Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 205

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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 a Successor, But I’d Like Some Peace and Quiet – Episode 205

The moment Jack’s hand touched the Crystal Orb, an invisible barrier formed around him.
It was an expensive Artifact inscribed with both Perception Distortion Magic and Soundproofing Magic.
Without this level of security, he wouldn’t have even considered contacting Kyle.

‘Normally I wouldn’t use it, but just this once should be fine.’

Why not?
Of course, Kyle was likely busy in the Imperial Capital, so the odds of him answering right away weren’t high either.
Jack cleared his throat needlessly, waiting for the Crystal Orb to establish a connection.
And after a brief moment.

A shimmer.

The interior of the Crystal Orb gleamed softly.
It meant the connection was established.
Then a flat, toneless voice came through.

-What’s wrong?

Some might have called it cold, but to Jack’s ear, it was only his younger brother pouting.

“Just wondering what you’re up to, that’s all. Everything fine?”

-Hmm…….

For ordinary people, this might have been a natural enough exchange, but for these two—it was rare enough that something seemed off.
The Crystal Orb carried the sound of a response tinged with surprise.

‘Why am I getting embarrassed over nothing.’

Contrary to what he felt inside, Jack spoke calmly, offering one mundane topic after another.
They were all ordinary questions—nothing more.
Whether he was eating properly, whether the First Imperial Prince was bothering him in any particular way.
Even advice to tell him if the First Prince ever became too much of a nuisance.
……Though that last part was hardly ordinary.

-…….

And there in the Imperial Capital, Kyle—hearing all of it—felt a laugh bubble up inside him.

‘So he got hit hard too.’

He’d suspected it from the moment Jack said he was going to invade Lion Asteri’s residence, but it seemed Jack had taken quite a blow himself.
What’s more, there appeared to have been a shift in his heart.
To contact him in a way like this.

‘Not bad.’

Though it felt a bit awkward, he thought the occasional moment like this wouldn’t be so terrible.
Jack’s voice continued without pause.
Now that he’d run out of small talk, he began explaining what had happened at House Asteri.
And then.

-He got hurt?

Kyle’s voice dropped suddenly.

—Where? How badly?

“Huh?”

It was Jack who felt caught off guard by the sudden shift.
Truth be told, when he’d first started rambling on at length, there’d been no response, so he’d half-assumed Kyle was just letting it go in one ear and out the other.
But then……

‘I never expected him to react like that.’

To reiterate: Jack and Kyle were indeed like brothers.
But their lives had been sufficiently wretched that they’d never indulged in small niceties like this.
From Jack’s perspective, Kyle was his precious younger brother, though he’d never shown much outward affection—so he hadn’t expected this kind of answer.

—No. I’ll go instead.

“No, it’s just a light scratch. Besides, Lion Asteri already treated it with a good potion. I’m guessing he made it himself……”

As Jack spoke, the corners of his mouth crept upward.

‘……This feels good, doesn’t it?’

It was the first time he’d ever tried acting spoiled or pathetic.
Perhaps that’s why it was so effective.
But with Kyle’s single comment, all the lingering anxiety that had remained until now was cleanly washed away.

‘……I could get addicted to this.’

Jack habitually covered his rising smile with his hand.
As he sat alone savoring what could only be called childish emotion, Kyle let out a light sigh.

—As long as you’re all right, that’s what matters. So what was he like?

“Who?”

—Lion Asteri.

“Hmm.”

Jack paused to consider.
In truth, he hadn’t told Kyle how he planned to use Lion Asteri.
That plan to promote Kyle’s future by holding Lion Asteri up as a Hero for propaganda purposes.
Until the conversation just now, that plan had been solid.
But.
Jack chose to step back on his own and answered instead.

“You said you wanted him as National Advisor.”

—If he’s willing to accept it.

“That sounds good.”

Jack resolved to keep to himself the truth he’d discovered.
The position and abilities suited him better as a Hero than as National Advisor, but Kyle himself didn’t seem to want that either.

‘Besides……’

There was no need to meddle with Lion Asteri. That was the judgment he’d reached.
Why?
There were plenty of reasons.
But the answer that rose from his chest was

‘That landscape from then……’

It was beautiful.
Yes. It was because of his world—the one he’d glimpsed following Lion Asteri a few days ago.
Later, he wanted to show it to Kyle at least once.
But if the master of that world were to vanish, wouldn’t that be a shame?

‘It’s a world I could never create.’

Just as he didn’t belong in Jack’s world, Lion Asteri’s world didn’t suit him either.
That peaceful forest would become a bed of poisonous weeds in his hands.

‘……Of course, I’ll bring him back again.’

Not that he was letting go.
He didn’t want to change the values he’d held his entire life.
Kyle was part of my world.
He was family, and always would be.
But at least he could admit that he’d become capable of thinking a little more flexibly……
As Jack fell into deep thought and silence stretched between them, Kyle’s voice came through the Crystal Orb.

-……Right. I’ll have time free in a few days. Let’s meet then.

Without waiting for a reply, the light from the Crystal Orb faded.

“Whew!”

Jack exhaled as though a weight had lifted.
How should he put it—it was quite unlike his usual exchanges: remarkably ordinary and peaceful.
That brought him considerable relief.
Like the sensation of old congestion finally breaking free.
As Jack chuckled softly and stepped back from the Crystal Orb, Brick, his trusted aide who had been keeping his distance, approached and carefully took possession of the sphere.

‘His mood seems to have improved.’

Brick neither heard nor dared to listen to what was said within the Crystal Orb.
But seeing Jack—who had been unable to hide his displeasure for days—now at peace, it seemed something had fortunately worked itself out.

‘A relief, that.’

Brick murmured quietly to himself as he worked the stiffness from his shoulders.

* * *

After his conversation with Lion, Jack departed the estate at once.
And at last, quiet returned to the mansion that had been in upheaval with Young Master’s first reception of a guest.
The servants resumed their quiet routine and went about their tasks, and the same was true for Ricshel.
Barg seemed to have received additional punishment from Ricshel, though it remained light enough to cause no real concern.
Rather, it was said that Barg, whose stamina had increased from sparring with Jack, was continuing training beyond the scope of punishment……

‘Well, Rickson will handle it on his own.’

In any case, the one responsible for Barg at present was Rickson, after all.

“Yaaawn.”

Lion stretched with a long yawn.
Apart from Fus occasionally ransacking the Garden and attempting to raid the larder, nothing noteworthy had occurred.
Well, aside from that, I’ve made pretty much every toy Fus could want.
Oh, and I made a fresh pot of miso stew for Elvia.

“Anyway, it’s quite peaceful….”
“Chirp.”

Nature, sprawled in my lap in the same pose as Lion, let out a soft peep.

“If you’re sleepy, go inside and rest. I made you a new nest, didn’t I?”

Nature’s bedding was the first thing I’d finished, even before Fus’s toys.
Nothing fancy—just a miniature version of the cottage from the Labyrinth.
I’d lined the inside with soft cushions and placed it up high where Fus couldn’t reach.
It looked rather like a cuckoo clock, which made it all the more endearing.

“Chirrrp….”

Nature seemed quite fond of the nest, but on days like this when the sun streamed in so beautifully, she preferred to lie here beside me soaking in the warmth.
The warm sunlight seeped through my clothes, spreading a pleasant heat—it would be perfect for an afternoon nap like this.

“Hrah!”

Lion sprang up with a peculiar shout, energetically rising from his spot.
Nature, who’d been dozing in my lap, tumbled off with the sudden movement, but she quickly recovered and flew up to my shoulder with an exasperated chirp and a fluff of her feathers.

“Hahaha….”

…Anyway! I’d planned to visit the Village today after all.
The magic shop had vanished when its owner’s whereabouts became unclear, and in its place—an Herb Shop had moved in.
And I’d heard they carried quite a diverse selection of materials.

‘If they have any decent herbs, I should stock up properly.’

Of course, House Asteri continued to receive a steady supply of high-quality herbs, but there was something special about sourcing from different places.

‘The more variety of herbs I can access, the better.’

Lion stretched thoroughly and made his way toward the Village.

* * *

“What am I supposed to do about this?”
“There’s nothing to buy. Nothing at all.”
“Goodness….”

The countless customers and merchants in the Marketplace let out heavy sighs.
The Marketplace, which should have been bustling with energy, was utterly dismal.
The reason was simple enough….

A sigh.

“…The fruit has vanished completely.”
“So have sugarcane and honey.”

They were gone.
From oranges, the common folk’s staple, to apples and sweet sugar carrots—even sugarcane and honey, which commanded premium prices.
They’d nearly all disappeared.
Honey, being normally sold in limited quantities, one could accept, but the vanishing of the bright-colored fruits that had once filled the stalls was catastrophic.

“Is it true there’s been a poor harvest?”

When a customer in the marketplace, impatient with the slowness of trade, struck his chest in frustration and asked a question, the fruit merchant opened his mouth with a gloomy expression.

“A poor harvest? No, this year was bountiful. The sugar content of the fruit was so high it was almost sickly sweet.”
“Then why is there nothing here?”
“Well… according to rumor, a bear appeared and ate it all.”
“A bear? Did a whole pack of them show up?”

The customer made no effort to hide his bewilderment.

“No! Just one! A single bear!”
“One bear ate everything?”
“That’s right! Well, not everything, of course. But I’ve heard tell that it’s far larger than an ogre—enormous!”

The customer swallowed hard, his mind conjuring the image of an enormous bear.
He pictured the savage, colossal creature, its front paws smeared with honey, letting out a tremendous roar.

“In any case, since no one knows when that great beast might appear, temporary closure orders have been issued to anywhere that harvests or transports ‘sweet things.’ I myself just move goods here and sell them, so I don’t know much… but that’s what the rumor says.”

When a neighboring merchant chimed in, the customer finally nodded, as if understanding at last.

“Ah… and when do they say the bear will be caught?”
“Who knows? It’s huge, but it moves without a trace. They say the Guard Corps is doing their best, so we can only wait it out.”
“Ugh! I’ll have to sell something else. The apiary is already…”

The honey merchant shook his head ruefully.

“Completely cleaned out… they say even the beeswax is nearly ruined.”
“Oh dear…”
“What a mess.”

The people in the marketplace offered words of genuine sympathy and condolence.
And…

“…A bear?”

Before Lion stopped by the Herb Shop to purchase more of the preserved flower petals he’d eaten before, the conversation reached his ears.

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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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