Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 49

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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 Care About Succession — I Just Want to Heal 49

“That’s… a dessert?”
“Yep.”
……

Alex stared at the hotteok Lion had made, his expression utterly bewildered.
It did seem to be some kind of dessert, given the cinnamon aroma wafting from it.

“Is it something like a pancake?”

If so, it would certainly count as a dessert worth making on the spot.

‘It’s a shame there’s so much oil in it — hardly what you’d call a proper dessert.’

Still, with honey and cream drizzled over it, he imagined it would taste rather nice.
But Lion’s answer proved entirely different from what Alex was thinking.

“It looks similar on the surface, but the taste is completely different. Want to try one right now?”

Lion slipped the hotteok into a mug and handed it over.
It looked a bit odd nestled in a ceramic mug instead of its usual paper cup — but at least that way he wouldn’t burn his fingers.

“I… eat it like this?”
“Yeah. That’s why I put it in the cup. This kind tastes better eaten fresh off the street, bitten into straight, than sliced up with a fork or knife.”
“I see.”

He said as much, but Alex’s eyes still held considerable suspicion of this dessert.

“Be careful — there’s hot syrup inside. Once you’re done with that, I’ll take this batch to the Restaurant and be right back.”

After warning him, Lion loaded a plate with hotteok and headed toward the Restaurant where Ricshel was waiting.
Left alone, Alex eyed the hotteok stuffed halfway into the mug with lingering doubt, then bit into it decisively with a loud crunch.
And……

“Oh — oh my!”

His mind flooded with a symphony of entirely new flavors.

* * *

While Lion was absorbed in making hotteok,
Ricshel was…
in quite a foul mood.
He’d dropped everything and come to the Restaurant at his brother’s urging, only to find his brother nowhere in sight while he sat alone eating.
He wondered if the servants had lied, but watching them exchange knowing glances and peek toward the kitchen suggested they hadn’t.

‘What on earth….’

In truth, Ricshel was rather sulking.
Ever since Lion returned from his examination at the Magic Tower, he hadn’t managed any proper conversation with him.
And.

‘Just what was he doing at the Magic Tower that such strange rumors started spreading?!’

The bizarre rumors from the Magic Tower had naturally reached Ricshel’s ears as well — the prospective next Magic Tower Master.
Yes, rumors were rumors, so his brother couldn’t control that.
But the real problem came after.
His brother, who used to do nothing but read books, had suddenly started going out.
Fine. Even being generous, I was glad to see him shake off his worries and get back on his feet.
I thought he’d confide in me soon enough, and then I could naturally present the gift I hadn’t managed to give him on his coming-of-age day.
But why. Why still.
hadn’t he come looking for me?

‘I put quite a bit of thought into it, too.’

Tap, tap.
As Ricshel’s fingers drummed against the armrest, the servants fell into a worried silence.

‘Something’s off with the young master’s mood…’
‘B-but we did eat well, so we should do something…’
‘Was this even the right move?’
‘Someone speak up and figure this out!’

Finally, one of the servants stepped forward and spoke as deferentially as possible.

“Um, well… young master? Lord Lion said he’d bring a dessert. The head chef has gone to prepare it, so he should be back soon.”
“….”

Yet Ricshel’s disposition showed no sign of improvement.
There was only one person who could smooth over this situation.
Only Lion.
Just as the servants held their breath, hoping for Lion’s swift return—

“Whew! Ricshel, you waited?”

Lion had returned.
The servants nearly wept with relief.
While not quite as demanding as the lord of the house, young master Ricshel was certainly difficult to manage in his own way.
The sole exception was when Ricshel was at Lion’s side.

“Ah! You’ve arrived, haven’t you?”

Ricshel’s expression brightened at once.
There was even a soft smile playing at the corners of his mouth!
Just moments ago he’d been sulking, yet seeing Lion walking about perfectly well made whatever discontent he carried melt away like snow.

“Did you eat?”
“Yes. I consumed a sufficient amount.”

Consumed…..

‘That’s quite the scientific way to put it.’

In any case, he’d eaten, which was good.
Lion looked down at the cup-shaped hotteok in his hand.

[Nostalgic Hotteok (★)]
-A dessert recreating the cherished taste of street-vendor hotteok from winters past.
-It has a subtly refined flavor.

‘Eating this on an empty stomach would be a bit much.’

Lion handed the cup of hotteok to Ricshel.

“This is?”
“A dessert I’ve been working on. It turned out quite delicious, so I wanted you to try it.”
“…Thank you.”

Unlike before, Ricshel accepted the food Lion offered without the slightest hesitation.

“How should I eat it?”
“There’s hot syrup inside, so just be careful not to burn yourself. Like this.”

Lion demonstrated by tearing off small pieces from the edge of the Hotteok and eating them.
The Hotteok tasted decent enough.
Yet whether it was the world being different, or because of consideration for health and nutrition, it lacked the intense sweetness he remembered from his former life.

‘Though come to think of it, this might actually suit Ricshel’s palate better.’

He readily accepted what was given to him, but he was still nobility, after all.
Foods that stimulated the taste buds in simple, direct ways might not sit well with him.

“Then I’ll try it right away.”

Ricshel promptly bit into the part protruding from the cup.
The crispy exterior cracked with a snap, and inside, the dough, chewy and perfectly cooked, offered a unique texture.
Just as he was thinking it wasn’t bad, though perhaps a touch plain—

“……!”

An intense cinnamon aroma and sweet sugar syrup flooded his mouth.
The rich sweetness of brown sugar mingled with the fragrance of cinnamon powder, creating an exquisite flavor when mixed with the unique dough.
It was nothing like the desserts he’d eaten before.
Rather than delicate, it was almost straightforward.
Yet this directness of flavor wasn’t unpleasant at all.
Nuts crunched between his teeth here and there, providing a considerable accent to both texture and taste.

“Well? Not too hot?”
“No……! It’s delicious.”
“Ha, thank goodness. I was worried it might not suit your taste.”

His concern proved unfounded.
Ricshel appeared quite pleased.

“Since you made it, how could it not be? May I have another?”
“I made plenty, so eat as much as you’d like.”

It was admittedly a bit hot, though it had cooled somewhat while Lion was gone—fortunately not hot enough to burn his mouth.

“This was quite a unique experience, not being a dessert one eats with a fork from a plate.”

Ricshel spoke matter-of-factly as he wiped his mouth with a napkin after steadily consuming the Hotteok.
He’d eaten no fewer than five of them.

“Thank you for the meal.”
“Don’t mention it. Just be sure to brush your teeth well before bed.”
“……Pardon?”
“Eat too much sweet stuff and you’ll get cavities.”
“I don’t particularly enjoy sweets.”

That didn’t seem quite right.
Lion stared at the empty plate.
Hotteok was a tasty food, true—but it wasn’t usually easy to eat this many.
Yet he’d finished the whole thing.

“Anyway, are you in better spirits now?”
“……*Cough!* Y-yes?”

Lion’s words seemed to catch Ricshel off guard. He coughed lightly while rinsing his mouth with water and asked again.

“What do you mean by that…?”
“I’ve been thinking I haven’t visited you enough all this time.”
……

I hadn’t known he’d noticed.
Ricshel’s ears flushed slightly red.

“So, can you clear your schedule tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow, sir? Yes. That’s possible.”

In truth, he would have made it possible even if he couldn’t.

“Good. Then I’ll need you to keep me company tomorrow.”
“Very well.”
“But I haven’t even told you what we’ll be doing.”
“I didn’t explain much beforehand last time either, so it’s fine.”
“Is that so?”

But that had been volunteer work, hadn’t it.

‘I’m just going shopping.’

Lion tilted his head but decided to let it pass.
In any case, it seemed his brother’s anger had cleared, and he’d even made plans to spend time together tomorrow—that was enough.

“Let’s meet tomorrow afternoon then.”
“Yes. Ah, is this something that requires that Hair Pin?”

He was asking if a disguise would be necessary.

“It should be fine… but it wouldn’t hurt to bring it just in case.”
“Understood.”
“And make sure you brush your teeth before bed.”
……Yes.

Ricshel answered after a rather long silence.
He seemed to dislike being treated like a child, though five Hotteok was perhaps a bit much.

“Rest well. Brother.”
“You too.”

Lion and Ricshel each retired to their own rooms.
The servants watched the two young masters disappear after their heartwarming conversation and smiled with satisfaction……

“Y-Young Master! How on earth did you make this……!!”

Alex, who arrived at the Restaurant later, held up a half-eaten Hotteok and cried out pitifully.
……Unfortunately, Lion had already shut himself in his room long before.

* * *

“Are you ready?”
“Yes, brother. I’m all set.”
……

Lion fell silent as he watched Ricshel emerge from his room bundled up with various packed items.

“Why did you bring so much?”
“It’s nothing much. Just emergency rations and some water in case of unforeseen circumstances, spare clothes, a towel or two, and…… no, actually just my staff. Though I did pack some money as well.”

So he was preparing to get stranded somewhere.

‘Good grief.’

Lion understood well enough why Ricshel was doing this.
The month he’d spent isolated in the Labyrinth seemed to have worried the boy far more than he’d let on.
This was his way of preparing for the possibility that something like that might happen again.

‘What am I going to do with him?’

He hadn’t realized Ricshel had become so wary of the Labyrinth.

‘How do I handle this?’

It seemed he needed to set the boy’s mind at ease somehow.
Lion took Ricshel’s pack and pushed it back into the corner of the room with his own hands.

“We don’t need any of this.”
“But…….”
“Ricshel. It’s fine. We’re just going to the village.”
“That’s what you said last time too — that you were only going into the library for a moment.”
“And yet I came out fine, didn’t I?”
“…….”
“If you keep preparing for disasters that haven’t happened yet, you’ll drive yourself mad.”

The war with the Demons fifty years ago — had anyone truly foreseen that either?
The three Mana Shocks Lion had endured?
Could anyone have prepared for those? They’re just things that happen.
Inevitable problems you cannot prevent.
Of course, it would have been better if they’d never occurred at all, but you can’t sweep back spilled water.
And if you plug up the cup to stop water from spilling, what pools inside will only rot and fester.
Lion himself had lived that lesson before.
Unspeakable loss. Emptiness. Despair.
He had not gone untouched by such things.
No — if anything…….

‘I’ve felt them in my bones.’

He had collapsed before. Had stayed frozen, unable to rise.
Because no one had been there to tell him he could fill the space where the spilled water had been with something new.
Lion turned his head to look at Ricshel.
Mature. Clear-headed. Somewhat compulsively controlling.
And yet — still a child, not yet grown into an adult.
Lion knew well enough that if he remained motionless, nothing would change.
But…….

‘He doesn’t have to learn that lesson alone.’

If there’s someone who can help, it’s better to accept their hand.

‘I need to prepare properly for this.’

Lion cleared his throat once and opened his mouth with a brightness that exceeded his usual demeanor.

“Come on, let’s travel light. We’ll have plenty to carry on the way back anyway.”
“……Understood. Lion.”

Ricshel seemed bothered by the sight of the pack, but for now he followed Lion’s lead.
Quite the kind one, I’d say.

“But what do you mean it’s coming in heavily?”
“Time will tell.”
“……?”

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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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