Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 232

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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 Care About Successors — Just Let Me Heal | Episode 232

Lion’s suspicion had been correct — the person who’d summoned him was indeed Elvia.

‘But the atmosphere feels…….’

Something was off from her usual demeanor.
And the blacksmith, no less — she’d come all the way to the deep back of the blacksmith where only Lion and Fingertip usually worked?

‘Why so suddenly?’

Of course, Elvia hadn’t been someone who never visited the village before.
If anything, she went out more often than the other servants.
She made trips to place orders for things the estate needed, and it was she, too, who managed the family’s finances.

“What brings you all the way out here?”
“I happened to catch sight of you, Young Master, and followed. But then…….”

Elvia gazed at the piece of jewelry and smiled wider than usual, then began to clap slowly.

“You’ve truly created an extraordinary work.”
“Mm…….”
“Remarkable, indeed.”
“…….”

Clap. Clap. Clap…….
The sound of applause echoed softly through the blacksmith.
……Was that praise?
From the context, it certainly seemed like it.
But how should he respond?
It felt remarkably awkward.
Like watching someone who’d never offered praise before squeeze out the words by sheer force.

“You mean that sincerely?”
“I do mean it sincerely.”

‘Ah.’

Lion suddenly grasped the truth behind Elvia’s unnatural behavior.
She was apologizing — that was it!
She was sorry for reporting to his grandfather that he’d gotten drunk while injured and passed out.
More than that, his own expression hadn’t looked good lately either, unlike his usual self.

‘So I fell for her act……!’

He hadn’t expected Ricshel to be fooled, but he’d never have guessed Elvia would be either.
In any case, she seemed to have come out here deliberately, trying to console a thoroughly dispirited Lion in whatever way she could…….

“Elvia.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“I’m fine.”
“The way you overcome the hardship before you — it’s wonderful to see.”

Lion insisted again and again that he really was fine, but Elvia simply responded with “Truly remarkable,” each time.

‘Sigh……. If it comes to this…….’

Lion changed his mind.
It would be better to play along with her than to try convincing Elvia otherwise.

‘Right. While we’re at it, Elvia should get some rest too.’

Even if she’d taken a Mental Fatigue Recovery Potion, she needed to rest now and then.
Whether she was a great mage or a witch.

‘Later, when I go on a business trip, I’ll make sure Grandfather gets some rest too.’

Anyone who overworked themselves would eventually collapse. That was just how things were.
Lion nodded to himself and looked over at Fingertip.
Fingertip had already grasped the situation and spoke with obvious awkwardness.

“Oho, it seems my role here is complete. Young Master, I really must spend some quality time with my son.”

With that, he slipped out of the blacksmith shop even before Lion could respond, disappearing smoothly—and so began an unexpected companionship between Lion and Elvia.

* * *

Though their companionship had begun, Lion’s routine didn’t change one bit.
Elvia simply followed behind him, and whenever their eyes met, she would offer nothing but her characteristic dry praise.
She seemed to be waiting for his work to finish.

“Leave the rest to me.”
“All right. I’m counting on you.”

Thanks to that, Lion was able to complete everything he’d planned.
It didn’t take as long as he’d expected.
The sun was still bright, and the day stretched on.

‘And what remains…’

Elvia.
There was clearly some plan at work, though he couldn’t quite tell what it was.
Lion decided to feign ignorance and turned his steps toward home.
And sure enough, Elvia spoke up.

“Walking like this brings back memories of the Previous Head of Household.”
“Hmm?”

Of course, it was something he hadn’t anticipated at all.

“Memories with Grandfather?”
“Yes. There was a time when I once walked together with the Previous Head of Household in just this way.”
“When was that?”
“Let me see…”

Elvia tapped her finger against her chin, thought for a moment, then answered.

“I don’t recall his exact age, but I believe it was when the Previous Head of Household was on the verge of mastering the 4th Circle. We often sparred together back then.”

Sparred with Elvia?
This was the first he’d heard of it.

“At that time, the Previous Head of Household was quite hunger-stricken with the desire for achievement. Strange, isn’t it? For an ordinary human, even that would have been a tremendous accomplishment, yet he was so obsessed with it.”
“That’s true.”

Viewed from that perspective, it did seem remarkable.
As everyone in the Empire knew, Grandfather’s talent was extraordinary.
He had stepped into the distant realm of the 8th Circle, far beyond the bounds of human category—did anything more need to be said?

“Everyone thought him remarkable, but the Previous Head of Household did not share that view.”
“The Previous Head of Household?”
“The father of the current head of House Asteri.”

Elvia’s voice was calm as she spoke of her grandfather’s youth.
Perhaps because of that, Lion found himself drawn naturally into her story.
Contrary to her measured tone, the Previous Head of Household—
that is, Patrick’s father—had been quite a terrible man.
So magically inadequate that he was suspected among House Asteri of being a cadet branch member.
Yet somehow he had climbed to the position of family head, spending his entire life haunted by uncertainty.
Because of this, the Previous Head of Household had treated her grandfather with considerable harshness, or so the story went.
Whether in word or in deed.
The fortunate part was that her grandfather was not the sort to be discouraged or frightened by such things.

“The Marchioness, on the other hand, was a truly kind woman. Even after learning my true nature, she treated me with such gentleness. I learned so much from her kindness.”

Living as a servant in the Estate was something learned piece by piece, step by step.
But it was largely thanks to the Marchioness that she had been able to pass as human and live her life there.

“One day…….”

Elvia smiled as she began the story she had most wanted to tell.
It was an ordinary day when, after soundly defeating Patrick in a sparring match he had challenged her to, she’d returned home with the bedraggled little boy in tow.

“Sister. When will I be strong enough to match you?”

But that day, Patrick’s voice carried an unusual heaviness.
Elvia noticed the shift in him, yet she didn’t know how to comfort him.
She had never learned, never even heard how.
So she simply stated the facts.

“Your current strength is already quite remarkable, Young Master.”
“But it isn’t enough, is it.”

Young Patrick felt the weight of expectation pressing down on him.
That without it, he would never be acknowledged.
That he would have to grow stronger, train harder, just to barely meet the standard.
Otherwise, wouldn’t he be unfit as a member of House Asteri?
It seemed he was even harboring thoughts like that.

“Grandfather certainly suffered for it.”
“Yes. His suffering was immense—until the Marchioness learned of it.”

One day.
House Asteri was turned upside down.
By none other than the Marchioness, renowned for her gentle nature.

“She took the young head of house and simply fled.”

The Marchioness absconded with the sole heir!
It was a scandal that shook not only the Estate but the entire Empire.
Naturally, the Marquess ordered Elvia to bring them back, and she made her way at once to where they were hiding.
And there, she witnessed it.
In the quiet solitude of the Villa, a fire built from Magic Books burning in a brazier, the Marchioness holding the sobbing little Patrick close to her chest, gently stroking his hair.

“It’s all right, my dear. You have done so well, all this time. So if it becomes too much, you must tell your mother, yes? Do you understand?”

And with that, she mercilessly tore apart the remaining Magic Books, burning them as kindling.

“Was it an interesting story?”
“Well….”

Lion marveled at Elvia’s story.
The Previous Head of Household had been a more pitiful figure than he’d imagined, and yet the Marchioness—
So his great-grandmother had been a woman of extraordinary character.
As he was thinking this, something tapped gently against his head.
Then an awkward hand stroked his hair a few times before withdrawing.
The touch had been so clumsy that his hair stood on end in every direction.

“That was awkward,” she said.
“It certainly was.”

Despite Lion’s agreeing tone, Elvia’s expression didn’t change at all.
Yet her meaning came through clearly enough.

“In any case, I cannot follow in her footsteps, but I wished to offer you comfort and praise. And… I suspect others feel the same way.”

Elvia drew back her hand.

“So perhaps it would be better if you didn’t carry everything alone, and shared some of it with those two.”

This must be about the story Lion had been hiding, the one he still wasn’t certain about.
Lion didn’t answer at once.
He hadn’t expected Elvia of all people to say such a thing.

‘How should I respond to this.’

A person who had spent her entire life guarding a boundary had just taken a step forward with courage.
The boundary of family, that is.
It was an odd feeling, truly.

“It must not be an easy thing to speak of. At least, I can understand.”

Because my true nature is that of a witch—a woman who has lived her entire life pretending to be human.

“Oh, and—”

Elvia reached naturally into her apron and drew out an old box.

“I’m giving you this as an apology for informing the head of the household.”
“…What is this?”

A brush.

Witch’s Brush (Children’s Edition)
– A brush that a certain witch favored greatly.
– It can materialize anything that isn’t a living creature. If you have Mana, that is!
– Of course, it can also be used simply for drawing pictures!
– Currently modified into a ‘children’s edition.’ Many of its functions are restricted.
– Currently, it cannot manifest anything larger than a palm.

“It’s a Magical Tool I made in my spare time. Heh. I noticed that you’ve developed some skill in drawing, you see.”

She made something of this caliber as a pastime?
The power of a witch was truly remarkable.

“Thank you.”

Lion accepted the gift without hesitation.

‘I’ll test it out once I’m back from the Imperial Palace.’

Though the urge to try it immediately burned hot, I decided it was better to take my time and examine every facet of this brush thoroughly.

‘Materialization… that was only possible in the Holy Sanctuary until now.’

Watching the construct I’d assembled take on color and soar through the air was nothing short of wondrous.
In any case, I’d need to study it properly later.

“Let’s head back then.”
“Yes. I shall attend you.”

* * *

And so the appointed day arrived—the day the Emperor, or rather the Second Imperial Prince, had summoned us.

“Did we pack everything?”
“There shouldn’t be any oversights in the preparations.”

The servants from each house loaded the carriages with solemn expressions, confirming their work again and again.
For them, this was a moment of utmost gravity.

‘We absolutely cannot give them any reason to fault us.’
‘I’ve heard the Imperial Palace people are that particular about everything…!’

Rumors about the Imperial Palace circulated freely among the servants.
They put on a show of generosity, but the moment they spot a flaw, they supposedly tear into it with relish.
After confirming everything once more, the servants quickly stepped back from the carriages and lined up in formation.

“Go safely, then.”

Snap.

The servants bowed deeply to the carriages.
And at that very moment, the carriage wheels began to turn.
Lion lowered the carriage window and waved his hand.

“Well then, I’ll be back soon.”

Our destination was the Imperial Capital.
The weather was clear.
And likely, this visit would bring no incidents whatsoever.
Not with the Second Imperial Prince watching like a hawk.

‘…Well, I suppose we might at least catch a glimpse of him.’

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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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