Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 10
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 10
Not much time had passed before Sylvia visited the Family Head’s room.
“…”
Petrick quietly looked at Sylvia standing before him.
“You look much more at ease, Sister.”
“…”
Indeed, Sylvia’s expression was far more varied than the last time they had met.
Fluster, surprise, joy.
And many other emotions swept across her face.
“What in the world did you do…?”
“Do?”
“I know the child has been running around tirelessly. Even so, it should be impossible for him to make a potion that works even on me in such a short time…”
“Sister.”
Petrick set down his pen at Sylvia’s somewhat agitated voice and spoke firmly.
“I did nothing. You know that, don’t you?”
“…Yes. You must not have.”
Sylvia knew it too. While Lion had been out and about, Petrick had been busy with other matters.
Because of Lion’s belated coming-of-age ceremony.
‘He collapsed right before the ceremony, so it was all canceled.’
Now that he was regaining his health, it was only proper to prepare the ceremony again.
“If Lion, that child, truly made a potion of this caliber, isn’t it a problem in a different sense?”
“…”
Silence descended upon them at the same time.
A different problem.
The fact that Lion’s potion was not an ordinary one.
The Hero.
Meaning, the hero of troubled times who appears when this world is stained by evil, and the only existence who can break Sylvia’s contract.
‘But the end for that…’
Though they were an existence that could save the world, their personal life was not happy.
Countless battles, blood, death, loss.
The emptiness and despair that came from them.
Petrick looked at the potion bottle, which held barely a sip and gave off a pale color.
‘Why would such a recipe come to be?’
Of course, the Hero always said they were fine, but would their inner self be fooled?
They judged between good and evil, and each time, according to their convictions, they took up the sword and cut down enemies to protect.
To protect a bright world, they themselves grew stained in black.
And then one day, when the world had regained its peace.
The Hero suddenly vanished.
It was unknown if they had died, or were living well somewhere.
The world had regained peace, but Petrick’s comrade was missing.
The Hero’s comrades and their descendants were trying to follow their footsteps, but…
‘They haven’t even found a trace.’
That was what his grandchild might have to experience.
Petrick’s expression darkened subtly.
Reading that expression, Sylvia let out a small sigh and carefully spoke.
“Family Head, what about doing this?”
Sylvia, maintaining her composure as much as possible, placed the empty potion bottle on Petrick’s desk.
Fifty years ago.
She didn’t know exactly what had happened between Petrick and the Hero, but she had noticed he was carrying a similar worry.
He was probably worried his frail grandchild might get hurt.
It was obvious.
Because Petrick pretended not to be, but he had an enormous amount of affection for his family.
‘Then… shall I give him a present?’
It just so happened that she had received and drunk something.
Thanks to it, the mind and emotions that had been clouded and withering for decades cleared up.
For a Witch who lives a thousand years, it was quite the elixir.
My puppy probably can’t even imagine it, though.
Looking at Petrick, Sylvia slightly lifted her neat skirt in a gesture of respect.
“This old woman, Sylvia, will retire.”
“Sister, what do you mean by that.”
“Petrick, you will need to hide our puppy well. I shall protect him from close by… as per the contract.”
On Sylvia’s contract, these words were written.
Live as a person, and in times of emergency, protect House Asteri.
Since that child Lion had allowed her to live a little more like a person, it meant that according to the contract, the Witch Sylvia would protect Lion Asteri, the weakest in the family.
So, Sylvia was perhaps giving up an opportunity that could set her free.
“…I am sorry. If it were up to me, I would have found that contract and let you rest.”
“Did I not tell you a few days ago? The most useless worry in the world is worrying about a Witch.”
Perhaps she would remain bound to House Asteri forever.
Even after Petrick and Lion were all dead, Sylvia would likely remain with House Asteri.
And yet she said it was fine.
“It means I liked my puppy’s gift that much, so it would be nice if you could praise him to your heart’s content.”
“…I shall. Then what will you do from now on?”
“First, old Sylvia will retire, and young Elvia will enter the family. As our little young master’s personal maid, that is.”
“The grandchildren will feel a void.”
“The sorrow of parting is one of the things they must learn.”
Sylvia said it casually.
“Let us proceed that way. Still, I hope you will bid farewell to the grandchildren in person. They truly followed you like a grandmother.”
“Do not worry.”
The Head Maid, Granny Sylvia, would retire with a lighter heart than anyone else.
And the children.
Lion.
And his younger brother Rickshel Asteri would understand her feelings well.
And…
‘I have a good idea.’
Sylvia chuckled mischievously.
Using this as an opportunity to improve the relationship between the two brothers didn’t seem like a bad idea.
* * *
Rickshel Asteri.
He was the second son of House Asteri, whose appearance, unlike Lion’s, closely resembled Petrick’s, and who possessed a characteristically cool aura.
Of course, he had many other aliases.
An unparalleled genius, the next heir, the youngest 4th Circle mage, and so on.
By public assessment, he was the heir of House Asteri who most resembled Petrick.
An existence who would lead the family even after Petrick retired.
He possessed a strength that made his young age not a flaw, but a weapon.
And so on… unlike the ‘Eccentric Lion,’ he was showered with considerable praise.
“Hah.”
An uncharacteristically deep sigh escaped his lips.
“You’re really going to retire?”
“Yes. I intend to say my last farewells and leave.”
“…”
Rickshel looked at Sylvia with sunken eyes.
Her expression was certainly brighter than before.
Was it just her expression? Her once empty eyes were full of liveliness, and she seemed to have no lingering attachments left.
However, he could not accept it.
All of this was thanks to his foolish older brother?
It was absurd.
‘He has changed a bit lately, but…’
Though he was younger in age, to Rickshel, Lion was an existence more like a younger sibling who needed protection.
He would occasionally fall ill from Mana Shock, and upon waking, he would act eccentrically.
But she was able to recover from her heart’s illness and comfortably retire thanks to his potion?
“I cannot accept this…”
Just thanks to a potion?
‘Isn’t there something more to it that she’s hiding?’
Such a doubt arose.
“Second Young Master. Everything this old woman says is the truth.”
“I know Granny Sylvia does not lie to me. So I won’t try to stop you from retiring, but understanding it will be difficult.”
Grandfat… no, that the Family Head permitted your retirement, and the potion too.
“Heh heh.”
Sylvia looked at Rickshel’s expression as if finding it cute, then casually broached a subject.
“Aren’t you saying all that because you’re curious about how the First Young Master has changed?”
“…Why would I be curious?”
“Never mind. This old woman must have misjudged.”
Without bothering to refute Rickshel’s words, Sylvia let a few more words slip.
“But if you do become curious later, it might be good to follow the Young Master around once.”
“Me?”
“Wouldn’t it be fun? And you used to follow him around quite often once.”
“…That is a story from when I was a child.”
At some point, he became unable to tag along like that.
He didn’t know when it started, but anyway, wasn’t it only natural?
Since he was nearly an adult now, it was better not to do such things.
And above all…
‘I must become strong so I can protect that brother.’
In Rickshel’s eyes, Lion looked far too frail.
To the point that if he were to sit in the Family Head’s seat, he would likely become utterly sick and die within a year.
“I see.”
Mm-hm. Sylvia deliberately placed a hand on her knee and rose.
“Anyway, this old woman will now take her leave. I will return to my homeland and live out the rest of my years joyfully, so do not worry, and please, stay healthy.”
Sylvia finished her greeting and slowly walked out of the room.
Click.
After the door closed, Rickshel stared at the spot where Sylvia had departed for a long while.
“…The Family Head will have taken care of it.”
Granny Sylvia was an existence indispensable to House Asteri.
Her retiring was a rather big issue, but the fact that it was permitted must mean that preparations had been made accordingly.
Besides, her expression was so happy that he couldn’t bring himself to hold her back.
Thus, Rickshel decided to just accept it.
“…”
…In truth, he was a bit sad, but he thought that as a direct descendant of House Asteri, he must hide it.
It was a natural feeling for Rickshel, who was just going through adolescence, but Rickshel did not realize it.
‘Fine. I’d rather think of something else.’
As he deliberately turned away from his parting with Sylvia, another question suddenly arose.
Lion Asteri.
It was about his brother.
‘Check it out?’
Rickshel tapped his nails on the desk.
He was a little embarrassed to follow his older brother around at this point.
But…
‘Once should be fine.’
Coincidentally, he had no schedule, so he decided to put aside his embarrassment and observe.
For a mage’s basic virtue was to satisfy one’s curiosity.
“They said he’s been in Mimir Forest lately.”
Finding Lion’s location wasn’t difficult.
Thus, Rickshel Asteri secretly stalked Lion.
Step.
The Mimir Forest, which he visited after a long time, was still deeply dreary.
The trees and leaves, so densely towering, blocked the sun, and the tree trunks and roots grew wild, making the path uneven.
‘What is so good about this place that he comes here?’
If he wanted herbs for alchemy, couldn’t he just ask someone?
‘Anyway…’
Rickshel, grumbling for no reason, went deeper into the forest.
“…”
A sweet smell began to waft out.
It was clearly not a dessert, but it was a good smell.
Savory, sweet, and soft…
“…Brother?”
And then he discovered him.
He was eating a root vegetable straight out of the ground…!
‘Th-This is so unsanitary!’
He’s already in poor health, and he’s just eating whatever that is?
Rickshel immediately raised his staff and flung the root vegetable out of Lion’s hand.
Plop.
“You must not!”
“Nooooo!”
Rickshel and Lion shouted at the same time, and soon discovered each other.
“Rickshel?”
…Oh no.
Rickshel only then stopped his actions.
‘I was going to just secretly observe and then leave!’
He had been caught red-handed.