Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 289

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Successor Unknown, But Healing Sounds Nice – Episode 289

Lion’s eyes widened. He brushed the dirt from his gloves and strode forward.

“What? How are you here?”
“Father received an invitation, so I came along.”

Peter, whom he hadn’t seen in some time, had changed almost beyond recognition.
The gangly frame that had refused the sponsors’ food now bore the soft roundness of a healthy child, and his clothes were as fine and pristine as any nobleman’s garb.

‘Most of all……’

Lion smiled at the words that spilled from Peter’s lips.

“Ferguson must be treating you well.”
“He’s a bit overprotective, if I’m honest……”

Peter rolled his eyes and scraped his shoe absently against the ground.

‘He’s being loved.’

His expressions and manner of speaking had certainly grown more refined since before. There was a gentleness to him now that hadn’t existed then.
It was unmistakable proof of the affection with which Ferguson and his wife were raising the boy.

“But what are you doing here?”
“Hm? Oh, digging. Just digging.”
“……”

Peter fell silent at the straightforward answer.
Then again, Lion had always been that sort of person.
Ever since he’d come to volunteer at the orphanage in plain disguise, with ordinary features and eye color.

‘That bread he made back then was really delicious.’

The fruit that came afterward was good too, and the toys he sent from time to time were wonderful.
And whenever he had free time, he came to the orphanage quite often.
Each visit, his hands were full of new dishes.
He’d said something about reaching a new level of skill and making all sorts of things, and asked if it wouldn’t be a waste to throw them away.
Now that Peter was no longer poor, he understood something he hadn’t before.
People with even a little wealth thought nothing of discarding “mere trifles.”

‘In fact, he’d said the time spent researching how to dispose of it was what truly felt wasteful to them.’

The proportion only grew as wealth and status increased.
Even his parents, who never ceased in their charity and good works, had said as much.
So when he learned Lion’s true identity, he couldn’t help but be shocked.
And when he discovered that Lion had helped far more than what Peter had known……

“Why are you digging? Are you making something again?”
“Mm, something like that.”

As Lion crouched back down to his digging, Peter settled beside him.
He gazed at the earth with drowsy eyes.
The soil seemed of good quality, but there was nothing unusual about it.
Except that unlike the soil at the orphanage, not even insects were visible here.
But surely the House Asteri could obtain soil of this quality easily enough, couldn’t they?

“You’re still a strange person, aren’t you?”
“What? Ha, ha, ha.”

Lion let out a hearty laugh as he watched Peter mutter away, clearly baffled.
Only Peter could see how the sound made those around them flinch and hastily widen their distance—not that he minded.

‘There’s no point in befriending nobility.’

His parents had even told him there was no need to make such an effort, so he could afford not to worry about it.
Though they had said he could speak with anyone who seemed like they might get along.
In truth, Peter had but a single goal.
To meet Lion again.
And…

‘There must be a reason my parents and I were invited here.’

Peter was sharper than others his age, both in intellect and perception.
And remarkably clear-headed besides.
Even if his father ran a major trading company, Peter didn’t believe they’d receive a casual invitation to the Emperor’s Birthday Banquet.

‘At best, only Father would have been invited.’

Yet the invitation had come for the entire family.
Which meant…

‘Someone pulled strings behind the scenes.’

But he couldn’t know more than that.
It was a limit of his information.
Even as he dwelt on that vague unease, someone sought him out in person.
None other than Lion’s brother.
In other words, Ricshel, the Successor of House Asteri.

“It’s been a while. I trust you know who I am.”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”

Whether he had a tight schedule or not, Ricshel delivered the request concisely and swiftly before vanishing.
And that request was…

“Ricshel asked you to stop me if I do something strange?”
“…!”

Peter nearly stumbled in shock.

“How did you find out? I thought it was supposed to be secret?”
“Ha. I can read people like a book.”

Who else would have arranged for Peter to be here, after all?
It seemed like a surprise gift wrapped around a surveillance detail.

‘This is something else.’

Nature and now Peter too.
It looked like his family was preparing something enormous without his knowledge.
He’d tried to let most things slide, but this was getting ridiculous.

‘The Lepicent Family is just misdirection.’

Of course, their intention to handle matters wasn’t a deception in itself.
But with the intelligence networks of House Asteri and the Underworld, how could they fail to notice that much?
They were using this as a distraction—sending the Lepicent Family down a false path while using the chaos to handle their own business.
And if House Asteri needed to handle something in secret…

‘It’s something to do with the Hero.’

And to handle that matter, the contamination afflicting Lion must be purged first.
If one reasons that far, it explains why Peter is here.
But.

‘The Archbishop allowing this to pass unchecked is suspicious.’

Peter possessed a faint measure of Holy Power and was unmistakably a figure connected to the Temple.
Which meant that had the Archbishop wished it, he could have ensured Lion and Peter never crossed paths.

‘He would have noticed that we deliberately arranged this meeting.’

The previous incident of Holy Power depletion might have made it politically awkward to interfere with Peter directly.
But the Archbishop is in no position for such restraint now.
Which meant he had deliberately allowed Peter to come here.

‘So he wants to show us a trap after all.’

Something the Archbishop had openly prepared.

“I, I’ll do what my brother says.”
“Hmm?”

In the midst of his thoughts, Peter suddenly spoke those words.
Ah—did he ask that because Ricshel had requested something of him earlier?

“I know the Successor didn’t mean anything bad by what he said either. It’s just that my brother acts like an unbridled colt sometimes.”
“…Does that hurt?”

Children have a way of striking people down with such honest words.
Yes. Lion had to concede it.
He did act like someone whose brakes had failed at times.
There were reasons for it, and he trusted in the solid safety measures around him, but he understood well enough how it must appear to others.

“B-but there were reasons for all of it.”

And all those reasons had ultimately been for something good.
He couldn’t bring himself to speak the sincere words aloud—shame held his tongue.
Peter still remembered that time.
How he had held the freshly baked bread against his chest, waiting until Peter was ready to open his heart.
Peter swallowed dryly and whispered, his voice low.

“When the Treasure Hunt starts, I’ll guide you.”
“Where?”
“T-to where Holy Power dwells, isn’t that what you’re looking for?”

Lion let out an awkward laugh.
That much was true.

“Wouldn’t you get scolded for that?”
“I’ll only get scolded once, but my brother—you seem like you might miss something important.”
“You’re that confident?”

Peter nodded firmly.

“Because I’ve never seen my brother do anything wrong.”
“Hmm…….”

Lion found himself at a loss for words at Peter’s statement.
Where even to begin?
Part of him wanted to thank Peter for the kindness, while another part itched to lecture him about the dangers of trusting others so freely—how easy it would be to be swindled once he grew older.

“Then maybe I should take you up on that offer?”
“…! Really? Then we can do the treasure hunt together later!”

But Lion’s own circumstances were hardly comfortable either.
Still, he could be certain of one thing.

‘Peter won’t be in danger.’

The Archbishop might be desperate enough to use people, but he wasn’t the type to treat them like mere tools.
…Not yet, anyway.
Besides, Peter was a priest the Archbishop cherished—the first child Licht had ever saved.
From his perspective, there would be a particular tenderness there.

‘But how is he already able to sense the location of Holy Power?’

Lion had been told that Peter’s Holy Power was nothing remarkable.
It had been proven before the divine flame, so there was no doubt about it.
Yet in a place this crowded and bustling, he could instantly detect Holy Power?
A priest’s Holy Power was something that couldn’t be enhanced through buffs or potions.

‘His potential for growth might be far greater than I thought.’

-If you’re curious, why not verify it yourself?
-You certainly have the ability to do so.

Lion shook his head slightly—only visible to Tieramatrak.
As the spirit suggested, if he used an expert’s eye properly, he could verify Peter’s talent.
But.

‘And what would knowing do? What good would telling him be?’

It would only interfere with Peter’s happy life.

‘When he’s older, he’ll learn it naturally on his own.’

And by then, he’ll be able to choose for himself.

“Well then, shall we do some gathering while we wait for the treasure hunt to begin?”
“Chirp…”
“Squeak…”

Why not? Since his hands were already dirty, might as well do some harvesting.
The Empress’s Garden would be transformed into something entirely different soon enough.
Both this overwhelming floral fragrance and the unblemished blossoms would vanish.

‘Better to put them to use while they last.’

Plants bore no guilt in this. Ha, ha, ha.
Lion gathered the flowers diligently, paying no mind to the stares around him, and neatly deposited them into his inventory.
And there was an unexpected haul as well.

[Chinese Chives]
-Grown in a meticulously controlled greenhouse, though the flower buds never fully bloomed.
-As a result, the stems appear rich with nutrients!
[Use: Cooking]
[☞Click to view recipe.]

“Right.”

The Chinese chives had been gathered.

“Nature, I’ll make you a snack with these. Don’t be angry anymore.”
“Grrrr…….”
“And Pus…….”

Could a fox even eat Chinese chives?

“Eeek!”

Ah, this one’s starting to take after Nature too.
How does he manage to lodge a protest the moment I think something like that?

“All right, all right. You’ll get some too.”

Well, magical beasts aren’t picky eaters.
They’re the type who swallow magical stones whole—the kind that would kill an ordinary person instantly—without blinking…….
In any case, as I was carrying out this rather productive farming, the sunset began to paint the sky, and at last the treasure hunt was about to begin.

“The time limit is until the sun has completely set. The treasures are hidden only within the garden proper, so guardians please watch over the children carefully.”

Then let us begin!
A cheerful voice announced the start, and the companions, children, and the nobility—who were pretending not to care while brimming with anticipation—scattered in all directions toward likely hiding spots.
And…….

A nod.

Lion headed toward the source of Holy Power, Peter at his side.

‘How amusing.’

As Lion drew closer to the location, a cold smirk played at his lips.
He’d suspected as much…….

‘Right in the middle of the garden.’

The evidence had been left in a place where everyone would see if anything happened.
What’s more, they’d been kind enough to even permit Peter’s entrance, lest Lion fail to notice the Holy Power.

‘It seems the blow from the Great Barrier must have been quite devastating.’

And that was just the beginning.

“Peter. I’ll search from here on. There’s something over there.”
“Yes. Have a good look among those flowers.”

Peter nodded at Lion’s words and quickly headed elsewhere.
Once Lion confirmed that Peter had gone a reasonable distance, he reached toward the source of Holy Power that was visible to his eyes.
As he dug through the softly piled earth, something caught against his palm.
And within it was…….

[Eternal Flame Token]

An item even Lion recognized.
This was the Archbishop’s.
One of the important items the Saintess had once given to the Hero.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————