Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 91

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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, So I’ll Just Heal – Episode 91

Patrick’s brow furrowed at Lion’s announcement.

“You’ve only just returned from a long journey and haven’t even recovered from the fatigue yet, and you want to head into the forest?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”

Patrick had made up his mind not to let this one slide so easily.
The first reason was for Lion’s health.
The second reason was…

‘This boy is at it again…’

Not a single letter while he was away, and the moment he arrives, he won’t even share a meal before rushing off into the forest like that.
That was it.
Patrick felt hurt!
Lion opened his mouth to explain right away, then stopped short.
There was no denying that he’d grown anxious because of Ricshel.
Lion glanced at his grandfather once.
A coldly set face, an aura faintly emanating from him.
The image of his grandfather that everyone feared…
But he knew.
That his grandfather was quite hurt by this.

‘Ah, that was thoughtless.’

Having spent a brief time with Clarentia, whose demeanor was gravely calm, he’d forgotten to consider his grandfather’s feelings.
Lion cleared his throat as if about to explain, then pivoted smoothly with gentler words.

“I’ll explain that to you over dinner this evening.”
“…Hmm.”

Patrick’s expression softened slightly in that moment.
Elvia, noticing this, added her words with a knowing smile.

“The head chef heard that you’d returned, and has prepared quite an elaborate feast.”
“Ah! Now that you mention food, I’m getting hungry. You’ll join us for dinner, won’t you, Grandfather?”

Lion seized on Elvia’s words and drove the wedge home.
That he was hungry.

“Hmm!”

Patrick’s eyes widened slightly.
His beloved grandson, the apple of his eye, was hungry?

‘Did House Bydentis not feed him properly?’

Or perhaps the food simply hadn’t suited his palate.
Their food was always too heavily seasoned and overly oily, after all.
Could he have gotten an upset stomach?

‘Those reckless fools. If a guest arrives, they should take proper care of him!’

Now that he thought about it, his grandson’s face did seem to have grown somewhat thin from his travels.
In that instant, an image flashed through Patrick’s mind of Lion ill and struggling, unable to eat properly for days.
Of course, Lion had never been in such a state.
In fact, he’d woken up in the middle of the night more than once and eaten his midnight snacks heartily enough.
But once Patrick’s imagination had taken flight, his mind grew only more impatient.

“Let’s be on our way, then.”

Patrick raised his hand and swept it gracefully through the air.
And then…….

Whoosh!

A gust of wind swirled beneath their feet, and their bodies lifted slightly off the ground.
Elvia, recognizing the nature of the magic, stopped in place and bowed respectfully.

“Then please enjoy your meal.”
“Huh?”

Those were the last words she spoke.

Shoom!

Lion and Patrick shot off toward the Dining Hall!

* * *

What followed was truly a whirlwind of a meal.

“Go on, eat.”
“Will that alone be enough?”
“Here, have this too.”
…….

Lion stared at the serving dishes heaped in front of him and his personal plate piled high with food.
In his hurry, he’d let slip a forbidden word.

‘I shouldn’t have mentioned being hungry.’

As more dishes continued to accumulate, Lion simply laughed to himself.
His stomach was full now, and the sight of all that food ahead of him felt almost burdensome—and yet he didn’t feel bad about it at all.
If anything…… it felt good.
He’d never known affection like this before.

“Oh, the last time I went to my grandmother’s house, I ate so much.”
“Snacks, then rice, then chicken, then fruit, then rice cakes, then sweet rice drink…… ugh.”
“You absolutely must never tell your grandparents you’re hungry.”

People who’d visited the countryside for holidays often spoke like that.
Their faces filled out within days, and they’d return home with side dishes they couldn’t possibly finish, pressed upon them almost by force.

‘So this is what that felt like.’

Lion—Baek Yi-hyeon—had no concept of a “family home.”
A small bed, a desk barely big enough for a computer. Clothes hanging precariously on a rack.
A cramped kitchenette and a small refrigerator; beside it, cases of two-liter water bottles stacked so high he could barely move around.
Whenever his contract expired, he’d pack up and move to another place just like it.
That was his home.
A hometown. A family home.
There was no such thing as a warm, comfortable “joy-filled house of mine.”
So when he was younger, he’d often felt anger toward people who griped that way.
It was resentment about not having what they had, jealousy, longing.
Of course, by adulthood he’d learned to offer appropriate replies—”That must have been delicious. Still, you had a good time though, didn’t you?”—but.

“……After all, there’s nothing quite like home cooking.”

Yes. Perhaps this was what he’d wanted to say all along.
To receive such earnest attention, to eat until his stomach nearly burst.
To whine that he couldn’t eat another bite.

“…….”

At Lion’s heartfelt words, Patrick silently pushed the bowl closer to him.

“Eat more.”

It was a blunt thing to say, but Lion merely smiled.

“I’m full.”
“That’s hardly anything.”
“I really can’t eat any more.”

The feeling of a void from childhood being filled—the ache of it in his chest was almost unbearably sweet.

“Then I’ll have them bring dessert.”
“Ha ha. Yes, sir.”

This grandfather, so clumsy with words, was going to such lengths for him. The least he could do was meet those expectations.

‘……Wait. Was it like this when I made the spiced chicken?’

As warmth spread through him, Lion found himself understanding. Ah, the portion had been quite large back then.
Come to think of it, the spiced chicken alone must have been enough for five or six people.
The spiced chicken alone would have been five or six servings.
Just as Lion was savoring these small happinesses.
The dishes were cleared…….

Thud!

With a heavy sound, an enormous dessert spread appeared.

“……Huh?”

An enormous cake, a pie, more than ten scoops of sorbet.
Macarons, éclairs, and cupcakes that filled the entire plate!
Looking at each item on the menu, they were all things Lion loved.
The problem was simply that there were so many, and such a bewildering variety.

“Eat.”
“……Pardon?”
“Eat.”

Lion finally returned from nostalgia to reality.
Wasn’t this going a bit far?

‘So that’s why those brats were complaining.’

It was truly an impossible amount to eat!
Lion swallowed hard and picked up his fork.
He was already thinking he’d need to drink a potion or two after this meal was done.
After giving it his all to work through the food, Lion could do nothing but clutch his bloated stomach and sink back into his chair.

“Well then. So what’s the reason?”

Patrick, wearing an expression of deep satisfaction, finally asked in a gentle voice.

“Ah, I thought Ricshel would be quite exhausted when he emerges from the Training Ground.”
“That he will be. By now, he’s surely having a rough time of it.”

Patrick nodded in agreement.
The 5th Circle.
Some called this pinnacle of the 5th Circle the first step on the path to becoming an Arch Mage.
A qualification to glimpse the supreme reaches.
It was said that any mage who could not overcome that barrier would remain trapped in the 4th Circle for eternity.
Of course, ascending beyond that required tremendous insight and effort as well.
But wasn’t the beginning always the most difficult?
All the more so when leaving one’s mark upon the path of an Arch Mage.

‘Physical exhaustion is no trivial matter, or so they say.’

When one set foot upon a realm for the first time, the body could not keep pace, giving rise to pain.
It was called Mana Pain.
The severity varied from person to person, but those who suffered most acutely could experience pain comparable to Mana Shock itself.
Continuous depletion of stamina was merely an added torment.
Perhaps that was why advanced mages found their physical vigor cut in half.

“Though I happen to have discovered something of value in Bydentis Territory.”
“What might that be?”
“A Hot Spring.”

Lion elaborated further.
He spoke of how bathing in those waters and emerging felt decidedly restorative.

“So I’m thinking of creating one.”
“Creating a hot spring?”
“Yes. In the Mimir Forest.”
…….

Patrick fell silent at Lion’s words.
Naturally, if such a hot spring possessed those properties, it would be covetable.
But hot springs weren’t simply conjured into being, were they?
Hot springs were formed by nature.
No matter how extraordinary Lion’s talent in Alchemy or Spirit Magic, surely it amounted to little more than heating water.
Even if he managed it, the toll on his body seemed inevitable.

“Would it not be wiser to arrange a journey to where hot springs already exist?”
“That would be wonderful if you could join, Grandfather. Could you spare the time?”
…….

It was impossible.
Within the Empire, he might squeeze out the time somehow, but the moment he crossed continents, response to emergencies would be delayed.
Even Patrick Asteria consumed vast reserves of Mana to traverse between continents.
And if someone of Patrick’s caliber used such tremendous power to move without genuine cause….
Wouldn’t those people take fright?

“Right?”

What more was there to say?

“Why not go, the two of you? My absence needn’t prevent you.”
“No. Without you there, Grandfather, it wouldn’t mean anything.”

Patrick’s parting words were cut short in an instant.

“Hmm.”

Patrick fell into thought.

‘If it’s Lion…’

That fellow pulled off impossible things all the time.
So he wouldn’t be surprised if Lion managed this hot spring project somehow or other.
Yes. The fact that it seems doable is exactly what worries me.

“I have my ways, I assure you.”
“…All right. Is there nothing I can do to help?”
“Well, when Ricshel comes around, would you come with us? I’ll make sure everything’s ready by then.”
“Fine. But—”
“But?”
“Don’t overextend yourself under any circumstances.”

At that look in his eyes, Lion smiled with supreme confidence.

“Don’t worry! I hate pushing myself too hard.”

Unfortunately, Lion failed to notice that this single remark had doubled Patrick’s anxiety.

“Sigh.”

He’s going to overdo it again.
Patrick exhaled a long, weary breath.

* * *

“Oof. Still stuffed.”

After demolishing a hearty meal and an equally hearty dessert, Lion made his way to his room, rubbing his distended belly.
Truth be told, he would have loved to dash straight into Mimir Forest right then, but seeing his grandfather’s worried face, it seemed he needed to stay home at least for tonight.

“I’ll rest today and start moving tomorrow.”

The way his grandfather’s face lit up at those words left him no choice.

Flump!

Lion sprawled across his bed, stretching out in a comfortable X.
He discovered anew how wonderful familiar, comfortable bedding truly was—rolling around a few times before gazing up at the ceiling.

[You have an unclaimed reward.]
[Please verify the reward in a safe location.]
[Will you check the reward?]

Right. Payment for retrieving the Necklace.
He had to check this.

“I wonder what it’ll be?”

Contrary to his suspicion that the Necklace might be connected to his True Self, he’d gained no information from it whatsoever.
He’d thought there might be a connection to spirits as well, given that the High Elf Tiali had provided information, but that proved untrue too.
It amounted to nothing more than returning emotions that had been pawned to the Holy Sword.
Of course, it had been good that the Marquis Bydentis recovered his feelings.
And on top of that, gaining approval to become Ricshel’s partner was as perfect an outcome as Lion could have hoped for.
Perhaps because he’d been expecting something more, he felt oddly disappointed.

‘I wish I had more information.’

Main Character. Or Alternate Self.
Failing that, even just what exactly happened in the war with the Demons.

‘Well, you can’t fill your belly on the first bite.’

Lion brought his finger to the window asking him to confirm the reward, indifferently.
Thinking nothing much would come of it.
But then.

“……What is this?”

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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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