Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 129

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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? I’d Rather Just Heal – Episode 129

“…….”

Licht stared at him for a long moment, and only then did Lion realize something had gone wrong.

‘What is it?’

Had he been caught with the beast egg?
If not that, then the butterfly?
Something had clearly changed about him.
But the problem was, there were far too many things that could give him away!

‘Wait. Stay calm.’

Lion had lived without minding other people’s eyes lately, but there was a time when he’d been famous for reading the room better than anyone.
Social perception, that is.
Looking at his superior’s expression, it was clear something was amiss—but was it because of him, or because of the report he’d submitted?
Or was it because of the executive who’d assigned him this task?
It was a subordinate’s duty to discern such nuances and smooth things over.
What could he do about it, even if he felt wronged? This was the corporate culture of K-enterprises in which Lion had lived.
And so…….

‘Well, it’s not because of the butterfly.’

Lion began methodically eliminating suspects.
First, the butterfly and the egg posed no problem.
If Licht had seen the butterfly, his gaze wouldn’t have been fixed on Lion, and the egg—from this angle, it would have been hard to notice.

‘So then, something about me……. Ah.’

It was only then that Lion realized something and gathered a handful of hair that had fallen loose.

“Ugh.”

This was unfortunate.
Lion removed the hairpin from his head.
As expected, its time had expired, and it came away easily in his hand.

‘Does time pass differently inside and outside the Sanctuary?’

The environment had been crafted to suit plant life so well that he hadn’t noticed the passage of time.

‘If my hair color has returned like this, my eye color must have too.’

So now there was nothing to do but wait for Licht’s reaction.
But Lion was confident.
Even if he’d gone to the orphanage hiding his identity, he hadn’t gone with the intention of infiltrating the Temple.
It was Licht who’d pulled him in, rather.
Knowing that, no wonder he couldn’t immediately say anything and was just standing there dazed.

“…….”

But he seemed terribly shocked.
Licht had gone rigid, almost like a statue.
If someone had seen him, they might have suggested splashing him with spring water.

‘To be fair, this is quite a major incident.’

Even if they weren’t outright hostile, the Temple and House Asteri were unmistakably rivals.
Yet the direct line of House Asteri.
And not just any member—the eldest son had come to this Sanctuary and helped complete it?
This was no longer a problem that could be resolved with “good intentions.”
No matter how decent the Archbishop and Licht’s siblings were, the Temple remained an organization, and they had to expand their influence.
From the Temple’s perspective, how would they weaponize this incident?

‘They’ll absolutely come after me with this.’

Thinking it through roughly, the Temple had only two possible stances.
First: paint Lion as a spy sent from the magical family itself.
That way, Lion alone would bear the blame and face disciplinary action—end of story.
And second.
A media campaign.
The eldest son of the magical family was actually a Divine Messenger!
Isn’t Divine Power perhaps superior to Magic after all?
They’d certainly have enough ammunition to spin it that way.
Of course, no matter which direction they took, Grandfather wouldn’t sit idle—but that’s beside the point.

‘Though honestly, I’m fairly calm because I trust him to handle it.’

Anyway, that’s how things generally stood.
Naturally, one would prioritize profit—that was normal.
So even Licht, in his position as a candidate for Archbishop, should logically choose the pragmatic path—and yet.
Licht seized Lion’s wrist and cried out.

“Let’s hide it!”
“…Pardon?”
“Fortunately, only I witnessed your true identity. We can certainly conceal it.”

Hearing a priest speak of concealment was certainly striking.

“You won’t reveal who you really are?”
“If I did, wouldn’t that cause you considerable trouble?”
“It would.”
“Then naturally we mustn’t reveal it.”
…

The straightforward answer that followed his proposal to cover up the incident left Lion somewhat dizzy.

‘Wait, the one who’s been corrupted by society is…?’

Me?
How could this be?
He’d thought that life after his reincarnation had washed away much of the accumulated grime in his heart, but apparently he still fell short of the genuine article.

‘That’s right—it really is the only proper answer.’

Help those in need.
Because that person had first shown him kindness.

‘An Archbishop candidate is truly an Archbishop candidate.’

Lion felt his already-worn heart become slightly purified.

“There’s no time for that. I’ve just thought of a way!”

In short, Licht’s plan went like this.

“So you’re saying I should claim I fell in the water?”
“That’s exactly it.”

While watering, he’d stumbled and fallen into the Water Channel, so Lion—fearing he might catch a cold—had handed over his own hooded Priest’s Robe and emerged wrapped up tight in it.
The other priests would be skeptical, certainly, but they’d be too focused on the sheer fact that water was now flowing abundantly through the incomplete Sanctuary to question it too closely.
Besides…….

‘Technically, this is Holy Water, isn’t it?’

It couldn’t possibly be bad for the body.
When it came to things good for you, it was always better to consume them than to abstain, better to attempt something than to leave it undone.
Excess was dangerous, of course, but when would one ever get another chance to bathe in Holy Water?
This was precisely the moment for it.
All things considered, it was a rather elegant solution.

“Let’s proceed with that plan.”

He had the supplies on hand, conveniently.
Holy Water equivalent to two Watering Cans’ worth—more than sufficient.
Lion reached up without hesitation, but before he could pour the water over his head…….

“Nature.”
“Chirp.”

He evacuated Nature first, then handed the Bag he’d been carrying to Licht.
And then.

Splash!

A genuine bucket challenge it was.

* * *

To sum it up: Licht’s plan had been remarkably successful.
The moment Lion emerged from the Sanctuary, drenched in Holy Water and hood pulled low over his face, the commotion outside was considerable!

“Oh, the Sanctuary is complete!”
“And it was the Archbishop Candidate, not the Archbishop himself, who finished it……!”
“What a magnificent deed!”

There were spectators—quite a few of them!
Not just the ordinary priests, but the senior clergy remaining in the Temple had flocked to witness it.

‘How on earth did they know?’

As Lion peered at the Sanctuary from beneath the hood pulled down to his nose, Licht answered the other priests’ questions while murmuring quietly to him.

“The Flow of Divine Power has concentrated here. Any priest sensitive to Divine Power would have sensed it.”

Having said so, Licht stepped forward and cleared a path.

“This accomplishment is not mine alone. Without the Divine Guest, we could not have even attempted it.”
“…….”

Wait—was that really necessary to say right now?
Wouldn’t that just draw more eyes to him?

“Oh, the Divine Guest!”
“Divine Messenger……!”

Never mind—Licht must have his reasons.
Lion simply did his best to keep his eyes narrowed and focused on pulling the hood down low over his head.
Agitation invited mistakes.
Better to stay as still as possible.

“However, the Divine Guest is currently in a state of considerable spiritual exhaustion. Might we ask you to set aside matters concerning the Sanctuary and clear the way for their sake?”
“Ah…!”
“Of course! Naturally!”

The priests stepped aside, and the holy knights who guarded the Sanctuary naturally took positions beside Licht and Lion, forming an escort.

“Shall we show you to a guest chamber?”
“No. There are security concerns, so I’ll go to my own chamber for now.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Ah, and should anyone come looking for the Divine Guest, please show them to my chamber as well.”
“Yes.”

The holy knight bowed to Licht and Lion, then left the room.
Only after Licht had meticulously checked the entire chamber once more did he let out a breath of relief.

“…Whew. Your Divinity. We made it.”
“Quite the performance.”
“It may have been the greatest lie of my entire life.”
“Strictly speaking, there was no lie in it.”

Lion chuckled as he dried his hair with the towel Licht had handed him.

“Don’t mock me. My heart is still trembling.”

Licht’s hands were clasped tightly together, as if in prayer.

“Oh, I’ll lend you some of my clothes.”
“Thank you.”

They weren’t as fine as what one might wear at home, but they were simple garments of decent fabric nonetheless.
So he had more than just priestly robes?
But if he was giving him civilian clothes…

“Am I supposed to be running away?”
“I have been considering that possibility, yes.”

How do you plan to handle the aftermath? Lion’s gaze fixed on Licht with that unspoken question burning in his eyes.
They’d clearly said the Badge of Divine Guest meant Divine Messenger.
But if that Divine Guest simply vanished from the Temple without a word?
Surely they’d have to hold accountable whoever had issued that badge.

To Lion’s eyes, he looked like a newcomer who’d caused a major disaster and couldn’t face his superior.

Honestly, he had several ways to slip out undetected on his own.

‘How far he’s willing to go to help.’

He’s not a bad person—that much is certain.
Which means…….
Since I’ve already entangled Bydentis and Ricshel, why not do the same with an Archbishop Candidate and my younger brother?

‘There’s no reason rivals have to stay at odds forever.’

What’s wrong with turning this to our advantage?
Then even if my brother becomes the head of House Asteri later, we could all take a vacation together!
But then.

‘This kindhearted priest will just keep giving unconditionally if I keep accepting.’

Kindness is admirable, but when someone’s too generous and you only ever receive, it’s easy to start taking it for granted.
And if something goes wrong even once?
The disappointment would be crushing.
To build a truly healthy relationship, both sides needed to be careful about such things.
So it was better to put it this way.

“Licht.”
“Yes?”
“Since we’re in this situation, how about we make a deal?”
“A… a deal, you say?”

At the word “deal,” wariness flickered across Licht’s expression.
Until recently, he hadn’t known Lion belonged to House Asteri, but now it was different.
Living in the Temple meant he’d inevitably heard biased information.
A renowned magical dynasty!
Heartless, emotionless, calculated, self-centered, selfish, incapable of thinking of anyone but themselves……!
Though admittedly, some of those things were true.

“Yes. My goal is to escape the Temple without my identity being discovered. After all, I’m of the direct line of the magical dynasty.”
“……Yes. Of course.”
“Help me with that. In return.”
“In return?”
“I’ll bring in someone who can handle this situation cleanly.”

Lion grinned like an eccentric.

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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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