Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 253

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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’s Unknown, But I’d Like Some Healing — Episode 253

Lion ignored the hiccups that kept breaking through the moment, ill-fitting as they were, and explained everything that had happened so far.

“Ah, I see. Is this because of the Alchemy experiment?”

Of course, he couldn’t tell the whole truth.
If he did, even Licht—favorable as he was—would certainly haul him off to the Temple.

‘And before that, there’s grandfather….’

He hadn’t even mentioned Story Mode, and now there was a Penalty on top of it?
Ugh, in any case, it wouldn’t work.

“Yes, that’s what happened. Ha, ha….”
“According to your calculations, you’ll return to normal after just three more nights, or so I’m told.”
“…That’s truly fortunate. You’ve gone through quite an ordeal.”

But why hide something like this from me?
Licht didn’t voice the question he’d prepared.
Or rather, he couldn’t.

‘I wouldn’t have either.’

If he’d had no information about Lion at all, he certainly would have taken him to the Temple and examined him thoroughly.
In fact, even now, bringing him to the Temple would be the right thing to do rather than letting it slide.
‘As a priest,’ it would have been.
But Licht chose to simply overlook it and say nothing.

‘If I did, the Archbishop surely wouldn’t stay silent….’

Even if it weren’t the Archbishop, the other priests wouldn’t leave Lion alone.
Though they’d kept their tongues in check, information about the ‘Messenger of God’ had already begun leaking little by little to several senior priests.
At least those who had been in that conference room had essentially grasped the situation.
Right now the Archbishop had said nothing special, and since House Asteri was protecting Lion as much as possible, they couldn’t speak—but.

‘If he were to enter the Temple….’

Yes, it would likely cause quite a disturbance.

‘That can’t happen.’

What mattered most was Lion’s own will.
It wasn’t the sort of problem that could be solved by forcibly confining him.
Though his vision didn’t reach quite as far as the Archbishop’s, he could at least understand that much.
As Licht was thinking this, Lion stroked Pus and asked a question.

“But what business brings you to see me?”

After all, if he’d come looking for him, that meant there was something he needed.

“…Ah, well…”

Licht faltered and couldn’t answer right away.

“….”

It was the first time Licht had been so reticent.
Usually even when he was troubled, he didn’t fumble like this.

“We must hide you!”
“……What?”
“Fortunately, only I saw your true identity. We can certainly keep it concealed.”

Before, when his identity had been exposed in the Sanctuary, he hadn’t hesitated to act. Why should now be any different?

‘Did the Archbishop order him to do something?’

The only reason Licht—so unspoiled by the world—would stammer and fumble was if that were the case.
Lion’s eyes began to narrow with suspicion.

“Actually… I discovered your identity because I suspected Ricshel.”
“My brother?”

At this unexpected answer, Lion set Pus down and stepped protectively in front of Ricshel, barring the way.

“Yes. But given the current circumstances, it appears I was mistaken.”

Licht bowed deeply toward Ricshel, his expression contrite.

“I apologize sincerely. The moment you arrived, access restrictions were put in place, and I made a grave error in judgment.”
“…….”

Ricshel watched the priest apologize and smiled inwardly. So this was it.
He was still on guard against Ricshel.
More precisely, he seemed to doubt whether Ricshel would truly serve his brother properly.

‘How amusing.’

To them, Lion was merely a symbol—but to him, Lion was his one and only brother.
It was unpleasant, truly.
And yet, it was not entirely displeasing.

“It’s alright.”

This clarified things somewhat.
This priest was not someone who would harm his brother.

‘I wondered if the Archbishop might change his stance upon waking, but it seems not.’

And there was one more thing he could discern.

‘Even this priest appears ignorant of the Archbishop’s true intentions.’

Then that was enough.
What mattered now was that there seemed to be no immediate intent to move against his brother.

With his thoughts settled, Ricshel answered Licht’s apology slowly.

“I believe such suspicion would be quite reasonable.”

At this mature and composed response, Lion’s eyes lit up and his gaze shifted upward.

‘To respond so gracefully even when misunderstood like that……!’

In matters of dignity and composure, he had no equal.

“Yet it seems there is more to it than merely that reason.”
“……Yes. You are perceptive indeed.”
“I’d like to hear the reason why. For now, I’m your guardian, so I need to understand what’s happened.”

Right. Well said.

‘Even if he uses me as an excuse, I need to know the truth.’

As Ricshel spoke, Lion nodded in agreement, and only then did Licht open his mouth.

“It’s because of a dream, actually.”
“A dream? Do you mean a Premonition Dream?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Was there something in it that put you in danger?”
“That’s… I’m not sure.”
“What do you mean by that?”

Ricshel’s brow furrowed as if he couldn’t understand.

“I can’t remember it.”
“…Can a priest even forget something like that?”

Lion, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, asked the question.
Unlike ordinary people, priests didn’t dream.
But on the rare occasions when they had a Premonition Dream, it remained so vivid that it never faded from memory.
To forget it?
If the Temple had learned of such a thing, it would have warranted a visit to the Penitence Chamber.

“That’s exactly what troubles me…”

Licht’s face flushed with shame at the fact Lion had pointed out.

“So I thought of meeting you, grasping at straws as it were.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You’re surely the person in this estate most closely connected to… that person.”

Perhaps even more than the Archbishop himself. Licht thought this privately but didn’t speak it aloud.

It was, in fact, a rather difficult situation.

‘Normally that would be true…’

He did stand closest to the divine among House Asteri’s greatest mages, especially with Anitras’s attention upon him.
But things were somewhat different now, weren’t they?

[All abilities are currently restricted due to Penalty.]
[Growth is limited.]

He couldn’t use his abilities anymore, much less command the attention of the divine.

‘Or is the Penalty actually a blessing in disguise?’

What if, by some miracle, Licht recovered his memory of the Premonition Dream while standing beside him?
Even the friendly Licht’s eyes would go wild, wouldn’t they?

‘Though they overlooked this incident because of Alchemy…’

You could only fool people so many times.

“Still, given my current state, I’m not sure I’d be much help. If I were myself again, I could’ve assisted you however you needed.”
“Ah, but that’s quite all right. Reclaiming my dream is entirely my responsibility.”
“In that case, perhaps the Temple would be…”

In the moment Licht was about to be subtly steered elsewhere.

“If it wouldn’t trouble you, would you allow me to stay nearby for a while?”
“…….”

So this was how it would be, then.
In truth, it had been decided the moment Licht found him.

“If he doesn’t become a nuisance to my brother, I think it’s not a bad arrangement.”

Surprisingly, it was Ricshel who voiced his assent first.

‘That priest is indeed a bother to my brother.’

Moreover, there was a high chance this priest would uncover something my brother kept hidden.
But.

‘Children fall ill frequently enough.’

And his brother fell ill far more often than most.
Though it seemed now to have little connection to the past, contingencies always existed.

‘Having someone with strong Holy Power nearby would ease my worries considerably.’

At the very least, it would buy time before Hoffmann from the Magic Tower arrived.

‘For that to happen…’

First, I had to convince my brother.
The moment he thought this.

“Shall we do that?”

Lion consented readily.

“…….”

Ricshel’s expression then became oddly stiff.
True, it had gone according to plan, but did he have to agree so easily?

‘No, Ricshel. When something has already come to pass, one should use it to advantage.’

It was something he’d heard once during a Successor’s lesson.
Set aside personal sentiment and make only those choices that benefit my brother.
And more than anything.
It would help with what needed to be done now.

“Thank you. Oh, but I interrupted what you were doing, didn’t I?”
“It’s no trouble. I was only in the middle of a task that can wait.”
“A task, you say?”
“…….”

At those words, Lion’s gaze slipped away.

“It’s nothing significant—I was only preparing my brother’s bath, but he refused.”
“No…….”

Lion immediately launched into a flurry of excuses.
His rambling explanations amounted to this:
At my age, I have some pride—how could I ask my younger brother to bathe me?

—He really does talk a lot.
—What does it matter! Your body is still a child’s!

Be quiet! This is important to me.

“Sigh…… I even prepared a duck toy floating on the water for you.”
“Oh dear.”

Licht grasped the situation and promptly played along.

“My preparation must have fallen short.”

Lion pouted, pushing his lip forward.
You know what the truly infuriating part was?
That he found himself growing curious about that floating duck toy!

‘No, absolutely not!’

Were other penalties even penalties compared to this?
This was a real penalty.

“…….”

Seeing Lion fall silent, Ricshel let out a quiet sigh to himself.
So that wasn’t going to work, then.
In that case…….

He nodded slightly.

Ricshel caught Licht’s eye and gave him a signal.
It meant: agree with everything I’m about to say.

“What about the hot spring in Mimur Forest? Have you ever visited it, brother?”
“A hot spring?”

Licht, having received the signal, asked quickly.
It was slightly awkward, but smooth enough to pass muster.

“Ah, you don’t know of it? There is a hot spring in Mimur Forest that you yourself created.”
“Really? You mean you built it yourself?”
“Yes. When I sustained an injury, I bathed there and recovered as if washed clean.”
“My, how extraordinary. I’m quite curious now!”

As the two of them lavished praise on Mimur Forest, Lion’s lips twitched ever so slightly.

‘Is it working?’

At that very moment——

“……I apologize for interrupting such a pleasant conversation.”

The atmosphere turned cold.

“Surely you don’t think I’ve actually become a baby?”
“…….”

He’d wanted to say, “You’ve become a true child,” but Licht held his tongue.
During his secret volunteer work at the orphanage, he’d learned something: no matter how young a child might be, once you cross a certain line, they know how to be genuinely upset.
And that’s not all.
They sulk. Properly.

“Sigh.”

Lion exhaled and planted his hands on his hips.

“This time only. And you too, Ricshel. I’m letting it slide just this once.”

Either way, they needed to bathe.
Besides, Licht had rolled around enough that his priestly vestments had grown grimy.
It wasn’t intentional, but circumstances being what they were, there was no helping it.
……Absolutely not because he was in a good mood from Licht’s praise of the Hot Spring.

“I’ll remember that, brother. Shall we head there now?”

Ricshel barely suppressed a smile, answered in a measured voice, and headed toward Mimur Forest with Lion.

‘……But a Hot Spring with healing properties, apparently.’

Licht followed behind them, tilting his head thoughtfully.
It wasn’t mere boasting, it seemed.

‘Then wouldn’t that water be Holy Water?’

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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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