Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 18

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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 in Name Only Does Healing Instead Chapter 18

That morning.
Rikshel visited Lion’s Room shortly after his conversation with the priest.

Bang!

“Brother!”

He’d been so excited that he didn’t even knock—just threw the door open wide.
The one startled awake from sleep should have been Lion, but……it wasn’t.
It was Lion, who was in the middle of brewing a Potion.

‘What, just bursting through the door like that?’

Startled badly, he nearly spilled the Potion he’d been carefully preparing.
Fortunately he didn’t—he sealed the cap and set the freshly made Potion down before greeting Rikshel.

“You’re here?”
“Yes—but why aren’t you asleep at this hour of the morning?”

Rikshel surveyed the room, scattered as it was.
Clearly, since arriving at the Residence, Lion hadn’t slept for even a moment.

“If this body forgoes sleep too……”
“Sleep just wouldn’t come. But you—what’s so urgent that you’re rushing in here first thing in the morning?”

Lion cut off the scolding he could see coming and asked instead.
Rikshel didn’t look like the type, but he was actually the worrying sort when it came to family.
Especially if anyone slept even a little less than usual, he’d launch into a lecture about why they weren’t resting that aching body of theirs.

“Did that priest perhaps say something to upset you?”
“No, nothing like that. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Rikshel grinned widely and began explaining everything that had happened.
After Lion had left first, he’d had various conversations with the priest, and somehow the topic had turned to his brother.

“He examined my body first, and then said that if it were possible, he’d examine yours as well.”
“My body?”
“Yes.”

My body……
Lion considered his own physical state.
To be honest, his health wasn’t particularly good.
More precisely, it was in a state best described as ‘fragile.’
Now that he had Mana, there was no risk of Mana Shock, and since there’d never been any particular illness, the label of ‘sickly’ was ancient history.
But having spent all that time bedridden through three bouts of Mana Shock, his body simply lacked stamina.
Even a bit of running would leave him breathless.
Still, recently—having ventured into the Mimir Forest and moving about here and there, to the village and the Orphanage—his stamina had improved somewhat.
It would be fair to say that, throughout Lion’s entire life, he’d never been in better condition than he was now.
His mind was at ease, his body was comfortable, and he could do whatever he wanted—it was only natural.

‘It’s not a bad proposal.’

In fact, it was good.
A thorough Healing would make him feel even better.
While the Residence did have a Healing mage, Healing was truly the priest’s specialty.
Even in the games, Healing-type mages were damage dealers while priests were pure support.
But.

‘That priest must have taken quite a liking to Rikshel.’

Healing from a priest was not something one obtained easily.
Usually it required an enormous donation, or proof of genuinely virtuous deeds by the Temple’s standards.
And from Lion’s recollection, priests wouldn’t accept mages unless it was for something “extraordinary.”
Mages themselves generally found the whole affair distasteful too.

‘And Rikshel doesn’t seem to mind either.’

As Lion deliberated over these various thoughts for quite some time, Rikshel grew anxious in an instant.

‘Could it be he dislikes me because I’m a priest?’

Even without magical aptitude, his brother was still a direct heir of the Asteri Family, standing at the pinnacle of magic.
Until now things had gone smoothly, but it was understandable if he harbored reservations about meeting a priest.
Still, even if he objected, Rikshel had every intention of getting Lion treated.
For his brother’s health.

‘If he refuses…….’

He would resort to forceful measures, even if it meant straining their relationship somewhat.
After all, Heir Training had taught him that there are times when one must abandon scruples about means and methods…….

“Will you accept the treatment?”
“Ah. You would do that for me?”

The roughly twenty perilous schemes Rikshel had conceived were discarded in an instant at Lion’s acceptance.

“Of course. It’s the fruit of your hard work and a connection you’ve made—I should naturally meet him.”
“……! Then I shall come to fetch you in four days!”
“Very well. Very well.”

Lion watched Rikshel bow and take his leave, his expression warm with quiet contentment.

* * *

And the four days Rikshel and Lion had agreed upon passed.
The two made their preparations and headed for the Orphanage, where all the children were asleep.

“I have been waiting for you.”

The Orphanage Director welcomed them in a hushed voice and led them to the small private room where Rikshel had lodged.
And inside, there was…….

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

Rihit, the priest, stood waiting.
He had a gentle countenance and a smile that seemed to dispel all care and worry.
His clothes were neat, right down to the pristine Cotton Gloves on his hands.

‘He’s young, just as Rikshel said.’

Young priests couldn’t simply leave the Temple and wander about as they pleased, so meetings were rare.
That was why he seemed to have chosen this late hour—deep in the night.
Then.
A notification window appeared before Lion’s eyes.

[Superior Holy Essence cannot yet be obtained.]
[Superior Holy Essence can be obtained upon achieving hidden conditions.]

“…….”

Superior Holy Essence.
As Lion recalled, it was a material that went into making Superior Holy Water — essential, irreplaceable.
Yet it could be obtained from someone so young.

‘So materials could be drawn from people as well.’

“It’s an honor to meet you, Priest.”
“May divine grace be upon you. I am the one who is honored to meet such righteous persons.”

The Orphanage Director watched us exchange warm greetings, then quietly excused himself and closed the door so as not to intrude.

“Please, sit. The water the Director prepared is still warm.”

As the two of them took their seats, the priest Rihit poured hot water from the kettle and handed it to them both with a gentle smile.

“Your younger brother may have mentioned it already, but allow me to introduce myself again. I am Rihit, a servant of the divine.”
“It’s good to meet you. I hope you’ll forgive us for not revealing our names today.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. Your sincere steps toward righteousness speak for themselves. And I too came here in secret, so perhaps we’re equally matched, wouldn’t you say?”

As their conversation continued, Lion suddenly posed a question.

“If I may ask without overstepping — might you tell us why you’ve come in such secrecy?”
“……Elder.”

Taken aback by the abrupt question, Rihit fell silent for a moment before answering earnestly.

“I had a dream.”
“A dream…… You mean the kind one experiences while sleeping?”

Rikshel, too, seemed to be hearing this for the first time, murmuring thoughtfully.

“Yes. I didn’t explain it to you last time we met. It’s also the reason I came here in secret. Do you happen to know what a priest’s dreams are?”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

Unlike the puzzled Rikshel,
Lion had a general idea.

‘A kind of divine revelation, then.’

Priests with exceptional Holy Power generally do not dream.
They do not dream pleasant dreams, absurd ones, lucky dreams, or nightmares.
Through their Faithful Belief, they possess a strong resistance to what is regarded as hollow and fleeting.
Yet even such priests occasionally experience vivid dreams.
Those are Prophetic Dreams.
Divine Revelation.
And priests are known to be obligated to verify the truth of such Divine Revelations.

“Haha, Prophetic Dreams aren’t always grand affairs. The one I had was quite similar.”
“If I may ask, what was the dream about?”
“Of course. In my dream, I saw children sleeping in a grassland. The wild grass was a soft bed, and the sunlight was like a warm blanket. And…….”

Rihit looked slowly between the two of them.

“I saw you two. That’s why I wanted to meet you. And since I had business in the Asteri Territory anyway, I thought I would come.”

I had to verify it.

‘What kind of person appears even in dreams?’

Rihit finished his account and regarded them both slowly.

‘I hadn’t realized he was a Mage.’

The disguise made it impossible to discern his identity, but the one he’d called his brother unmistakably carried the aura of a Mage.
A Mage.
And from his manner of speech, quite a refined one at that—young, judging by his voice.
There was a high probability he belonged to the Asteri Marquis Household.
Why such a person would go to the trouble of disguising himself troubled Rihit, but then he’d heard mention of a ‘sick older brother.’
Whether he was truly a blood relation, the disguise made impossible to determine, but one thing was certain: the care he’d lavished on the children was no lie.
Like something from a dream.
That ‘Asteri-affiliated’ Mage, accompanied by this virtuous patient—Lion.

‘If his true purpose is really treatment, that would be fortunate enough.’

But if the Mages sought to extract information about the Temple, he would have to exclude them preemptively.
Rihit’s gaze had turned toward Lion.
On the surface, he looked genuinely frail.
Pallid skin, a frame so slight it seemed ready to collapse at any moment.

“Would it be acceptable if I attempted treatment?”
“It is what I’ve hoped for. I shall wait outside.”

Normally, when a Priest performed Healing, no one but the patient should witness it.

“Then, I entrust you with this.”

After Rikshel departed, Rihit approached Lion and channeled Holy Power into him.
Flame-like pale-green energy clung to Lion’s body, then simply vanished.

“Hm.”

Rihit was momentarily taken aback.

‘The Blessing definitely entered his body, so why hasn’t he improved at all?’

Not that he liked to boast, but Rihit’s Holy Power was of High-Ranking Priest caliber.
The Healing ability of a High-Ranking Priest was formidable enough to restore vitality to those suffering from high fevers almost instantly, and to completely detoxify those poisoned or cursed.
And yet…
This man’s body showed no improvement whatsoever.
His complexion remained ashen.

‘Did I make an error?’

Rihit tilted his head and cast the Blessing once more.
This time, brighter flames rose up, and their duration lingered longer.
Then…

Whoosh—

This time too, the energy was fully absorbed into Lion’s body.
But that was all.

‘This is serious.’

The moment Rihit examined Lion’s body, he swept away all his lingering doubts.
A body that wouldn’t heal even under a High-Ranking Priest’s Blessing meant one of three things.
The patient was a Mage of higher rank who was deliberately rejecting the treatment.
First, when the body is in good condition and doesn’t need Blessing.
And…….

‘When someone is born with a short lifespan.’

Rihit reflected on himself.
To suspect these Righteous Persons who came here grasping at straws……!
Yet even now, the young man before his eyes remained composed, almost serene.

“Ah, I do feel my body has improved.”
“…….”
“The Blessing seems sufficient, Priest.”

And he smiled as if to say it was enough.

“……If the time should come when you need my help, please come to the Temple and speak my name.”

Rihit took Lion’s hand and spoke with sincerity.

“I beg your pardon?”
“When your body is in such pain that sleep eludes you, I will help you then.”
“Ah…… yes.”

Lion was puzzled by Rihit’s offer.

‘Isn’t he being too kind?’

Contrary to Rihit’s expectations, Lion was genuinely feeling the effects of the Blessing.

[Currently in perfect condition!]
[Divine Healing is ineffective.]

One Blessing would have been enough, but receiving it a second time had eased everything—his stiff shoulders, everything.
The problem was simply that this state was already Lion’s ‘peak condition.’
Lion Asteri had no illness to begin with.
He was simply born with an extremely fragile constitution.
Moreover, that Patrik Asteri would never have neglected Lion’s physical condition knowing what it was.

“Thank you for your kindness. Then, I shall see you again whenever our paths cross.”

“…….”

At Lion’s farewell, Rihit’s expression grew even more grave.

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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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