Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 277

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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 know about being a successor, but I can do some healing. Episode 277

“Could you explain what happened?”
“Explain what?”
“Everything concerning Lion.”
“I should first confirm whether the patient consented to this.”

The fortunate thing was that Hoffmann was not the sort of person to be intimidated by Ricshel’s presence.

‘This is frustrating.’

Hoffmann glanced at Lion.
The patriarch had mentioned it beforehand, so he’d known already.
But he’d never dreamed it would be exposed so quickly.
Judging by Lion’s expression, it seemed he’d done his best to manage the situation, though…

“Lion.”
“Yes, Hoffmann. He consented.”

At the call of his name, Lion did his utmost to convey through his eyes to Hoffmann that not everything had been revealed.
It was clear from his expression that he was trying to salvage what he could.

‘I knew this would happen.’

Hoffmann let out a light sigh and opened his mouth with clear displeasure.

“Didn’t I tell you to give me a detailed report on his condition the moment I returned?”
“I apologize. You’ve been so busy…”
“Never mind. I was expecting this anyway. So, how far did Lion explain things?”
“He said you suffered injuries at the Great Barrier and received treatment. And that you haven’t fully recovered yet.”
“So you were told everything, and yet you still came here—should I take that to mean you don’t trust Lion?”
“That’s not…”

Only then did Ricshel glance cautiously at Lion.
It was something he hadn’t paid attention to while fixated on the fact that his brother was deceiving him.

‘If what he says is true, I’ll apologize a hundred times over.’

But…
Ricshel still judged the probability high that his brother was hiding something more.
Because that was how his brother had always been.
And his judgment was, in fact, quite accurate.

“Of course I trust my brother, and Hoffmann’s Healing Magic as well. But shouldn’t I, as the younger brother, attend to him more diligently?”
“I see.”

Though he spoke calmly, Hoffmann was inwardly breaking into a cold sweat.
If he wasn’t careful, Ricshel would figure out everything, and even if he forced himself to stay silent, suspicion would only grow.
But he couldn’t simply turn away a direct heir of House Asteri, which put Hoffmann in quite the predicament.

‘There’s no other choice.’

Hoffmann made the best decision he could and slowly opened his mouth.
First, he would explain what Lion Asteri’s physical condition had been like.
…choosing words that were, admittedly, rather sensational.

“No mage transported here in unconsciousness is ever in good condition. Lion was no exception.”
“…He was unconscious.”
…

At Ricshel’s cool murmur, Lion clamped his mouth shut and looked away.

‘I know what you’re up to……’

Patrick was clearly planning to dazzle Ricshel with inflammatory words while conveniently omitting any mention of the contamination.
It was a strategy remarkably similar to what Lion himself had considered.
But……

“What about me, then?”
“I don’t know. Figure it out yourself.”

Hoffmann finished their wordless exchange with a glance and continued speaking.

“His internal injuries were severe. Both his Mana Circuit and Mana Circle took considerable damage, causing persistent bleeding.”
“……”

By now, mana was thrashing visibly around Ricshel’s body.
Hoffmann’s brow furrowed at the aura.

‘The presence……’

He saw Ricshel from time to time, discussing matters concerning House Asteri and the Magic Tower.

‘Truly remarkable growth.’

Ricshel typically kept his power tightly suppressed, so today was the first time Hoffmann had witnessed his advancement firsthand.

‘All the more reason to keep it hidden.’

Ricshel’s magical talent would soon surpass even Hoffmann’s own.
Yet his youth meant his mental development necessarily lagged behind his prowess.
What would happen if he told such a child, ‘Your brother is contaminated’?

‘He’d find some way to handle it.’

He had the capability, after all.
He’d be confident in his own strength—and rightly so, given his actual level.
But.

‘It would be an unhealthy growth.’

Power was a jealous mistress—the more desperately one grasped for it, the further it slipped away.
Even a realm that seemed within reach would recede at the slightest hint of greed or impatience.
And if one stumbled into that abyss……

‘His talent might wither before it ever fully bloomed.’

There were no shortage of mages like that.
Perhaps Lion and Patrick had kept the truth from Ricshel for precisely this reason.

‘They said it was to prevent Lion from causing trouble.’

But Patrick’s doting on his grandson was legendary enough that Hoffmann suspected his own reasoning was closer to the truth.
Hoffmann paused a moment before continuing.

“Fortunately, though, Lion has recovered. He still cannot use magic, but he’s well enough to be up and about. So I’ve authorized his discharge.”
“……”
“I believe that covers everything adequately.”
“I see.”

Ricshel lowered his head.
His neatly combed bangs fell across his face, making his expression difficult to read.

“You must be upset, but at least Lion has recovered, hasn’t he?”

Hoffmann patted Ricshel’s shoulder lightly.
It was moments like these that made him realize how much younger the boy was than even that reckless Lion.

“So don’t worry and go back to——”
“But there’s a flaw in what you’ve said, Hoffmann.”

Ricshel lifted his head again.
He hadn’t been staring at the floor simply because his heart was hurting.
Of course, learning that his brother had been injured to the point of unconsciousness had stirred a tangle of emotions in him.
More than a little.
He’d admit it was beyond what he could normally bear.
But.

‘I haven’t lost my reason so badly that I’d waste my energy.’

To keep his wits about him was to walk alongside his brother.
Or at the very least, to follow in his footsteps.
So he’d deliberately held back his energy and waited to hear how Hoffmann would describe his brother’s condition.
And he’d found it.
A gap.

“Surely my brother suffered internal injuries. Yet why is he covered up like that everywhere?”
“That’s——”
“If it were truly you, Hoffmann, you would have described my brother’s external wounds as well. So why omit that detail?”
“Are you suggesting I’m deliberately hiding something from you?”
“Yes.”
“You understand that’s a fairly rude question to ask.”

Hoffmann’s aura suddenly rippled with dangerous intensity.
Even if he was a master of Healing Magic, that didn’t mean he couldn’t use other magic.
In fact, precisely because he wielded such delicate Healing Magic, he was equally skilled in other forms of magic.

“So I ask: Did you fail to confirm it yourself? Or are you preventing me from confirming it?”

The problem was that Ricshel wasn’t backing down an inch.

‘This kid’s really furious.’

Lion, noticing that the situation had actually worsened, broke into a cold sweat of a different sort.

‘This is going to pit them against each other.’

He needed to calm Ricshel down, and quickly.
Besides, even if few sorcerers ever came and went on the highest levels of the Magic Tower,

‘gossip spreads without restraint.’

Even the slightest rumor would spiral out of control.
Rumors like discord between Hoffmann, the current Master of the Magic Tower, and Ricshel, his successor and heir.

‘Better to just lay it bare.’

Grandfather wouldn’t have hidden it deliberately, surely.
He’d done it only to keep their youngest from being hurt.
Lion stepped awkwardly between them, flashing an uncomfortable smile to block the confrontation.
He was about to say something to stop Ricshel when—

“What in blazes is this?”

A violent gust tore through the Magic Tower’s highest floor, and a voice as cold as winter frost cut through the air.
The presence was so overwhelming that resistance was unthinkable—Ricshel found himself turning toward the source.
And there stood—

“Father.”
“I asked what you’re doing.”

Patrick stood motionless, his face betraying nothing.

“You’ve caused all this chaos just to check on Lion’s condition?”
“Just? How can you say that, Father?”
“Save your tantrums for home. My apologies, Tower Master. I’ve indulged this boy far too much.”
“……No, Lord Patrick. I understand well enough.”

Hoffmann released a quiet sigh of relief to himself.
Ricshel’s behavior had been somewhat presumptuous, but truthfully, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

‘Under any other circumstances, I might have even offered him comfort.’

But unfortunately, Lion’s condition was not something that could be made known.
Better to redirect attention elsewhere.

‘I hadn’t expected the boy to spot the gap so quickly.’

Still, it was fortunate that the Lord arrived at just the right moment.
Hoffmann suspected he’d been preparing ever since they said Ricshel and Lion had reached the Magic Tower.

“I’ll arrange separate compensation later. For now.”

Patrick’s expression hardened into stone as he teleported both of them back to the Estate.

…….
…….
…….

‘Wow.’

Fortunately the distance was short enough that teleportation sickness hadn’t hit him yet—he could manage.
The problem was…… Ricshel.
He’d thought it would be fine since Grandfather had kept a reasonable distance, but—
……something felt wrong about the atmosphere.

“Are you going to hide everything from me again this time?”

To be precise, something was off about Ricshel himself.
Lion recognized what this mood meant.
This was……

“This is not something you need concern yourself with. Besides, your sudden aggression toward Hoffmann was overstepping, wasn’t it? As the Successor of House Asteri, you especially must exercise greater caution…….”
“Successor.”

Ricshel’s face had taken on the exact same expression Patrick wore moments before.
Patrick seemed to realize something and opened his mouth, but Ricshel was faster.

“Is it because of this position of Successor that I must remain ignorant of my brother’s condition?”
“…….”
“I decided to become the Successor because I wanted the strength to protect my family.”
“Ricshel.”
“Not by borrowing your power, but because I wanted to protect them myself.”

Ricshel swept his hair back with an exasperated gesture.
As the hair fell away, it was unmistakable—he looked just like grandfather.
Specifically, like Patrick in his youth, the days when he’d traveled alongside the Hero.

‘This is bad…….’

Lion, who remembered Patrick’s stubborn streak and volatile temperament from those years, felt a bitter smile pull at his lips.
Right. At that age, it was only natural the problem would surface.
Especially for a younger brother as sensitive and good-hearted as Ricshel—he’d never tolerate a situation like this.

‘……And I have my own history to blame for this.’

How many times had he already caused worry?

“But seeing that I cannot do so even after becoming the Successor, it appears my aptitude is still lacking.”

Patrick, who hadn’t anticipated this turn from Ricshel, let his mouth fall slightly open.
Even for an 8th Circle mage like Patrick, this situation was not easy to navigate.

‘……Good heavens. He’s just like Lara.’

Or perhaps some past memory he’d endured was overwhelming him doubly.

“I need to spend several days reflecting on my aptitude. Please don’t look for me.”

With that, Ricshel passed them both and headed somewhere else.
Even if he remained somewhere in the Estate, they wouldn’t find him.
Or perhaps he would seek out a room elsewhere entirely.
In the corridor that had suddenly grown cold and silent, Lion and Patrick’s eyes met.

“Lion.”
“Grandfather.”

That was…….

“Adolescence?”

And it was adolescence in full storm, displaying every stubborn trait unique to House Asteri!
Here lies the problem.

‘What if he decides he doesn’t want to be the Successor after all?’

Then.
What do I do……?

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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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