Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 194
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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 Know About Being an Heir, But I’d Like to Focus on Healing – Episode 194
A name, you say?
“……Let’s get out of here first and think about it slowly.”
This wasn’t a place to decide something in a rush.
The creature seemed to understand his meaning well enough. Its tail continued to wag gently before it ducked straight into the bag.
It scratched at the bottom a few times with its front paws, then curled itself into a tight ball and settled down with a soft thump.
“Chirp.”
Only after the beast had found its place did Nature dart back into the bag.
The spirit then began pecking carefully at the beast’s fur with its beak.
There was no doubt about it — the welcome was genuine and effusive.
‘I’m glad they seem to get along.’
He’d always expected Nature to adapt well after hatching, given how attentively it had been cared for while still in the egg.
But seeing them bond like this now, he could finally let go of any lingering worry.
‘Though, when you think about it……’
From Nature’s perspective, this creature was practically the child of a companion.
“Ricshel. Let’s head back.”
“Yes, brother.”
Ricshel, watching Lion smile with what looked like complete satisfaction, mirrored the expression with a smile of his own.
A mammal hatching from an egg was certainly unusual, but its size was small, and it didn’t appear particularly dangerous.
‘Though we mustn’t let our guard down, of course.’
At least for now, it seemed docile — following Lion almost like a chick follows its mother — so it should be fine.
‘Still, the Family Head will make the final judgment……’
From where Ricshel stood, it seemed like a perfectly acceptable companion animal.
The two of them left the training grounds, each quietly satisfied with their thoughts.
And outside, they found……
Fortunately, no one at all.
“Phew.”
Lion and Ricshel exhaled in unison, relieved.
“That was close.”
“It was.”
Despite their bold entrance, this was technically a place where grandfather had forbidden entry.
Ricshel had been instructed not to come here except for training sessions.
“……First of all, if we return together, we might raise suspicion. It would be better to leave separately.”
“You’re right. Good work.”
“Not at all. I was actually glad you asked for my help, brother.”
And……
Ricshel stowed his cane away and smiled faintly.
‘I’m glad to have another memory I can share with you.’
And on top of that, I’d gained a bit of insight too—a perfect outcome.
“I’m the one who should thank you. Once I get some things sorted out, I’ll call for you.”
Lion lifted the bag lightly and set it down again, then moved ahead first.
He wanted to thank Ricshel more, but caring for the creature had to come first.
‘No matter how fine it looks, it’s only just been born.’
It would likely be exhausted, so he needed to get it somewhere comfortable to rest.
With that single purpose in mind, Lion walked quickly and slipped into his room.
The blanket that had covered the beast since its egg days still lay neatly folded on one side of the room.
Lion spread it out properly across the bed and carefully picked up the beast, setting it gently on top.
“Cooped up, weren’t you? Now you can come out and rest easy.”
The young beast tilted its head a few times, then pressed its tiny nose against the blanket and sniffed deeply.
Then, as if it had figured something out on its own…….
“……!”
It perked up its ears and immediately flopped down, rubbing its body against the fabric.
It seemed to like it.
“That’s right. This is the blanket you used to have.”
Lion exhaled in relief.
At least it seemed like it would adapt fairly well.
‘Hmm…….’
But there was an important problem.
Lion had never once kept a pet before.
So even though he’d studied hurriedly since acquiring the beast’s egg, that was all he had to go on.
‘Nature is……different, though.’
Fluffy as a potato, or rather bird-like as it may seem, Nature’s essence belonged to a different dimension outside the material world—a spirit.
It enjoyed the food Lion made, but that was all, and it never got sick or gained weight from eating.
But.
“Cheep!”
This baby beast was different.
It was a special existence, certainly, but it had flesh and was a living creature nonetheless.
And unlike Nature, whose body had only shrunk, this was truly an infant.
It hadn’t emerged wrinkled like other newborns, but it was no less a newly born life.
That meant Lion had to take care of everything—from food to hygiene.
Of course! It might be awkward at first, but he’d manage soon enough.
The real problem was this.
‘What about the name…….’
How do you even give one?
Lion smiled awkwardly, placed his hand on his waist, and fell into thought.
‘Giving it the name the druid’s beast used before…….’
I couldn’t help but think it was a bit much.
Though they were the same species, this one wasn’t that particular beast.
And that beast’s name was also…….
‘I must have named it on a whim.’
Lion shook his head almost immediately at the memory.
It would be better to give it a new name after all.
‘So what would be good?’
Lion pondered for a moment, watching the young beast rolling about gleefully in the blanket.
It seemed delighted to be free from its cramped egg, scratching at the blanket with its paws and gnawing enthusiastically at the edge of his pillow with its tiny, still-underdeveloped teeth.
In its own way, it was trying to show off its wild nature—but being so small, it only looked adorable.
‘What was that story about Jjajang?’
Lion recalled a dog named Jjajang that a colleague at his company had kept before his Possession.
The dog’s nose had turned dark like it had eaten black bean noodles, so they’d named it Jjajang for that reason.
‘And there was another case…….’
A cat that a business partner’s employee had raised was named Seol when it was young because it looked pale as rice cake while stretching in that classic loaf position, but they’d been surprised when its fur turned yellowish as it grew.
In any case, pet names generally came from careful observation of their distinctive characteristics.
Just as he was thinking he should observe a bit more——
‘Wait, but…….’
What was the small thing doing?
He’d been watching it simply because it was cute, but something about the way it was gnawing at the pillow seemed off.
It was targeting one spot obsessively, as if possessed.
But that wasn’t the only thing that seemed wrong.
It struck the pillow with its adorable little paw punches, scratched at it with its claws, and the carefully selected fabric from House Asteri began tearing bit by bit.
Wait—tearing?
If that’s the case…….
The moment Lion stepped forward to stop it—
Rip!
The creature bit down on the pillow and shook its head wildly.
Naturally the fabric tore completely, and the cotton and feathers inside scattered across the bed and through the air.
“Oh dear.”
Lion laughed helplessly watching the feathers drift down.
It seemed to have far more energy than he’d expected.
‘Once I name it, there will be plenty to do.’
Foxes were canines after all.
He’d need to get it a few toys for tug-of-war games first.
“You’re covered in it. Come here.”
Lion approached the little creature with a wry smile, noting the tiny feather stuck on its nose.
“Achoo!”
The creature’s nose must have tickled too, because it let out several adorable sneezes—achoo, achoo—before shaking its whole body with a shake.
The feathers that had settled moments before scattered again at the movement.
“…!”
In that moment, for reasons he couldn’t quite name, Lion found the scene etching itself into his mind with perfect clarity.
At the same time, he made his decision about the name.
“Fus. Let’s call him Fus.”
Even if the creature grew to an ungainly size later, even if those few tail tips became nine and he reached full maturity, this memory of him as a young thing would never fade away, would it?
And even then, Lion thought, he would always see Fus as a baby—adorable, sneezing because of his feathers.
So he’d taken that little sneeze and shaped it into a name.
‘It has a cute sound to it.’
…Doesn’t it?
It’s still cute enough, I think.
[Will you confirm the name of the young beast as ‘Fus’?]
[The name can be changed at any time.]
[However, frequently changing the beast’s name may cause confusion and lead to difficulties in future training.]
“What do you think?”
Before settling on a name, Lion asked the creature one last time.
If it were an ordinary pet, it wouldn’t matter—but beasts possessed higher intelligence than one might expect.
So perhaps he wouldn’t like it….
“Squeak!”
Fortunately, he seemed pleased.
Lion reached out and stroked him, while Nature plucked a stray feather from his tail with her beak and set it aside.
“There. Let’s get along well, you and I.”
Though he might be clumsy at first….
At least he was certain he wouldn’t starve the creature or leave him lonely.
[You have tamed the last beast remaining in this world!]
[The beast (Fus) will now walk by your side for all your days!]
And then.
A small sphere of light, like a glass marble, began to shimmer in Lion’s room.
[The condition has been met.]
[Your Spirit Summoning talent breaks through its limit!]
He’d thought it was merely light, but when he touched one of the glowing droplets, the boundless, infinite energy of nature surged forth.
A refreshing clarity enveloped his entire body, warm and gentle.
Lion turned his gaze to Nature.
There too, it seemed, something was changing.
That tremendous presence from another plane—the one he’d felt a few times before.
It now dwelt within Nature’s small form.
And this time, Lion could bear its weight.
Lion extended his hand to Nature.
And she—truly, her wings—folded down to cover his hand.
Along with warmth came a feeling of concern, of worry for him.
‘It’s all right. Whatever that existence is, you’re still Nature.’
You’re the cute, precious friend who frets whenever your master overexerts himself or gets hurt, always trying to help.
Siiiiigh…….
The orbs of light faded gradually, and Nature’s vast form folded away as well.
Unlike when other talents broke through their limits, there was no additional message, but Lion understood.
He had finally crossed one barrier in Spirit Summoning.
[Spirit Summoning has reached Proficiency Lv.1.]
[You have stepped into a new realm.]
[Knowledge related to Beast Taming has been unlocked.]
“Phew.”
Lion smiled, feeling his body grow lighter than ever.
It pleased him more to sense that his sincerity had reached these two than to feel proud of entering the Proficiency stage with Spirit Summoning.
And…….
“Hahaha!”
Fortunately, that detailed knowledge related to Beast Taming had flowed naturally into Lion’s mind!
In other words, how he should raise Fus.
And it happened that Lion had many good things on hand.
Among them, the most necessary right now was……!
“Well, you’ve had plenty of play. Shall we start with some Beast Formula?”
Beast Formula.
Lion retrieved the formula he had received from Barg and verified it before carefully repackaging and storing it away.
A pale powder showed through the wrapping.
‘At first I thought, “What is this?” when I saw it labeled as Beast Formula…….’
Now that I look at it again, it’s not Beast Formula at all.
Tap.
Lion tapped the powder with his pinky and tested the flavor.
‘Mm. Just as I thought.’
That fragrant, smooth, faintly oily taste.
There’s no doubt about it.
It’s milk powder!
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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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