Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 221
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 221
Lion glanced sideways at Buck.
Buck had been idly rubbing his hand over the pristine-looking oak barrel and slowly opened his mouth to speak.
“…To tell you the truth, I never dreamed he’d go this far. We only ever exchanged letters.”
Whether he found his father’s new challenge deeply moving, Buck’s voice grew thick.
“Ahem! I’ve made a fool of myself. The pomegranate wine is right this way.”
Having caught his son’s feelings more clearly and faster than anyone, the father let out an unnecessarily loud cough out of embarrassment and strode deeper into the warehouse.
“This is the one. The first fruit wine I ever made.”
He added with exaggerated gestures that there had been quite a bit of trial and error at first, perhaps because he’d only ever made beer and grape wine, and he poured the wine into a wide glass beside it with a graceful stream.
Even in the somewhat dim warehouse, the wine’s vivid scarlet color was clearly visible.
“It really has a deeper color than grape wine, doesn’t it?”
When he tilted the glass slightly, the hue became even more distinct.
Maybe because I was so used to the purplish tint unique to wine, the distinct red of the pomegranate looked exceptionally appealing.
And then Lion knew for certain.
‘This isn’t just your ordinary wine.’
This was absolutely not the level of something casually thrown together as a hobby.
It was red, transparent, and its distinctive pomegranate aroma spread out elegantly.
Perhaps because it had aged quite well, a deep fragrance was detectable too.
It would probably reveal yet another layer of scent close up.
“Here, please have a taste.”
“Thank you.”
Lion accepted the glass without reluctance.
He gave it a light tilt, swirled, and brought it under his nose—and just as expected, a distinctly different fragrance bloomed richly.
A unique, fresh, sparkling tartness graced his senses first, wrapped then by the sweet, verdant scent of pomegranate blossoms.
“There’s a floral note.”
“Huh! You noticed! The truth is, I added flower petals when making the pomegranate wine. They’re probably settled nicely at the bottom of the barrel by now.”
Lion nodded along with the explanation.
‘I knew it.’
He could tell without even drinking it.
That this was an exceptionally good wine.
At this level, it would be more than suitable to use as an ingredient.
Thinking as much, Lion took a sip of the wine.
“Delightful.”
“Ha ha. Isn’t it? The funny thing is, when I don’t think of it as work and just make it without any burden, the flavor seems to turn out even better.”
The brewer added, as though making an excuse, that this didn’t mean the brewery’s regular beer and wine tasted bad.
“That feeling is something I understand well.”
Lion empathized sincerely.
Hadn’t life before his possession truly been dreary?
Day after day, the same work repeated over and over.
Commute, work, occasionally meet people and humor them.
A life where you left for work before the morning sun was up and clocked out only after it had set and the streetlamps became the only light.
Usually I felt numb to it all, going through the motions without much thought, but there were those days when a certain thought would suddenly strike me.
Is there any meaning in living the same life for decades?
Of course, that thought never lasted more than a moment.
I knew that even if life felt the same every day, I was learning new things and growing, however slowly but steadily.
But aren’t there days like that?
Days when you feel drained and hollow, with no end in sight.
‘He probably felt the same way.’
Then along came a certain hobby encountered by chance.
Especially a hobby sparked by the words of a beloved child, spoken out of thoughtfulness for the father.
That would be like cool, sweet rain upon a heart parched and cracked by drought.
And this pomegranate wine was the proof.
Sweet, and with a tart-bitter crispness that made your mind feel sharp and clear.
And a brilliant, transparent, captivating red fellow besides.
That was the kind of thing that let you take a leisurely rest before returning to the everyday again, wasn’t it?
For my own sake. For the sake of the people around me.
‘I’ll go with this wine.’
I had come here for a simple reason, but this wine had charmed me far more than I expected.
It held more appeal than any artisan-made product the Asteri family could procure.
‘And its quality is outstanding.’
[Sunset Pomegranate Wine (★★★)]
-Nothing burns as red as the setting sun. The maker, the pomegranate, and the passion all gave rise to this vivid scarlet.
-It smells absolutely wonderful!
-This is a high-proof wine. Excessive drinking is harmful to your health.
Lion drained the remaining wine—crystal clear, without a trace of impurity—smiled a refreshing, satisfied smile.
“Would you consider selling me all of this wine?”
“A-All of it, you say?”
Buck’s father couldn’t help but be startled.
No matter how he looked at it, this single barrel would easily yield dozens of bottles.
In other words, even wine made as a hobby might earn him a tidy profit.
But…
‘Would it really be right to charge him for it?’
The thought crossed his mind.
After all, hadn’t this very young lord been the decisive figure who’d enabled him to take up his hobby?
He may have spoken without a second thought, but that one remark made him feel as though a whole new chapter of his life had begun. It almost felt like he was living a new life.
With a tiny bit of exaggeration, it was the first real vitality he’d felt since his only son,
whom he’d raised alone, left for the city.
However.
“I fully understand that this is a precious work of yours. It must not be an easy decision.”
“No, sir. I shall give it to you.”
“I see. In that case, I shall pay you generously…”
“No. Young Master.”
Buck’s father said with a carefree laugh.
“I’ll give it to you. Please just take it.”
“Even when you could receive a fine price for it?”
“Ha ha ha… no. I’ve already been paid.”
With that, he looked at his son’s face.
His one and only son, toiling away in a distant land.
A treasured boy he wanted more than anything to see succeed—the kind you could not only dote on endlessly but would give anything in the world for.
More than the vitality he’d gained from his new hobby.
More than any jewels you could only get by raiding a dragon lair. Having one more chance to see his son’s face was worth more than all of that.
And the young master had given him exactly that.
It felt like receiving a surprise gift.
“I have no further wishes.”
“Father…!”
Buck, who’d been staring fixedly at his father, felt his eyes redden.
“…Very well. Then I will accept it with gratitude.”
“Yes. It’s but a humble thing—I’d be grateful if you’d accept it.”
“In return, however.”
Lion turned his head and looked at Buck.
“Buck. You are on paid leave for one week, starting now.”
“P-Pardon?”
“Your reason: having made a significant contribution to Lion Asteri’s alchemy experiment.”
Lion patted Buck’s shoulder twice.
‘I suppose this is the best thing I can do.’
‘In a way, to Buck, wasn’t I the equivalent of a company chairman?’
‘Strictly speaking, I’m the chairman’s grandson, but…’
At any rate, no matter that he got to see his father, could Buck really relax and let himself be spoiled right in front of the chairman’s grandson?
‘I ought to give them some space.’
By making full use of his authority as the chairman’s grandson.
In truth, it wasn’t a difficult thing for Lion to arrange.
The Asteri mansion had a large number of employees.
Even if a few took leave, the work wouldn’t pile up on those who remained.
“So take a good rest, and spend some quality time with your father.”
Lion took a coin purse from his pocket and placed it into Buck’s hand.
Truth be told, he’d meant to give him this from the moment he went to find Buck.
“This is a special bonus.”
“Y-Young master…!”
“In that case, I’ll be on my way.”
Partings are best done quickly and cleanly.
Lion tore open a warp scroll right beside the barrel full of pomegranate wine.
And then, just as when he’d first arrived, a soft glow appeared, and beneath his feet and in the air, a magic circle bloomed… and Lion, along with the oak barrel of pomegranate wine, vanished without a trace.
It all happened in a single instant.
“…He’s truly gone.”
“Sniffle.”
“What are you crying for, boy.”
The father patted Buck’s shoulder roughly and heavily.
“No, I haven’t even done anything to deserve it…”
“Then when you go back, you just do better.”
Buck’s father stared at one side of the warehouse, now standing vacant.
By rights, the absence of that huge, painstakingly crafted barrel should have left the place feeling hollow, yet strangely, his heart felt fuller than it ever had before.
* * *
And so, just as he had gone with Buck, Lion now returned with the oak barrel.
“You’ve returned, Young Master.”
Somehow aware of his arrival, Elvia came out to greet Lion.
In one hand, she even held a damp towel—as though wondering where he might have gotten himself dirty this time.
But…
‘Her expression looks a little brighter than usual, doesn’t it?’
She didn’t usually look like that—why now?
A question did arise, but in any case, if Elvia was in a good mood, wasn’t that a good thing… or so he was thinking.
“U-Um, Lady Elvia. What shall I try doing next now?”
Far off, a rather shabby, grubby-looking servant appeared.
No, wait.
That wasn’t a shabby servant.
Isn’t that… the head butler of the Marquis Bydantis?
“Hmm…”
Lion rolled only his eyes from side to side, glancing between Elvia and the head butler as he pieced together the cause and effect, and quickly reached a conclusion.
Elvia’s mischievous streak had definitely been set into motion!
“Heh heh. You needn’t concern yourself. Isn’t that right?”
“Huh? Ah, yes! That’s correct! I am currently performing this work of my own volition.”
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the head butler nodded back with a blissful smile!
“Ha ha. Ha…”
Lion gave an awkward laugh and whispered quietly enough that only Elvia could hear.
“Did you by chance cast some kind of magic?”
“I had been considering erasing the memories afterward.”
“…”
“Yet it turned out to be unnecessary. He’s a diligent young man, the kind you rarely see these days.”
We-Well, if she said so.
Lion decided to say no more.
This seemed to be something of a hobby for Elvia.
He didn’t want to get involved for no good reason…!
“Shall I have this wine barrel sent up to your room, Young Master?”
“Yes. Please do.”
“Understood.”
Elvia answered with deference, then openly fixed her gaze on the head butler.
“…! So this is a task for me to learn! Yes. I shall do it!”
The head butler went off somewhere, returned hauling a cart, and with great effort hefted the oak barrel onto it.
How on earth did that slender frame manage to move such a thing… no, I’d best not concern myself with it.
“…Don’t work him too hard.”
“Heh heh. I’ll keep that in mind.”
It really did feel like Freyania needed to return soon.
“Ah, and two people are waiting for you in the dining hall.”
“Hm? Has it gotten that late already?”
A dinner with the Marquis Bydantis was on the schedule for tonight.
It would be an occasion for a frank and open conversation about what to do at the Imperial Palace, and what would be best to prepare and how.
That was why I had hurried even more as well.
“I’d better hurry before I keep them waiting any longer.”
Lion started to quicken his step…
‘Ah, no—should I give the two of them a little time alone together?’
He decided to just walk at his usual pace.
He’d nearly gone rushing in cluelessly!
It’s fine as long as I get there before the food gets cold, right?
Ha ha ha!