Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 198
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 198
In any case, it was better to follow Young Master Lion.
“Um, Young Master…”
“Hm?”
“You’re tired, aren’t you?”
Lion’s eyes went round at the question, and he groped at his own face.
“Do I look tired?”
“No, that’s not… I just thought you might be. If that guest is troubling you, I’ll report it to Young Master Rickshel at once—”
“No, there’s no need for that.”
And, if you wanted to be precise, from here on out the one causing trouble was likely Lion.
After all, for the rest of his time here, Jack would be trying his utmost to stay in Lion’s good graces.
Still, what could Lion possibly need within House Asteri?
Honestly, everything appeared the moment he so much as lifted a finger.
“Thanks for worrying about me. That’s rather reassuring, you know.”
“Pardon? Ehehe…”
Varg’s tail swished gently the moment he received that little compliment, as if he were embarrassed.
If anything, after being discovered to be a beastfolk, his ears and tail were appearing even more often now.
He had probably realized he could be at ease in his natural state here.
“Oh, perfect timing.”
“Yes?”
“There’s someone I want to show you.”
* * *
“Whoaaaah…!”
Varg covered his mouth with both hands and stared at the tiny life-form before his eyes.
The fluffy fur and tail, the bright, sparkling eyes, and even the sharp little teeth that were still smaller than the barley he had once stolen and eaten…!
“So cute! Are you going to raise it from now on?”
“Yes. I’ve decided to. Its name is Pooch.”
“Pooch… that’s a cute name.”
But his expression was a bit odd.
“What is it?”
“Ah, well…”
Varg lightly touched Pooch’s relatively enormous front paw with his finger.
“Yip!”
Whether Pooch disliked having its paw touched by a stranger, it gave a spirited yip and swiftly dodged the touch.
“S-sorry.”
Varg apologized reflexively and turned to look at Lion.
“You see…”
He then stole a glance at Pooch, drew right up close to Lion, and whispered in a very small voice.
“Looking at its paws… they seem a little, a lot like they’ll get very big…!”
“Hmm…”
Seeing Varg say that, it really must be going to grow large.
Not that Lion hadn’t expected it, of course, but hearing it aloud made it feel more real.
“It’s fine. As long as you yourself like it, that’s what matters.”
Lion said this as he scooped Pooch into his arms and rubbed the soft bridge of its nose with his thumb.
“Is there anything else it might need?”
“Ah!”
It was only then that Varg caught on to why he had been brought here.
‘I can see it’s not a beastfolk, but…’
To call it an ordinary animal, there was a strange aura about it that only a beastfolk could perceive.
Not as clear and refreshing as a spirit, but an arcane yet familiar sensation.
‘If it were in its original state, I suppose…’
Since he had lived alone from a very young age, he was lacking in knowledge compared to other beastfolk, but there were still a few things he could determine by instinct.
For example, things like this.
“In my opinion… I think it would be best to let it meet as many people as possible. Even now…”
When Varg extended his finger again, Pooch immediately gave a little growl.
“I-it’s good that it’s so deeply loyal to you, Young Master, but if it goes wrong, there could be an incident. Particularly strong individuals have difficulty controlling their own strength when they’re young.” “I was the same.”
Varg accidentally spoke aloud,
then flinched in surprise and waved his hands.
“Not anymore! My Eclipse Symptoms have almost vanished, you know!”
“Mm. Go on with your explanation.”
Varg calmed down along with Lion’s steady reply and continued speaking.
Though his tone wasn’t one of complete certainty, Varg’s words aligned to some degree with knowledge about Beast Taming.
What sort of treats could be given, what essential training was needed, which behaviors expressed which emotions, and so on.
“Socialization training… I see.”
“Yes. It would be best if a parent or a beastfolk taught it, but if that’s not possible, then even through training like this… uheung?”
As Varg was talking away earnestly, he stopped dead under Lion’s persistent gaze.
Then he pointed a finger at himself and asked:
“…Me?”
“After all, it could be dangerous with other people.”
“That’s true, but, um…”
He wanted to argue, but had nothing to say.
Truthfully, he had felt it instinctually from the moment he first saw Pooch.
If that child needed a playmate, or a teacher… or some kind of role like that, he had sensed that the position would be his.
“Would I be able to do it?”
Rationally, he knew he could carry it out better than anyone else, but worry came first.
Because he’d had almost no instruction from his parents.
When he was just born, he must have been under his parents’ protection, but regrettably, he had no memory of it.
Growing up after that, he’d had practically no choice but to somehow wring every lesson out of himself by force.
And he wasn’t even sure if that knowledge was similar to that of other beastfolk.
“It would be better to invite another beastfolk instead…”
“No.”
Lion shook his head firmly.
“You know better than anyone.”
With that, Lion handed Varg the wrapper that had contained the baby food.
“This little one was raised on the baby food you gave.”
“…”
Varg didn’t interpret the meaning right away.
Though he had carried it, it was difficult to immediately grasp that the item had been baby food, or that it meant he had fed it to Pooch.
But he could realize one thing by instinct.
That regarding this matter, the Young Master trusted him the most.
‘…Varg! This is an opportunity!’
Hadn’t he wanted to be of help to the Young Master?
For that purpose, he had undergone training, and had done his absolute best to finish his recovery.
What’s more, he had even risen to the post of escort to Young Master Rickshel, the Young Master’s younger brother.
But to say that had been a practical help to Young Master Lion was difficult.
It had merely… brought him closer.
But this?
‘…Yes! This is something only I can do.’
Varg clenched his fist.
The kind and merciful Young Master must have judged that all the things Varg had learned the hard way, rolling through life, held value.
‘I only thought I had barely managed to figure things out and that I was lacking.’
In the Young Master’s eyes, it was not so.
If that was the case, then from now on, wouldn’t these also be realizations that held a high value to Varg himself?
“I won’t take time out of your own training. Just stop by once every few days and check on how Pooch is doing…”
“I’ll do it!”
“Huh?”
“I will pass on everything I have figured out to Pooch… no, to Sir Pooch!”
“…”
‘Uh, um, thank you.
But isn’t that a bit too much fervor for the task?’
‘Did he actually want to teach?’
Come to think of it, inside Asteri Mansion there were only people swarming around; you could hardly ever encounter an animal.
From Varg the beastfolk’s perspective, the environment must have been rather stifling.
‘Ah.’
On top of that, since he had been surrounded by humans from childhood and had to swallow his pride to survive… he might be all the more delighted.
‘And besides…’
I hadn’t told Varg directly, but in any case, as a nine-tailed fox, didn’t Pooch have a close connection to the red wolf beastfolk druid?
Perhaps he was drawn to it instinctively.
‘Pooch doesn’t seem to dislike it, either.’
It had turned its head away sharply and even barked as if it didn’t like it, but I could tell.
It didn’t unsheathe its claws or even try to bite.
In fact, every time Varg spoke, its ears pricked up and it reacted.
That meant it was quite interested.
“Then tomorrow afternoon, would you play with Pooch a little in the garden? If we jump straight into training, it’ll get tired.”
“Yes! I’ll come prepared!”
“Don’t get too nervous.”
“Yes!”
“…”
He was completely fired up.
‘Hey… well, I’ll be there too, so it’ll be fine, right?’
While I kept an eye on the two of them playing, I planned to craft toys and other items perfectly suited for Pooch.
Listening to Nature’s advice along the way, too.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With a rather flushed expression, Varg gave a polite bow and left the room.
Then, with a “Aaaah! I forgot—!” he went dashing off somewhere; apparently he’d completely forgotten to report to Rickshel about Jack.
“Peep, peep.”
“…You’re saying he’s going to get bullied rather than taught by Varg?”
“Ppiyu.”
“Hmm… you have a point.”
Lion gazed at Pooch, who was snuggled in his arms pouring out charm, and whispered quietly.
“You be very generous with Varg. All right?”
“Kying!”
‘Well, they both answer well, at any rate.’
* * *
“He said ‘Hero.’”
“Yes.”
“And my brother?”
“He did not react in particular.”
“Is that so.”
One corner of Rickshel’s mouth quirked up in a scoff.
Listening to Varg’s report, it seemed Jack had taken one solid hit.
“He underestimated him too much.”
My brother simply did not wish to be entangled in these matters to the greatest extent possible; he was not poor at verbal sparring.
If anything, from what I was told, he had at times shown a seasoned skill almost comparable to the Family Head.
‘But…’
Then why had my brother, instead of simply driving Jack out, kept him in the mansion?
‘I cannot tell.’
Frankly, I found the fellow called Jack profoundly displeasing.
The act of having the audacity to speak of “Hero” to my brother was nothing short of offensive.
My brother was someone fully capable of attaining that renown without the help of the likes of Jack.
The sole reason he had not done so was that he simply did not desire that position.
“…Hoo.”
Rickshel let out a light breath and shook his head.
‘It is not a matter for me to intervene in.’
It was an area my brother could resolve well enough on his own.
There was no need to force myself forward.
Rickshel had only to provide support from behind.
“Very well. You may take your leave.”
“Yes. And…”
“Hm?”
Varg hesitated, then fumbled his way into opening his mouth.
Having heard the full story, Rickshel sank briefly into thought, then answered easily.
“Do so.”
“…Thank you!”
His report and one request approved, Varg gave a polite bow and left Rickshel’s chambers.
Seeing Varg’s tail wagging excitedly back and forth, Rickshel chuckled and let out a sigh.
Truth be told, he and Varg were not compatible in temperament.
He was timid and anxious, and the way his expression always betrayed him was thoroughly displeasing.
Nevertheless, the reason Rickshel had chosen him as an escort.
‘…That power at that time.’
He had felt it in the moment they had briefly stood opposed due to the Eclipse Symptom.
Varg.
No, the power of the red wolf beastfolk was beyond imagination.
And at that time, though it was said he had lost his reason and gone berserk, wasn’t he in a weakened state due to the Eclipse Symptom?
‘If we clash again now…’
Rickshel furrowed his brow at the thought that suddenly came to him.
Though he himself had been growing quite steadily, if he hypothesized a proper bout with Varg, the probability of seizing a perfect victory was not absolute.
Personally, it was unpleasant, but as his brother’s younger sibling, it pleased him.
Because the number of cards capable of protecting my brother had increased by one more.
Besides…
‘Varg’s loyalty is blind.’
He did not seem to be aware of it himself, but that loyalty was, in a sense, bordering on obsessive.
Usually, when one follows a lord, one kills one’s own thoughts.
But within, suspicion will always naturally bloom.
Is this the right command?
Can I follow this? Thoughts like that.
But Varg had no such concept.
If my brother simply said, regarding a matter, that it is so, then from that point forward, that very thing became the law of the world.
You’d be hard-pressed to find even a hunting dog like that.
In truth, it was also a disposition that could create a truly dreadful kind of follower, but…
‘If my brother is the object of it.’
He judged it was acceptable.