Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 78

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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 Matter to Me; I Just Want to Heal — Episode 78

The drink that gave this tavern its name: Oak Barrel Pickling.
Ordinary people felt as though their entire bodies were pickled in an oak barrel the moment they took a sip, and even seasoned drinkers would turn into beasts after two or three glasses, crawling around on all fours.

“Isn’t that a bit much for a young master?”
“No. Better to stop after one glass.”

The other patrons watched their duel with keen interest.
Meanwhile, Lion — the object of all that attention — was…….
At peace.
He’d prepared in advance, after all!

[Non-Intoxication Potion]
-Like the legendary rabbit of old, we protect your liver!
-Drink it down before imbibing! No matter what spirits you consume, you will not grow drunk!

And.

[Hangover Relief Potion]
-No matter what you drink, no matter how much — with this, you shall be tomorrow’s victor!
-Its effects are even stronger when used alongside the Non-Intoxication Potion!

The mechanics were simple.
Drink the Non-Intoxication Potion before consuming alcohol, and you’d enter a state where no spirit could intoxicate you.
Then, after finishing your drink, swallow the Hangover Relief Potion and you could prevent that thick, sluggish hangover.

‘Like one of those modern energy drinks — Condition 808, was it?’

Of course, that was a beverage while this was a potion, so the effects were worlds apart.
Unaware of all this, the dwarf Giant’s Footstep picked up the bottle and filled Lion’s glass to the brim.
Oak-colored liquor filled the cup, and Lion took the bottle in turn, pouring himself an equal measure.
Lion raised his glass.
And.
The two cups clinked cheerfully together, and a few drops of spirits splashed to the floor, releasing a rich aroma of aged oak.
First glass down.

“Ahhh!”

Footstep exhaled deeply, suddenly aware of exactly where his esophagus and stomach were.
Already the alcohol’s bite was catching in his throat.
Lion, by contrast——

‘Feels like I’m just drinking water.’

The potion was working perfectly!
He could taste the bitter tang of the alcohol, the bouquet of aged spirits, the subtle sweetness and tartness — every flavor came through. Yet there was no sensation of intoxication. No burning in the throat, not even a gentle sting on the tongue.
There was nothing of that heat, none of that tingling soreness.
If only he’d had access to this before the reincarnation, he might have saved himself from taking that most regrettable half-day off work…….

‘Well, now every day is a holiday, isn’t it?’

In any case, Lion’s objective was singular.
Wait for Footstep to grow drunk, then slip naturally into the Village!
So they drank. Second glass.
Third glass.
By the time more than half the bottle was gone.

“So anyway, about that sword…… my brother…….”
“Yes. I see.”
“That sword isn’t an ordinary blade…….”
“I’m listening.”

Lion listened patiently to the drunken dwarf’s rambling while remaining perfectly sober himself.
He’d already won the wager, and in the process had pieced together the dwarf’s name and circumstances.
His name was Giant’s Footstep—not the name he’d been born with, but one given to him later when his extraordinary growth became apparent with each passing day.
He had an older brother named Mudu who’d looked after him well, until one day the man simply left.
The family fell into disarray after that, and then came the shock of Bydentis’s succession dispute a few years back, which had prompted relatives to argue for abandoning weapon-craft altogether.

“I’m sick of it! My creations being used to slaughter my own people!”
“I forged blades of protection, not instruments of death!”
“But how are we supposed to survive if we stop?”
“How can we be sure those blades won’t one day turn on us? What if my own children are run through by steel I hammered with these hands?”

“Officially, we say it’s to craft the finest weapons. But truth be told, *hic*, it’s like this.”

Even he, now chief of the Village, felt his once-volcanic passion cooling to ash.

“I’m unfit to be chief. *Sob*—”

Lion had witnessed everything—even the village head weeping in his cups.

‘I hadn’t meant to hear all this.’

Still, the drink had loosened Giant’s Footstep’s tongue completely, and Lion had heard it all.
Rising slowly from his seat, Lion stood with perfect clarity.
The onlookers gasped in unison at his composure.

“What!”
“Wow, what a smooth drinker! A real smooth drinker!”
“Is the young master unfamiliar with tomorrow? This drink should leave him wretched come morning!”

[‘Smooth Drinker’ Achievement obtained.]
-Resistance to status ailments increased by 3.

An achievement had been unlocked in the bargain.

“We should be on our way. I’ll see you home.”
“Huh…….”

Giant’s Footstep staggered to his feet, breathing heavily through the fog of intoxication.
The tavern keeper regarded him with a look of sympathy.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that one properly drunk. I’ll put his tab on credit.”
“What are you saying……! I haven’t lost yet…… credit…….”

Giant’s Footstep stumbled out of the tavern, leaning on Lion—or rather, he wanted to, but…….
That was the intent, anyway.

“Nngh!”

Lion’s strength simply wasn’t equal to the task.
After only a few steps, Giant’s Footstep began to collapse, and there was no way Lion could catch him.

‘I didn’t account for this.’
Lion found himself half-pinned beneath the dwarf’s weight, thinking frantically.
He was just considering whether to call for Elvia or the coachman when…….

“Do you need assistance?”

A flat, emotionless voice drifted through the air.

* * *

“Ugh…….”

Giant’s Footstep hauled himself upright, gripping his skull as though it might shatter.
He couldn’t remember how he’d gotten back here.
So that’s right—he’d definitely started a drinking wager with that young master.
Hmm…….
Mm…….
Fragmented memories surfaced, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t piece together what had actually happened.
It felt as if his memories had been carved out along with the alcohol.
But what was this?
Something felt oddly lighter inside…….

“Huh?”

Now that he noticed it, his eyes were puffy and swollen.
Had he actually cried?
Him?
The moment the thought struck him, his eyes snapped wide open and his body lurched to its feet.
And then—

“Ugh, blech!”

The price of excessive drinking was brutal.
He clamped a hand over his mouth and bolted for the lavatory.
After he’d emptied himself thoroughly, unaware of who might be in the house—

“Ah. You’re awake.”

He found the young master he’d been drinking with yesterday seated calmly in his own home, eating fruit.

And what’s more—

“Father? Mother?”

His father, with whom he’d had a terrible fight over village business and hadn’t spoken to since, had come and was peeling fruit for him with his own hands. His mother was sitting contentedly, handing him snacks.
His jaw went slack at the sight.
……Why?
What was that young master doing here?
Why were his parents acting this way?
And above all—

“This is delicious.”
“Oh my. How wonderful. Please, have some more! Hehehehe!”

How was that young master fitting in so naturally?
Footstep stood there dumbly, watching the scene unfold, before hesitantly asking—

“What in the world is going on?”
“You got drunk, so this noble brought you home.”

His father answered in his stead, pausing in his fruit-peeling with his thick hands.

“Ugh…….”

He’d really done it this time.
A dwarf getting drunk was absurd enough—but to bring a stranger into a sealed Village on top of that.
He was definitely going to catch hell from his father, the former Village headman.

“Please don’t blame yourself. I got completely drunk because of me.”
“Heh heh. Is that so?”
……Wait?”

He wasn’t being scolded.
Instead, his father had let it pass gently.

“It seems our honored guest holds his drink quite well.”
“Ha ha, not especially. I was just lucky this time.”

While Giant’s Footstep was still staring blankly at his father’s casual banter, Lion tossed something toward him.

“Hm?”
“It’s a potion good for hangovers. Drink it all at once.”

It was a Hangover Relief Potion.

“Is there a potion like this?”

Though he found it a bit strange, there seemed nothing wrong with it. Without much thought, Giant’s Footstep gulped the potion down in one go.
Shhhhh…
He felt his body, torn to shreds by the alcohol, suddenly pulling itself back together.
And not only that—the throbbing in his head and the dizzying vision cleared right up!

“……That’s incredible.”

This young master turned out to be far more impressive than expected.

“So what happened while I was asleep?”

When he asked, his mother opened her hand and showed him something.

“This……!”

He recognized it instantly.
It was a ring he’d made when he was very young.
The ring was bumpy and showed its age, yet strangely, there wasn’t a trace of rust on it.
It was as if someone had taken great care to maintain it.
The moment that thought reached him, his body and mind went still.
A memory had surfaced.

“Brother! Do I have to stay? Can’t I come with you?”
“Little one. There’s no one else who can lead this Village.”

A distant memory returned—from when he’d barely grown his first whiskers.
The day his brother Mudu had left in search of his dreams.

“Then at least take this with you.”

He’d given him the ring, crafted in those early days when he couldn’t yet hammer properly.
The form was so misshapen it hardly deserved to be called a ring, rough and unfinished.

“If you ever feel homesick, you have to come find me—with the ring! Promise!”

That had been more than ten years ago when Mudu had left the Village with the ring in hand.
Mudu never came back, of course, and though he and his family missed him, they gradually let him fade from memory.
All that remained was the occasional mention that he must be doing well somewhere.
What on earth is this doing here…….

“Surely not.”

Had something happened to Mudu?

“It’s nothing like that, so stop your fretting and come sit down.”

At least that wasn’t the case, it seemed.
At his father’s words, Giant’s Footstep sat down awkwardly.
He sat, but…….

…….

A long silence stretched between them.
It felt uncomfortable.
He’d raised his voice to his parents because of what had happened recently.
He’d meant to apologize first, of course…….
But somehow, the words wouldn’t come.
The situation still wasn’t resolved, so he wondered what good an apology would do.
But then.

“I’m sorry, son.”

Words he hadn’t expected reached his ears.
Giant’s Footstep’s head, which had been bowed, snapped up.

“Pardon?”
“I heard everything. How much you’ve been struggling.”

Giant’s Footstep’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
Clearly, his father had learned all about the mistakes he’d made while drunk.
He felt ashamed.
But perhaps……someone had wanted to hear it all along.
Giant’s Footstep was gruff and broad-shouldered, yet tender-hearted beneath it all.

“I know the hardships of work outside better than anyone, as the village elder, and yet I was far too harsh with you.”
“……No, Father. Things still aren’t—cough—they haven’t been resolved yet.”

Giant’s Footstep answered composedly, holding back his tears with effort.

“The dwarves of the village haven’t yet reached a consensus.”
“Ah, that. I don’t think you need to worry about it.”
“……Really?”

The graying dwarf stroked his beard and laughed heartily for the first time in ages.

“The dwarves of the village were greatly inspired after seeing Mudu’s belongings.”
“Inspired, you say?”

Was it because of that young master’s sword?

“Go on outside and see for yourself.”

Giant’s Footstep hesitated before stepping outside to assess the situation.
And he was taken aback.
The Dwarf Village Smithy, which had only been cold and silent, was now blazing with intense heat!

“What on earth is……this?”

I couldn’t fathom what had just happened.
Giant’s Footstep returned and stood before Lion.

“What on earth did you do?”

Lion, watching the entire affair unfold, gave a light shrug.

“I did nothing, really. I simply…….”

He had only shown the tool set that Mudu had crafted.
A single spark of new inspiration.
That was the gift Lion had brought to this place.

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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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