Chapter 10

Chapter 10
Chapter 10: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

It didn’t take long for Silvia to make her way to the Family Head’s chamber.

“…….”

Petrick observed Silvia in silence as she stood before him.

“You appear much more at ease, sister.”

“…….”

In truth, Silvia’s facial expressions were far more animated than during their previous encounter.

Astonishment, surprise, and delight.

A whirlwind of shifting emotions played across her features.

“What on earth have you done…?”

“What do you mean, what have I done?”

“I was well aware that the boy was moving about. Even so, crafting a remedy that takes effect on me in such a brief span is simply impossible….”

“Sister.”

Setting his pen down at Silvia’s somewhat agitated tone, Petrick spoke in a resolute voice.

“I did nothing. You are well aware of that, aren’t you?”

“…Yes. I suppose so.”

Silvia knew it to be true as well. Petrick had been thoroughly occupied with other matters while Lion had been away.

The distraction had been Lion’s belated coming-of-age ceremony.

‘He collapsed right before the coming-of-age ceremony, and it was all canceled.’

Now that his vitality was returning, it was only proper to begin preparations for the ritual anew.

“If that child Lion genuinely brewed a remedy of this caliber, does that not pose an entirely different kind of trouble?”

“…….”

A heavy silence descended upon them simultaneously.

A separate complication altogether.

The realization that the concoction Lion produced was far from an ordinary draught.

A Hero.

Specifically, the savior of turbulent eras who manifests whenever the world becomes tainted by wickedness, and the sole individual capable of severing Silvia’s contract.

‘Yet the conclusion to that journey….’

An entity destined to deliver the realm, while enduring a personal existence devoid of happiness.

Endless skirmishes, bloodshed, mortality, and bereavement.

The hollow despair left in their wake.

Petrick gazed down at the small vial, which held only a single remaining sip of the faint liquid.

‘Why would such a formula ever surface?’

Granted, the Hero had always insisted he was fine, but could such assurances truly be believed?

Arbitrating between righteousness and malevolence, he invariably unsheathed his blade in accordance with his convictions, striking down adversaries to safeguard others.

In order to preserve a radiant world, he permitted darkness to consume his own soul.

Then, one day, tranquility was restored to the land.

The Hero vanished without a warning.

Whether he perished or continues to draw breath in some secluded corner remains a mystery.

The world regained its peace, but Petrick’s long-time companion was gone without a trace.

The Hero’s comrades and their descendants have spent years attempting to retrace his steps, yet…

‘They cannot unearth so much as a clue.’

That is the very burden my own grandson may be forced to carry.

Petrick’s expression grew shadowed.

Sensing his inner turmoil, Silvia let out a quiet breath and cautiously broke the silence.

“Family Head, how does this sound?”

Maintaining her composure to the best of her ability, Silvia placed the empty vial onto Petrick’s desk.

Fifty years ago.

While she remained ignorant of the exact events that transpired between Petrick and the Hero, she could sense he was wrestling with remarkably similar anxieties.

She was fretful that her delicate grandson might come to harm.

It was entirely natural.

Beneath his stern exterior, Petrick harbored a deep, protective affection for his kin.

‘Therefore… shall I bestow a token upon him?’

Had she not herself been given something to consume not long ago?

Thanks to that gesture, her spirits and emotions, dormant and clouded for decades, had clarified completely.

It had been a potent awakening for a witch who had endured a thousand years.

I doubt our little pup can even begin to fathom it.

Silvia looked toward Petrick, neatly lifting the hem of her skirt to offer a formal bow.

“This old woman, Silvia, will now step down.”

“Sister, what are you implying?”

“Petrick, you must keep our pup well concealed. I intend to safeguard him from close proximity… strictly as the contract dictates.”

Silvia’s binding agreement contained precisely such stipulations.

To exist in the guise of a mortal, and to shield the Asteri Family during times of crisis.

Because that boy, Lion, had helped her embrace a more human existence, the witch Silvia chose to protect Lion Asteri—the most vulnerable member of the household—in accordance with the pact.

In essence, Silvia was willingly relinquishing a chance at ultimate liberation.

“…I am sorry. If it were within my power, I would locate that contract and grant you your rest.”

“Did I not tell you just the other days? The most futile fretting in existence is worrying over a witch.”

Perhaps in the days to come, she would remain chained to the Asteri Family indefinitely.

Even after both Petrick and Lion had drawn their final breaths, Silvia would linger alongside the Asteri lineage.

Yet, she declared it to be of no consequence.

“I trust you will shower him with praise, seeing as our pup’s offering pleased you so thoroughly.”

“…Very well. What are your intentions moving forward, then?”

“To begin with, this old woman, Silvia, retires, and the young Elvia shall enter the household. As the personal attendant to our young master, naturally.”

“My grandchildren will surely miss your presence.”

“Enduring the sorrow of farewells is merely another lesson one must master.”

Silvia remarked with an air of nonchalance.

“I shall manage it accordingly. Even so, I desire for you to bid your grandchildren farewell personally. They held great fondness for you, much as one would for a grandmother.”

“Have no fear.”

The Head Maid, Granny Sylvia, would depart with a spirit lighter than anyone could have anticipated.

And the boys.

Lion.

Along with his younger sibling, Rikschel Asteri, would surely comprehend her sentiments well.

And furthermore…

‘I have a rather delightful notion.’

Silvia wore a mischievous smile.

Utilizing this opportunity to mend the fractured bond between the two brothers did not strike her as a poor strategy at all.

—

Rikschel Asteri.

Unlike Lion, he inherited Petrick’s striking countenance and carried a distinct, chilling aura as the secondary scion of the Asteri Family.

Naturally, he bore numerous other accolades.

Matchless prodigy, heir apparent, the youngest fourth-circle sorcerer in history, and so forth.

In the eyes of the public, he was the Asteri successor who most closely mirrored Petrick.

The one destined to guide the dynasty long after Petrick stepped down.

His youth was never viewed as a liability, but rather as an instrument of formidable might.

Consequently… unlike the ‘eccentric Lion,’ he garnered nothing but universal acclaim.

“Haa.”

A notably heavy sigh escaped his lips.

“Is your retirement genuinely taking place?”

“Indeed. I intend to offer my final farewells and depart.”

“…….”

Rikschel gazed at Silvia through lowered eyelashes.

Unquestionably, her countenance radiated far more vitality than before.

Not merely her expression; her previously vacant gaze brimbed with life, and she appeared entirely untethered by lingering regrets.

Yet, his mind struggled to process it.

All of this because of his blundering older brother?

Unbelievable.

‘He has exhibited some peculiar shifts in behavior lately, but….’

Despite being the junior by age, Lion felt like a fragile younger brother whom Rikschel was obligated to shield.

There were times when he would collapse from mana backlash, only to wake and behave erratically.

Yet, thanks to a mere concoction crafted by him, her deep-seated affliction was cured, allowing her to step down in tranquility?

“I simply cannot fathom it….”

All attributable to a potion?

‘Is there not a deeper secret they are deliberately concealing?’

Such suspicions inevitably blossomed.

“Second Young Master. Every word this old woman utters is the absolute truth.”

“I am well aware that Granny Sylvia does not deceive me. Therefore, I shall not attempt to obstruct your departure, yet it remains difficult to grasp.”

The Family Head—no, the Head of the Household—had granted permission for her exit, alongside the remedy itself.

“Heh heh.”

Silvia regarded Rikschel’s conflicted expression as though it were endearing before subtly steering the conversation.

“Could it be that you are voicing these doubts simply because your curiosity has been piqued regarding how the First Young Master has transformed?”

“…Why on earth would I care?”

“Ah, my mistake. It must be this old woman’s miscalculation.”

Rather than refuting Rikschel’s denial, Silvia allowed a few additional observations to hang in the air.

“Still, should your inquisitiveness persist at a later time, I believe accompanying the young master on one of his outings would prove quite illuminating.”

“Myself?”

“Is it not intriguing? Besides, you used to trail after him constantly in your younger days.”

“…That was when I was a child.”

At some juncture, he had ceased following his sibling about so persistently.

He could not pinpoint when the habit faded, but it had felt like a natural progression.

He was approaching adulthood now, after all, rendering such childish behaviors inappropriate.

Above and beyond everything else…

‘If I fail to grow stronger, I will never be capable of protecting that elder brother of mine.’

To Rikschel’s perspective, Lion appeared terribly frail.

So desperately weak that if he were ever placed upon the Family Head’s throne, he would likely succumb to his ailments within a single year.

“I understand.”

*Groan*. Deliberately pressing a hand against her knee, Silvia hoisted herself up.

“At any rate, this old woman must take her leave. I shall return to my native soil and live out my remaining seasons in joy, so cast aside your worries and remain in good health.”

Concluding her greetings, Silvia paced slowly toward the exit.

Click.

The moment the portal clicked shut, Rikschel stared fixedly for a prolonged moment in the direction she had vanished.

“…The Family Head must have managed the situation appropriately.”

Granny Sylvia had long been an indispensable pillar of the Asteri household.

Her departure constituted a major milestone, yet the fact that it was authorized indicated careful preparation had been made.

Furthermore, her demeanor was far too radiant to justify any attempt at holding her back.

Consequently, Rikschel resolved to accept the reality.

“…….”

…Truth be told, a lingering sense of melancholy tugged at him, though he felt duty-bound to conceal it as a direct scion of the Asteri family.

It was a natural sentiment for someone of Rikschel’s age navigating adolescence, though he remained entirely oblivious to the fact.

‘Very well. Let my thoughts turn to other matters instead.’

As he attempted to brush aside the parting with Silvia, an entirely different inquiry surfaced.

Lion Asteri.

It centered squarely upon his older brother.

‘You expect me to go and check up on him?’

Rikschel tapped a fingernail rhythmically against his desktop.

It felt distinctly humiliating to begin trailing after his older brother at this stage in life.

Nevertheless…

‘A single instance cannot do any harm.’

His schedule was clear in any case, prompting him to decide to investigate the matter with his eyes closed.

Satisfying one’s curiosity was, after all, a fundamental virtue of any proficient sorcerer.

“Word has it he has been frequenting the Mimir Forest lately.”

Tracking down Lion’s whereabouts proved to be a simple task.

Thus, Rikschel Asteri initiated a clandestine pursuit of his sibling.

Thump.

The Mimir Forest, revisited after a considerable hiatus, remained as dreary and forbidding as ever.

The dense canopy of foliage completely obscured the sunlight, while tangled roots and uneven trunks rendered the terrain treacherous and erratic.

‘What conceivable motivation could anyone have for visiting such a desolate wasteland?’

If the objective was merely gathering flora for alchemical pursuits, could he not simply delegate the task to John?

‘No matter….’

Just as Rikschel muttered under his breath, pushing deeper into the thicket.

“…….”

A distinct, sugary aroma began to drift through the air.

It bore no resemblance to baked sweets, yet carried an undeniably pleasant character.

Richly nutty, sweet, and comforting…

“…Brother?”

There he was.

Actually consuming a wild root vegetable freshly unearthed from the dirt right before him…!

‘This—this is completely unsanitary!’

His constitution is already delicate, yet what possessed him to ingest unverified flora without a second thought?

Reacting instantly, Rikschel raised his staff and batted the offending root vegetable far out of Lion’s grasp.

Thud.

“No!”

“Nooooo!”

Rikschel and Lion cried out in unison, their gazes locking instantly upon one another.

“Rikschel?”

…Ah.

Rikschel froze mid-motion.

‘My intention was merely to observe in secret and retreat quietly!’

He had been caught red-handed.