Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 306

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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 Doesn’t Know, But I’ll Just Heal — Episode 306

“A souvenir, then.”

Patrick’s grandson clearly found his own presence rather burdensome.
It was unavoidable, really.
An Elder Elf, standing before a human child with little experience of the world.
In human terms, it was as though a ‘king’ had demanded conversation—a feat that would surely drain considerable mental fortitude.
In this regard, he was quite unlike his friend.

‘What was I even thinking?’

Comparing his friend to Patrick’s grandson.
Even in denying it, he found himself equating them in too many ways.
All the more reason to keep them separate in his mind.
Otherwise, he’d become a greedy elf indeed.
Boaeresia steadied her own heart and examined the Asteri Territory Market under Lion’s guidance.
But as expected, she felt only an impression of peace—nothing else stirred within her.

“If there’s nothing in the market that catches your eye, I could make something for you instead.”

Noticing Boaeresia’s state, Lion proposed an alternative.
Of course, Freyanya behind him seized his braided hair and yanked it back in shock, though he paid it no mind.
Lion had come to know all their ways by now.
After Boaeresia had given Lion a gift and departed abruptly, Nature had flapped her wings earnestly and put on another silent performance besides, but that was beside the point.

‘It would be strange not to notice.’

She made it plain as day that she couldn’t forget someone she yearned for so deeply.
Most didn’t pick up on it because of her refined beauty or her nature as an elf, but it was obvious to anyone looking.

‘An unexpected parting makes it all the more painful.’

Considering the span of years Boaeresia had lived, countless connections must have grazed past her and withered away.
Having lived in an age where Demons still walked the world, she had surely witnessed death.

‘But those were all people she was never truly close to.’

Elves were personal creatures.
The Elder Elves especially bore that trait so strongly that they likely resisted forming connections altogether.

‘Better to have none at all than to have a wounded heart.’

He understood.
Lion had once believed the same.
In fact, he’d lived for quite a long time convinced it was the answer.
And truly, it hadn’t hurt.
But fate is not something that disappears simply because one severs it with all one’s might.
It’s a collision.
Like striking the unforeseen, fate begins when you least expect it.
Whether friendship or love—they’re all the same.
The timing differs for each person, but it is an inevitability none can escape.

‘And for Boaeresia…’

The Druid. Perhaps that connection had been the most intense, the most joyful, and fleeting as a moment—all at once.
Then such a reaction was only natural.
A glimpse of something similar catches the eye, she denies herself, she feels the urge to confirm the other person—it all makes sense.
Because he could understand, Lion felt no displeasure.

‘Of course, not being offended and actually giving me the opportunity are two different things.’

It wasn’t entirely acceptable for an author to project themselves onto another person.
Even if that person was the Druid, a character that Lion had created.

‘The very fact that she moved beyond my will—’

Shouldn’t the Druid be recognized as an individual in her own right?
Just as Lion didn’t think of himself as the Hero.
Anyway.

“What would you like to do?”

For that reason, Lion intended to make something clear to Boaeresia.
That he didn’t dislike her, but that she was not the person she thought he was.

‘He’s a friend of Grandfather’s, and it’s convenient that he knows good information too.’

There was no need to deliberately act coldly toward her.
Besides, this Elder Elf seemed to be the type who didn’t overstep boundaries in the first place.

“Hmm.”
“Since you didn’t refuse, it seems fine. Let’s go. Freyanya. You’re coming too.”
“Me?”
“I feel like I’ve neglected Alchemy too much lately.”
“…!”

Freyanya released her twin tails from her hands, her expression shifting to one of sudden comprehension.

‘Ah, I see!’

Master was trying to prove something to the Elder.
That he was not the old friend—that he was Lion Asteri!
And so he intended to demonstrate something that only he could do!

‘What an excellent idea, Master!’

This Freyanya would do her utmost to help Master!

“What if you gave the people from the Elf Kingdom potions made by mixing Spirit Water? The Salamander really loves them too.”
“Oh, that’s good? Then maybe we should make some jelly made from Spirit Water?”
“…It’s true that the young ones still remaining in the forest are still quite young, so treats like that would be nice.”

Still quite young?
Freyanya began to wonder about the exact age of this Elder Elf.
It seemed like her own relatives would exist within the age group he was calling children….

‘Ah, no—let’s just pretend not to know.’

The atmosphere is good, and I have no intention of returning to the Elf Kingdom anyway.
Besides, older people like sweets too, don’t they?

“I’ve just rearranged my room to be better suited for dedicating myself to Alchemy, so let’s go there!”

Freyanya took the lead for the first time, outpacing the two of them.
The two of them followed along, watching her proceed forward with quick, brisk steps on her short, small legs.

* * *

“Oh…….”

Lion gazed around Freyanya’s newly renovated room and whistled in admiration.
The facilities rivaled those of the Magic Tower itself.

“This is incredible.”
“Hehe. The Asteri Marquis arranged everything so generously—showing his support for my Master’s studies. Look at the quality of these materials!”

Freyanya beamed as she showed Lion her new Potion Bottles and Distillers with unbridled enthusiasm.
Of course, they fell well short of her Master’s own equipment, but even so, they were exquisite specimens of their craft.

‘Ehehe…….’

What alchemist wouldn’t be thrilled to acquire new tools?
Freyanya hugged the items to herself, tenderly caressing them, unable to contain her grin.

“Right. Thanks to your supplies, the motion-sickness remedy worked well too.”
“Was the efficacy satisfactory?”
“Yes. If I can just remove a few more impurities, I think I’ll have my first perfect-score potion.”
“Wow……!!”

All her recent effort was finally bearing fruit.

“It’s all thanks to you, Master!”
“What did I do? I haven’t even been teaching you properly lately.”
“No, that’s not true! You gave me time to internalize your teachings!”

So caught up in extolling the brilliance of her Master’s instruction that Freyanya forgot entirely that Boaeresia was listening.

“Especially after I understood that the heart matters more than precise measurements, my skills improved tremendously!”
“I’m glad to hear it. Then, shall I ask for your help again this time?”
“Yes, of course! Leave it to me!”

Freyanya immediately began setting up her materials on the table.
Lion delegated the preliminary work to her and turned to Boaeresia.

“Would it be alright if I used those items you gave me as gifts in my Alchemy work?”
“Since I gave them to you as gifts, use them however you wish, child.”

But…….
Boaeresia tilted her head in thought.
Her knowledge of such matters wasn’t extensive, but she understood that Alchemy required considerable understanding of the materials being used.
It wasn’t merely a structural matter—one had to know which plants conflicted with which properties, and countless other details.
She believed that mastery of all these aspects was necessary to succeed.

“My gifts will be things you’ve never seen before.”
“Exactly. That’s why you’ll need to help me as well, Boaeresia.”
“……?”

Making souvenirs, and I have to help too?
That was plainly written on her face, but Lion paid it no mind and began pulling gifts from his bag.
Thump!
The first thing to emerge was bark from an enormous tree.
Cut thick and whole, it was clearly only a fragment, yet its size was staggering—large enough to serve as a canvas for an imperial portrait.
But that wasn’t all Lion had packed away.
A liquid contained in a great flask-like vessel. A fruit shaped like a peach, yet whose true nature remained obscure.
And charred branches, blackened as if struck by lightning.

Having the eye of an expert meant she wasn’t ignorant of its nature.
Still, if Boaeresia added an explanation as she’d just suggested, it wouldn’t be unwelcome.

‘The grade shifts depending on the level of understanding, after all.’

Besides, this kind of conversation gave her the chance to subtly steer things in a useful direction.

“If I had to guess, I’d say all these materials come from a single tree. Am I right?”
“You certainly have a discerning eye. Yes, all of these came from one tree. Do you know what a Divine Tree is?”
“A, a Divine Tree?!”

It was Freyanya who reacted to that question.
The Divine Tree!
The ancient tree revered by the elves.
Its bark gleamed with a soft silver radiance, and it bore leaves of five colors—a colossal tree of extraordinary beauty.
It had the peculiar property that even ordinary attacks left it unmarred.
Most remarkable of all, it bore different fruit with each season, and these fruits held tremendous power.
They strengthened the body and amplified the abilities of spirits—effects of staggering magnitude!

‘To think she’s brought byproducts of such a Divine Tree like this……?’

However much the Grand Duke had requested it, these were extraordinarily precious materials.
The Elder certainly did seem to regard her Master in a special light.
Gulp.
Freyanya closed her mouth and swallowed dryly.

“The girl seems to know of it already, but to explain: it’s a tree held sacred in her homeland.”
“I see. Does it have any distinctive characteristics?”

At the understated explanation and equally understated reply, Freyanya forced open her lips again.

“Remarkably sturdy. The fruit tastes excellent.”
“Oh, then mixing the Spirit Water with the fruit to make jelly would be quite delightful.”
“Indeed.”

‘It’s far more than just “delightful”……!’
Even Embrog and Tialli, who’d come as part of the delegation, would find it too precious to even taste!

“Then I’ll make the Souvenir Jelly first.”

Without hesitation, Lion rolled up his sleeves, heated the Spirit Water, and squeezed the pulp from the Divine Tree fruit into it.
After that, it was simply—thump-thump, thump-thump.
With a technique that Freyanya found difficult to follow, he crafted the Souvenir Jelly.

Hisssss!

From the glossy Alchemy Cauldron came an intense bubbling sound, and soon a fragrance both indescribable and sweetly intoxicating wafted through the air.
And then…….

“Mellow Grass……?”
“Yeah. I thought it needed a bit more viscosity.”

And mixed together, it would certainly improve the flavor.
Lion finely chopped the Mellow Grass he had left in his Inventory, added it to the cauldron, stirred it well, and covered the lid.
Now, as time passed, the gel would take on a firm, chewy form.
He would roll it in sugar to set its shape, then with Nature’s help, dry it completely—and it would be done.

‘Hmm, should I have someone taste it first?’

A Druid uses spirits differently, understands them differently—and I suspect that even if I grasped their methods intellectually, it would be more reliable to simply accept it through my senses.
Besides, even if my traits have nothing to do with Spirit Summoning, it’s not as though the elves would dislike the taste!
Having settled on this approach, Lion quietly employed Acceleration of Maturation to finish the jelly faster, then placed pieces of the right size onto a plate dusted with sugar and rolled them until coated.
And then.

“Nature.”
“Chirp-chirp!”
“Dry them for me until they’re just right to eat.”
“Chirp!”

Using Nature to dry them gently…….

“……It’s identical.”

Right. I’d certainly think this was completely different from receiving Nature’s help in combat…….

Wait?

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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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