Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 40

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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 Unknown, But I Can at Least Heal — Episode 40

The day Lion had promised to return.
Beyond the Labyrinth’s doors, a great crowd stood in silence, keeping watch.

…….

Everyone’s nerves were wound tight; they swallowed dryly in turn.
They had received a note saying he would return in a month, but whether the young master had survived that time unscathed remained an open question.

“Are the preparations complete?”
“Yes. Should Lion not return by today, the Elite Unit will move in.”

Rickson, the knight captain, answered Petrick’s question with a visibly stiffened expression.
The Asteri family’s Elite Unit.
A separate corps that moved when the direct line of the house faced grave peril—comprising Knight Captain Rickson, who stood on the threshold of becoming a Sword Master, the knights under his command, battle-versed mages, and one of the greatest Healing Magic practitioners alive.
Its power was said to far exceed both the Imperial Guard and the Temple Holy Knights.

“Shall we prepare to mobilize at once?”
“……Lord of the house. Even without the Elite Unit’s intervention, my brother will return. There is a risk the Labyrinth itself might fall into chaos.”
“That’s right. It is not yet time.”

Though his tone seemed relatively composed, the mana flowing from Petrick’s body dispersed like mist as the moments wore on.
To that extent, he was deeply anxious.

‘He hasn’t starved to death, surely?’
‘He isn’t injured so badly he cannot walk out?’

A torrent of emotions swept through him.
Petrick drew a deep breath and shook his head.
Useless thoughts would not help now.

‘That’s right. I must think of what happens when he returns.’

This was not about going to find him.
This was about being ready to care for him once he came back.

“Hoffmann.”
“Yes, Lord of the house.”

Hoffmann Asteri, a collateral branch member who served as the family’s Mage Tower administrator and ranked among the greatest Healing Magic practitioners, answered at once.

“Prepare transport arrangements just in case. When Lion emerges, be ready to move him immediately.”
“Understood.”

At Hoffmann’s gesture, the space cleared, and there appeared a Transport Stretcher and all manner of Magical Devices arrayed in readiness.
With equipment of this caliber, one could retrieve even someone whose final breath had already departed—someone whose feet had already touched the river of the afterlife—and restore them to life.
Hoffmann clenched his fists softly.
The best outcome would be if his skills proved unnecessary in this matter.
That would be proof Lion had come through unharmed.
The others in the family felt the same way.
Only that he return safely.
That he come back without incident.
And so time passed.

Whoosh!

The library doors, sealed shut until now, burst wide open, and from within poured a light so brilliant it hurt to look upon.

“Ugh.”

Even Hoffmann and Ricshell, both of considerable skill, had to shield their eyes from the brilliance with their hands.
Only Petrick kept his gaze fixed directly on that light, waiting to receive his grandson.
And mercifully enough…….

Step.

From the radiance, a figure emerged safely on both feet.
It was Lion Asteri.

“Phew.”

Lion exhaled lightly and looked around.
It seemed he’d made it out cleanly enough.
But…….

“……?”

Why were there so many people gathered here?
Lion felt bewildered.
He’d expected only Elvia, Ricshell at most.
And his grandfather—but then there was the Knight Commander, battle mages……and even distant relatives he hadn’t seen since childhood.

“Um, did I perhaps emerge later than scheduled?”

It was the only question Lion could reasonably ask.
He’d left a note saying he’d come out a month later, so he had no idea why everyone was assembled here with such grim expressions.
That was when.

Whoosh!

Petrick, standing at the front, suddenly swept Lion into his arms.

“G-grandfather?”
“…….”

At Petrick’s unexpected action, every household member’s jaw dropped slightly, then they all quickly looked away as if they’d seen nothing.
There was something about the atmosphere that suggested disaster loomed if anyone acknowledged what was happening.
Among them all, only Ricshell maintained her composure.

‘He was so worried.’

The weight of concern he must have carried.
Had he not been the family head, had his shoulders not borne such heavy burdens, he would have rushed into the Labyrinth himself without hesitation.

“Father was deeply concerned. Brother.”
“……Ahem.”

Only then did Petrick come to himself, releasing Lion from his embrace and stepping back.

“I was merely confirming your condition. So, how do you feel?”
“…….”

If he’d already confirmed his condition, why was he asking about it now?
The gathered onlookers bit their lips and had to gaze at distant mountains.
Lion swept his eyes across them once, then smiled.

‘I see.’

Now the situation became perfectly clear.
Grandfather must have been quite worried.

“As you confirmed, I’m in excellent health. And now that the Coming of Age Ceremony is over, you should examine my belongings first.”
“Hmm, quite right. Everyone, return to your posts.”

At Petrick’s order to dismiss, people finally exchanged their farewells and hurried away.
None of them wished to intrude on the family’s reunion.

“Let’s go as well.”

* * *

Grandfather’s Office felt noticeably warmer and cozier than it had before.
Though admittedly, the stack of documents had doubled since last time.

“I’ve caused you extra work, haven’t I?”
“Don’t worry about it.”

He was worried after all.
Hearing that gruff voice, the lingering fatigue mysteriously melted away.
Apparently I’d been more on edge than I realized.
And it seemed the rest of the family felt the same.
Like the calm after a tremendous storm, everyone bore the exhausted peace of those who’d weathered it together.

……

My chest tightened unexpectedly.
It felt, finally, as though I’d come home.

“Though late in coming—I’m back.”
“Ah, come here and sit first. You must be exhausted. Goodness, your face is half gone!”
Ricshell rushed forward with more to say than she could contain, practically rattling off concerns as she guided Lion to the sofa in the Office.
And yet—

‘My face is half gone?’

The warmth in my chest cooled slightly.
True, the food situation was meager at first, but it improved considerably as time went on—didn’t I leave quite satisfied?
We made knife-cut noodles, and later cooked kalguksu too.
The lake and forest provided substantial provisions.
We had spicy fish soup, hearty stew—quite the Korean feast thanks to those tart berries, I’d say.

“I’m really fine. Or should I go back into the Labyrinth? I could show you how well I lived in there—”
“Absolutely not!”
“No. Never.”
……
“Lord Petrick. Perhaps we should examine the young master’s physical condition first. His complexion does seem poor.”

No, really, I’m fine—
I wanted to say, but Grandfather was quicker.

“You make a fair point. Hoffmann!”
“Yes, sir.”
While everyone else was leaving, Hoffmann alone had followed them in without departing, and now he stepped forward.

Glance.

Lion’s gaze shifted to the Healing Magic mage standing ready in the background.
Surely—

‘Hoffmann of Asteri.’

He was one of the people Lion most dreaded meeting in his memories.
The reason was simple.

“Hoffmann.”
“Yes, my lord.”

Hoffmann approached Lion carrying various instruments.

“Lion. I’ll examine your condition, so hold out your hand.”

Hoffmann was a Healing Magic practitioner.
Which meant he was a distant relative and Lion’s personal physician.
But when exactly did Lion ever receive treatment?
After a Mana Shock.
More precisely, it was when his Mana Circuits had become completely tangled from the Mana Shock, leaving him in agony.
The tangling itself was bad enough, but untangling them was worse.
Unbearable pain.
And in young Lion’s mind, that pain and Hoffmann became forever linked.
Like a dentist, in other words.
That’s why Lion would run away or refuse treatment whenever Hoffmann appeared.
It was a privileged complaint, perhaps, but that younger Lion had meant it sincerely.
Though he’d never managed to escape it, of course.

‘…But that’s then.’

Now there was no reason for concern.
Wasn’t it said that keeping a physician close restored health you never thought you’d lost?
And as you grew older, you were supposed to keep a physician near.
If ordinary doctors were so rare, what about a Healing Magic practitioner, a step above them?

‘There’s nothing wrong with being on good terms with him.’

Besides, he needed to convince those two that his condition was actually fine.
Without hesitation, Lion extended his hand.

………

It was naturally Hoffmann, the Healing Magic practitioner, who was taken aback.

‘He’s not refusing?’
Hoffmann’s expression turned grave at once.
This was the boy who was always complaining of pain at odd hours and fleeing from him.
The one who’d scream like he was dying if Hoffmann even touched him, despite needing treatment to stop the pain…
And now he was so composed?

‘Ricshell and the lord did say he’d changed, but is it true?’

His heart wavered slightly, but Hoffmann quickly shook his head internally.
He believed firmly that even if one matured and acted more rationally, one’s true nature couldn’t be overcome.
So Lion’s attitude hadn’t changed—his condition must be worse than expected.

‘Hmm, I’d better diagnose first.’
With a serious expression, Hoffmann examined Lion’s physical state.
The warm Mana characteristic of Healing Magic flowed through Lion’s hand and spread throughout his entire body.
And the result was…

“Huh?”

Hoffmann could only tilt his head in confusion.

“……Why is that? Is his condition quite poor?”
“No, sir. Let me examine him once more.”

Warm light bloomed again, this time sweeping across Lion’s body with greater thoroughness.

“Hm.”

It seemed… fine?
Lion’s physical condition was utterly ordinary—indistinguishable from any healthy person.
He still felt no trace of Mana, yet his body’s state had settled into something perfectly normal.
If anything, he seemed rather robust.
Whatever had happened during his time in the Labyrinth, the Mana Circuit that had been ravaged by Mana Shock now lay dormant, repaired as if that trauma had never been.

“He went through the Labyrinth—how could he be—”
“Why? Is his condition not good?”
“You mean the young master is gravely unwell?”

Both of them fired questions rapid-fire.

“Ah, no. That is—Lion’s condition is quite good. More than good, I would say he is in excellent health.”
“What?”
“Is that truly so? You’re not trying to deceive me the way you used to, are you?”

Ricshell’s joy flickered into suspicion almost at once.
In her childhood, Lion had hidden his illness from her; the question was entirely justified.
And his face was still as pale as ever, was it not?
It was his ordinary complexion, yet no one in the room was inclined to take it at face value.

“This time it is no deception. It truly feels quite good.”

……But Hoffmann’s sincere tone reached them.

“Ah!”

In an instant, both their expressions softened and melted away.

‘Like grandfather, like grandson indeed.’

Lion smiled quietly at the sight.

“I keep telling you it’s fine.”
“I myself have no idea what happened, sir.”
“If it’s well, that’s enough. Hoffmann, you’ve worked hard. I’ll see you out.”
“Yes. Ah, Lion—if you have time, come by my Mage Tower later. I should run a thorough examination, just to be safe.”
“Yes, sir. I will.”
…….

Has he truly grown up?
Hoffmann left the room, his head tilted in bewilderment.

Click.

As the door closed firmly, Petrick cast Soundproofing Magic over the room and spoke.

“So. What happened during that month?”

He had caught that Lion was hiding something.

“That is…”

Where should I even begin to explain?

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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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