Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 197
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 197
“…”
I won’t lie—I was caught off guard.
I never dreamed the word “Hero” would come out of Jack’s mouth.
‘Did he figure it out?’
The thought flashed through my mind since I did have something to hide, but Lion immediately shook his head to himself.
‘There’s no way.’
Even if Jack had gotten his hands on more information than Lion anticipated, it didn’t add up.
To begin with, even Lion had no clue how exactly his main character and he were connected, or why visions of the past kept appearing to him.
The only mechanism he had managed to grasp was that when he obtained an item belonging to his main character, a hidden story emerged.
Lion, the person closest to the answer, was still in the dark. So even if the bastard in front of him happened to be the former Jack’s successor, even if he had managed to dig up or deduce something more than that…
It was impossible.
‘And more than anything…’
“Hmm.”
Lion tilted his head and smiled leisurely at Jack’s remark.
Then he sat up straight from where he had been lounging.
“…”
It was Jack who broke into a triumphant smile at that.
Right. He’d been certain that prodding him this way would provoke some kind of reaction.
‘I’ve figured out more than you thought, haven’t I?’
Jack had completely pinned down Lion’s identity.
All of it—everything Lion had kept hidden.
The genius alchemist who perfected the Hero’s potion at the Magic Tower.
The anonymous benefactor and God’s Messenger.
The one who summoned a “special spirit” that no human should be capable of summoning.
On top of that, even the fact that he no longer suffered Mana Shock.
He hadn’t managed to uncover the precise methods, but he had learned the results.
None of it was ordinary talent that an average person could possess.
‘Of course, I’ve never actually measured his combat strength.’
But the fact that all of this was possible meant that he was, at minimum, an extraordinary figure.
The man himself and House Asteri clearly knew this too—hence why they did their utmost to conceal and scatter the information.
‘Right. We were going to need one sooner or later.’
Once Kyle became Emperor, a figure called a Hero was bound to appear someday.
People admired and worshiped the concept of a Hero.
If anyone showed even a hint of extraordinary talent, they would revere him as a Hero.
But—
‘There’s no guarantee.’
No guarantee whether that so-called Hero would become Kyle’s enemy…
or his ally.
In that case, why not just make one?
The Hero, that is.
‘The demons aren’t going to reappear anyway.’
Which meant that no one would ever earn a reputation to rival the previous generation’s Hero.
And that also meant there would be no dangers on that level.
If so, there was no better actor for the role than Lion Asteri.
Weren’t several of his actions already remarkably similar to the Hero’s?
The story was plenty plausible too.
The former Hero had vanished after defeating the demons, and this new Hero was a figure who had come to look after those of us worn down from the war against the demons.
The grandson of Petrick Asteri.
Lion Asteri.
Once he thought of it that way, the path ahead became crystal clear.
All he had to do was mend their tangled relationship and make Lion Asteri…
“In that case, I’ll accept it gladly.”
Lion’s voice cut Jack’s thoughts clean in two.
In a tone neither firm nor casual, he stated without the slightest hesitation that he would accept the tribute.
“Varg.”
“Yes, young master!”
Varg, who had been standing guard outside the reception room under Rickshel’s orders to “treat him with the utmost hospitality,” entered swiftly.
“A gift I’ve received.”
“Ah! I’ll keep it in safekeeping.”
He hefted the rather heavy crock jar lightly and vanished.
Through it all, Lion’s expression showed no perceptible change.
‘No.’
His outward expression remained the same, but Jack had become able to pick up on the subtle shift.
The minute movements of his facial muscles, the direction of his gaze.
That was…
Listlessness.
Up until a moment ago, Lion had seemed intrigued.
So why?
Jack sensed that something was off and asked.
“Do you happen to have any further questions?”
“No.”
“I expect you must.”
“Ahh.”
Come to think of it, he did. He clapped his hands as if just now remembering, then asked.
“Freyania didn’t return with you. What happened there?”
“…She had some business to attend to there, so she came separately. I didn’t force her.”
Well, that was something he might be curious about, but it couldn’t possibly be the most important issue to Lion right now.
‘I dangled the thing he hates most right in front of him.’
The Hero.
Meaning, being the center of public attention.
That was no different from threatening the heir’s position that Rickshel Asteri held.
And it would also rob Lion Asteri of the freedom he pursued.
Above all, it was as good as Jack having grasped everything about Lion in an instant.
So at first, he had been sure that a negative emotion would surface.
Jack would soothe him gently, promise not to do it, and beguile Lion with sweet talk.
In the somewhat more distant future, he planned to appeal to Lion’s conscience and maneuver him along the original plan.
Did that prick
his conscience?
Not in the slightest! If it served Kyle’s future, he would do anything.
But—
No reaction.
This was a situation entirely outside Jack’s expectations.
“…And is there nothing else you’re curious about?”
“Nothing, now.”
“Why?”
The hasty question slipped out purely out of impatience.
“Why…”
At that question, Lion laughed to himself.
‘He must have been rattled.’
The other party was seasoned in dealing with people—to ask so directly like that.
Probably because it wasn’t just his own affair but the Second Prince’s as well.
‘Not that it matters.’
In this situation, the one holding the upper hand was Lion.
Maybe if Jack had taken a different approach, or if he’d had a little more information.
‘…No, it probably would’ve been about the same.’
Because he had seen far too many cases like that guy.
Lion was thoroughly seasoned at breaking through this type of situation.
You know how it is.
The kind of thing that doesn’t quite match your interest but fits your aptitude perfectly.
He didn’t prefer to twist people around his little finger, but if the situation left him no choice, so be it.
‘And…’
That “Hero” remark just now had allowed Lion to gauge Jack with certainty.
If you didn’t give a guy like this a rougher handling up front, he’d slither his way up and try to control every one of Lion’s actions.
Because he was the type who had an uncanny knack for pinpointing weaknesses.
Sorry, but Lion refused to tolerate that.
He answered lightly, his expression unchanged but his tone carrying a touch of bother.
“It’s nothing. I’ve simply lost interest.”
Hearing that, Jack gripped his teacup for a moment, then set it down.
He had meant to feign composure, but the cup was empty.
“Allow me to refill it.”
As if it were nothing at all, Lion poured the expensive tea to the brim.
“…This is a true honor. Thank you.”
Jack took a large mouthful of the still-hot tea.
The scalding heat prickled his mouth, jolting his stalled mind back into motion.
‘I misjudged him.’
Jack was not a dull person.
On the contrary, his mind worked quite quickly.
Quickly enough that had he been born somewhere decent instead of the Criminal Underworld, he would have easily claimed the top seat at the academy.
Perhaps because of that, Jack’s sharp mind began piecing together a story on its own.
‘I had it wrong from the start.’
Jack had pegged Lion Asteri as someone similar to himself, but a softer type.
Tender, fond of his younger brother, but someone who never truly resolved anything.
Even possessing a heart so absurdly kind that it was more of a hindrance.
That damned kindness was exactly why he had tried to keep him away from Kyle’s side.
To people like us, that sort of thing was more lethal than the deadliest poison.
If you were tainted by it and tried to follow suit, you’d be the one to get hurt.
But…
‘If it wasn’t kindness.’
What if it wasn’t goodwill, but curiosity?
What if he wasn’t an emotional, magnanimous figure, but someone who moved solely according to his own interest?
…No, that no longer mattered.
The problem was that he had jabbed at Lion Asteri in the worst possible way.
Meaning, Jack himself had become a “person outside his interest,” with not even a sliver of hope to squeeze through.
If that were the case, no matter what Jack did from now on—
Even if he went around invoking the Hero and raising a ruckus—Lion would pay him no mind.
Because he wasn’t interested.
In other words, the weakness had vanished.
But what about the reverse?
‘…It’s there.’
Meaning Kyle.
Jack knew full well that Lion wouldn’t do anything at this very moment.
But what if Lion Asteri’s interest took a strange turn?
“…”
He’d drunk the tea, yet his lips had gone bone-dry.
“Ha ha, I’ve lived my whole life as an eccentric anyway. A mere ‘rumor’ of being a Hero… well. Doesn’t even make me itch.”
Lion delivered the finishing blow to Jack like that and rose from his seat.
“Well then, since you’ve come all the way to House Asteri, please take your time enjoying the sights before you go. I’ll be off now.”
“W-wait a moment.”
Uncharacteristically flustered, Jack let his expression show and reached out toward Lion, but his fingers barely grazed the hem of his clothes.
In that moment, Lion walked straight out, and the door shut coldly behind him.
He could chase after him and grab him right now, but this was the heart of the Asteri stronghold, so Jack had no choice but to let him go.
One wrong move and he could lose everything in an instant.
“Ha.”
Jack roughly swept his hair back and let out a deep sigh.
He had never imagined the man would respond this way.
Having the situation slip out of his control like this grated on him terribly, but…
“The opportunity is still there.”
He murmured as if to console himself, leaning back against the sofa and staring at the ceiling.
He’d been put so thoroughly in his place that his head was ringing.
‘Let’s stay calm.’
…At any rate, House Asteri was still treating Jack as a guest of some standing.
So he wouldn’t be kicked out immediately.
Lion had also told him to stay as long as he liked.
If so, what to do now?
‘I’ll have to grovel.’
Like a house dog.
And I’ll have to find it.
Something that will make Lion Asteri interested in me.
‘That bizarre jar is already a dead end.’
Besides, it was most likely an object meant for alchemy.
According to Freyania, Lion’s alchemy was on a level that brooked no rival, so even if he crammed knowledge into his head right now, it wouldn’t reach a level that could pique his interest.
In that case, he’d have to think of another approach.
“…Damn it.”
I’ve really stepped in it now.
Jack muttered a low curse and covered his face with both hands.
“…”
And outside the room, Varg, who had overheard that curse, resolutely pretended not to hear and turned to follow Lion.
Young Master Rickshel’s order had been to keep an eye on the distinguished guest, but his sharp ears had caught the situation, and…
From the looks of it…
That man would need a while to recover.
‘…Well, whatever. Just some Criminal Underworld type.’
It was none of Varg’s concern—he who had been captured by slavers from the Criminal Underworld.