Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 147
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 147
The peel was chewy with a pleasant springiness, and the flesh was soft.
The texture had an appealing quality, somewhere between a dried persimmon and a jelly.
And the taste and fragrance—how extraordinary they were!
The deep, rich aroma and bittersweet flavor were so evocative they practically conjured the illusion of enjoying a picnic in the shade of a single grapefruit tree, sheltered from the sun.
Even the aftertaste was delightful, fading away with a faint, lingering sweetness.
The other fruits were the same.
The apple and orange were wonderfully refreshing; children especially would love them.
The lemon had lost enough of its sour edge for adults to enjoy it without hesitation as well, and it seemed as if its crispness would double when eaten after a meal.
“It’s delicious. Right?”
“Ppeep!”
“Haha. I didn’t know it would be this good.”
Lion chewed the candied fruit slowly, sinking into a strange mood.
Wasn’t it curious?
Back when he’d paid money to buy a taste of a memory, it hadn’t tasted like this.
No matter how famous a shop might be, the most he’d ever thought was, “It simply tastes good.” That was as far as his impression went.
‘How should I put it…’
Yes. It hadn’t moved his emotions.
But this—every time he chewed thoroughly and swallowed, it felt as though the sweet treat was gently wrapping itself over a scar.
Lion smiled faintly. Candied fruit.
Now that he had made it,
he understood.
‘It wasn’t the sort of food you just casually make.’
Although Lion had made it with relative ease, in truth this was a snack where a decent result required pouring vast amounts of time and devotion into every single bite.
You had to trim it cleanly, boil it several times, dry it, and shape it.
To put it kindly, that was devotion; to put it less kindly, it was nothing if not finicky and tiresome.
Honestly, if it had been meant only for his own mouth, he might not have shaped it so carefully.
But there was someone to feed, so that wasn’t an option.
He wanted to give them the most smoothly rounded, well-made pieces he could.
Even if they were a little rougher and less refined than the store-bought versions.
And as for his childhood self…
He suspected that, back then, what he’d secretly wanted was someone to pick out the softest, most tender piece and feed it to him.
‘When I was little I only felt envious, with a child’s heart…’
Now he could also empathize with the feelings of the person who made it.
And if so, wasn’t he better off?
He could feel both sides—the one who ate the snack, and the one who made it.
As he had told the street vendor, he now had a memory better than anyone’s.
“That’s nice. It was a delicious snack.”
He was truly glad to have come to know it, even now.
‘But…’
Lion stared into empty space.
By this point he should have heard that the hidden quest was cleared, but strangely, there was no notification at all.
‘Was this not enough?’
There might be some other condition.
‘That’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.’
Even if it wasn’t a hidden quest, it still felt like a truly good experience.
And Nature had eaten well, too.
“Ppeep.”
“Yeah. It’s okay. I’ll make you an even tastier snack next time.”
“Peep, peep!”
As if frustrated, Nature fluttered its wings and flitted up into the air.
At that moment.
“…Huh?”
[Make the finest snack for your Companion Spirit ‘Nature’.]
-Make a delicious snack (Complete)
-Stick a sweet bandage over a faint childhood scar (Complete)
[You have cleared the ‘Finest Snack’ quest!]
“…!”
The hidden quest had been cleared.
It had been so quiet that he’d assumed the quest hadn’t completed…
[One of the specific conditions has been achieved.]
[When all conditions are met, you may advance to a new stage.]
At the same time, he heard a metallic rattling sound.
Lion realized instinctively that it was the sound of chains.
More precisely, the sound of the shackles that had been suppressing Nature’s true form coming undone.
[The seal on the Ancient Spirit ‘Nature’ is being released by one level.]
[An intense sense of presence can be felt from beyond the dimension.]
Lion held his breath.
An immense pressure bore down on him.
There was clearly nothing there, yet an overwhelming force weighed him down.
Fwoosh!
Just before Lion was crushed by that sense of presence, Nature’s body was enveloped in a tremendous light.
The kitchen lit up in an instant…
Bang!
The firmly shut kitchen door flew open.
“Brother!”
“Y-young master!”
It was Rickshel and Varg, who had sprinted over in alarm at the sudden powerful force.
And even with the door open…
“Ppee-ee-ee!”
…Nature was glowing like a luminescent creature.
Roaring firmly from its tiny beak, as if savoring the feeling of liberation.
“…Pfft.”
At the sight, Lion burst out laughing before he knew it.
Yeah. Even with an enormous presence, Nature was still Nature.
And if it ever became dangerous, weren’t there people who would come running like this?
“Hahaha.”
It was different from when he was alone. He didn’t need to be especially afraid.
Lion received Nature with one hand as it descended from the air, and wiped a stray tear with his finger.
Then he looked at the two who stood there dumbfounded and spoke.
“Good timing. I made a snack. Want some?”
* * *
“…And so that’s what happened.”
The two listened intently to Lion’s explanation, munching on the candied fruit.
“So, you mean you were carrying out… a kind of training activity to attain enlightenment in spirit arts, is that right?”
“That’s right.”
“And you happened to achieve results.”
“Exactly.”
Lion explained that the light that had burst from Nature’s body a moment ago was a type of training.
He added that, fortunately, it had produced results.
“I see.”
At those words, Rickshel had no choice but to nod.
If anyone else had claimed they were training an ancient spirit—not even an ordinary one—in this manner, Rickshel would have dismissed it as nonsense. But this was his brother, who possessed extraordinary talent in spirit arts.
‘It might actually be a good thing.’
After learning how gifted his brother was in spirit arts, Rickshel had done some research of his own.
And he had learned one regrettable fact.
That the training for spirit arts was grueling beyond imagination.
It sounded grueling enough that he had not wanted to recommend it to his brother.
Practical experience.
That is, you had to directly coordinate with a spirit and carry out sparring or mock battles.
So, although he knew he should not have, he had kept quiet about it.
But…
‘If it’s a method like this.’
He felt it might be alright.
But at the same time.
“…”
Rickshel fell into deep thought.
The joy of growth could give a sensation so intense it was incomparable to anything else.
But…
‘Isn’t he working too hard.’
His brother took things much too far!
Rickshel sometimes wondered whether his brother was too addicted to that thing he called ‘dopamine’!
No matter how you looked at it, it hadn’t been long since they left the temple, and yet here he was pushing himself again…!
‘What if he hurts himself going on like this.’
He was worried, that was the thing!
It had been the same just now.
Even if the ancient spirit belonged to his brother, its presence… was beyond what an ordinary person could withstand.
Hadn’t even Rickshel himself been appalled?
If he had his way, he wanted to say, “Please rest a little!” but…
‘He won’t listen.’
He was certain of it.
So instead of bringing it up, Rickshel fixed his gaze on Lion.
“…”
His brother, who was transferring the fruit-scented syrup into a separate container, turned at the weight of Rickshel’s stare.
“…What is it?”
He was clearly overdoing it, but if Rickshel asked, he would just as clearly say no, he wasn’t.
It would not be a lie; his brother simply did not realize it himself.
If so, rather than burdening his mind…
‘It would be better to actually build in some rest time.’
Just as his brother had done for him.
Thinking that, Rickshel answered slowly.
“Ah, the hotel matter is nearly finalized, you see.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. It would probably be best to leave as soon as possible… but if you are busy with spirit arts, Brother, I can wait.”
“…”
Varg, who had been heartily eating the candied fruit beside them, glanced sidelong at Rickshel.
‘This is.’
Clearly a deliberate way of applying pressure.
He wanted to say, The little young master seems to be worrying a lot! but he felt that might invite resentment, so he chose silence.
Varg wanted to stay on good terms with the little young master he currently served.
…It helped that he’d learned very well how much that person tormented people he didn’t like.
“Huh? No. I was anyway only going to do it before heading to the hotel, so we can leave anytime.”
“Would it still really be all right?”
“Of course. Since you’re the one saying we should go, we could even leave tomorrow.”
“Then would it be acceptable for you if we departed at midday tomorrow?”
“Huh?”
Truly tomorrow?
Of course, he had no schedule whatsoever.
He did have some things planned, but none of them were the sort that could be solved simply by having an extra day or two…
‘Clearly there’s something going on at the hotel.’
Seeing his normally so composed younger brother act impatient, it seemed the hotel matters needed to be moved forward a little faster.
‘Once we get there, he won’t have any proper time to rest, will he?’
Lion clicked his tongue inwardly.
That damn Criminal Underworld, or Second Prince—none of them seemed to do their jobs properly.
‘When we get to the hotel, I’ll have to make sure he at least strictly keeps his sleeping hours.’
Lion resolved firmly to himself.
Even if resting time was hard to arrange, he’d make sure Rickshel slept like a child of a new nation.
The brothers were dreaming different dreams in the same bed.
“Ah, then I’d better go and get some sleep quickly.”
Just as he stood up to tidy up.
“E-excuse me, let me clean up in return for the treat.”
Varg raised a hand and rose swiftly.
“There’s no need for that?”
Lion had given them plenty since he’d made a lot anyway, and he felt somewhat sorry to put Varg to work like this when Varg had been sick not long ago.
Glance.
Varg rolled his eyes subtly, looking once at Rickshel, and once this way.
‘Ah.’
Only then did Lion catch Varg’s meaning.
Now that he thought about it, why else would Rickshel have come to the kitchen at this hour?
‘Kid. Being shy about it.’
He must be too embarrassed to say it out loud, but wasn’t this an age desperate for a little attention.
And…
If Rickshel was sent to his room like this, he’d clearly work without sleeping until midday tomorrow.
It went without saying how much stress Varg, as Rickshel’s escort, must be under.
“Then, could I ask you to do it? I’d like to escort my little brother to his room today?”
“Yes, sir!”
Varg answered crisply and looked blatantly toward Rickshel.
Faced with an expression that said, ‘I did well, didn’t I?’ Rickshel lost the will to retort.
‘Just… how old does he think I am.’
He couldn’t tell whether his escort knight was quick on the uptake or utterly clueless.
Even so.
This time, he could say it wasn’t bad.
* * *
“Hwaa-ahm.”
Yawning so wide it felt like his mouth would tear, Lion sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly straight ahead for a moment.
‘Ugh, I’m tired.’
By the time he’d seen his brother to the bedroom and returned to his own room, the sky was already lightening at daybreak.
Elvia had shielded the windows against the rising morning sun with thick curtains and suggested it would be better to sleep even now, so he had managed to get a little shut-eye…
But he was still drowsy.
“If you are fatigued, shall I convey to young master Rickshel that we should depart a bit later?”
Elvia asked as she wiped Lion’s face with a warm towel.
“Nah, it’s fine. It’s not like I won’t rest once we get there.”
He said that, but Lion thought differently.
‘I actually should look tired.’
That way, wouldn’t Rickshel be more likely to rest a little, even if it was for his sake?
To say it again, Lion had only one aim this time.
For Rickshel to escape from overwork!
And if the opportunity arose…
‘What kind of bastards are they, anyway. I should at least see their faces.’