Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 212

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Successor or Not, I Just Want to Heal — Episode 212

I’d forgotten about that.
Right — Beast-humans could shift between animal form and human form.
And when necessary, they could alter their appearance partially.
Like the way Barg’s fingernails lengthened.

‘Though Barg couldn’t manage more than that.’

Ears and tail occasionally poking out unbidden — I’d let that slide as involuntary.

“With no other Beast-humans around to learn from, I suppose he wouldn’t know.”
“Most Beast-humans find even that level of transformation difficult, from what I understand.”

Urhill let out a half-smile at Lion’s remark.
He meant to say he didn’t belong in the “ordinary” category.
In that instant, I felt a faint twinge of irritation.

“I could teach him, if you wanted.”
“……Start by plowing the field first.”

No dice.
Urhill reminded himself yet again that Spirit Summoners were formidable opponents, and set to work earnestly with his transformed arms…….

Scrape-scrape-scrape.

He tore out weeds and turned the soil.
The form looked odd, certainly, but the effect was undeniable.
Faster than a spade, and precise — he could feel the texture beneath him.
In no time, a spacious plot lay turned; Lion followed behind, adding fertilizer and raising the beds.
Finally, he planted the Sweet Potato seedlings and covered them with soil.

‘……This bastard. He’s damn competent.’

I’d sensed it yesterday too — his work efficiency was insane.
He grasped tasks quickly and actively sought out better methods.
If I’d met someone like this before the possession, I’d have overlooked even a major first-day accident, not merely forgiven it, but called him aside to buy him a meal.
Moreover, he’d volunteered to help with what his boss — no, what Lion — was planning to do.

‘Definitely.’

The thought kept returning: pair him with Barg, and it’d be perfect.

‘And this one too…….’

He seemed to genuinely like the Village.
Someday he’d return to where he came from, but letting him stay here for a few years would surely be a great asset to the Village.
And for now…….
Having a Bear Humanoid here alone would obviously ensure security.

‘Not bad at all.’

Lion brushed the soil from his hands with a pat-pat.
The wide stretch of earth had become a field in an instant.

“That thing you mentioned earlier — can I bring it up now?”
“Go ahead.”
“I can help that Red Wolf Humanoid. But since he’s already paid his debt for his crime, I’ll need something in return.”

Lion nodded as if to say go ahead, and after a moment’s hesitation, Urhill opened his mouth.

“Ahem! That bait. You made it yourself, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then you know how to cook other dishes as well?”
“Well, it’s one of my hobbies, I suppose.”
“As I thought!”

Urhill’s expression brightened at once, and he continued.

“In that case, could you prepare something sweet and delicious for me once a week?”
“Cook for you?”

It was an unexpected condition.
He’d assumed at most that Urhill would ask to be sent back to where he’d lived, or to have a house built where he could stay.
But to set all that aside and ask only for sweet dishes to be made?

“Yes. Of course, the potatoes and corn you made yesterday weren’t bad, but I am a gourmet by nature. And that bait you prepared then—it was a taste I’d never experienced even in my homeland. I could never forget that flavor.”
“Hmm.”

With Urhill’s heartfelt praise as accompaniment, Lion weighed the proposal.

‘And if it’s only once a week….’

In truth, it was hardly difficult for Lion.
If anything, having someone—or rather, a bear—who would actually eat all the food he made meant there was nothing to lose.

‘He didn’t even ask me to use Moonlight Honey.’

So his materials wouldn’t run short.
But….

“I have no problem doing it, but….”
“But?”
“I don’t know how well you can actually help, so I’ll need to run a test for a few days first.”
“Doubting my abilities, I see. That’s reasonable—I have no experience handling children here.”

Fortunately, Urhill nodded readily at Lion’s words.

“How many days will the test take?”
“Four days should be enough to tell, don’t you think?”
“Generous. I’ll show excellent results in the meantime.”

Whoosh.

Urhill spoke with confidence and extended his front paw.

“Ah.”

He drew it back and shook it a few times until it became a human hand.
Lion lightly clasped Urhill’s hand.

“Then I’ll count on you for the duration.”

Lion shook hands lightly, concealing his reservations.
On the surface, there was no problem at all, but….

‘Barg seems to dislike you a bit.’

Well, who knows.
For now, I’ll pretend not to notice. It could be quite useful for Barg in the long run.

* * *

Just two days had passed since I’d reached that conclusion.
Urhill, uncharacteristically sullen, requested a meeting.

“What’s with that face?”
“Siiigh…….”

When Lion feigned ignorance and asked what was wrong, Urhill—who’d been heaving sighs deep enough to shake the ground—finally spoke.

“I have no idea why that wolf pup dislikes me so much.”
“Dislikes you?”
“Openly. He makes it quite clear.”

Just as I’d anticipated.
Urhill probably didn’t realize it, but it was obvious—Urhill and Barg were fundamentally incompatible.
Or rather, there was a gap between them that simply couldn’t be bridged in their current situation.

‘Though that’s not the only reason.’

Their first meeting had gone poorly, and the atmosphere in the prison hadn’t been much better, if I remembered correctly.

‘But more than anything……’

It was a hierarchy struggle.
Even among humans, hierarchy struggles were inevitable.
How much more so among beast-humans?

‘They each think they’re the one on top.’

Urhill naturally believed that his superior abilities and greater age put him above Barg, while Barg—having been here longer—surely saw himself as the senior, the one with the advantage. And Lion, having already surmised this, chose not to mention it. Doing so would only start a fight between them.
Lion felt the corners of his mouth trying to curl upward and forced them back down before speaking.

“So, you’re giving up?”
“No. I intend to see this through. And it’s something he needs as well.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Yes. But I’ll need your help.”

Urhill, who had been despondent until now, looked up.

“But one condition—you two aren’t to fight.”
“From a human perspective, it might seem excessive, but among beast-humans it’s a common custom. It’s honest, isn’t it? And there’s something beautiful about the friendship that blooms through exchanged blows…….”
“This is the Empire. The human world.”

Violence was out of the question.
And though Urhill said it lightly, those beast-human duels were brutally violent.
If one conceded defeat early, that was one thing, but when they went all the way…….

‘Come to think of it, it might be worse than an Underworld fight club.’

As his carefully thought-out plan crumbled, Urhill’s expression darkened once more.
Apparently, he hadn’t expected things to be so far beyond his control.

“Do you have any ideas?”
“Hmm. So your goal is for you two to reach a point where Barg will accept your instruction?”
“Exactly. If he won’t listen to me, nothing can begin.”
“What if we try something like this?”

Lion outlined a method he’d been planning in advance.
To summarize, the two of them would take on a joint task.

“You mean helping the villagers?”
“Exactly. No matter what, if we’re going to work together, he won’t show his displeasure openly.”

Urhill nodded, resting his chin on his hand.

“It’s a reasonable approach. Since I’m a knight sworn to this place, I’ll follow your lead. And as you say, it’s not extreme.”
“And since it’s not particularly difficult work, there shouldn’t be any operational conflicts.”

The two nodded in unison, and with his concerns resolved, Urhill left Lion’s room with an expression noticeably calmer than before.
The sound of Urhill’s footsteps faded into the distance…….

“……Hmm.”

Would it work out?
He hadn’t lied to Urhill.
It was true he’d assigned him to help the villagers, and it was indeed quite trivial work.
But somehow, he suspected they’d be bickering even over such a minor task.

“It’ll be fine.”

Elvia laughed softly at Lion’s expression and emerged from the shadows with a flutter.

“Children always grow through a little quarreling. The better approach is to guide them toward safe conflict. And…….”
“And?”
“It’s entertaining.”

She meant that watching a Bear Humanoid and a Red Wolf Humanoid bicker so much was something you wouldn’t find every day.

“……Well.”

To be honest, today was one of the few times he found himself agreeing with Elvia.
It had actually been quite amusing.
The process of timid Barg getting a friend he could nag without reservation, that is.

“Hehehehe.”

The two of them let out a low laugh in unison.
It came across as rather villainous, but unfortunately, no one was around to notice.

* * *

“Is this the task Young Master instructed us to do?”
“…….”

Urhill found himself unable to answer right away.
Based on the circumstances, it seemed to be the right assignment.
The villagers had somehow guided both of them here naturally, so it was probably correct.
But he couldn’t accept it.
And for good reason…….
Urhill lowered his gaze toward small, wriggling creatures far beneath him.
Before his eyes were the bright, sparkling gazes of children whose heads barely reached his knees.
That’s right.
The task they had been given was none other than——

“Playing with Mr. Bear and Big Brother Wolf!”
“Waaah!”

It was about looking after the children while the Village adults worked.

“Phew, it’s such a relief having two sturdy young men watch the children!”
“I feel so at ease. Really at ease.”
“Now children, you mustn’t be too much trouble for them, all right?”
“We’ll listen well to what the uncles say. Mom will be back after work?”
“Yes!”

While the two of them hesitated, the Village residents quickly finished their goodbyes to the children and headed off to their respective jobs.
And with that, all eyes turned toward them.

‘This is rather daunting……!’

Urhill did have experience teaching young Beast-humans.
But not in particularly large numbers.
Beast-humans are born with tremendous strength, but they’re sparse in numbers — that’s their characteristic nature.

‘And moreover, young Beast-humans tend to…….’

Whether it’s because of their immense power or not, they mature quickly and possess a keen sense of wariness.

‘……Now that I think about it, that little Red Wolf seems to still be underdeveloped.’

Is that why his wariness is so much stronger?

‘If that’s the case, then this task should be quite fitting.’

It’s natural for him to suppress himself around young ones, so they ought to grow closer gradually.
With that reasoning, Urhill took the first step forward.

“Right then. I’m Urhill, and I’ll be looking after you all for today. You can call me mister or whatever else you like.”

Truth be told, he wasn’t quite old enough to be called mister yet, but to children, everyone’s a mister, aren’t they?
And what mattered now was blending in naturally enough to carry out this task.

“……! Well then, much obliged!”

As Urhill stepped forward naturally, Barg gathered his courage and shouted right after him, not to be outdone.

‘I can’t possibly leave the children in the care of a beast as reckless as that……!’

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————