Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 155

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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 Heir Apparent? No Thank You. Let Me Relax Instead — Episode 155

“W-well then, shall I give it a try?”
“It would be best to cut it carefully with a knife.”

Among the guests, those quickest to act began deconstructing their chocolates.
But of course…….

“Ah. Didn’t win.”
“Just an ordinary chocolate.”

Since the winning odds weren’t particularly generous, they’d hit an ordinary chocolate.

The anticipation that had swelled within them—wondering how wonderful it would be to win an Egg Coin—deflated just as quickly.
But still……!

“Hmm, this is delicious, though?”

The exquisite taste melted away the disappointment like chocolate itself!
The outer layer of the chocolate, softened by body heat, gently stimulated the palate with sweetness.
Rolling it around in their mouth for a moment, then carefully cracking it open with a bite, a potent liqueur flowed out—rich enough to wet the tongue.
And that liqueur’s flavor…….

“Oh! This is……!”

It was such a masterpiece that even the discerning palates of haughty nobles were captured in an instant.
A dulcet caramel sweetness melted across the tongue, followed by the rich aroma of toasted nuts wrapping the palate, harmonizing with the lingering chocolate to deliver an exquisite taste.
It was truly a dessert worthy of being called the finest single bite.
The chocolates without liqueur were no less remarkable.
Biting into the glossy, lustrous chocolate with a crisp sound, the delicate pastry within shattered without resistance.
Finer and more intricate than pasta, these confections mingled with the special paste, spreading across the mouth in a sticky yet savory and sweet sensation.
Regardless of gender or age, everyone savored the moment with delight, even without an Egg Coin prize.

“You should taste one too, Lion.”

Yet surprisingly, Lion had not yet brought the chocolate to his lips.
Ricshel tilted his head.
Surely this wasn’t a situation where Lion would refrain from eating chocolate.
He was usually the first to sample new tastes.
……Or could something be wrong with the food?

“Ah, I’m saving it because it’d be a shame to eat it just yet.”

Lion rolled the chocolate resting prettily on the plate with his finger.
The well-tempered chocolate gleamed softly and rolled across the dish with a gentle gloss.

[Ester Special Chocolate Bonbon (★★)]
-Contains a special liqueur within lustrous chocolate.
-The walnut and caramel aromas are exquisitely balanced!
-Unfortunately, it appears to lack the special prize one might have hoped for.

‘A blank, then.’

Ricshel’s chocolate before him was the same.
Lion hadn’t deliberately withheld it from him; most likely the winning odds were simply quite low.
Ester was putting his full effort into composing even the Egg Coin Event.
So surely he would not resort to cheap deception.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter if I don’t win this time.’

Lion gripped an Egg Coin lightly in his pocket.
Chances were, this coin would prove useful in situations that were soon to unfold.
That’s why he’d been watching the crowd so carefully.
It wouldn’t hurt to note who won coins—there was something to learn in every victory.
And besides… it was entertaining.

“Brother.”
“Mm?”

Lion turned his gaze to Ricshel, who’d called him in that solemn tone of voice.
The boy cleared his throat and opened his mouth in an deliberately lowered pitch.

“Ahem, you once advised me that I shouldn’t eat too many sweets, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”

Was he about to say something important?
Ricshel didn’t usually talk nonsense.

“Yet from where I stand, it seems you’re rather fond of sweets yourself, brother—”
“Waaaaah!!”
“……”

Unfortunately, Ricshel’s words never found their conclusion.
While they’d been speaking, the first prize winner let out a cheer so tremendous it pierced through even the soundproofing magic—or perhaps Ester had temporarily lifted the enchantment for dramatic effect.
Either way, the noise was unmissable.

“We have our first Egg Coin Event winner, ladies and gentlemen!”
“Congratulations!”

With the staff’s cheers, those who hadn’t yet eaten their chocolates began moving with renewed urgency.
They’d mastered the art of building anticipation perfectly.
By the time the second and third winners had emerged, Lion placed his chocolate in his mouth and bit down.
The thick chocolate shell cracked, and rum flooded across his entire tongue.
Though only a trace amount, the alcohol content was surprisingly high—his tongue and throat warmed immediately.

‘It’s delicious, but spirits really aren’t my preference.’

While Lion didn’t particularly dislike alcohol, he was firmly in the soju camp—especially when paired with grilled pork belly.
That sizzling, perfectly browned pork, the well-cooked kimchi crisped in the rendered fat, and then—

‘Crack. Ahhhh.’

That was where the distinctive, boisterous joy lived.

“Oh, what was that you were saying before?”
“……”

He’d been about to make a proper point about how his brother was being oddly stingy with the chocolates, but the cheering had drowned him out.

“It was nothing, really.”

Ricshel seemed to have lost his resolve, shook his head, and quietly chewed and swallowed a chocolate that contained no alcohol.

“Not to my taste, personally.”
“Same here. Did you get a coin?”
“I didn’t.”
“Shall we head out then?”

The meal was entirely finished, and it appeared the Egg Coin Event had concluded with just three winners.

“Yes. Let’s head back.”

As the two of them stood, the other guests began preparing to leave as well.
Most had drawn blanks, yet their faces were alight with smiles—as if they’d genuinely enjoyed themselves.
How often did one get to witness people of such standing cheering and delighting in pure, unfiltered joy?
It was a spectacle worth savoring in itself.

“I trust the meal was to your satisfaction?”

As they stepped toward the restaurant exit, a senior staff member smiled and posed the question once more.

“It was fine.”
“Not bad at all.”

The employee, who seemed genuinely relieved by their responses, produced an elegant envelope he had been holding and presented it respectfully to Lion.

“This letter is exclusively for those who hold an Egg Coin. If I may suggest, it would be best to read it in private.”
“Hmm.”
“I do hope you’ll have an enjoyable rest of your time at Ester.”

Lion regarded the refined envelope.
Sealed with Ester’s mark, the letter was—if he had to guess—almost certainly an invitation.

“If it’s meant to be read alone, I suppose I have no choice but to comply.”
“Yes. That is the duty entrusted to you this time, after all.”

He’d expected Ricshel to sulk, but surprisingly, his brother remained matter-of-fact.

‘Does he truly not grasp what this envelope means?’

Now that he thought about it, that made sense. This Egg Coin was a revival of an old Ester tradition from decades past.
A young Ricshel, without prior context, would have no easy way of understanding.

‘Perhaps it’s for the best that he doesn’t.’

The knowledge might prove overstimulating for such an earnest soul.
Before long, they had returned to their room.
From there, the evening unfolded peacefully.
After sating their hunger and playing with the animals until drowsiness set in, they washed up, changed into comfortable clothes, and spent quiet time in the living room.
Ricshel reviewed documents related to the Hot Spring venture, while Lion watched the magical fireworks display visible from outside.
It was, by any measure, a perfect hotel vacation down to the final moment.
Just as the last fireworks faded.

“Ricshel.”
“Yes, Lion?”

Wondering if something was amiss, Ricshel set down his documents and looked toward his brother.

“Nothing in particular.”
……
“Go to sleep now.”
“Pardon?”
“Surely you didn’t come all this way just to stay up late?”
……

Ricshel was, quite literally, at a loss for words.
He wasn’t sure how to respond to such a situation.
After all, it was still the evening, wasn’t it?
Not even dawn—just the night.
Of course, one needed sleep at night.
But he was a mage who had stepped into the 5th Circle.
Moreover, he was the heir to House Asteri.
It was hardly the time to surrender to sleep just because night had fallen—there was too much to do, and his stamina was boundless.
In truth, the leisure of browsing through documents so leisurely at this hour was itself a luxury, wasn’t it?

“I appreciate your concern, but—”
“You’re not even an adult yet.”
……
“Grandfather wouldn’t want you working until this hour.”

It wasn’t wrong, exactly, but something about it felt terribly unfair.
So when he quietly reached for the documents again, Lion simply confiscated them himself.
The moment the papers left his hands, Ricshel’s arm hung uselessly in the air.
Before he could even protest such treatment—something he’d never imagined receiving—his body was already laid upon the bed, the blanket tucked comfortably around him.
The problem was.

Blink, blink.

Whether from the day’s considerable exertions or some other reason, the moment his head touched the pillow, his eyelids grew heavy and began to close.
Rather like a child who’d stubbornly resisted sleep until this very moment.

‘This is frustrating in its own way…’

Yet as his body’s tension eased, the thought of rising again didn’t come to him.

“Sleep well. That’s your task now.”
“…Understood. Please get some rest yourself.”
“All right. It won’t hurt to take a full day off. Oh, should I stay until you fall asleep…”
“I’ll be fine. Please go.”

No matter how much he valued his brother, such childish treatment was beyond the pale—Ricshel’s refusal was quite firm.
Lion, knowing full well he’d be refused, gave a soft laugh and closed the door.

Click.

With the door shut, Ricshel chuckled to himself.

‘What on earth could be in that envelope?’

Was he planning to put Ricshel to sleep so he could act on something?
Part of him was worried; part of him was curious.
Ricshel surrendered to sleep without resisting, letting slumber claim him.
Soon, even breathing came, and sweet dreams found their way to him.

“Phew!”

Lion stepped out of Ricshel’s room with a sigh of relief.
He’d successfully gotten his brother to sleep.

‘He seems to have let it slide, at least.’

Either way, Lion’s initial purpose—to give his brother a good rest—had been achieved. Two birds with one stone.

“Now then…”

Lion retrieved the envelope he’d set aside with his clothes and broke the seal.
Inside was, unsurprisingly—

[Arcade Invitation Letter]
—Congratulations on obtaining an Egg Coin! I trust you’re enjoying your stay at Ester.
—With your Egg Coin, you now have access to our exclusive facilities.
—If you desire fantastical entertainment and thrilling pleasures, please arrange our Disguise Service, then insert your Egg Coin into the slot on the letter.
—We await your arrival.

Now that he looked more closely, the letter had a perfectly oval slot—exactly the size for a coin to slip through.
At first glance it appeared to be nothing but a hole, yet some sort of special mechanism must be at work behind it.

‘Disguise Service,’ he mused.

If he recalled correctly from the check-in explanation at the hotel…

“They said to pull that cord.”

Lion reached over and tugged the bell pull a couple of times.
Somehow, as if by magic, an ornate masquerade mask appeared on the bed, wrapped in neat packaging.

[Ester Special Masquerade Mask]
—The true pleasure of a masquerade lies in not knowing who stands behind the mask!
—When worn, all distinguishing features save gender and age group are concealed.
—Valid within Hotel Ester premises only.
—Anti-theft system installed. Theft will result in charges of fifty times the mask’s cost value.

Lion glanced at the mask’s stated cost, then deliberately looked away.
The numbers written there were something he’d only ever seen in video games.
Since he had no intention of stealing it anyway, he’d simply pretend he hadn’t seen that particular detail.
He reached out and put on the mask.

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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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