Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 157

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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? Don’t ask me. I’m just here to heal. Episode 157

And what I’d gained wasn’t just Egg Coins.

[You have achieved the “Egg, Money, Me!” Achievement.]
[You have acquired 1,000 Shillings!]

The achievement had been unlocked, apparently because I’d collected so many Egg Coins.

[Fishing Proficiency Apprentice has advanced to Lv.6.]

My Fishing Proficiency had jumped from level five to six!

‘Wow……’

This was absolutely exhilarating.

“Haha.”

Lion wore the contented smile of a lion who’d eaten his fill, utterly at ease.
No matter how hard one tried to keep one’s expression in check, a smile like that couldn’t be held back.

“You’re only supposed to laugh when the game’s completely over?”
“Man…… it’s addictive. Totally addictive!”

A handful of patrons watching from a distance did click their tongues, but unfortunately the merry commotion drowned out any comment before it could reach Lion.

“Two Egg Coins! That’s absolutely amazing!”

The Employee who’d been watching in astonishment hurried over, clapping his hands eagerly.
This was the first customer who’d ever hauled in so many Egg Coins through fishing!
And beyond that……

‘If my instincts are right.’

The Employee ventured a careful guess, drawing on the feel he’d developed working here.
This customer could have walked away with three Egg Coins if he’d wanted to.
But he hadn’t.
Probably because drawing that much attention to himself all at once would’ve been too conspicuous.

“That was a fun game.”
“Oh, thank you so much for saying that! So, are you heading over to the Right Area now?”
“Do I have to go right now? I’m enjoying this place. Mind if I stay and play a bit longer?”
“Really?”

The Employee’s mood brightened instantly at those words.
Ever since being stationed here, he’d nursed a quiet sense of rivalry with the Right Area.
Of course, having that rivalry didn’t actually solve anything.
Customers who craved dangerous thrills never stayed long here anyway.
They wanted to scoop up Egg Coins quickly and rush over to the Right Area.
The Employee found that frustrating.
The Left Playground had so many genuinely fun attractions if you looked close enough!
……But protocol wouldn’t let him hold people back.
So he’d been feeling quietly disheartened when this customer right in front of him said he found this place more enjoyable.
Of course, once he’d sampled the Right Area, his opinion might change entirely.

‘But this is an opportunity!’

A chance to plant the seed in customers’ minds that the Left Playground was plenty fun too!
And…….

‘This, this is my chance to use it.’

The Employee’s face brightened as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out.
Then he called out in an excited tone.

“Shall I give you an Invitation Card? Since you’ve enjoyed the fishing game more than anyone else, I’ll stamp it for you!”
“A stamp?”

Lion tilted his head.

“Yes. It’s like proof that you’ve enjoyed this facility more than anyone. Ah, it’s not much, but if you take it to the bar, they’ll make you something more special to drink.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes!”

The Employee quickly pressed an egg-shaped stamp onto the Invitation Card before Lion could refuse, then bowed.

“Then please enjoy your time at the Left Playground!”

Lion gazed quietly at the Invitation Card.
A rather cute and whimsical stamp was imprinted on the elegant cardstock.

‘A Stamp System…….’

Lion fell into thought as he studied the stamp.
That brief conversation had contained quite a few hints.
First, he’d invested considerably more effort into this Left Playground than he’d initially realized.
It wasn’t a simple structure where you’d earn enough coins and move over to the Right Area.

‘Right, because not everyone should head to the Right Area.’

This must be a safeguard for those who simply wanted to enjoy things wholesomely.
And second, this stamp itself.
The Stamp System.
In places like this, stamps were usually a sign that collecting a certain number would bring good fortune.
You might win a prize or experience something special.
In other words, the true clear condition for the Left Playground might actually be filling up all these stamps.

‘I’m not sure what they’ll give me, but…….’

Since Ester had prepared it, it probably wasn’t anything ordinary.

In any case, Lion planned to thoroughly sweep up every coin in this place.
So if he were going to squeeze everything dry, the stamps would come along as a bonus.

‘Hehehehe. Well then, shall I have a proper look around?’

Lion grinned wickedly to himself and began seriously wandering through the arcade.

“How on earth did you chop that wood so perfectly?”
“How did a young man manage it without any strain?!”
“I’ve never seen firewood split so perfectly in half! Let me stamp that for you.”

Clearing the axe game with the firewood-chopping skill he’d honed in the Labyrinth.

“That’s the Luminous Deer Plush Doll?! We thought those antlers were keeping it stuck?”
“How did you manage to grab it!”

Clearing the plush doll claw machine with the skill he’d once wielded during office parties after work.
Lion moved with speed and efficiency.
Yet he savored every moment, completing all the amusement facilities with genuine pleasure.
Surprisingly, it hadn’t taken nearly as long as the fishing.
Then again, rides are meant to be enjoyed in short bursts, aren’t they—that’s when they’re most fun.

“Phew!”

In any case, the invitation card now bore five stamps in total.
Collecting stamps as a grown man felt a bit ridiculous, yet gathering them all brought an unexpected sense of satisfaction.

‘Is this why I went crazy for theme parks as a kid?’

He reached out smoothly.

Lion lifted the pouch containing all the Egg Coins he’d collected so far.
The quantity had grown so substantial that it no longer jingled—the weight itself spoke volumes.
Nine Egg Coins. And three Egu Coins.
Which meant, in exchange value, he had the equivalent of ten Egg Coins total.
At this rate, he’d gathered all the coins worth collecting in this place.
So what remained was……
Lion’s gaze shifted toward the bar positioned at the center.
Colorful beverages and snacks were still being offered freely.

‘My throat’s getting dry anyway.’

Perfect timing.
Lion rose and made his way across.

“Welcome.”

Unlike the raucous game arcade, the central bar was surprisingly quiet.
He suspected they used the same magical soundproofing tools here as in the dining area.
His ears, worn from the constant noise, felt soothed by the serenity.
In this hushed space, as though draped in silence, stood a bartender of dignified bearing at his post.
Lion settled naturally onto one of the stools.

“Did you enjoy the amusement facilities?”
“It was a blast. I got so caught up in it I forgot I was even thirsty.”

The bartender’s well-groomed mustache twitched slightly upward—he was smiling.

‘Everyone here seems genuinely satisfied with their work.’

Ester’s duties were decidedly demanding.
Even Lion, visiting as a guest, could sense it clearly.
Of course, some of that understanding came from his own time hustling as a salesman before the reincarnation—a shared understanding, as it were. But!
What truly mattered was the staff’s contentment.
Not a single employee here wore a forced smile.
More than that, their attachment to the facility was so genuine, and their satisfaction at seeing guests enjoy themselves so thoroughly, that it was palpable.
And because of it, even indulging in the finest service here left his heart feeling light.

‘They must be getting paid quite well, too.’

Lion nodded to himself. Job satisfaction shouldn’t end at personal fulfillment alone—compensation matters.

“So I’ve collected the stamps.”
“Ah. Would you show them to me?”

The bartender accepted Lion’s invitation card and slowly counted the stamps, then his eyes widened slightly.

‘Five stamps…?’

That meant he’d collected stamps from every station in this place—didn’t it?
The Bartender regarded Lion with a slightly different expression than before.

‘I don’t know who this person is, but they’re certainly not ordinary.’

One might think he was being praised too much for simply excelling at a game, but there was a secret to the recreational facilities here.
Namely, their sheer variety of genres.
An ordinary person would naturally do well at both fishing and chopping firewood.
But wasn’t this place supposed to be where only the so-called ‘silver-spoon’ crowd gathered?
While some might fish as a hobby, many had never actually swung an axe in their lives.
Especially not a young guest!
And yet, this young guest had managed them all.

‘And still so composed about it…’

It was truly astounding.
In that case, the ‘conditions’ to enjoy the bar were more than satisfied.
What remained was only the guest’s own desire.
The Bartender politely returned the Invitation Card and inquired.

“Is there perhaps a beverage you’d like to try?”

Lion rested his chin on his hand as if deliberating for a moment, then asked.

“I’ve heard there’s a special drink that can only be had here.”
“Indeed. Shall I prepare a beverage made with Ester’s signature ingredients?”
“Hmm. Could I make it myself?”
“…!”

The Bartender stared at him in surprise, and a smile tugged at Lion’s lips.

‘Just as I thought.’

As Lion had explored the other facilities, he’d come to understand several things.
First among them was that all the facilities here allowed for direct participation and hands-on experience.
Even the rest areas!
So he’d shifted his perspective.
Then what was the bar’s purpose?
Simply to serve a drink when one was thirsty or peckish?
‘Was the only experience here just drinking a special beverage?’
From ‘Ester’ herself, no less?
Of course, that would have been service enough on its own.
But Lion had quietly woven together a hint he’d picked up earlier.

“They say if you bring this to the bar, they’ll make you an even more special drink.”

Right. The words of the Employee at that first fishing game.
Would the result be the same if a guest came with many Stamps collected?
The answer had already emerged from the Bartender’s reaction.

“…Yes. If you wish, it’s possible. However, the taste may differ from what you expect. Will you still attempt it?”

In other words, a warning that a mistake could ruin one’s palate.
But.

‘I’m confident.’

While the genre was different, mixing liquids to create something new—that was something Lion excelled at, wasn’t it?
Alchemy, that’s what I mean.

“Making mistakes can be a memory too.”
“……I see. I understand your intentions perfectly. Then please wait a moment while I fetch the materials.”

Lion’s guess had apparently been right.
But then.

“Huh?”

Lion was somewhat taken aback.
That is to say…….

‘These materials look nothing like what I had in mind for making a cocktail.’

He’d expected them to differ from what he’d seen in modern times, but this was far more extreme.
In other words, this was…….

“Though they may appear forbidding to the eye, there is no safety concern, so please do not worry.”

Lion stared at a liqueur containing a mushroom that was releasing spores in puffs and wisps.
If anything, these were closer to alchemical ingredients.

‘So I’m actually supposed to use that?’

Now he finally understood what the Bartender’s warning had been about.

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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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