Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 267

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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 Is None of My Concern; All I Want Is Healing — Chapter 267

What had been trickling down to the floor had by now become an elegant cloak, and the hand embracing the Grand Duke had transformed into warm, living skin.
The viscous liquid that had barely been mimicking human form was being absorbed away.
A face emerged.
Still half-buried though it was, the Grand Duke could see enough to recognize him.
And in that same instant, the Grand Duke’s carefully maintained composure shattered completely, and—
then—

A choked sob.

The first sound he had ever heard from those lips became a cry.

“…My son.”
“Ugh… Father.”
“I… truly….”

The Grand Duke could not bring himself to say he was sorry.
This feeling could never be expressed as mere apology—it went far deeper than that.
He could still see the thin line his own blade had carved into fragile skin.
The decades of searching for his son stretched behind him like a chasm.

“You couldn’t even wait three days…”

Because they were so close, his son had always hated their separations.
He would ask, almost as a refrain, how many nights would pass before he returned.
And whenever he came back, he would extract a solemn promise: they must play together for at least two nights.
So even when the Grand Duke was away,
even during dangerous battles against Demons, he would find himself thinking of new games to play with his son when he returned home.
The boy was his light, his hope—the conviction that could not be shaken by contamination or despair.

“This time… I found you.”
“…Yes. You’ve done well. Truly.”
“I cried, but I didn’t give up.”
“How you’ve grown. So much.”

Rather than embrace the child and weep, the Grand Duke lifted him up into his arms.
Tears welled up until the rims of his eyes burned red, but he held them back.
In all these long years, his son had found him, and now—

‘I cannot fill this reunion with tears.’

That was not what his son would want.
Shameless though it might be,
he would likely have to pay for his sins when crossing the river to the next life,
but for now…
A soft sound escaped him.
He held tight the small body of the son who had been alone for so long, and where there were wounds, where warmth could no longer be felt,
he would fill those voids himself.
And yet—

A whisper of movement.

The Grand Duke lifted his face from where it had been buried in his son’s small shoulder and gazed at the figure standing before the door.

“You must be… of House Asteri.”
“Yes. I am Lion Asteri, eldest grandson of Patrick Asteri.”
……

Anyone who has made it this far would surely have done more than that.
The Grand Duke recalled the final task he should have completed and shook his head.
No matter how pressed for time he was, he had to observe the proper order.
The first thing to do was… this.
The Grand Duke embraced his son and offered a formal bow.

“…Thank you. Truly.”

It was a gratitude so deep that even the Emperor had never witnessed it.

“Lion. Without you, my son and I might never have met in all our days.”
“Your time was running short, then.”
“I didn’t think I’d fail to last even half a century.”

An ordinary human would have lost their mind long before fifty years in such barren circumstances—a mere month would have broken them.
And the Grand Duke…

“I don’t wish to intrude on this reunion, but there are some things I must ask.”
“Ask what you will. I shall answer.”
“Why were you bearing the Contamination from within the Great Barrier as your own spirit?”
“Straight to the point, then.”

The Grand Duke smiled bitterly, his hand never ceasing to stroke his son’s hair.

“It was to atone for my original sin.”
“There was a deal with the Hero?”
“It began with my request.”

A request?

“Might you tell me what that request was?”
“That is…”

For the first time, the Grand Duke hesitated—unlike his forthright answers until now. His son stepped down from his arms and grasped his father’s hand firmly.

“It’s all right, Father.”

He seemed to understand why his father was reluctant.

“Leonhardt… yes.”

Decades would be enough to learn such information by any means.
The Grand Duke nodded and began to explain the nature of the deal.

“Look there.”

As the Grand Duke turned his gaze to one corner of the room, a new vision materialized, just as it had before.
The moment the Grand Duke died at the Hero’s hand.
With his heart pierced by the Hero’s blade, the Grand Duke finally regains his senses.
He regrets what he has done and grabs the Hero’s shoulder, warning that the path ahead will be rough and merciless.
And finally, he urges them onward still.
With words wishing that they would not meet the same fate as he.
He leaves a last testament that he has no face to show his family, his son, before he breathes his last.

‘I know this much already.’

Of course, the weight of the game’s depiction and reality were different.

“So you know at least this much.”

Lion couldn’t quite say the history had been perfectly erased given all the circumstances, so he merely nodded.

“Yes. In this history, just as it was written, my flesh burned in fire and my soul was sealed within the Hero’s blade. Of course, the Hero could have destroyed me entirely, but the Demon Race’s power was immense at that time, so the risk was considerable.”

This was the first he’d heard of it.
Sealed within a blade?

“Fortunately, thanks to the cooperation between the Priest and the Hero who stood beside me, my soul began to purify gradually within the seal.”
“…….”

Lion held his tongue and listened carefully to the Grand Duke’s words.

“When the purification of my soul had nearly reached completion, I awoke from sleep and remembered something I’d lost.”
“You mean what was contained in that frame.”
“You knew?”
“Father. The spirit of our ancestor, the Dragon, is with Lion at all times. He’s terribly frightening, but also quite kind.”
“Hmm…….”

At Leonhardt’s explanation, the Grand Duke gazed at Lion with keen interest.

“Then the conversation will move faster. Yes. I suspected that my child’s soul might remain in that frame, made by my own desire.”

But unfortunately, the Grand Duke had awakened immediately after the Great Barrier was erected.

“I was worried about my son who might still be out there.”

He hadn’t even been able to confirm whether the child actually existed or not, he said.

“Wouldn’t it have been possible to ask the Hero?”
“…….”

The Grand Duke’s brow twisted oddly as he regarded Lion.

“He was busy enough.”

It was a remark laden with meaning, but he showed no inclination to elaborate further on this matter.

‘Well, that’s one mystery.’

“Sharp. Are you perhaps the next Hero?”
“I am not.”
“Is that so? You made a wise choice.”

But…….

“You don’t know? ……Well.”

He wouldn’t have spread that information everywhere if he were someone of that caliber.
The Grand Duke nodded to himself, murmuring softly.

“I can tell you, but didn’t you say you don’t wish to become the Hero?”
“I did.”
“Yet you still wish to know?”

Of course I need to know. That much is certain.
There’s undoubtedly some tremendous secret hidden within the Hero’s whereabouts.
And Lion himself is the one closest to that truth.
It will take quite some time before others learn of it.

‘Even if I don’t play at being the Hero……’

If I obtain the information first and hand it over, won’t my family be safer from dangers that may come later?

‘……Truth be told, I already know.’

If I come to understand and learn of all these problems, then even from a distance, I’ll have to act like a “Hero.”
Until just recently, I had no such intention whatsoever.
I thought I could simply leave it to those around me if things came to that.
Those nearby were stronger than me, and they genuinely wanted to protect Lion, didn’t they?
But then…….

‘This is something else.’

When you live alongside them, it’s not so easy to keep pretending you don’t know.
Lion exhaled softly and answered.

“I have no intention of becoming the Hero, but I do wish to protect my family.”

Human affection is truly a fearsome thing.
Before you know it, when you only admire from afar, you don’t realize how sticky and clinging it becomes.
But once you’ve experienced it, you find yourself ready to give everything—liver and heart alike.
As they are to me, so I am to them.
Giving doesn’t feel wasteful, and being together feels good.
I don’t know if this will last forever, but that’s how I feel now.
And on the day of his Possession, Lion had made one resolve.
To live as he pleased, doing what he wanted, come what may.
Not looking back, not thinking ahead.

“So please tell me.”
“Patrick really does have a fine grandson.”
“He’s admirable, isn’t he?”

Leonhardt chimed in with his father’s words and smiled broadly.

“Yes. Since it seems you haven’t much time left, I’ll tell you. But first—”
“……?”
“You remember the way out well enough, don’t you?”

The Grand Duke examined Lion’s body as he asked.

“……Yes, I think so?”
“Good! You’ll just barely make it in time.”

Having made his assessment, the Grand Duke scooped Leonhardt up again and answered matter-of-factly.

“The Hero entered inside the Great Barrier. Likely trying to ■■…… Ah, never mind.”

I think that’s all I can tell you.
Before the Grand Duke’s words could even strike me.

Rumble.

The castle shook as if a massive earthquake had struck.

“It’ll collapse soon, so you’d better get out of here.”
“What??”

His words proved true as the floor lurched violently, and objects in this illusory castle tumbled to the ground and scattered everywhere.
At the same moment, several notifications blazed into existence before Lion’s eyes.

[You have safely brought the Phantom Grand Duke’s son, Leonhardt, to safety.]
-Finding the Missing Child for the Guardian (Completed)

[You have cleared the ‘Finding the Missing Child’ quest!]
[You obtain 100,000 Shilling.]

[You have now completed four Hidden Quests in total.]
[Complete one more Hidden Quest and a new mission will be added.]

A tantalizing notification and reward: four Hidden Quests completed.

[Spirit Summoning has reached Proficiency Level 3.]
[Gathering has reached Proficiency Level 3.]

‘Wait, they’re counting that as a plant?’

All the experience points accumulated through this quest suddenly settled at once.
Any other day, these would have been precious rewards.

“Eeegh!”

Lion kicked off hard and bolted through the door.
Chandeliers shattered; the floor lurched and buckled beneath him.
Though his spirit form tumbled and skidded across the collapsing ground, he couldn’t afford to slow down!

[Your connection to your body will be severed soon. Hurry!]

A terrifying notification flashed in front of him.
Lion ran as if his feet were on fire.
To live again!
Important explanations could wait—survival came first!
Meanwhile, the Grand Duke gazed down at the fleeing boy with a contented smile, gently stroking his son’s head.

“We must also prepare to embark on our long journey now.”
“But I’m not scared anymore. I’ve grown so much!”
“Oh my, have you? Then maybe we should measure your height again after all this time?”

The two of them laughed warmly as the castle crumbled around them, walking toward the wall.
So the one who had to live ran desperately, while the one finally departing savored their remaining moments.
And Lion was…….

“Gasp!”

At last, he came to his senses.

“I’m—I’m back!!”

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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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