Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 66

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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? I’d Rather Just Heal Episode 66

“Ugh! That feeling is…… Tiali?”
“There you are, lost in your own world again.”
“I, well…….”

I was about to ask what on earth he’d been doing when Embrog cut in first.

“Would you examine Endalion for me once?”
“Endalion? Don’t you have a better sense for a spirit’s condition than I do?”
“That may be, but there’s such a thing as experience. Please, I’d appreciate your eye.”

Tiali found Embrog’s behavior odd, but honored the request and examined Endalion.

“Come here. That’s right.”

Endalion obediently stepped forward and stood before Tiali, presenting himself for inspection.
A commanding presence. An upright frame. Not a claw or strand of fur out of place.
More than fine—he was in better condition than he’d been in months.

“…….”

And with each detail Tiali verified, his expression gradually hardened.
It was impossible.

‘There’s something……off about this.’

The situation wasn’t the same as with the other spirits.
It was unnatural.
Normally, spirits should be weak or exhausted here.
This place has no natural essence!

“Embrog, how is this possible?”
“Well…… please don’t be alarmed.”

Embrog then recounted everything that had transpired up to that point.
How the low-rank spirits had gone berserk in groups, and how the potion created by Elder’s acquaintance—Patrick Asteri’s grandson—had resolved the crisis.
How the potion had resolved the crisis.

“But here’s the astonishing part!”

Not only that, but after drinking the potion, both spirits and elves found themselves in remarkably excellent condition!

“And this person also has good Spirit Affinity?”
“Indeed.”
“Embrog.”
“Yes, Tiali.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“……I understand.”

Tiali was irritated.
When Embrog had served under him, the man was honest as stone—never uttered a lie. But now that he’d taken a position of authority, the falsehoods were flowing out as smoothly as water.

“Even granting that everything you say is true, why didn’t Elder’s acquaintance introduce us to Lion Asteri?”
“He says he didn’t know.”
“Didn’t know what?”
“About Lion Asteri’s talent.”
“This is maddening.”

Tiali swore in the Elf language a few times over.
The temperament that had settled during his official retirement seemed to rise again.
With nothing going on lately and discipline slipping, was he really spouting such obvious lies?
If all of this were true, then Embrog shouldn’t be standing around doing nothing.
He should go at once, seduce Lion Asteri or threaten him, and bring him to the Elf Kingdom…….

“I have tried, but I have failed.”
“What?”
“I attempted everything you’re thinking of right now, but failed. This all happened just yesterday.”
…….
“So I was planning to go meet Lion now…… would you come with me?”
“Hmm. Very well, let’s do that.”

If all of this were true, then Lion Asteri was…… no ordinary figure.

‘Could the Elder have…….’

As Tiali walked alongside Embrog to find Lion, he recalled his conversation with the Elder.

“If you go and meet someone truly special, deliver this and return.”
“But this is…….”
“It’s fine. In fact, that gift will serve as a bridge between the worthy one and us.”

Tiali moved forward, conscious of the Elder’s Gift hidden deep in his possession.

* * *

At that very moment.
Lion was busy instructing Freyanya.
While Lion slept, Freyanya had apparently been making an effort to create something like concentrated Spirit Water.
And the result…….
Six slimes were born, then vanished at Salamander’s hand, but regardless.
Still, she had made the Digestive Promotion Potion far more refined than before.

“H-how many points is this worth?”

Lion picked up the Digestive Promotion Potion and examined it quickly.

“Thirty points.”
“That h-high!?”

Freyanya took the potion back from Lion’s hands and inspected it.
She had thought she’d made it well enough, but she never imagined it would score this high.

“Why? You did well.”
“No, but…… wait?”

Could it be that all this time pulling herbs and learning various things had actually helped?
Was working through calculations not the only path to understanding alchemy?
She felt the thread of some revelation beginning to catch, but…….
Unfortunately, a thirty-point potion wasn’t quite enough to grasp it fully.

‘Still…… what tremendous progress!’

There was still a long road ahead, but at last she had escaped the pathetic scores of the low tens!

‘And Salamander’s condition is excellent too.’

The night before, Lion had given Spirit Water to both Freyanya and Salamander as well.
Freyanya found herself admiring her teacher’s skill on one hand, while envying the elves and spirits who had tasted that potion on the other.

‘I don’t need to drink it myself, but I’d love for Salamander to try it just once…….’

Of course, she had been taught the method of making it herself rather than simply receiving bread to eat.
But since she could do nothing right now, she had no choice but to feel the envy.
Truth be told, if she’d been following her original nature, she would have quietly pocketed one of the elves’ portions, but it didn’t feel right toward her teacher, so she held back.
Perhaps sensing that…….

“Here.”
“This is……!”
“It’s thanks for helping me gather Spirit Stones.”
“Te-teacher……!!”

Her teacher had generously given her two bottles on the spot!

‘To be honest, I didn’t help that much.’

All she’d done was pick up a single low-rank Spirit Stone, hadn’t she?
But still, she wanted to drink it.
She wanted to experience firsthand what kind of effect it had.
So, casting aside all propriety.

“Thank you so much!”

She and Salamander drank together immediately, without hesitation.
The effect was…… naturally enormous.
The first thing she noticed was Salamander’s condition.
Originally, since he’d been active in an urban environment and wasn’t greatly affected by natural conditions, she hadn’t realized his vitality had been somewhat depleted.
Early this morning, when she opened her eyes to the red glow…….

Whoosh!

Brilliant, multicolored flames danced and shimmered above scales that gleamed with extraordinary brilliance!
His mood was so incredibly good that he’d climbed onto a high shelf, puffed out his chest, and stood proudly on all four legs!

‘I’ve really…… never seen him look like that before.’

In any case, the effect was that remarkable.
As Freyanya was lost in this memory.

“By the way.”
“Yes, teacher. What is it?”
“That necklace you gave me at first.”
“A necklace?”

Freyanya tilted her head in confusion, and then…….

“Oh!”

As if something had occurred to her, she snapped her fingers.

“You stole it, didn’t you?”
“I purchased it at a fair price!”
“From whom?”
“Well…… it had to be one of two things, right? Either my family secretly sold it, or servants pocketed it and sold it for spending money.”
…….
“The necklace was worth much more than what I paid for it.”

So wasn’t that not actually a fair price, then?

“Does it bother you?”

Lion nodded.
I hadn’t stolen it myself, but since it felt awkward to return it and I’d been holding onto it instead, quite a lot of time had passed.
I’d tried my best to trace its origins, but there were no leads suggesting it had anything to do with an incident near Asteri Territory.
And…….

“Shall I return it to the owner for you?”
“No.”
“Huh? Why not?”

Freyanya asked back as if surprised.
Judging by the Master’s character, I’d expected her to tell me to return the necklace at once.
If she had told me to, I really was planning to do it.
I had no desire to offend her over a mere necklace.
Hadn’t I already started off on the wrong foot from the beginning?

“There might be some history behind it, after all.”
…….

Was there?
In truth, when it came to history…….
Freyanya, recalling a few common tales of things being brought to the underworld to be sold, shook her head.
There was no need to tell the still-young and innocent Master about such things.

‘I should have my subordinates look into the origins later.’

Though Lion hadn’t asked, Freyanya made the decision alone and clutched the Digestive Promotion Potion she had created.
Lion was someone who now commanded the underworld’s leading figures like they were his own limbs.
Just then.

Knock, knock.

“Yes?”
“Young Master. Embrog has arrived.”
“Have him come in.”

The servant bowed and left, returning with Embrog.
But…….

‘Hmm?’

A new face entered Lion’s view.

‘I’ve never seen that elf before.’

Before he could ask who it was.

“Oh my, that person is……!”

Freyanya was the first to react.

“He is the Elder’s closest aide. And Embrog’s own master, in fact.”
“I see.”

So, the master of a master, then.
Likely he’d appeared suddenly now bringing a reward and departing with additional personnel.
Or perhaps there was something more.
In any case, it would have nothing to do with Lion himself.

“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Tiali.”
“You’ve come a long way—thank you for your trouble. I’m Lion Asteri. Though I’m surprised you sought me out. Shouldn’t you have gone to my brother or grandfather about the reward?”
“I judged it necessary to meet you first.”
“Why is that?”
“I wanted to verify something. Whether this matter is genuine or not.”
“That’s rude! How could you doubt Master’s ability, even if you are Tiali!”

Freyanya cried out, steeling herself.
For a Spirit Master and a spirit, a potion like Spirit Water was truly something extraordinary.
Until now, no potion to restore a spirit had ever existed.

‘Ah, so that’s what happened.’

Only then did Lion grasp the full picture of the situation from Tiali’s pointed question.
He had heard the reports so far and, unable to believe them, traveled here to verify for himself.
To confirm whether Embrog and he had coordinated their story, or whether the reports were falsified.

‘It’s the right call.’

As they say he’s the Elder’s personal guard, the authenticity had to be judged.
Cross-verification was essential in matters like this.

‘These bigger and bigger names keep surfacing, don’t they?’

He’d already thought Embrog was quite the figure.
Still, he was certain this incident had completely derailed his study abroad plans.

‘Hmm.’

Even for someone as oblivious as Lion, at this point…

“May I have a look at Endalion’s condition?”
“Huh? Endalion?”
“Yes. I suspect he’s improved considerably.”

He should have been cautious…

“Oh, Endalion. He’s doing remarkably well.”

Instead—
Lion reached out and began ruffling Endalion’s head vigorously.
That wasn’t all.
He grasped the wolf’s cheeks, stretched them playfully, and rubbed his neck thoroughly.
And the astonishing thing was—

[Endalion seems quite pleased!]
[Endalion has taken a liking to your touch!]
[Spirit Communication talent experience increases by 25 percent.]

The massive wolf flipped onto his back and began savoring Lion’s affection.
It was all because of that potion.
And that meant something else entirely.
Everything so far had been the truth.

‘Spirits don’t lie, after all.’

He’d shown it not through argument, but through a single action.
Of course, there was a touch of self-indulgence in it too.
…How could he resist? It was too cute.

“……”

Thus, with everyone’s eyes upon him, Lion satisfied his hunger to his heart’s content and rose to his feet.

“The potion’s effects were certainly impressive.”
“Quite right. I don’t care to imagine what would have become of us without you, Lion.”

Embrog bowed with proper elven courtesy.

“Last night was too chaotic for me to say it properly, but I’m truly grateful. I won’t forget your kindness.”
“Please, don’t concern yourself with it.”
“About that, though……”

As Embrog began to speak, Tiali continued.

“We’d like to officially import that potion.”

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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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