Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 17

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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 Doesn’t Care, Just Wants to Heal — Episode 17

“An introduction, you say?”
“Yes. In fact, I know a priest who happens to be coming by today to offer prayers for the children.”
“But why introduce us separately?”

The Orphanage Director whispered softly.

“I couldn’t simply let such generous benefactors leave without something in return. I thought it would be fitting for you to receive the priest’s blessing before you go.”

As Rickshel listened to the Orphanage Director’s explanation, he smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

‘Perfect.’

Everything had unfolded exactly as Rickshel had planned.

‘None of this would have been possible without my brother’s sincerity.’

Had they merely provided material support, they might have remained nothing more than generous donors.
But Lion’s genuine kindness had earned the Orphanage Director’s goodwill in return.
The trouble was, a blessing prayer was just that — a prayer, nothing more.
What Rickshel truly wanted was for the priest to directly channel Holy Power and perform a true healing.
To make that happen…….
While Rickshel deliberated in his own way.

‘I never knew Rickshel was so sincere about charity.’

Lion, for his part, was marveling.
While he’d been spending time with Peter, it seemed Rickshel had been quite busy with volunteer work.

‘Building a connection with a priest won’t hurt!’

Lion had little particular interest in meeting with the priest.
He was simply satisfied that even the last child, Peter, had devoured his bread with relish.

“Might I have a word with you in private?”
“Of course.”

With the Orphanage Director’s permission, Rickshel drew Lion aside and whispered urgently.

“Brother… could you postpone meeting with the priest until next time?”
“What? But wouldn’t it be rude to turn down the Orphanage Director’s kindness?”
“Today, I would like to see the priest alone.”

Rickshel’s request, without clear explanation.
In a way, it could appear selfish — as though he wanted to monopolize the priest’s blessing.

‘There must be a reason for this.’

His expression was grave, tinged with a nervous tension and restlessness.
Lion thought carefully before reaching his conclusion.

‘It’s because we’re from a mage house.’

Mages and clergy.
The Asteri Family representing mages and the Holy Order representing priests regarded each other with indifference on the surface.
But because they held different philosophies in their pursuit of truth, their relationship was far from cordial.
Should it become known that young members of House Asteri had met with a priest, what would people say?
Whether favorable or not, whether great or small, rumors were bound to spread.
And given that he was only disguising himself at the level of changing his hair and eye color, he needed to be even more careful.
Rickshel, worrying that some of the fallout might land on him, was making this request—barely couching it as a request at all.

‘That fellow…….’

He could have reassured Rickshel not to worry, or even volunteered to meet the priest first himself.
But Rickshel was the heir to the Asteri Family and his own clever younger brother.
It was the wiser course not to thrust himself forward and burden the boy with unnecessary anxiety.

“So…… would it be all right if I met this priest alone first?”

Rickshel asked with utmost care, half-afraid that his brother might be hurt.
Of course, having reached his own conclusion, Lion was not troubled in the slightest.
In fact, he readily agreed!
Truth be told, watching Peter devour the bread had sparked in him a desire to bake other things for the boy.
Since he’d already learned the craft, he wanted to return to the Estate’s kitchen and experiment with various applications.

“I’m not excluding you entirely. I simply want to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. And after that, I’ll certainly bring you along…….”

Rickshel explained his intentions at length, but Lion nodded matter-of-factly.

“Well, that’s perfect timing!”
“So until then…… eh? Yes?”
“As it happens, I’ve realized I have things to do back at the Estate.”
“Things? To do?”
“Yes. I should try baking more bread while I’m at it. So go ahead and see the priest on your own for now.”

Rickshel looked slightly dazed that his brother had agreed so readily.
Lion gave his younger brother’s shoulder a reassuring pat.

“Don’t worry about me—just do what you need to do at ease. I’ll head back now, so come along when you’re ready.”
“Ah…… yes.”

……Thank you?
Rickshel hadn’t expected this difficult request to be resolved so easily.
In any case.

‘Good.’

Ultimately, his goal was to have his brother meet the priest, but first he needed to extract a treatment using Holy Power from the man.
And if the priest proved to be a dangerous individual with animosity toward the Asteri Family, Rickshel would need to eliminate that threat.
Having sent Lion away, Rickshel returned to the Orphanage Director.

“I’ll meet the priest alone. My brother said he’s rather tired.”
“Ah! Now that you mention it, his complexion did look rather pallid. That’s unfortunate…… but it can’t be helped. He can wait inside.”

Rickshel followed the Orphanage Director indoors.
From a distance, Lion caught Peter’s eye, gestured that he’d return soon, and set off toward the Estate.

‘I’ll have to learn how to make pastries from the head chef when I get back.’

Lion too had quite a bit to keep him occupied.

* * *

And that early morning.

‘I’m exhausted.’

Rickshel let out a light sigh in the private room the Orphanage Director had prepared for him.
It had been an exhausting day.
Disguised, baking bread, mingling with the residents in service—it had all blurred together.
A far cry from his original intention of making only material donations.

‘Perhaps material goods alone would never have accomplished this.’

This kind of experience was new to him.
Of course, as the Heir, Rickshel had long contemplated how to make his people’s lives more comfortable, and had put those thoughts into practice.
But what happened today was something more than that.
How to describe it?

‘Direct.’

Yes. A reality that touched skin and soul.
Moving his body with his own hands seemed to deepen that feeling.
It had been a day of both revelation and deepening questions.
Rickshel found himself smiling without thinking.

‘That was a good experience.’

If the chance came again, he would want to visit this place as an ordinary noble’s younger brother.

Knock, knock.

“Ah.”

The time had come.
Rickshel rose and opened the door.
Standing before him was a young priest who radiated an unmistakably noble and sacred presence.
Tall and straight-backed, with an upright and kind expression.
The priest appeared to be only a few years older than his own brother.

‘Younger than I expected.’

From what Rickshel understood, young priests generally lived within the Temple.
To cultivate their faith, or so he’d heard.
Yet this priest had come outside, and had even journeyed to the Orphanage to offer prayers.

‘No ordinary man, then.’

Had he met this priest without his disguise, he would have been wary.
But…

‘This man doesn’t know who I am.’

The goods from the magic shop guaranteed reliable performance.
Even a capable priest could not see through it.
Then this was, in fact, fortunate.
If he were to build a rapport with this priest as things stood, he might be able to show his brother’s condition to someone far better than he had anticipated.

“May the grace of God be with you. I am Lehit.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I am…”

As Rickshel deliberately trailed off,

“The Orphanage Director mentioned it. That you wished to remain anonymous.”

The priest Lehit smiled knowingly, cutting short Rickshel’s words.

“I shall call you a righteous benefactor, then.”
“I’m embarrassed to say it, but I’ve done very little. Ah, please, sit here.”

Once they had settled into their seats, the Orphanage Director came in and beamed at them.

“How splendid to have such distinguished guests here—the room itself seems to shine. Ha ha. It’s nothing much, but do have some warm water and speak freely with one another.”

The Orphanage Director set two chipped cups filled with hot water on the table and shot a wink toward Rickshel.
It wasn’t a knowing gesture—merely a sign of understanding that a layman meeting a priest was no ordinary occurrence.

Click.

The door closed with the creak of old hinges, leaving only the two of them in the room.
And Rickshel immediately began to speak, just as he had planned.

“In truth, I’ve accomplished very little.”
“That’s not so. Your brother’s good deeds moved others to come volunteer as well, didn’t they?”
“I only meant to provide material support. It was my brother who truly gave of himself.”
“Your brother, you say… That would be the one who left earlier, I gather, as his condition wasn’t good?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”

Rickshel was not given to lying.
But as a nobleman and future head of his family, he was quite skilled in the art of discretion.

“In truth…”

Rickshel released a soft sigh and covered his face with both hands.

“I didn’t come here out of pure goodwill and a desire to serve.”
“…”

Priest Lehit gazed at Rickshel’s apparent distress and smiled gently.

“I shall tell no one. Speak freely, in your own time.”

A glance.
Rickshel peered at the priest through the gaps between his fingers, then continued with his head bowed low.
He spoke of family circumstances that prevented him from calling a priest, and of how his brother’s condition was worsening day by day.

“So I wondered—perhaps living without giving to others is what brought this upon him. That thought drove me to come here. But my brother is not that sort of person at all.”
“…”

Rickshel lowered his hands and released another sigh, deeper than before.
This, at least, came from his heart.

“Despite his poor health, my brother made bread for the children and gave himself to them with complete sincerity.”
“Ah, I’ve heard—a child named Peter opened his heart because of him.”
“If it had been me, I could never have done such a thing. And I would never have met you, either. So…”
“Benefactor, will you entrust your hand to me?”

Lehit cut him off and clasped Rickshel’s hand.

“Your brother is truly a remarkable person. That such a one should suffer from illness—I cannot overlook it. However… I too came here in secret, to evade the eyes of the Temple.”
“…”

A refusal?

‘This priest—there’s no reading his expression.’

His face held endless kindness, yet he was clearly listening to every word Rickshel spoke with full attention.
If that were the case, he couldn’t possibly wear only that expression.
Rickshel made an effort to keep disappointment from showing on his face.

“So then, four days from now, at this hour. Would you be willing to visit again with your brother?”
“……!”

It had worked.

“……I apologize for the imposition, but I must ask this of you.”
“Of course. I’ll see you again in four days.”

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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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