Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 15

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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? No Thank You, I’d Rather Heal — Chapter 15

“You’re doing good work! We should help too!”
“I wanted to contribute in whatever way I could, so I came!”
“My, who are these young masters?”

A fair number of Territory residents who were on friendly terms with Nicholas had gathered there.
A woman in elaborate clothing said she ran a clothing shop, and the middle-aged woman in a headscarf beside her was introduced as a farmer and mother of seven children.
There was also an ordinary farmer, a woman who kept dairy cows, and so on.

“Nicholas doesn’t usually do things like this.”
“He said he was moved by the young masters’ kindness.”
“We want to help in our own small way too.”

They were all commoners working diligently in their respective roles.
And finally.

“Yes, that’s right. My husband wanted to come too—he’s been missing the children—but the blacksmith work has been so hectic that I came in his place.”

Lea, the blacksmith Mudu’s wife.
She was there as well.
As Lea spoke, her eyes met those of the two brothers.
More precisely, she glanced at Ricksher for a moment, then fixed her gaze on Lyon.

‘…I never expected to run into them here.’

Lyon was caught off guard but exchanged a light nod without showing it, and Lea’s expression shifted to one of sudden understanding before she swiftly looked away.
Fortunately, Lea was quick to pick up on such things.
She must have guessed there was a reason for them to conceal their identities.
And given what had happened before, she didn’t seem to think Lyon would do anything questionable.
It was a relief, all the same.
After all, Ricksher didn’t want his identity exposed.
Truthfully, if Asteria’s successor got involved, it could turn into a real headache.

“Ahem… Well! I heard you were doing charitable work, so I put together what I could.”

As Lea began pulling various kitchen implements and necessities like hoes crafted at the blacksmith from her bundle, the others also started unpacking what they’d brought.
Clothing made from scraps of cloth and blankets to sleep under.
Several bottles of fresh milk, along with chunks of cheese and butter.
And the farmer, who was steeling himself greatly…

“I couldn’t bring much.”

He laid down a single well-cured ham.

“Wow.”
“What a treasure!”

Because cured ham was such precious meat, everyone’s faces brightened.

“To think you’ve brought so much… We’re truly blessed, brother.”
“Indeed. Our Territory residents really are good-hearted.”

Ricksher and Lyon had held back some items from the donations to avoid exposing themselves, and now they murmured softly to each other with warm expressions.
But that wasn’t all.

“Oh my, everyone’s brought such wonderful things… I have so little to offer…”

Boom!

When the farmer set down the bundle he’d been carrying, the Kitchen shook.
Five sacks of potatoes, heavy with yield!

“Whoa, what’s this?”
“That grip strength is insane…!”
“That’s a blessing right there.”

As a few voices murmured in envy, the farmer covered his face shyly.

“I haven’t brought much, really. Just happened to have plenty of potatoes… hehe. I’m strong, so I’ll be of use.”

The head-wrapped farmer, who claimed to have wrestled bears in his younger days, laughed bashfully.

“This truly is reassuring.”

A literal kind of reassurance, one might say.
Lyon glanced around the room.
Far more people had gathered than he’d expected.
At this rate, the children could go without hunger for quite some time.
Ricksher’s grand plan seemed to be working remarkably well.

…

Meanwhile, Ricksher found himself somewhat dumbfounded.
He hadn’t hoped for or planned any of this.
He’d had no prior connection to these people whatsoever.
He’d thought it enough to simply build a relationship with Nicholas…
Yet somehow, with the help of those around him, he’d brought about this result.
Ricksher gazed at Lyon, dusted head to toe with flour.

‘All of this is his power.’

The fruit of pouring sincerity into even the smallest thing, of doing one’s absolute best.
Suddenly, this situation reminded him of a hero’s tale he’d once heard.

‘That hero was said to have been nothing but an ordinary adventurer at first.’

Of course, Lyon hadn’t done anything as grand as a true hero.
But through small acts of goodness—
through each modest gesture, people moved and gathered, forming a party to defeat the Demon King, and ultimately claimed victory.
In the end, isn’t the principle the same?

‘Indeed…’

He is truly a remarkable person.
So then—

‘I must arrange a Master-Disciple Relationship between him and his teacher, no matter what.’

Once he recovers his health, he will accomplish great things.

“Let us depart.”

Ricksher steeled his resolve once more and headed toward the Orphanage.

“Ah, well…”
“I’ve brought a few modest things.”
“One can never have too much food or clothing.”

It was only natural that the Orphanage Director would be astonished.

“My goodness…… oh!”

It was the first time she had received this much assistance from outside.
That alone was not what moved her.
The fact that so many people from the village had helped carried multiple meanings.
It meant more supplies could flow in, the children need not go hungry, and she could even prepare special meals for them.
And that was only the beginning.
It even felt like hope—that the children wouldn’t be scorned for being orphans raised by the Temple.
Of course, it might not come to pass, but as the Temple’s Orphanage Director, the children’s futures hung in the balance, and she had worried greatly.
But now, with this day, she could lay that worry to rest.

“I truly cannot thank you enough. How could I ever repay such kindness…?”

She was about to direct her gratitude especially toward Nicholas when—

“I’m afraid I gathered nothing myself. This is entirely thanks to these two Young Masters.”
“Ah.”

Only then did the Orphanage Director’s eyes truly settle on the pair.
They wore fine clothes—the sort that marked them as children of noble houses.
One appeared not yet of age.
The other…

‘Is he an adult?’

He seemed older than his companion, but she couldn’t be certain of that either.

“I cannot thank you esteemed Young Masters enough. However did you come to…?”
“It’s nothing, truly. Except—”

Once the Orphanage Director had offered her thanks, Ricksher stepped forward and began to speak.
He spoke of the moment he resolved to make the donation, and how he had learned of this place’s existence from Nicholas.

“I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t even know such places of true need existed.”

When he’d expressed his embarrassment with fitting modesty, the Orphanage Director’s expression bloomed with joy.

“Not at all. The fact that you recognized the need for charity and acted upon it is truly remarkable. I am deeply grateful to you both.”
“Please, we’re simply glad we could help.”
“Shall we begin setting the supplies in place?”

The villagers moved with brisk efficiency under the guidance of a farmer who was the mother of seven children.
The cramped Kitchen gained a knife and grater for butchering; the Storehouse received new hoes and sickles, mounds of provisions, and a corner of the room was laid with fresh blankets and cloth.
Naturally, that was far from all.

“Shall we do a bit of cleaning now?”

The villagers’ charitable deeds knew no bounds.
They shook out dust, sorted soiled clothes, and organized the dishware.

“…I find I have nothing left to ask for. Haha.”

The Orphanage Director stood gazing at the scene in a daze, a smile spreading across her face.

“Then might you two distribute bread to the children?”

When the Orphanage Director glanced aside, small faces peeked cautiously from the shadows—children still wary of strangers.

“Some of the children may say impertinent things from time to time, but I hope you’ll overlook it and be patient with them.”
“Impertinent things, you say…….”
“Well, some of them are at that age, you know — they’re curious about everything. But please understand, they mean no harm by it.”

She added that she’d keep an eye on things and step in if the atmosphere turned strange, then sent the two of them on their way.

‘That’s hardly a problem.’

From the start, Lyon had brought the bread for these children, so it didn’t matter.
No matter how unfamiliar someone is, you don’t treat harshly the person who comes bearing food.

“Well then, Ricksher. Shall we?”
“Yes.”

Lyon and Ricksher began distributing the bread to the children.
Some received it graciously and smiled, but others snatched the bread quickly and retreated as though fleeing.
If Ricksher was being honest, there were far more of the latter sort.

‘If the atmosphere stays this cold, I won’t make a good impression on my master.’

Ricksher worried inwardly.
It was his own carelessness for not accounting for how the young children would react.
Or rather, he’d assumed that accepting help would only be beneficial, so he hadn’t thought problems would arise.
But he’d been wrong.

‘I understand, though.’

When he thought about how little time they had, an unease crept over him.

“Ricksher. It’s fine.”

Lyon nudged him gently and smiled.

“These kids — perfectly reasonable to react this way. From their perspective, you’d wonder why these people are suddenly acting like this, right?”
“But…….”

His mind understood, but his heart wasn’t accepting it.

‘That’s fair enough.’

When it came down to it, Ricksher was a child too.
And he’d never once experienced a situation like this before.
So he needed a better explanation.

“Well…… let me give you an example. To those children, we’re like Banana Sweet Potatoes.”
“……Banana Sweet Potatoes?”

Ah.
Now Ricksher let out a short exclamation of understanding.
After all, just days ago he’d disliked eating the very Banana Sweet Potatoes that Lyon had prepared.
And hadn’t he even used Wind Magic to clear them away?

“That’s right. It takes time to adjust, to accept.”

When he’d first seen a Banana Sweet Potato, it was nothing but a dirty plant root covered in soil.
But once he’d understood what lay within, he’d finally come to realize it.
That it was delicious.
That it was good.

‘And after eating that Banana Sweet Potato, even my awkward relationship with him improved.’

All this time, Lyon had been waiting for him.
And for quite a long while, at that.

‘I’ve learned something else.’

Thinking purely with his head, and being impatient himself, doesn’t make things move faster.
If he were calm like Lyon, and did his best within what he wanted to accomplish, things would work themselves out.

‘Right. Ricksher, compose yourself.’

Wait until those children realize how delicious the bread is.

……

Meanwhile, Lyon had calmed Ricksher down lightly and then observed the children.
There was no secret to it.
He simply trusted the bread was delicious.
And just as Lyon predicted, a murmur of excitement erupted from across the room.

“Th-this is delicious!”
“So soft…… and savory…….”

After eating the delicious bread, the children pulled the older ones by the hand and stood before Lyon and Ricksher.

“Brother! Try this. It’s delicious!”
“Um, could you possibly give us one more?”
“Ha, if you want to eat and eat again, just say so. There’s plenty of bread.”
“……Thank you.”

By the time almost all the children had eaten bread and were satisfied.

“There’s bread left over.”
“That’s odd. Looks like one child didn’t take any.”

Exactly one portion of bread remained.

“Ah, I’ll set that aside separately. That child is…….”

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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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