Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing - Chapter 93

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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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Successor or Not, I Just Want to Heal – Episode 93

……Of course, not right now.
Lion was quite exhausted.
It hadn’t even been a full day since returning from Bydentis.
On top of that, he hadn’t even laid eyes on Ricshel yet.

‘I need to send word to Mudu as well.’

He was curious what Mudu’s face would look like when he heard the news about his family.
Lion lay in bed and exhaled deeply.

‘I hope things continue like this going forward.’

His weary body fell asleep quickly.

* * *

The next morning.
Freiana followed Lion eagerly as he made his way into Mimir Forest.

A sidelong glance.

‘I definitely felt an enormous power yesterday.’

It was a natural force she had never experienced before.
A vast, overwhelming presence that dared not be approached.
She couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason such a thing had happened, but she suspected it had something to do with her master.
After all, the usually lively ancient spirit had been asleep for some reason.
Which meant something had definitely occurred yesterday.

‘Then my master must be exhausted too.’

Freiana kept stealing glances at Lion, and finally, summoning her courage, she ventured to speak.

“Master, are you sure it’s okay to be moving about already?”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve only just returned from your travels…….”

Lion shook his head at Freiana’s concerned question.
True, yesterday his eyes had ached and his head had throbbed, but after a good night’s sleep, he felt completely fine.
It was possible that his body had developed the capacity to hold a 2nd Circle.

[Spirit Arts Proficiency: Apprentice Level 6 has been reached.]

The synergy with his elevated Spirit Affinity might have also swept away his bodily fatigue.
And yet.

‘I mustn’t pull such reckless stunts ever again.’

Seeing Nature in slumber left him unsettled.
Lion resolved that next time, he would at least prepare some kind of contingency.

“…….”

Meanwhile, Freiana’s expression had grown faintly skeptical.

‘A lie.’

From Freiana’s perspective, it was utterly nonsensical.
How could anyone handle such power and remain unaffected?
Look at him even now.
That usually vibrant gaze has grown clouded with discomfort, hasn’t it?
There’s clearly a trace of exhaustion there.
But as his apprentice, she couldn’t very well tell him to stop talking and get more rest.
And besides…….

‘A new form of Alchemy, she said.’

She didn’t know exactly how he’d refined his Alchemy all the way out in the Bydentis territory, but if her master called it a new method, then it would surely open an entirely new world to her.

“Ahem, but there’s no real need to rush like this, is there?”

The invitation came softer this time, and Lion smiled to himself at her change in tone.

‘So eager to learn.’

When he’d first gained a disciple, he’d wondered how he’d manage the teaching. But watching her strain to absorb everything he offered, one piece at a time, had proven oddly gratifying.
And that wasn’t all.

“Master! Please check this Potion!”
“Sure. Hmm…… oh?”

She’d even asked him to evaluate a Potion she’d prepared in spare moments before they’d left.
Her self-directed study was flawless.

“Not bad at all. I’d say this is worth a forty!”
“Yes!”

Of course, there was still far to go, but her scores had been climbing steadily.
Now fifty — half marks — was almost within reach!

At this rate, she’d be ready to grasp new concepts without too much difficulty.
And naturally, he could get a bit more help from Freiana as well.

‘Ah, so that’s why all the professors recruit teaching assistants and graduate slaves—I mean, students.’

A fresh realization in hand, Lion answered Freiana’s question at last.

“The thing is…….”

There was indeed a reason Lion was in such a hurry.
First and foremost, it was because of Ricshel.
At his age, if his stamina was already halved, it was a genuine tragedy.
The boy had so much he still needed to do, so much he wanted to do—he was in the prime of youth!
And the second reason was…….

‘The Flame Grass is wilting faster than I expected.’

Though only a short time had passed since its collection, the Snowfield Flame Grass in the bottle was already fading, its color growing ashen and brittle like charcoal.

“This time, it seems speed is everything.”
“……?”

At Lion’s cryptic answer, Freiana tilted her head in confusion.
What on earth did that mean?

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Lion ventured deep into the Mimir Forest.
It had been a while since he’d come to this place.

‘If I turn here….’

Lion pushed through the forest without hesitation, drawing on old memories.
Every so often he marked the trees to prepare for any setback on the return journey.
And then….

“Wow!”

Before him lay a Mountain Spring, clear water trickling gently over its stones.
Thick boulders encircled it in a perfect ring, their surfaces worn smooth and rounded—nothing sharp or treacherous about them.
And the size was just right.
It was large enough for five people to enjoy comfortably.

‘Perfect.’

Lion set down his pack and filled a potion bottle with water.

[Clear Water (★)]
-Water untouched by any impurity.
-Rich with the essence of nature, it maintains an eternal coolness.

“A place like this in the forest…!”

Freiana looked around in amazement, eyes bright with wonder.

“Be careful. The stones might be slippery.”
“What? Eek!”

Splash!

There she went.
Only after landing hard on her backside did she calm down a bit.

“This place is preserved just as well as the one in Elf Village. It’s fascinating.”
“Really?”
“Yes! I think Nature would like it too, don’t you?”

Lion looked at Nature, still sleeping soundly in his arms as if knocked out.

‘I hope so.’

She was snoring away peacefully enough, but something gnawed at him.

“Wait just a moment.”

Lion laid Nature down gently in one spot and fashioned a proper nest from a handkerchief, and Freiana sat down beside it. Salamander crept out from Freiana’s arms and scurried quietly over to Nature’s side.
Cautiously extending tiny feet onto the cloth, she soon gathered courage and pressed herself snugly against Nature.
Whether she meant to stand guard or hoped to become a friend, he couldn’t quite tell, but the sight looked peaceful enough so he let it be.

“It’s not a potion.”
“Pardon?”

If not a Potion, then what are you trying to do in this forest?

“I’m going to create a hot spring.”
“……What?!”

Freiana blinked, glancing once at the Mountain Spring, then once at Lion.
Then, as if something had dawned on her, she gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.

‘Could it be…? Are you attempting Nature Transmutation Alchemy?’

Nature Transmutation Alchemy!
It was known among alchemists as theoretically possible only in principle.
It was Alchemy that completely transformed part of the natural environment itself!
This was something on an entirely different level from mere ‘construction’—digging earth and moving stones.
In other words, just as Lion had said, it was Nature Transmutation Alchemy—changing a place where cold water flowed so that warm water would flow instead.

‘Even for a master, wouldn’t this be difficult?’

It was far from easy.
One had to master not only one’s understanding of Alchemy, but also one’s understanding of nature itself.
One had to perceive the flow of Mana dwelling in all things, precisely wedge oneself into its gaps, and furthermore be capable of freely interfering with it and rearranging it.
Even extraordinary alchemists—indeed, even those in the Mage Tower—could not accomplish this!
And he was attempting it now?!

“You can help me, yes?”

Lion asked in a calm voice, as if it were nothing at all.

“O-of course! Just ask me to do anything. I’ll help however I can!”

Simply being present at this moment was an immense honor.
Freiana answered with a flushed expression…….

“Then dig up some earth near that Mountain Spring, would you?”
“Pardon?”
“The tools are over there.”

Indeed—both a pickaxe and a shovel were there, everything.
But digging earth, of all things.
She’d never done this before…….

“Will it be hard?”
“N-no! I’ll do it!”

Freiana’s hesitation vanished at a single question from Lion.
She seized the shovel—nearly as tall as she was—and sprang up, digging into the earth.
As carefully as possible!
She mustn’t disturb the master’s concentration!

Thunk!

Fortunately, the soil gave way easily.
She had worked up such courage to lift the shovel that the ease was almost anticlimactic.
The soft, cool-scented earth was moist and dampened.

‘Could I plant Flame Grass here……?’

Though she didn’t know the details precisely, Flame Grass rarely grew well in fertile soil due to its unique properties.
In fact, planting it in rich earth like this would cause the roots to rot and wither.

‘No. If it’s Lion, he must have a plan.’

Wasn’t it the same with the Spirit Tree?
Freiana trusted him.
In the meantime, Lion finished setting up his alchemy equipment perfectly, then retrieved a vial containing flame grass.

[Snowfield Flame Grass (★★)]
-A plant that blooms only in snowy mountains, burning hot as flame.
-Warning: it can cause actual burns. Handle with care.
[Uses: Food, Potions]
[☞Click to view recipes.]

Though slowly losing its brilliance, it still radiated considerable heat.

“Good. Still in decent condition.”

Next, he prepared the Fire Spirit Stone.

“Huh?”

Freiana’s eyes widened at the sight of Lion producing the Fire Spirit Stone.

‘A spirit stone all of a sudden?’

Lion planted his hands on his hips and surveyed the terrain of the Mountain Spring.
Thick stones ringed the spring, and beyond lay damp earth in abundance.
Fortunately, the environment seemed adequate for life to flourish.

‘As long as they adapt to the environment well.’

Living things—especially plants—were more sensitive to their surroundings than one might think.
Even slight differences from their native habitat would wilt them quickly.
That wasn’t all.
If a plant adapted strangely to its environment, its characteristics could change entirely.
This flame grass, however, was different from ordinary varieties—it had a high survival rate.
After all, these were the same specimens that thrived stubbornly even in the snowy mountains.
Through blizzards and snowfall that buried them completely, they still drove down roots and kindled their own flames.

‘Tough little things.’

So with just a bit of help, they’d perform their roles beautifully.
His plan was to stabilize them now so they could adapt well to this new place.

Crunch!

Without hesitation, Lion severed the flame grass’s roots.
As most of the lateral roots fell away, leaving only the taproot, the flame grass’s flames dimmed sharply.
It was wilting rapidly.
But this was exactly what Lion wanted.
He thrust all the severed roots into a mortar and picked up the pestle.
And then.

Grind!

He ground with considerable force!
The flame grass roots didn’t crush easily.
Surprisingly, they were intertwined with each other, resisting the impact.

‘Actually, that’s better.’

Only roots this sturdy would survive in that snowfield.
Lion continued grinding them down.
No matter how resilient the Snowfield Flame Grass was, after repeated crushing, there was no help for it.
The traces of root dissolved, the fibers clumping together into a single mass, wet and cohesive.
At the same time, a murky sap began seeping from the pulp.

Slick—

The viscous liquid clung to the mortar, stretching like pulled sugar before snapping clean.

‘That’s it.’

Lion dumped the Fire Spirit Stones into the sticky, wet cauldron in a cascade.
Since heating wasn’t the goal, the stones and root sap merely tumbled together in chaotic confusion.
It looked as though Alchemy might fail at any second and summon a slime instead!
And yet Lion’s movements betrayed no hesitation.

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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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