Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 134
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 134
Suddenly, a lot of things piled up in his mind, but Lion tried to stay calm.
First, the bottle he had seen last time through Expert’s Eye hadn’t indicated anything about what direction the seal had been applied in.
‘But…’
It was still only a hunch without evidence, but when he thought about it, there was a high probability that the seal was meant to keep something from the outside from getting in.
Because that was the only way it made sense.
Among those currently alive, not a single person was left who could cast such a seal.
Even Lion had nearly been injured simply from examining the bottle’s identity.
‘If Nature hadn’t helped me…’
He might not have been able to open his eyes for days.
Anyway, one thing was certain: Lion wasn’t at a level where he could worry about this yet.
It was a cold thing to say, but that was the reality.
‘Stay calm.’
Lion took a deep breath inwardly and went back to thinking carefully, step by step.
If anything, he was fortunate.
What would have happened if he’d tried to break the seal on his own without judging the situation properly?
In the best case, only Lion would bear the consequences—and that was the best case.
What if he’d opened the bottle without any real preparation?
And what if something that absolutely must not come out had burst forth from inside?
‘I wouldn’t be the only one ruined.’
A seal of the third level or higher was on par with the Great Barrier that kept the Demon Realm and the Empire apart.
Then what about the fifth level?
Clearly, an event even more colossal than the War Against the Demons would have occurred.
Of course, the Asteri Territory would be finished.
…No.
‘Saying “finished” doesn’t really hit home.’
To put it more explicitly, Grandfather would have had to march back onto the battlefield, and his younger brother Rickshel would have followed behind him.
Not only Elvia, but the knight commander Rickson, and Varg too.
Even Freyania and the other villagers—everyone would have had to give everything they had in an all-out war.
‘Thankfully, right now that’s nothing more than a bad imagination.’
Nothing had started yet, nothing had gone wrong.
He was all the more fortunate because it was a peaceful world after the war.
If the war against the demons had still been ongoing, before Lion could even agonize over it, the creatures that caught the scent might have swarmed in.
‘Still, I’ll have to investigate carefully.’
If, by any chance, rumors about the bottle spread, it could truly become the prologue to a new tragedy.
Lion realized he had been chewing the inside of his mouth before he knew it.
This was a habit he’d had when he was anxious back during his early days as a new recruit…
‘Is it because I’m in a dream? I’m a little more emotional than usual.’
Without realizing it, an old habit had slipped out.
‘Me, anxious?’
Just because of one scenario that hadn’t even happened?
‘Ah.’
Lion soon understood the reason for his anxiety.
It was because he’d been thinking that he wasn’t alone anymore.
Truthfully, right after the possession, Lion had thought he didn’t care if he died at any time.
He’d lived with the vague thought, ‘I suppose this is as far as my fate goes.’
But now…
‘The feeling is a bit different.’
He still didn’t care if he got hurt or had a hard time.
But when he thought that the people beside him might suffer harm, for the first time in his life a dizzying sensation washed over him.
“…”
At any rate, he was glad he’d realized this before opening the seal.
‘They say you should tap a stone bridge before crossing it.’
Even if it was a little slow, it would be better to take his time, to learn more about the bottle, and then proceed.
Lion steadied himself and answered naturally.
“You’re saying seals have direction as well?”
“That is so. Well, since one rarely casts a seal that imprisons oneself, it must inevitably be an unfamiliar concept to you.”
“Haha. I really don’t have much knowledge in this area.”
“And yet your grasp is considerable for that.”
The Archbishop’s eyes gleamed as though he found it intriguing.
In fact, the concept of seals was quite difficult.
Normally, one would not be able to grasp it from a few words of conversation without having experienced it firsthand.
‘But this fellow…’
Understood it perfectly.
Wasn’t he completely following what a seal was, along with the direction of a seal?
As expected of God’s Messenger, something about him was extraordinary.
“…”
After reading the Archbishop’s expression, Lion inwardly let out a sigh of relief.
Luckily, he’d avoided any suspicion along the lines of his carrying a sealed object.
Admittedly, the question was peculiar, but the Archbishop had nothing to base a guess on.
It didn’t seem like he even knew of the existence of a bottle, let alone that a seal of the third level or higher existed, and even if he did, surely he couldn’t suspect Lion, who currently possessed no divine power.
“Theology seems to be just as fascinating a subject as magic. I’m a little greedy for knowledge, you see.”
“Oho. Is that so? Very well, the next time you visit, I shall bring you books that can only be viewed inside the seminary.”
“Thank you.”
“And if you wish, I can assign a professor or researcher well-versed in theology to be your private tutor.”
“Pardon?”
“Or, what about Licht? I don’t mean to boast, but that child is so versatile that he mastered everything related to theology from a young age.”
“…”
“As you’ve experienced yourself, he’s not a bad child, is he. For each other… ahem.”
The Archbishop had poured out his words like a dam bursting, then abruptly stopped.
“I did not speak with any great design in mind. It’s just that, simply, I wish you would continue to maintain a close relationship with Licht. This is my own desire.”
This time the nuance wasn’t a parent-teacher conference, but more along the lines of “please get along with my kid.”
‘Goodness.’
Lion let out a small laugh and rose from his seat.
“I appreciate your words, but shouldn’t we also hear Priest Licht’s opinion about that?”
Lion neatly pushed in his chair and looked around.
The background was gradually becoming hazy; it seemed it was time to wake up from the dream.
“The priest seems to have quite a lot of things he wants to do, you see.”
“…”
The Archbishop’s eyes rounded and then folded into crescents.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. He has a lot of desires. He might even stir up enough trouble that you, Archbishop, would find it difficult.”
“Well, that is splendid news.”
The Archbishop, too, listened to Lion’s words and slowly rose from his seat, then extended a hand.
“Thank you, truly, for making the child who is like my own into someone with desires.”
This was the first time he’d ever received thanks of this sort, wasn’t it?
‘Come to think of it…’
Lion thought of Licht. More precisely, he thought of that expression Licht had worn when he rebelled to do what he himself wanted.
…He’d looked quite like a mischievous rascal.
It hadn’t been the expression of a priest, at least.
Admittedly, that side of him was more like a hot-blooded youth of that age and was good to see, but he wasn’t sure if it was a good thing from a family’s perspective.
‘Well…’
Still, seeing the Archbishop’s face, Lion thought it wasn’t anything to greatly worry about.
Because his expression was already resolved.
Lion clasped the Archbishop’s hand and gave a light handshake.
“When we next meet, I shall treat you to some light refreshments.”
“Thank you. Then, let us meet outside the next time.”
With that conversation at its end, the surroundings slowly darkened… and Lion woke from his sweet nap.
“…”
Blink.
Lion lifted his heavy eyelids.
His body felt refreshed as if he’d slept well, but the conversation with the Archbishop remained vividly in his mind.
This, too, was a novel experience.
“Ah, brother. You’re awake.”
“Everything has been taken care of. You may return home now.”
Just then, Rickshel and Licht had also apparently finished their work and returned to the room.
“You must have had a hard time.”
“This much is nothing. It is thanks to the priest, who assisted me.”
Rickshel smiled, looking genuinely refreshed.
“Hahaha.”
Licht gave an awkward smile as he watched Rickshel.
Seeing that, Lion couldn’t help but think that Rickshel had surely gone one proper round of soul-battle with the Temple.
The results had flowed as Rickshel had guided them, and it seemed he had also used the opportunity to let out the stress he’d been building up.
‘Good synergy.’
Anyway, it had been a good idea to pair them up.
Lion rose from the bed and tied his disheveled hair back.
“I am glad it was resolved well. I shall take my leave now.”
“Yes. Though I would like to escort you personally…”
It seemed there was still clean-up left.
“You need not worry, brother. That priest also handled the work rather decently.”
“…”
At any rate, Rickshel seemed pleased with him too.
“Then.”
Lion gave a slight farewell nod with his eyes, finished his disguise, and grasped the doorknob.
‘…Ah.’
Just before leaving, Lion looked at Licht and quietly added a few words.
“It seems our next meeting will be together with the Archbishop.”
“Pardon?”
“Well, I just have a feeling about it.”
With those final words, Lion exited the room first.
Rickshel followed after him.
Varg, who had been keeping watch outside all the while, glanced over, and only after the door clicked shut…
“How did he…? No way?”
So that’s why you were taking a nap…!
Licht covered his mouth with both hands as if he’d realized something.
* * *
It was only a few days later that news of the Temple reached Lion’s ears.
The most talked-about piece was, without a doubt, the distinguished guest who had briefly appeared and vanished thanks to the “completion of the Sanctuary.”
The Temple had somehow spun the story well and spread it like a myth.
To further benefit the faithful, God sent ‘God’s Messenger,’ and with that power, one of the Archbishop candidates completed the Sanctuary!
“Wow. They spun a good story.”
During a belated meal out with Rickshel, Lion chewed on his steak and let out an admiring comment.
Considering the uproar that had gone on inside, wasn’t this a fairly decent cleanup?
“The important part is what came after.”
Rickshel wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and explained the follow-up story.
“That Archbishop candidate explained the reason for completing the Sanctuary like this.”
That the Merciful Flame God sent a messenger directly to aid in completing the Sanctuary was a warning.
The Lord merely removed the obstacle temporarily to make us aware of our own inadequacy.
Lion nodded at the content.
In order to resolve what had been happening at the Temple, the story naturally had to proceed that way.
“And once it was proclaimed like that, the Temple side was left with no alternative, was it not? I hear a large-scale restructuring took place.”
“That couldn’t have been easy.”
“No. It was resolved surprisingly easily.”
“It was?”
Lion felt as if he knew the reason.
The Archbishop must have awakened.
He had certainly given his thanks even in the dream, so he would have stood on Licht’s side and turned the Temple upside down.
No matter how rigid the Temple might be, if the Archbishop gave the order, they would naturally have to follow.
“It is said that the Archbishop, who had not shown himself, stepped forward personally.”
Just as he thought. There it was.
Lion drank a refreshing glass of juice as he listened to Rickshel’s story.
Maybe because it was a rare meal out, the stimulating flavors were especially good.
“He also claimed that he himself had dreamed of ‘God’s Messenger,’ and that before the Messenger departed, he left the words, ‘This is the last time I shall turn aside God’s wrath.’”
“…Huh?”
Somehow, the story was taking an odd turn.
“Thus, the fact that we gained a Sanctuary instead of wrath was entirely thanks to God’s Messenger.”
“Cough.”
Lion had to struggle not to spit out his drink.
