Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 141

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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 Can Wait, Let Me Just Heal — Chapter 141

The crimson metal flickered with light.
Lion’s violet eyes caught the glow, deepening to a dark violet hue.
Black smoke engulfed it completely, then the metal burst through the clouds, gleaming bright, only to repeat the cycle.
Between these intervals, dark clouds twisted through the red liquid, creaking and emitting an eerie shriek.
It sounded like an old door groaning on its hinges, yet also like something whispering against the eardrum.
That unpleasant noise sent involuntary shivers running down his spine.
He couldn’t help but think — isn’t this what hell’s furnace must look like? — and yet.
A grin spread across his face.
Lion’s mouth curved upward.

‘What a rush.’

His body sensed danger and trembled with fear, yet at the same time, a strange satisfaction erupted as he watched the two materials fuse together seamlessly.
He felt a good premonition — that this would succeed.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the moment finally came.

Whoooosh—

The bubbling, otherworldly sounds ceased, and all the black smoke surrounding the crucible vanished.
Before Lion’s eyes, a new object had taken form.

[Dissolved Argrunth Iron (★★★)]
—A pure white iron that once gleamed like a mirror has transformed into a color as dark as the abyss itself.
—Should a greedy person come into contact with this iron, they will be seized by an intense impulse unlike anything they have ever felt before — caution is advised.
—※Warning※ Do not stare at it for prolonged periods.

It was a success.
Lion exhaled a breath of relief.
His entire body ached from tension, probably triggered by the primal fear coursing through him.

‘No, focus. It’s not over yet.’

He couldn’t afford to relax until the potion bottle was complete.
In truth, there was no room for carelessness.
The jet-black Demonic Qi from the Argrunth Iron was creeping up the sides of the crucible, slowly rising.
Though the pace was quite slow, the need to work calmly and swiftly remained unchanged.
Lion carefully poured the dissolved iron into the foam mold.

The liquid flowed smoothly.

Unlike the strange sounds from before, the iron solution streamed gently into the mold.
Once he’d poured out every last drop, a subtle sound emanated from within the mold.
It was hard to tell if it was sizzling or bubbling.

“It’s working properly.”

Lion nodded as he gazed at the mold.
Cooling the iron was just as crucial as melting it.
If he moved too hastily after all this careful work, the shape could warp and ruin everything in an instant.
Fortunately, this foam mold was said to complete the item and then dissolve into foam and disappear on its own.
If that was the case, all he had to do was wait patiently without checking in between.
The iron had melted faster than expected anyway, so he’d saved considerable time.
Lion looked toward the lesser fire spirit.

[The lesser fire spirit remains fully alert and under strict control.]

‘Fortunately, its condition seems stable.’

Nature had imposed a certain discipline, and unlike last time, Lion felt no thirst nor did the Demonic Qi taint anything.
The other items in the Smithy remained intact.
All except one.
If you discounted this Crucible, which had made direct contact.
Lion stared at the Crucible, its handle blackened by erosion.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

Lion scratched his head in frustration.
He could dispose of it or recover it since it was already contaminated, but…

A quick glance.

[A Master Craftsman’s Cherished Tool]
-While they say a Master Craftsman doesn’t blame his tools, he may indeed favor certain ones more than others.
-Despite its age, it’s in excellent condition—clearly well-maintained.
-Currently contaminated by Demonic Qi.

Lion exhaled softly, still staring at the Crucible.
He didn’t want to carelessly dispose of something bearing Mudu’s handprints.
It was Mudu, after all, who had lent him the Smithy without any conditions.
If he broke something on top of that…

‘He won’t say anything, but he’ll be hurt.’

On the surface, he’d say it was fine, that these things happen, that breaking things one by one while learning makes the lessons stick longer. But…
No. He wouldn’t discard it.
Lion made up his mind and studied the blackened Crucible.

‘Then I’ll have to restore it somehow…’

The problem was that using a potion felt awkward too.
First, he didn’t have Alchemy tools on hand.
He’d set everything up in advance at the Manor, planning to work there immediately upon completion.
But going back to the Manor and returning just for the Foam Mold would be cumbersome.
And carrying away only the Crucible after everything was done felt wrong too.
If he happened to run into Mudu in the process…
Wait.

‘No, actually. There’s a way.’

A lightbulb flickered on in Lion’s mind!
There was a sure method, after all!
And conveniently, he had the material right on him.
It was none other than…
Holy Water.
Lion pulled out the Holy Water he’d stashed away in his inventory.
Responding to the peculiar power, the Holy Water inside the bottle gleamed with a subtle radiance.
Holy Water should certainly be able to wash away Demonic Qi of this degree.
Moreover, since Holy Power had a beneficial effect on ordinary people, excess shouldn’t be a problem.

“…I’m glad I slipped some in.”

Lion laughed awkwardly.
The truth was, he hadn’t received this Holy Water as a gift.
He’d simply taken a few bottles from the Sanctuary on the sly.
Of course, if Lion—the “Messenger of God”—had asked Licht for Holy Water, he might have received Holy Water made by the Archbishop himself rather than Licht’s, but it felt too burdensome.

‘Getting unnecessarily entangled in things isn’t a good idea.’

He seemed like a good person, certainly, but something about him rubbed me the wrong way.
It was a warning signal my years of experience in the corporate world had taught me to recognize.
So I didn’t mention that I’d pocketed the Holy Water, and I didn’t ask for more.
Lion unscrewed the cap of the potion bottle containing the Holy Water.

Pop!

The wooden stopper came loose with a soft sound, and a fresh fragrance drifted from within.
It must have been a potion from the Sanctuary, judging by the scent.

“Let’s try this first.”

It was conceivable that the Crucible might not withstand the shock of Demonic Qi and Holy Power clashing directly against each other, but if Lion’s prediction was correct, it wouldn’t come to that.
After all, this was a tool that could endure even that tremendous flame.
Lion filled a large water barrel to the brim and sprinkled the Holy Water throughout it.

“Good. This way it’s more diluted, so it should be safer.”

Then he plunged the Crucible straight into the barrel with a splash.

Sizzle!
Bubble-bubble.

The Crucible, still radiating heat, came into contact with the water and began belching out thick clouds of steam.
But that wasn’t all.
The blackened, corroded sections flaked away like rust peeling off, and fragments of Dissolved Argrunth Iron and Slag that had adhered to the Crucible sank or bobbed upward into the water.
The water filling the barrel drained away rapidly.
With the steam obscuring the view, it seemed as though the water might evaporate entirely at this rate.

‘Is this all right?’

Given the considerable commotion, Lion wondered whether he should use another vial of Holy Water.
In the meantime, the thick steam vanished without a trace into the air, and Lion lifted the Crucible.
Then…….

[Enchantment successful through the effect of Craftsman’s Touch!]
[You have achieved the Good Will Achievement!]
[You have obtained 10,000 Shillings.]

“……Huh?”

An unexpected message accompanied the Crucible, which had become noticeably more lustrous.
An Enchantment success?
Lion stared at the tool in bewilderment.

[(Blessed) Tool Cherished by a Master Craftsman]
-Someone has repaid the kindness of the goodhearted Master Craftsman who readily lent his cherished tool!
-You obtain a greater quantity of iron when smelting ore.

“……How did that happen?”

Right. Of course an enhancement system existed in In the World.
But Lion’s lack of attention to enhancement all this time had good reason behind it.
And that reason was simple enough…….
His level fell far, far short of what was required.
True, his Alchemy level—the foundation for Enchantment—had reached a certain proficiency.
But his blacksmith level, which would allow him to formally learn the enhancement skill, was nowhere near adequate.
He was still only at Apprentice Level 4.
Of course, achieving the Achievement as well left him in quite good spirits, though he couldn’t help but feel somewhat bewildered by the whole thing.

[Your insight into the nature of objects increases.]
[Craftsman’s Touch grows.]

In that moment, as if to resolve Lion’s confusion, another notification appeared before his eyes.

‘Ah.’

Now Lion understood.
So the passive skill Craftsman’s Touch had been strengthened.

‘The reason it grew was probably…….’

It must have been because Mudu’s crucible was treated as a master craftsman’s tool.

He hadn’t aimed for the skill to grow, but this unexpected reward felt quite satisfying.
And in truth, Mudu’s tools had improved considerably as well…….

Glub.

“Hmm? Ah. It’s already hardened?”

While Lion was purifying the crucible, the piece had apparently set.
Lion gazed at the foam mold, which was transforming into transparent soap bubbles and fading away.
The forge fire reflected off the surface, scattering warm, multicolored light across it.
Then, pop.
One by one, the bubbles burst and the mold dissolved.
It felt just like actual soap foam melting away.
After all the bubbles had vanished, Lion picked up the remaining potion bottle in his hand.

“Smooth as silk.”

The surface and interior were so smooth that no polishing agent would be necessary.
He suspected this was the effect of the foam mold.

“Still, I should polish it properly.”

This was a container for potions that would lose half their potency in an instant if impurities mixed in.
Lion retrieved polishing compound and carefully cleaned both the outer and inner surfaces.
Though the iron was opaque, it now gleamed like a mirror.

“And…….”

Lion wiped the outside and interior once more with oil to remove the polishing compound.
Finally, he checked that the lid fit properly…….

[Argrunth Potion Bottle (★★★)]
-Light and durable. It will protect the liquid inside even under considerable impact.
-Its opacity blocks the influence of the liquid on the outside world.
-Though opposed to Holy Power, it preserves any other liquid exceptionally well.

At last, it was complete.
Fortunately, the sun had not yet risen.
Lion quickly tidied his surroundings.
He checked that the Obsidian’s magical essence hadn’t corroded anything else, and collected all the slag that had fallen from the Argrunth, storing it in his inventory.

‘Byproducts like this always find a use later, anyway.’

With materials like these, it was better to have too much than too little.

“Good. Everything’s in order…….”

The sun was beginning to rise.

“Let’s head back.”
“Chirp.”

Nature nestled atop Lion’s head and chirped with an unmistakable tone of ‘Don’t forget my snacks!’

“Should I make your snacks first?”
“……Peep.”

Apparently the egg was troubling Nature enough to change her answer.

“That’s what I thought. Good girl.”

You’re acting like a big brother, you know that?
Lion chuckled to himself, picked up the Argrunth Potion Bottle, and left the Smithy for the Manor.
Now that the potion bottle was complete, all that remained was to craft the potion using the leftover Obsidian.

‘Once the vessel is ready, the rest won’t be difficult.’

Alchemy, after all, was Lion’s most confident field.

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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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