Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 76
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 76
“Nngh.”
Lion shuddered at the prickling sensation.
Fortunately, the potion took effect—apparently motion sickness counted as a form of indigestion.
[The potion’s effect has removed the ‘Status Ailment: Indigestion’.]
As a result,
he felt as though the lingering low-grade nausea had been swept clean away.
“…!!”
Nature looked utterly shocked.
It had clearly thought the potion was meant for itself, but its unsteady owner had just downed the whole thing!
“There’s an order to these things.”
[Due to the first-time consumption effect, Spirit Affinity has permanently increased by a small amount.]
A cool energy swirled through Lion’s body.
It hadn’t accumulated anywhere in particular, but he could feel Nature’s presence more clearly now.
He guessed he would probably sense the presence of other spirits more distinctly too.
And since his affinity had risen, Nature’s recovery speed would also quicken.
Still facing the frozen, stunned Nature, Lion produced the new Special Spirit Water and set it down.
“This one’s yours.”
Nature’s expression all but said, You should’ve done that from the start! as it snatched up the potion bottle and frantically absorbed it into its body.
Apparently, it thought that if it waited even a moment longer, its unsteady owner would drink all the spirit water too.
The result…
“Peep!”
Nature gulped it down so hurriedly that it ended up smeared all over with spirit water.
The sight was so frantic that Lion stared in stunned silence.
‘No… I’m not going to take it from you.’
Did the ancient-class spirit have a bit of a foodie streak?
Tilting his head, he wiped Nature’s damp, grubby fur with a handkerchief.
[Due to the spirit practitioner’s increased affinity, the Companion Spirit’s natural recovery rate has quickened.]
[The Companion Spirit’s vitality has been restored by a large amount!]
[Currently, ‘Nature’s’ power is at full capacity!]
Nature patted its full belly with a wing, then trudged straight into the pocket of Lion’s clothes.
And then…
it fell asleep, snoring audibly.
“Looks like you pushed yourself too hard.”
Lion laid a handkerchief over Nature, then straightened up.
“It’s a little late, but I’m going to step out for a while.”
“Understood, young master. I will wait for you.”
Accompanied by Elvia, Lion headed out of the inn.
‘Oh.’
The atmosphere was certainly quite different from the Asteri Territory.
The stone houses contributed to it,
but what stood out most was the people.
Their faces were hardened, and every single one of them wore at least one sword at their side.
It reeked of the domain of a Sword Mastery Family, but if some clueless outsider saw it, they would think the mood was distinctly unfriendly.
And on top of that.
Glance.
There were gazes flicking toward him from all sides.
“Y-young master… it seems the public order here is not very good.”
Andrie, who had come out with Lion, whispered nervously.
“Mm.”
If an ordinary young master had shown up, he might have gotten angry and called them rude.
Objectively speaking, their expressions and glances were anything but kind.
But—
“It’s fine.”
Lion actually felt more at ease.
Where had he seen an atmosphere like this before?
‘It was always like this before the possession.’
In a city where making a living was a struggle, especially at rush hour, the mood was always like this.
Lion understood perfectly.
Hadn’t he worn that exact expression himself every day when he was ground down by corporate life?
Everyone here was exhausted from scraping by and had no energy left to worry about others.
‘And as for the swords…’
They were probably a necessity for the people here.
Lion looked toward the rugged mountain range visible beyond the territory.
An endless snow-capped mountain encircled the domain.
This was the main reason they had to take the Warp Gate to get to House Bydantis.
The distance itself was already an issue, but the territory was also nestled among those harsh peaks.
On top of that, he had heard that demon beasts, monsters, and remnants of demons still lurked here.
There was no choice but to carry a sword.
It was barren here.
More than anything…
‘The people of this territory would know all too well.’
About the Bloody Succession Struggle that had torn through House Bydantis.
The family must have been consumed by the succession war, so they obviously wouldn’t have been able to properly look after the territory’s inhabitants.
The commoners’ lives would have quickly fallen apart.
Even if the current marquis, Clarentia, had stabilized things considerably, it was probably still a struggle just to scrape by.
Glance.
Lion looked into the alleys between buildings.
Children in caps pulled low were watching the street with hungry, calculating eyes.
Homeless children.
They must have turned into petty thieves.
‘I should assume no one here has the luxury of looking out for others.’
They likely didn’t even trust their fellow townsfolk, so opening their hearts to a stranger wouldn’t come easily.
‘Still, maybe because I brought a sword in advance, I’m a bit better off than Andrie.’
Even in this bleak Bydantis territory, one common trait remained.
Everyone carried a sword.
A sword was a means of self-protection.
The guards did their best to mediate disputes, but…
fundamentally, the greatest sense of security came from the weapon you carried yourself.
‘Well, honestly, it’s just more noticeable here because the Asteri Territory is exceptionally prosperous.’
Lion wore the dagger at his thigh as he walked around, thanks to Mudu having given it to him in advance.
Perhaps because of that…
the more he looked around, the more he could see the locals’ wary gazes soften.
A few people even spoke as they passed by with expressionless faces.
“Fine blade you’ve got there.”
…It sounded almost like someone talking to themselves, though.
He figured that was probably the best compliment a stranger could reasonably expect here.
Lion didn’t let the opportunity slip and asked a question.
“Thank you. Do you know where the largest weapon shop is?”
“Huh? Ah… that way, if you head over there.”
When the question came, the man grew flustered—he clearly hadn’t expected to be addressed directly—but he readily gave directions to the shop.
“Thank you.”
Lion took Andrie and walked toward the weapon shop.
“Y-young master? Why are we going here…?”
Andrie, clearly frightened, asked in a small voice.
“You see how everyone here walks around wearing a sword, right?”
“What? Oh, yes. I do. So it’s a bit…”
Before Andrie could say he was scared, the shop’s owner spoke up.
“You’re a tailor, aren’t you?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes, I am. How did you know?”
“Well, it’s obvious at a glance.”
True enough—Andrie generally wore clothes that screamed, “I’m a tailor!”
The owner idly wiped a sword with a cloth and remarked offhandedly.
“The folks around here can’t help it. The land’s that harsh. And until just a few years ago, the townsfolk were splitting into factions, fighting each other—it was a mess. They’re doing it to protect themselves and their families, not outsiders. So just… yeah. Mister Tailor, just think of it as fashion.”
“…!”
At those words, Andrie’s eyes went round.
Now that he thought about it…
Andrie turned his head and studied the people here and there.
“I see!”
As if he’d realized something, Andrie pulled a small sketchbook from his coat.
He must have been struck by inspiration, because he sketched for a bit…
Plop.
He dropped his pen on the ground.
“What’s wrong?”
Lion asked as he inspected a sword that might suit Andrie or Elvia. Andrie’s face had gone pale.
“If this is the fashion here… then the clothes need an additional design element!”
“Additional design?”
“Yes. Specifically, a way to carry a sword!”
A town where people carried swords under
any circumstances—and the lord of that town.
“Ahh, I really was a frog in a well, wasn’t I? To think I’d make a mistake like this…!”
[You have broadened the Tailoring Artisan’s horizons!]
[Your Tailoring Proficiency experience has increased by 40%!]
[Tailoring Proficiency has reached Apprentice Lv. 5.]
Oh.
That wasn’t what I was trying to achieve.
“You got an idea?”
“Yes. Exactly.”
Andrie’s eyes were shining far brighter than usual.
He looked just like an apprentice tailor.
The thrill of encountering something
new—that obscure excitement and happiness.
Lion had no intention of interfering with it.
“Then don’t worry about me. You can head back.”
Andrie shot him a look that said he couldn’t possibly do that, but Lion was firm.
“The reason we came here is to deliver perfectly fitted clothes.”
Outwardly, at least.
“Sniff… Young master!”
Muttering something about failing as an artisan, Andrie retrieved his pen, gratefully accepted the sword Lion handed him, and headed back first.
“…”
Lion remained, still examining the swords.
“Hmm.”
“Looking for something in particular?”
The shop owner had taken an interest in Lion.
More precisely, his gaze was fixed on the dagger hanging at Lion’s waist.
“We’ve got plenty of good blades—take your time looking around.”
“Well…”
Without committing to an answer, Lion carefully surveyed the inside of the shop.
And just as he’d expected.
‘None.’
This was the largest weapon shop in the Sword Mastery Family Bydantis territory, yet there wasn’t a single Dwarf-made Weapon in sight.
And it wasn’t just here.
Even walking around the town, he hadn’t spotted any dwarven weapons.
‘That doesn’t make sense.’
This was Mudu’s hometown, and hadn’t they said Mudu’s family still lived here? What’s more, he was supposedly the village chief.
If that was the case,
then there must be a Dwarf village here.
Or at least some kind of community had to have formed.
Something was off.
“I’d heard there were many highly skilled blacksmiths in the Bydantis territory.”
“There used to be.”
“Used to be… meaning that’s no longer the case?”
“Aye. And I’ve got more than enough headaches because of it.”
“Why is that?”
“Ahh. Don’t get me started.”
The weapon merchant waved his hand and gave a brief summary.
To sum it up…
“They fought… among family?”
There was a village of dwarven families all related by blood, but a quarrel had thrown the whole place into chaos.
“Those damned dwarves—stubborn personalities and overflowing with useless craftsman’s pride, I tell you. They won’t even tell anyone why they fought, and now they’ve declared they’ll deliver no weapons until they’ve made the best one, and they’ve even blockaded their village… Good grief. Tch. So for now, there isn’t a single dwarven weapon to be had here.”
“…”
Lion’s mouth fell open slightly.
Then… what about this ring?
‘Well, at least it sounds like they’re all healthy.’
Lion exhaled a deep sigh.
‘So that’s why there aren’t any in the village.’
A dwarven blade was a sort of luxury good.
But now those same dwarves had collectively announced they would stop making weapons, so naturally the prices had shot up.
It was probably too risky to carry one around in public.
And the wealthy types, blinded by rarity, would have scrambled to collect any dwarven weapons they could find.
‘Wow… this ring might actually be a harder commission than the necklace.’
He’d originally planned to deliver it quickly, before they entered the Bydantis mansion.
Because that was the cleaner approach.
But under these circumstances…
‘I might actually need to ask Marquis Clarentia for help.’
Lion scratched his cheek.
“Then is it also impossible to visit the dwarf village?”
“That’s right.”
He hadn’t known about this.
Ah, who could have guessed they’d be fighting?
“Understood. Here’s the payment for the sword.”
Lion paid the weapon merchant for the sword he’d purchased and added a little extra for the information, and…
“Hoho! I barely told you anything, but—thank you kindly!”
The man’s attitude did a complete turnaround.
Moreover, his mood having improved, the merchant added one more remark.
“Still, sometimes you’ll spot their faces at the tavern. Dwarves do love their drink, don’t they?”
“Oh.”
That was actually better information than he’d expected.
It looked like he’d have to revise his plan significantly.