Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 167

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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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I Don’t Care About the Succession—Let Me Just Heal / Episode 167

As it happened, all the packing tools were already on hand.

[Ester Packaging Set]
-Maintains perfect food temperature and preservation for one full day!
-Comprises dishes, trays, and resting covers.
-Warning: After one day, food will spoil rapidly. Please dispose of it immediately.

Lion had eaten that steaming chowder just moments ago, thanks entirely to these containers.
Lion packed away the broth and side dishes, then carefully portioned the fluffy, glistening rice into neat portions, wrapping each one individually.

“Oh, quite heavy, isn’t it?”

He’d packed it generously, and the weight was greater than he’d anticipated.
It felt almost like he was doing a food delivery.
Lion lifted the tray with a flourish and headed out of the kitchen.
The firmly closed door opened far more easily than expected.

“Ah! Guest, you’ve emerged.”
“Weren’t you supposed to be resting?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve had a wonderful rest!”
“Yes! That’s right!”

Even as they spoke, the staff surreptitiously glanced at Lion, and their expressions……

‘Are you injured anywhere?’
‘You seem fine, but……’
‘What is that, though?’
‘You really did make something!’

What they were thinking was transparent.
Lion pretended not to notice their thoughts and spoke casually.

“Thanks for letting me use the kitchen. I said I’d clean up after myself……”
“Oh no, we could have done that for you!”

The staff member said this while gazing through the doorway Lion had just emerged from.
But……

Gleaming.

……It was completely identical to how it had been before?
If anything, it seemed even cleaner than when he’d started.
How to put it—this wasn’t the handiwork of someone who’d done it once or twice before.

‘How did the Young Master……’

The staff couldn’t contain their amazement.
They hadn’t even been prepared for a deep clean, after all.
But for the eldest son of House Asteri to cook was already astonishing—and for him to clean up afterward with such perfection!

“In any case, it was an enjoyable experience. Oh, and……”
“Yes!”
“Please tell us anything!”
“……”

Ugh, why did this feel so awkward?
Lion smiled awkwardly and handed over the tray.

“This is rather heavy. Could you bring it up to my room?”
“Of course, sir.”

The staff member took the tray quickly.
It was certainly heavier than expected — he was definitely making something.

‘Curious….’

But the staff member did not forget his duty.
A guest’s privacy had to be protected above all else.
This dish was no exception.

“I’ll deliver this to your room at once.”
“Thanks.”
“I hope you enjoy your stay at Ester.”

Lion left shortly after, and the staff used Ester’s special system to deliver the guest’s handmade dish to his room faster than any ordinary delivery.
Thanks to this discretion, the fact that Lion had prepared something in the Kitchen never leaked outside.

* * *

He returned to the Lobby in a lighter mood.
A front desk employee called him to a stop.

“Sir.”
“Yes?”
“Your companion who’s staying here asked me to pass along a message…….”

The way the employee trailed off suggested it was because of the stares around them.

“It’s fine, go ahead.”

If Ricshel had told the staff member, it couldn’t be anything confidential.
The employee glanced around before delivering the message in a low voice.
As expected, it wasn’t particularly important.

“He said he’ll be returning late tonight, so you should get some rest.”

But it wasn’t exactly good news either.
Coming back late, was he.

‘Hopefully not the Second Imperial Prince.’

He had a prior engagement with that gentleman.

“Is that all he said?”
“He also mentioned the meeting with the manager will likely run long.”
“I see.”

True enough, business meetings running long was common.
Especially with major projects — meetings simply didn’t end.
He wanted to tell him to come back early, but having worked himself, he couldn’t bring himself to say that.
Besides…… there was work he needed to do as well.

“Understood.”

The employee bowed respectfully and returned to his post, and Lion headed back to his room as planned.
When he opened the door, the room had been tidied impeccably in his absence.
And the dish he’d left behind earlier was…….

“Already here?”

The food had arrived even before Lion did, sitting on the table.
I opened the lid worried it might have spilled from rough delivery, but—!
Not a drop of broth had escaped.

“Nice.”

Lion felt a peculiar satisfaction as he set aside the portion for Ricshel, then transferred it onto an additional tray he’d prepared and covered it with a lid.
Then, in case Ricshel might arrive even earlier, he jotted down a note.
Nothing special—just something telling him to eat and rest since he’d be hungry when he got here.

‘Hmm…’

Lion hesitated for a moment, then added one more line.

-You worked hard today too.

Lion set the note beside the bowl and turned to check the time.

“Let’s see…”

Evening had already come.
The tour of the warehouses had made the time pass quickly.
Or perhaps, having started the day late, he simply felt the sun set faster than usual.
In the old days, he might have thought he’d wasted the day entirely, but now…

‘This isn’t so bad.’

Waking late and soaking in the sunlight, observing the shapes and movements of clouds drifting across the sky while eating,
leisurely looking at interesting things and making food.
It felt like he was finally enjoying a proper day off.

“Chirp.”

Nature too had apparently decided today was a day for rest, sitting on the terrace railing and enjoying the cascading sunset.

“Hm?”

The Demon Egg had been carefully tended to as well, wrapped snugly in a cushion and blanket, resting securely on the terrace chair.
It was clear Nature had brought it here using the power of the wind.

‘That little rascal…’

He’d been a bit bothered that Nature hadn’t brought him along, but here it was, acting the older sibling so well…!

“Impressive.”

Lion reached out and ruffled the round, fluffy head vigorously.
Nature’s eyes gradually closed as it turned its head this way and that, offering up the itchy spots.
It was so much like a child bragging about sitting quietly alone that Lion burst into laughter.

“Ha ha. Good, good.”
“…Chirp!”

Snapping back to attention at the laughter, Nature quickly pulled its head away.
Perhaps embarrassed, it gave a soft chirp as if to say, ‘This much is only natural.’

“Thank you. Would it be all right if I left it with you for a little while longer?”
“Cheep.”
“Ah, not today. I’m going to get something for the hangover.”

He’d wanted to add that, strictly speaking, yesterday’s drinking wasn’t exactly voluntary either—but he held his tongue.
Saying something like that would make him sound like he was heading out to drink again.

“Anyway, I’ll be back soon.”
“Cheep-cheep.”

Listening to what sounded like an urgent call to hurry home, Lion pulled on his Mask, picked up the remaining deliveries, and left the room.

* * *

At that very moment.
While Kyle and Ricshel were in the middle of a business meeting, sharing information, Kyle glanced at the time and opened his mouth.

“I think I should take a break.”

At those words, Ricshel lifted his eyes from the documents and slowly regarded the Second Imperial Prince.
Kyle Sol Aionis.
An illegitimate child born from a single night of the Emperor’s indiscretion, dismissed by many as little more than a thorn in the side of the Imperial Family.
The nobility, who placed great stock in Legitimacy, found the Second Prince’s very existence distasteful.

‘Of course, those same nobility obsessed with Legitimacy had likely done some indiscrete things themselves in their time.’

Still, the truth remained that he was at a disadvantage in the Crown Prince succession.
Knowing this himself, he had developed a peculiar obsession: he would not rest, would not even take a sip of tea, until any task before him was resolved perfectly—no matter how arduous.
The fact that such a man had just spoken of needing a break meant……

“Are you unwell?”

Ricshel already knew that the First Imperial Prince had used a Curse driven by personal emotion.
No matter how insignificant the First Prince might be, the act of casting a Curse was a grave crime.
A Curse required an enormous price in sacrifice to weave—that was the nature of such dark magic.
There had been moments when he’d considered reporting it at once to the Lord of House Asteri……
But ultimately, he had said nothing.
The sole reason was that the Second Prince had asked for his silence.
That he could endure it still.
When the Second Prince had looked at him and spoken of waiting for a certain chance to shatter the First Prince’s Legitimacy completely—
Even Ricshel had been stunned in that moment.
It was a resolve that no ordinary mind could muster.
But now……

‘He must be reaching his limit.’

The original plan was to hold out until the Emperor’s Birthday.
If his body gave out before then, House Asteri would take the matter into their own hands and act directly.
Meaning they would lift the Curse as it was, without identifying who had cast it.

“That shouldn’t be necessary. It’s simply that the weariness of travel has accumulated.”
“…….”
“Don’t concern yourself. I’m still managing.”
“……I understand. Then I and the steward shall handle the rest.”
“Yes, yes indeed, Your Highness.”

Willie, the steward who had no precise knowledge of the Second Prince’s condition, nodded as though such a thing were entirely plausible.

“Much obliged.”
“Rest well, Your Highness.”

Kyle rose from his seat at once and left the room swiftly.
Ricshel had assumed the blood-spitting symptoms were brought on by the Curse.
Under normal circumstances, that assumption would have been correct.

‘I’m not too late.’

Unfortunately, Ricshel’s prediction was wrong this time.
Kyle moved toward his room with a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
A promised guest was arriving.

* * *

Knowing the room number, he navigated naturally without passing through the Lobby.
Looking around, it was clear that nothing revealed where this place was located.

‘From what I hear, even the manager doesn’t know.’

He received reports about activities involving Egg Coins and experiences to some extent, but it seemed even Willie remained unaware of matters within the guest rooms or when he moved about wearing the Mask.
That made sense—it was the only way nobles could enjoy themselves without worry.
While entertaining these thoughts, he reached toward the door ahead to knock.

Bang!

The door swung open of its own accord.

‘Ugh.’

Lion barely managed to pull back before his face struck the door.

“You came after all.”
“How… did you know I was here?”
“A place that requires silence doesn’t remain quiet when someone arrives. Come in.”

The Second Imperial Prince was dressed and put together.
It didn’t seem to be on account of his visitor—rather, it appeared he had just returned from attending to duties.

‘Wait, so Ricshel hasn’t arrived yet because…’

Could his brother be handling his work in his stead?
But if he claimed to be resting, shouldn’t he let others rest as well?
Of course, that would have made coming here somewhat awkward, but couldn’t he have found some excuse?

“Aren’t you coming in?”
“I am.”

Lion answered with a slightly curt tone and stepped into the hotel room.
The interior layout was similar to his own quarters.
There was a bedroom and a living area.
The difference was that, being a single room, there was only one bedroom…

‘There are Weapons here.’

Various Weapons lay scattered about.

…

Surely he wasn’t planning to stab him if things went wrong?

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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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