Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 246

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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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The Successor, I Know Not; But Healing Shall Be Mine — Chapter 246

“Lion. It’s been far too long. I heard you were unwell…….”

Licht regarded Lion with evident concern, his eyes searching the young man’s face.
He stood poised to channel Holy Power at a moment’s notice if need be.

‘Absolutely not.’

Holy Power — not in front of a witch!
He couldn’t begin to imagine what would befall Elvia if he did.

‘Ordinarily, with an Undead Monster…….’

The instant Holy Power touched them, they would be purified.
They would dissolve and vanish, treated as a kind of taint.
Of course, a witch of Elvia’s stature wouldn’t simply disappear in an instant or suffer a mortal wound, but…….

‘It would certainly offend her.’

It would be rather like someone hurling sewage over a person’s head, he imagined.
And worse still…….

—Mm. Confirmed. That witch is suppressing her power right now.
—Why hide it so? They’re not even the same as you, are they?
—Different temperaments, that’s all.

Tiamatark seemed amused by the discrepancy in atmosphere between the two, muttering to himself.
And through that observation, everything became clear.
First: Licht had not yet discovered Elvia’s true nature.
Second: Elvia was actively suppressing her power by some means.

‘An opponent like that…… I’ve never faced one.’

If suppression came easily to her, Elvia would have employed it freely in her ordinary life.
But she hadn’t.
Which meant one thing with certainty: suppression came at a steep price.

—Tsk. Living barely a thousand years and still not learning to spare oneself…….

And with Tiamatark’s remark, suspicion became certainty.
The suppression exacted a cost, and that cost was…….
Quite dear indeed.

‘I need to address this.’

Elvia had surely thought it acceptable.
Perhaps she’d deemed it reasonable.
But for Lion, it was not.

‘There are other ways!’

……The moment he resolved to separate Licht and Elvia first, to speak with her privately, the decision was made.

“Fortuitous timing, this.”
“…….”
“Might you lend a hand with preparing a pie?”
“Ah, if an extra pair of hands would help, I’m happy to assist.”

Elvia!
What on earth are you doing?
Lion’s bewilderment was written plainly across his face.

……

Elvia met that gaze squarely, then turned her head away as if she hadn’t heard a thing.
That was when Lion understood.

‘This is……’

Elvia’s mischievous streak had activated in this dangerous situation.
Or perhaps it was her way of saying she’d handle it according to her own plan.

‘And here I thought she’d let it go.’

Lion had no intention of backing down.
But sending Licht at this moment wasn’t a good idea either.

‘There’s already too much he could suspect.’

Licht was like a favored youngest son to the Archbishop.
Though he received such treatment partly from genuine affection, it was also because he possessed enormous Holy Power.
Had Lion not witnessed it with his own eyes?
How Licht summoned a river of sacred water from his Holy Power in that parched Holy Sanctuary.

‘And I should ask why he came here in the first place.’

So there was no help for it.
He’d have to play along with Elvia’s rhythm and extract information from Licht.
And the final plan, he’d execute on his own terms!

“Right, cutting apples does take forever. Let’s get going.”

Lion strode ahead with quick, decisive steps.
It was a show of irritation mixed with impatience, but to Elvia’s eyes it only seemed endearing.

“It’s been some time since I’ve seen the Young Master so eager.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You often spend your leisure hours alone, but you rarely care for collaborative work.”
“Ah……”

Now that Licht thought about it, the Young Master did seem more lively when he was solving things alone in the Holy Sanctuary.
Licht recalled that time.
The day when blue butterflies danced and he showed his true form for the first time.
That sensation of reverent awe that made his spine tingle.

“It seems the Young Master has taken quite a liking to you, Licht. I do hope you’ll remain close in the days ahead.”

Elvia conveyed these words to Licht and then followed Lion’s lead.
The three of them had arrived at the Kitchen before long.
The Kitchen was spotless as always, and the implements gleamed as if brand new.

Thunk.

Lion set Elvia’s apple basket on the counter.

‘But an apple pie……’

An apple pie.
When a slice is cut from the steaming pie, the crisp pastry gives way and releases a cascade of sweet stewed apples infused with cinnamon.
And the taste itself?
Biting into it deeply, the rich, buttery notes mingle beautifully with the concentrated sweetness and subtle tartness of the perfectly cooked fruit.

‘Delicious.’

Besides, I’d already noticed when she made cookies — Elvia had genuine skill in the kitchen.
Especially with pastries and sweet breads.
A witch’s touch, one might say?
If these were ordinary apples, I’d be swallowing hard right now, but…

[Witch’s Apple (★★)]
-An apple cultivated with special care by a witch.
-So temptingly luscious you want to bite into it on the spot.
-Small quantities induce pleasant drowsiness.
-Be careful the apple doesn’t lodge in your throat!

The problem was that these tempting apples were a variety Elvia herself had developed.

‘I had no idea these were even in the Estate.’

Elvia probably intended to fall into a deep sleep to minimize contact with the priest.

‘How was I supposed to know when Licht would return?’

But those apples — really just a light nap?
The description only tells you so much.

Crunch.

-You’re eating that?

Lion picked up an apple and bit down hard into it.
At that same moment, Elvia’s eyes sharpened by the subtlest degree — unnoticed by anyone else.

“Mmm!”

The firm flesh splits open, releasing a burst of sweet-tart juice.
Being pie apples, they were tangier than ordinary fruit, but the flavor was so concentrated it balanced perfectly.
And the drowsiness…

[Status Abnormality: Resisting Sleep]

‘Hmm, seems fine?’

It appears to be just a very mild drowsiness, as described.

-…You’re not sleeping? Lion, you’re tougher than I thought?

Lion ignored Tiamatark’s words.

“Delicious apple. Would you like to try one, Father?”
“Ah, I prefer to wait for the finished dish. Please, don’t worry about me — eat as much as you’d like.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”

Which made sense, because from Licht’s perspective, Lion looked…

‘…absolutely terrible.’

After all, he was still covered in dust from that explosion earlier.
And beside him…….

Bob-bob.

Some unidentifiable accessory floated through the air as though possessed of its own will.
It seemed to be a bracelet of sorts, but it moved so erratically that certainty was difficult.
That explosion from moments ago was almost certainly connected to this bracelet.
She’d probably stopped eating and been absorbed in something.

‘Better to pretend I didn’t notice. She’d only be flustered.’

And though it was only an apple, he should at least fill her stomach with something.
Licht made up his mind and deliberately turned his attention toward Elvia.
In truth, there was nowhere else to look anyway.
Elvia’s gaze sharpened for just a moment before softening back into a gentle smile.

“Then would you slice this apple evenly and thinly for us?”
“Of course. Should I remove the seeds?”
“Yes, please.”

Licht began slicing the apple at a cutting board some distance away.
At first his movements were clumsy, but soon he produced slices as neat and uniform as those sold in shops.
Tap-tap. The sound of the knife and the crisp aroma of apple filled the Kitchen.

While Licht worked diligently on the apple.

“Then shall we start with the dough?”

Lion naturally avoided Elvia’s gaze and sifted the flour through a sieve, making it fine and light.
Next came the butter, which he worked in with gentle, airy motions.
Truth be told, he could manage the process of making pastry dough now without Elvia’s instruction.

“Young Master.”
“Mm? What is it?”
“It would be best if you didn’t do reckless things.”

Elvia spoke to Lion in a hushed voice, making sure Licht wouldn’t hear, her tone gently remonstrative.
She was referring to how he’d just eaten that apple whole a moment ago.

“What if I happened to have prepared a poisoned apple?”
“You?”
“I don’t favor Holy Power, after all.”
“Come now, that’s not possible.”

Lion answered with composure.
Right. Elvia was a witch.
And it was true that witches shunned contact with Holy Power.
For fear it might harm her own body?
No—because she didn’t know what influence she might have on that priest.
The reason being that she feared troublesome matters might ensue, but that wasn’t what mattered.
What mattered was.

“You don’t have to push yourself. Elvia.”

Lion sprinkled salt evenly over the crumbly mixture and added cold water so the dough would begin to come together in earnest.
The flour clinging to the butter that hadn’t fully dissolved mingled with the water, transforming into the familiar texture of pastry.

“Heh. Young Master, for me it’s hardly pushing——”
“Maybe to others it might look that way. Don’t you think?”
“…….”

Elvia exhaled softly.
Our little puppy’s trouble is being far too delicate.
A few years off a witch’s thousand-year lifespan—what’s the fuss?

“Anyway, don’t worry. I have a better way.”
“…….”

A better way?
Did she mean there existed a more rational method than what she was currently using?

‘Is that what she means?’

Elvia gazed at the Bracelet orbiting around Lion’s body.

“Right! What should I do next?”

Lion finished kneading the dough and deliberately asked Elvia.

“……sigh.”

Elvia exhaled lightly at Lion’s artless demeanor.

‘So it’s come to this.’

The truth was, there had been another reason for accompanying the little priest.
She had been genuinely curious to see whether people were drawn in one by one whenever Lion caused trouble.

‘I was certain it wouldn’t be me…….’

She had been confident.
She already knew how pure Lion’s nature was, how considerate toward others, and even that he possessed a special power.
So, to be more precise, she had thought she wouldn’t be enchanted twice.
But…….

‘A witch enchanted twice.’

And both times by the same method.
Had those who knew Elvia’s true nature still lived, they would have laughed themselves to tears.
Of course, she hadn’t completely fallen for the puppy’s scheme just yet, but it was surely coming soon.
Elvia felt not the slightest inclination to interfere with the puppy’s cute plan.

“You’ll want to let it rest in a cool place for a while.”

And during the remaining time, you make the sweet filling.

“Should I bring a fresh apple?”

Since the plan was already exposed, there was no need to use that apple.
It was a shame to waste the apple she’d taken such care to cultivate, but well. She could always grow another.
But Lion…….

“Huh? No. I’m going to use that one.”

Had no such intention.
He was planning to use the sleep pie too!
Lion intended to put Licht to sleep for a while using Elvia’s apple.

‘The so-called “While You Were Sleeping” operation!’

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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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