Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 85

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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’s Heir Knows Nothing, So Let Me Just Heal — Chapter 85

How arrogant she had been.
Humans cannot live alone, no matter how strong their power. People must live together, holding one another up through their trials.
Clarentia knew this truth better than anyone.

‘Yet when did I forget it?’

Even now, hadn’t she thought only as a lord, and not as family?

‘Lion… even you’ve shown me the way back to myself.’

From now on, I must lean more on those who are like family to me.
With that thought, the room that had felt so cold suddenly seemed warm and alive.
A small smile curved at the corners of Clarentia’s mouth.

“Nothing at all has happened. Thank you.”
“……!”

It was Jesper who startled at those words.
More precisely, it was the Marquess’s smile that surprised him.
Our lady—no, the Marquess herself wore such an expression?
It struck him as strange, yet thinking back, hadn’t she smiled like that long ago, so often?
She had never been warm by nature, it was true.
Yet the reason Jesper and the other servants in this castle remained was precisely because of that small smile.
They knew it was the Marquess’s truest way of showing her gratitude.
His chest tightened of its own accord.

‘I thought Lion might be overreaching, but……’

For whatever reason, it seemed the Marquess had finally put a period to very long years of growing pains.

‘It worked out. It really, truly worked out.’

Had it been the old days, he might have wept openly, tears and all.
But those days are past now, truly past!
After all, he was the head steward of the proud Bydentis Family!

“Not at all. It was only… only natural that I should do it. Naturally.”

Jesper answered, his words tumbling out, struggling to hold back tears that threatened to spill.
That was all he could manage.

“Ah, it’s been confirmed that the tremor just now was caused by an avalanche. Fortunately, it occurred in an uninhabited area, so there are no expected casualties.”
“It’s a relief that the residents are safe.”
“Yes. But a moment ago, what were you saying about……”

Before Jesper could bring up the earlier conversation, the door swung open and Elvia entered.

“Ah. Elvia.”

To have driven off all the monsters on Snowy Mountain, she looked far too pristine.
Witches truly are formidable.

“You’re back. Are you all right, Elvia?”
“Yes. I’m completely fine.”

Elvia smiled at Lion’s words and replied.

“Lion. Let’s put off that discussion for tomorrow.”

With Elvia’s arrival, Clarentia had decided to postpone her earlier proposal.

“Of course. I do hope we might meet again somewhere else next time.”
“Somewhere else? Where did you have in mind?”

Lion paused thoughtfully, then pointed at Nature with his finger.

“The Snowy Mountain would be lovely. I’d like to show her more of the world. She’s still just a baby, after all.”
“The Snowy Mountain.”

There were many places Lion wanted to visit.
The medicinal herb fields that existed only on the Snowy Mountain, for instance.

‘Or winter camping would be quite nice too.’

Building a campfire on snow-blanketed ground, roasting this and that to eat……
And gathering medicinal herbs while we’re at it.

‘I think the Marquis would enjoy that as well?’

Nothing else brought quite the same peace as camping did.
But saying it outright like that felt rather……awkward.
After all, Clarentia was already radiating hints about him planting his stake, so his intention was to gracefully sidestep the matter in a wide-open place.
Meanwhile, Clarentia watched Lion.
Or rather, she watched the pet bird dozing on Lion’s shoulder, bobbing its head drowsily.

‘A baby?’

In appearance, certainly, it looked like an ordinary baby bird.
But……its abilities were far from ordinary.
Just moments ago, hadn’t he used that creature to warm the chocolate?
Lion, catching her expression, quickly added something more.

“She’s family to me, you see.”
“……I understand.”

Perhaps he wanted to keep the bird’s remarkable abilities hidden.
But now that he’d called her family……

‘I should keep the secret.’

“Then let’s meet again when time allows. I’ll have Jesper informed of the location.”

Lion had, without quite realizing it, reached the absolute peak of her trust.

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

With that, Lion bowed and quietly departed from Clarentia’s room.

“……Whew. Thank goodness. That could’ve gotten messy otherwise.”

Lion spoke to Elvia as he walked down the empty corridor.

“It was nothing much.”
“You’re not hurt, are you?”
“Heh. On the contrary, I got to stretch myself for the first time in a while.”

Elvia seemed genuinely delighted.
Driving back all those monsters had barely counted as a warm-up—it was almost absurd how easily he’d managed it.

“The avalanche—it’s really not a problem?”
“No, sir. The vibrations that spread from this room apparently triggered the avalanche, but when I checked, there were no casualties whatsoever.”
“Well, that’s a mercy, at least.”

Lion stretched, his joints popping satisfyingly.
The main crisis was resolved, and there was still time before he’d need to approach the Duke about becoming Ricshel’s partner. He could propose it then, without urgency.
Until then……
he fully intended to enjoy a proper rest.

* * *

Lion spent his days at Bydentis Castle in genuine comfort.
He’d lounge before the fireplace where wood logs crackled and burned, savoring fragrant tea and pastries at his leisure, and on days when snow fell, he’d venture to the terrace with Nature to watch the flakes descend in silence.
Moreover, the head steward Jesper seemed genuinely moved by Clarentia’s transformation and took exceptional care to see to Lion’s every convenience.
And yet……

……

A problem had emerged.
Lion’s expression darkened with uncharacteristic gravity.
It was the vibration that had occurred when Clarentia received her emotions back from the sword.
The avalanche that followed.
As Elvia had reported, no dwellings had been buried, nor had there been any loss of life.
But the avalanche’s scale had proven far larger than expected, and further damage could yet occur—and so……

“Access has been forbidden?”
“It has.”

They’d completely sealed off the Snowy Mountain until it was safe again.
Which meant every medicinal herb unique to Bydentis territory was now beyond reach—separated not by water, but by snow.

‘This can’t be happening.’

Lion sank into a profound sense of loss.

“……It won’t be cleared within four days, will it?”

Worse yet, he had only four days remaining at Bydentis.

“No.”

Clarentia dashed what little hope remained.

……

Yes. He knew it.
Even ordinary avalanches typically needed a month to clear completely.
He’d held onto hope that some special method might exist, but he’d been grasping at nothing.
All of it had come to nothing.

Exhale.

Lion released a long, heavy breath.
Yes. Better safe than sorry.

“Are you troubled over the herbs?”
“I’ve never mentioned it, but herb-gathering happens to be my hobby.”

He’d meant to show her the true charm of camping as a bonus, but it hadn’t turned out that way.

“All the medicinal herbs from the Bydentis territories are stored in the warehouse. I can give you as much as you want. If you’d stay in my lands, I could even register all of it under your name…….”

“…….”

Lion stared at Clarentia directly.
The second problem had emerged from right here.
It was that Clarentia simply hadn’t given up!

‘I never thought she’d make a pitch every single day.’

No matter what they discussed, it always ended the same way—with an invitation.
At first, it had been fine.
He’d assumed she simply needed someone to talk to.
After all, there had been a time when he needed more people to confide in.
He’d kept his heart closed for years, hadn’t he?
It made perfect sense.
Once the dam of her emotions had broken, she’d have accumulated so much she wanted to say.
And they genuinely had grown closer as a result.
He’d come to understand Clarentia’s nature better.
But looking more carefully now……this woman still had the eyes of a headhunter scouting for talent.
Lion shook his head slowly.

“Your Grace, I beg your pardon, but I prefer my own home.”
“Would making it comfortable like home do?”
“I’m not really someone so remarkable.”
“That’s not for you to judge. Others will make that determination.”
“…….”

Once again, Lion resorted to what he called the “Evasion Technique.”

“I simply prefer spending time with my family.”
“Hmm.”

Clarentia always stopped there.

‘At this point, it’s almost become a comedy routine.’

She must have fully anticipated that he would leave.
Lion had begun to suspect that perhaps Clarentia continued extending these invitations not because she hoped he’d accept, but because she wanted to hear him say those words.
That he preferred being with his family.
Hearing such remarks seemed to calm her unsettled emotions once more, making them easier to accept.
In any case, if a simple comedy routine like this could set her mind at ease, there was no reason not to oblige.

“Ah, now that I think of it, there’s something I’d like to propose.”
“Then do so.”
“……How did you know I wouldn’t say something foolish?”
“You wouldn’t speak nonsense.”
“Thank you……?”

He felt the urge to remonstrate with her.
He wanted to demand what gave her such confidence in agreeing so readily, but his counterpart was a duchess from a renowned Swordsmanship house and a Sword Master.
She was someone capable of setting things right again through her own strength, no matter what went wrong…….

“Still, you mustn’t trust others so easily, Your Grace.”

Lion couldn’t help but voice his concern.

“Hmm.”

Of course, Ricshel hadn’t budged an inch.
Clarentia crunched through the pastries Lion had brought, pretending she hadn’t heard a word.

“…….”

And Jesper, watching from the sidelines, wore a contented smile.

‘How wonderful to see them getting along so naturally.’

Perhaps this was the ideal situation Jesper had always envisioned.
The Duke taking care of his own life while making a friend!

‘He’s truly remarkable…….’

Jesper’s heart was overflowing with admiration for Lion Asteri!
Though, to be honest, at first he hadn’t found him quite so trustworthy.
There had to be some ulterior motive.
The young master of a renowned magical house traveling all this way just to bring clothes?
For a moment, he’d wondered if Lion was making his approach because the succession struggle was unwinnable back home.
But it wasn’t that at all!

‘How could I have misunderstood such a harmless person.’

Surely the real reason he’d come here was that he couldn’t ignore the Lord’s condition and state of mind—and so, to spare his feelings, he’d found his way here under the guise of ‘delivering clothes,’ turning the matter over and over to show his consideration.

‘The rumors were all lies.’

He’d heard so many stories about him being eccentric, but seeing him in person, he was quite likable.
Thoughtful, considerate of others’ dignity, unpretentious…….
He’s truly a perfect match for the young lady.
And since he isn’t even the official heir, if things went well, if he played his cards right…….
Jesper burned with excitement.
Such a pity that he alone could see it.
Truly, only he alone.

‘Sigh.’

Lion looked at Clarentia and sighed inwardly.
It felt like he’d gained another younger sibling.
One who was oddly full of trouble and willful…….
Ricshel really was the mild-mannered one, he thought.

“Then I shall explain.”
“Go ahead.”
“I heard there’s to be the Emperor’s birthday celebration soon. Would you participate there as Ricshel’s partner?”

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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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