have been enough.
I don’t know why the Temple changed its policy and started taking even children who’d become full priests, but.
It wasn’t something I could approve of.
At least, coming from someone who’d spent a childhood like that, I couldn’t possibly condone it.
As Licht maintained his long silence, Lion posed a question.

“So the Temple does intend to take Peter after all.”
“…Yes. That’s what I understand to be the case.”
“Peter didn’t seem to know about it, though.”
“Didn’t… know?”

It was something that couldn’t remain unknown.
The priest who informed Peter of the Ceremony schedule possessed enough skill to fully assess Peter’s Holy Power.
Moreover, even if by some chance they hadn’t known, most children with Holy Power lately become Divine Children, so it would be standard for someone to explain it separately from their end….

‘Surely not.’

Then the puzzle fell into place.
Why they’d left him, a candidate for Archbishop, in the Asteri Territory Temple where information was somewhat cut off from other temples.

‘…Is it possible they deceived me along with Peter?’

Licht did not follow the Temple’s orders when it came to wrongdoing, no matter what.
That’s why, even as a candidate for Archbishop, he’d frequented the Confession Hall quite often.
Today’s matter was no exception.
If Licht had known, he would never have allowed Peter to become a full priest.
No matter what else happened, he’d believed the Temple shouldn’t trample the hopes of a child and their parents!
So they’d deceived him.
Both Licht and Peter’s family.
But by a strange stroke of fortune, Licht had discovered this truth early—thanks to his Premonitory Dream!

‘…That’s how it was, then.’

Licht covered his face with both hands and let out a long, deep sigh.

“So you didn’t know.”
“I apologize. I had no idea whatsoever.”

And here was someone calling himself a candidate for Archbishop, unable to grasp even this trivial matter.

‘If it hadn’t been for the Premonitory Dream… wait.’

Could it be that the Premonitory Dream the Lord granted me was meant to make me realize this very truth?
Wasn’t it to guide these young lambs who’d overlooked what truly mattered, caring only about themselves?
It must be. Surely that’s it.
Then the reason this noble one appeared like a god in that dream!
And the reason Holy Power wouldn’t work against them!

‘Ah!’

Licht looked at Lion with eyes that shone with sudden understanding.

“Your Highness, I have a request.”
“Speak.”

Lion, noting the stark shift in Licht’s demeanor from moments before, smiled faintly.
He’d wondered if perhaps they were in league together, but fortunately that didn’t appear to be the case.
In fact, quite the opposite….

‘He looks quite angry, doesn’t he?’

He clearly did not like the current situation.
Those gentle eyes were blazing with fire now!

‘For a candidate Archbishop to think like that—that’s rather remarkable.’

And it was true, wasn’t it?
All one had to do was keep out of trouble and obey the Temple’s orders without question, and eventually the highest seat of power—the Archbishop’s throne—would fall into one’s lap.
Yet here he was, rolling up his sleeves and stepping forward simply because he’d decided something wasn’t right—a move that bordered on reckless.
And yet.

‘This is what a true priest should be.’

A person who acts for the sake of the weak.
That was what Lion believed a priest truly was.
Unfortunately, Lion did not understand the depths of Licht’s heart……!

“Shameful as it is, with the Ceremony drawing near, I fear I cannot manage this alone.”

He was right.
The Temple was far more conservative and insular than the Magic Tower.

“However, if you would offer your aid, I believe we can buy ourselves time.”
“If there is anything I can do to help, I will.”
“Then, first of all…… I shall tell the Temple that you are a guest who appeared in a Premonitory Dream, and extend you an invitation.”
“A guest from a Premonitory Dream?”
“Any guest who appears in a Premonitory Dream, regardless of which dream, is received by the Temple as a dignitary. You shall want for nothing in terms of treatment, I assure you.”
“Ah!”

Lion bobbed his head in agreement.
He’d already planned to head to the Temple anyway, and having Licht guide him directly was more than convenient.
There was, however, one thing that troubled him…….

‘My Perfect Imitation doesn’t have many uses left.’

That was something he could likely ask Ricshel to handle appropriately.
Licht continued with his explanation.

“Once you arrive at the Temple, I would appreciate it if you could experience as much as possible of what the Temple has to offer. ……Though if your body is not in good condition, there is no need to push yourself.”

Even as he said this, Licht’s brow furrowed with a guilty expression.

“The interior of the Temple is a sanctuary, so there should be no strain on your body.”
“Understood. Will that be all?”
“Yes. Ah, originally there was one more thing, but I believe I can prevent that myself.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. You need not worry. Then…….”

Licht rose from his seat and turned to present his back to Lion.

“Please, climb on. We shall head to the Temple at once.”
“Pardon?”
“The distance to the Temple is considerable, so it would be best if you rode upon my back.”

Licht smiled gently.

“……Very well.”

* * *

In the end, Lion was swept along by what Licht proposed — not quite an offer, more an insistence — all the way to the Temple.

‘What kind of strength is this?’

This man — wasn’t he a holy knight, not a priest?
Licht had brought Lion here for another reason altogether.

“The visitor from the Premonitory Dream is quite weak in body, I’m afraid.”
“Good heavens! I shall give him my special attention.”

It was a way to keep the other priests from pestering him.

“I’ll postpone everything related to the ceremony as long as I can. I likely won’t be able to come find you until afternoon.”
“Don’t worry. Oh, though my younger brother might come looking for me later. That would be all right, wouldn’t it?”
“Of course. I’ll mention it to him beforehand. Then… I leave him in your care.”

Licht said he would leave a trustworthy priest with him, then hurried from the room.
And so Lion was…
left alone in the room, utterly by himself.

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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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