Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 224

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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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Successor or not, I’ll just focus on healing | Chapter 224

Regardless, Lion continued to rummage through Pus’s mouth.
If any remnants were left behind, it could spell real trouble.
After thoroughly searching the small opening, he was relieved to find no crumbs or debris remaining.

“Phew.”

Lion exhaled a sigh of relief and released Pus.
Having been suddenly subjected to an oral inspection, Pus remained visibly disoriented, standing rigidly with one front paw raised.

“Sorry about that. But if something went wrong, it’d be a real mess.”
“Chirp, chirp.”

Nature chirped in agreement.

“But what on earth were you trying to swallow?”

Lion stroked Pus’s head a few times to soothe him, then finally turned to examine the object lying scattered on the ground.
Ah, so that wasn’t just a simple stone I threw, was it?

“This is…”

Lion picked up the raw stone and brought it close to his eyes.

[Labyrinth Namok (★★)]
-A Namok found only within the Labyrinth.
-Though rare, a subtle magical essence can be felt emanating from within the raw stone.
-Still crude stone now, but with proper crafting, it would become a most excellent gem, wouldn’t you say?
[Applications— Alchemy, Tailoring, Painting]
[☞Click to view recipes.]

Along with the explanation of its various uses, knowledge of how to craft Labyrinth Namok naturally flowed into Lion’s mind.

“Not bad at all…”

He’d been too focused on Pus earlier to pay attention, but this raw stone was far more valuable than he’d realized.

‘I could use this instead of the Aquamarine back at the tent.’

Lion pocketed the Namok and looked back at Pus.

“Don’t tell me you brought me all the way here just for this?”
“Yelp!”

Pus now stood with confident posture, both front paws gathered together, his head held high and proud!
And at that moment.
An additional notification appeared.

[Companion Beast ‘Pus’ has mimicked the behavior of his beloved master!]
[From now on, ‘Pus’ will retrieve various items for you.]
[Currently available items: Small minerals, damp herbs]

“Retrieve items for me?”

Lion’s eyes widened at the unexpected notification.
He’d never seen anything like this in In the World before.
A companion beast bringing back items?
And useful ones at that?
Whether Lion was surprised or not, Pus strutted up with confident, dignified steps and pressed his forehead against Lion’s shin with a soft bump.
The message was clear: he’d done good work and wanted praise for it.
Lion’s hand moved instinctively to stroke Pus’s head, and his thoughts continued to unfold.

‘No, wait—thinking about it, it’s not impossible at all.’

Companion Beasts had always been remarkably intelligent creatures, capable of casting Magic—formidable beings by any measure.
They learned by watching their masters’ actions, absorbing lessons with startling speed.
In the World, those learned behaviors would have been confined to ‘combat’.
After all, that had been an age of turmoil, thick with warfare against the Demons.
But now?

‘Honestly, it’s incredibly peaceful.’

There were a few unsettling undercurrents, true—but all things considered, his days had grown quite serene.
No battles with anyone, just a life of ranging through nature to harvest herbs and roots.
And Pus, newly born into this world, had grown up watching that very life unfold.

[Pus wishes to help you!]

Lion felt his chest tighten as he gazed at the small creature.
The sight of this tiny thing straining to accomplish something stirred genuine emotion in him.
Of course, it was only possible because Lion had raised Pus with all his effort and showered him with affection—but that’s how it always was for those who raise a creature, wasn’t it?
One ended up feeling inexplicably inadequate as a master.

‘And I haven’t really given him anything……’

Lion was no exception to that feeling.

[Your Companion Beast ‘Pus’ seeks your and Nature’s praise!]

“Damn it!”

Lion set to petting Pus with both hands, lavishing him with praise.
As if he’d been waiting for exactly this, Pus flipped onto his back and luxuriated in Lion’s touch.
Nature hopped over as well, chirping ceaselessly, methodically grooming Pus’s fur with tiny precision.

“Squeak!”

Tails wagged without pause, fluttering and thrashing.
Whenever Lion slowed his hands even for a moment, eyes would dart sideways and front paws would twitch eagerly.

“Who in the world are you descended from, being so clever? Hmm?”

Lion kept praising him with everything he had until Pus’s fur was shedding freely all around them.
But that wasn’t all.

‘A day this momentous demands treats—I can’t let that pass!’

Lion immediately opened the Sieling Shop.
Without hesitation, he purchased an item he’d been eyeing before.

[Beast Feed]
-60,000 Sieling ☞ 59,000 Sieling (1,000 Sieling discount!)
-※Warning※ Absolutely not for human consumption
-Please be mindful so your Companion Beast does not become obese.
-☞ We are currently running a special offer: free bonus treats included!

At first, he’d thought it was merely ordinary feed, but that last line had seemed suspicious, so he’d checked the detailed description.
And that’s when Lion realized this wasn’t simple fodder in the conventional sense at all.
To be precise, it was a wet canned treat—practically a delicacy!
The timing worked out perfectly, and a long tube of snacks came into the Inventory right along with it.

‘Wait, isn’t this a squeeze treat?’

It looked remarkably similar to that snack you squeezed out and ate with a satisfying crunch.

‘Then I’ll save the special treat for tomorrow and give him this snack today.’

Lion checked his Inventory with a satisfied smile, then scooped Pus up into his arms.

“But first.”
“Squeak…….”

Lion directed his most harmless, gentlest smile at Pus.
It was the kind of smile that promised he meant no harm at all.
Yet something felt wrong.
Just as Pus’s cheerful expression began to fade, a voice like a thunderbolt from a clear sky rang out.

“You’ve done such an admirable and impressive thing, my dear Pus, but…….”
“Squeak, squeak…….”
“You do need a bath, don’t you?”

Lion held Pus firmly so he couldn’t escape and made his way back to the center of the Labyrinth where the hut stood.
Fortunately, there was no need to waddle about.

“Let’s go get all nice and soapy and clean, shall we? I’ve just finished making the Companion Beast Shampoo, after all.”

With the Labyrinth’s master authority, he could exit directly to the outside.
Which meant…….
Pus had no chance of escape.
Lion moved with brisk efficiency.
He arrived at the spot where the Tent was set up, retrieved the Aquamarine, and placed the Namok that Pus had brought back in its stead.
After that, he slipped straight out of the Library and made for the Personal Bathroom.
He shut the door with ruthless firmness, prepared a basin, and turned on the water.
He didn’t forget to put on the Companion Beast Shampoo Cap he’d prepared, worried about water getting in Pus’s ears.
And then.

Splash!

Water at a pleasant temperature came pouring down.

“Squeeeeeak!!”

Scratch-scratch-scratch!

“Ha ha. Feels nice, doesn’t it?”

Scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch!

And so for a time, the sound of claws scraping against the door and Pus’s pitiful cries echoed from Lion’s Personal Bathroom…….

* * *

Having fallen asleep a little earlier than usual alongside the sweet-scented Pus, Lion’s eyes snapped open before the morning sun had even risen.
Nature was resting peacefully in her new nest, and Pus was similarly lost in deep slumber, his little mouth working as if he were eating the snack he’d received after his bath, even in his dreams.

‘Right then…….’

Lion rose from the Bedroom as quietly and discreetly as possible and made his way toward the Labyrinth.
There was just as much work to do today as there had been yesterday.

“Young Master. Your clothes are too thin.”

Somehow Elvia had sensed the moment Lion woke, and was already waiting for him outside the Labyrinth with an outer garment in hand.

“You’re up this early?”
“Heh heh. We old folk tend not to need much sleep, you see.”
“Seems like you’ve taken a liking to that butler.”
“Well, teach one thing and she grasps two or three more on her own—there’s a certain satisfaction in that, I must say.”
“Ha ha ha…….”

Lion donned the outer garment and laughed awkwardly.
Still, since she was clearly learning something worthwhile, he supposed it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

“Oh yes, and a letter arrived saying that half-elf child should be here within a few days.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It seems the timing will coincide nicely with when your schedule concludes.”
“Good. That’ll make things less dreary.”
“…….”

Elvia did not bother answering, merely maintained her smile and politely stepped aside to clear his path.

“I’ll be back before breakfast.”
“Yes. I shall inform the second Young Master.”

The moment Elvia finished speaking, a magic circle bloomed beneath Lion’s feet, and he vanished from sight.
Elvia, watching him disappear, brought a finger to her chin.

“Our dear puppy seems to be laboring under quite the misunderstanding…….”

True enough, without that half-elf brat around, these days had felt languid in their own way.
Yet she could not say she felt boredom.
By her dear puppy’s own admission, she was rather fond of that half-elf child, but to Elvia’s mind, the girl was merely a treat.
A treat was pleasant enough when indulged in now and then, but one hardly suffered from its absence.
What mattered was the main course.
And her adorable puppy was serving that role quite adequately, though…….

“Heh heh heh. There’s no need to spoil that little misunderstanding, is there?”

After all, that way he might drop a few more crumbs her way.
The present situation was already pleasing enough.

‘Seeing House Bydentis’s butler brought back such memories.’

That journey from time to time haunted her thoughts.
Who knew? Perhaps her dear puppy would spoil her again sometime.

‘I suppose I’ve become quite human after all.’

Elvia clenched her fist lightly and chuckled, then slipped silently into the shadows and was gone.

* * *

“Mm. This should be more than enough, hmm?”

Setting up the tent had indeed been a wise choice.
Last night there had been no standing water, but now, in the early dawn, the dew had gathered drop by drop, pooling around the Namok that still lay in its raw stone state.

Whoosh.

Lion reached out a finger and gave the dew a light tap. It burst open at the touch, spreading out in a wide splash the shape of his fingertip.
A refreshing coolness spread across his skin from the contact.
Seen this way, it was simply the clean dew of dawn—nothing more, nothing less.
There was no way anything so clear and devoid of viscosity could be shaped into Namok or anything else.
So it had failed, then?

“To some degree.”

Lion chuckled and let Mana flow into his palm.

‘Truth be told, I’ve been puzzling over this since I first received the recipe.’

How on earth was he supposed to shape Aquamarine from dew?
But then—a brilliant thought struck him.
What if he simply made the dew viscous?
Normally you’d need to add chemical agents and process them to achieve viscosity, but……

“There’s another way.”

A way to give pure dawn dew viscosity without any additives.
And that would be……
The creature that emerges when Alchemy fails……
Make it into a Slime!
If there had been anyone nearby with basic knowledge of Alchemy—
or even if Freyanya had been here, they would have shrieked, “Master, you can’t do that!”
Fortunately, no one like that existed in the vicinity right now.

“Hahahaha!”

This was the true essence of Alchemy!
Lion deliberately drew the Alchemical circle wrong, then let out a cry for old times’ sake.

“Extraction!”

A bright light flickered for a moment, then quickly began to emit a sickly, murky smoke.

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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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