Chapter 112

Chapter 112
Chapter 112: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Lion walked purposefully toward the mill.

By this point, his hair and eye color had transformed due to the active effect of ‘My Perfectly Resembling Child.’

‘Speaking of which, I’m running low on this.’

Given how frequently it had seen service within the Baidantis Territory, the hairpin retained fewer charges than he had anticipated.

‘Looks like another trip to that magic shop is in order.’

Since the establishment also stocked valuable supplies like repair kits, it struck him as a worthwhile destination.

He needed to lay in a larger supply later for extended journeys.

Lion shoved the mill door open with a firm push.

“Nicholas!”

“Ah, Young Master! It has been quite a while. How have you been keeping?”

Nicholas, paused in the middle of kneading bread, welcomed Lion with a bright, welcoming grin.

“You’ve come by alone today.”

“My studies have kept me rather occupied lately, so I haven’t been able to slip away.”

“Oh my, so thoughtful and dedicated to your books as well. Truly remarkable.”

Ignorant of their true identities for now, Nicholas reached out and accepted the basket Lion carried.

“Did you come to grind this?”

“Yes. I’m planning to brew a beverage with it for my family, and if it turns out well, I’ll share some with the children at the orphanage too.”

“A-A beverage?”

A beverage…? Not ale…?

Nicholas managed to swallow the exclamation that nearly slipped past his lips.

‘No. Surely not.’

Based on everything he had witnessed of the Young Master so far, the boy was eccentric but possessed a genuinely good heart.

So perhaps this was… yes. He might actually be attempting to concoct something entirely new.

‘And what is that creature?’

Nicholas glanced at the small yellow bird perched upon the Young Master’s shoulder.

It resembled a fledgling chick and wasn’t particularly striking…

‘Did he rescue it out of pure pity?’

That certainly sounded entirely plausible for the compassionate Young Master.

Nicholas nodded inwardly, tipping the malt grains directly into the grinding hopper.

“I am always touched that you keep the orphanage children in your thoughts. Ah, that reminds me, I have wonderful news!”

“Wonderful news?”

At Lion’s prompt, Nicholas’s expression blossomed into a wide smile.

“Indeed! You remember young Peter, do you not? He is finally being adopted! They say the prospective parents are thoroughly dependable people this time around.”

“Oh ho!”

Peter.

That was the very boy who had been injured and kept his distance from everyone during Lion’s previous volunteer work at the orphanage.

Though he had grown somewhat comfortable around Lion, rumor had it he remained guarded with almost everyone else.

“That is genuinely fantastic news, isn’t it?”

“Yes. The arrangement was finalized only a few days ago!”

It was an occasion truly worthy of celebration.

“In that case, I ought to visit as soon as possible… Though, if they are currently preparing for the adoption process, it might be better to stay away for the time being.”

Adoptions were never simple undertakings.

He understood that orphanages overseen by the temples followed a slightly more stringent protocol.

First, the adoptive guardians were required to complete a formal temple ritual, swearing an oath before the god ‘Anyatras’ never to abandon the child and to stand by them for the remainder of their lives.

Following that, they were obligated to bring the child in for a comprehensive medical examination.

That entire transitional period typically spanned roughly a month.

Throughout those weeks, Peter would need time to properly say farewell to his peers at the orphanage.

How must the boy feel amidst such upheaval?

‘Anxious.’

Especially for someone like Peter, the uncertainty would be overwhelming.

A child who had suffered through multiple failed adoptions and returned repeatedly to the orphanage’s walls.

To him, the institution wasn’t merely a shelter; it served as a fundamental anchor of stability.

One could reasonably call it home.

“I originally intended to go right after finishing my errand here, but postponing the visit is definitely the wiser choice.”

“……!”

Nicholas’s eyes grew moist at Lion’s display of deep consideration.

‘How can someone be so profoundly thoughtful!’

He had already suspected as much back when they baked bread together, but the boy consistently proved far more considerate than one could ever imagine.

Instead of getting swept up in the joyful sound of the word ‘adoption,’ he instantly prioritized Peter’s emotional well-being.

A gentle smile settled naturally onto Nicholas’s features.

“Indeed. Peter is undoubtedly navigating a turbulent time right now. Granting him at least a week to spend quietly with the other children is undoubtedly the best course of action.”

Lion nodded as he collected the freshly ground malt.

“I shall make sure to visit with a magnificent gift before the month is out. Something substantial enough that Peter won’t feel outdone.”

Lion added with an amused, lopsided smile.

“Haha! By all means, make it as grand as you like.”

“Understood. I will mention it to my younger brother as well.”

“Who knows, this might even serve as a final parting.”

Nicholas blinked away a fresh prickle of moisture in his eyes.

It appeared the man had grown quite attached to the youngsters during his time volunteering.

“Why are you weeping? It is a joyous occasion. Besides, our paths might cross with his somewhere down the road.”

If that happened, they could simply exchange warm greetings once more.

‘Adoption… what a wonderful thing.’

Lion, who was only recently learning and experiencing the true warmth of family through the Asteri household, genuinely hoped that child would find healing as deep as his past wounds.

Truly.

‘Today is turning out to be full of good moments.’

Lion waved goodbye to Nicholas and stepped out of the mill with a light, warmed heart.

—

Upon arriving back home, Lion lost no time in sharing the news with Rikschel.

“That child?”

Rikschel’s face lit up with genuine happiness amidst the crushing weight of his current stack of paperwork.

‘Indeed, what a profoundly kind soul he has.’

After all, it was Rikschel who had originally proposed getting involved with the orphanage in the first place, wasn’t it?

Choosing to volunteer there after reaching such a significant personal decision—reflecting on it now, his brother was an exceptionally gentle person.

And now, the most solitary child among them was finally securing a family!

Anyone would react with such heartfelt gladness.

“So I am planning to drop by the orphanage sometime this month; once you clear your pressing obligations, we should go together.”

“Yes. I understand, Older Brother.”

“Ah! And that magic shop as well.”

“……!”

Rikschel’s expression brightened even further.

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Yes. There were plenty of fascinating curiosities, though I felt a bit awkward browsing by myself.”

Naturally, he was perfectly capable of going alone, but he had hoped to carve out at least a brief moment of respite for the overworked Rikschel.

At times, the younger man seemed intent on turning himself into a complete workaholic if left unattended.

“I understand. In that case, I will expedite only the most critical duties as quickly as possible.”

“Very well. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

After exchanging those brief details, Lion headed down toward the kitchen quarters.

Between Mudu’s quiet joy over familial news and Peter’s upcoming transition into a home of his own, Lion found his own spirits thoroughly buoyed.

“Splendid.”

Lion rolled up his sleeves and shoved the kitchen doors wide open.

This time, he would put his full expertise on display and even supply the orphanage with a batch of homemade Sikhye!

“Young Master!”

Alex greeted him enthusiastically the moment he crossed the threshold.

With a proud grin, the chef gestured toward the pristine countertops.

“Everything has been prepared precisely as requested.”

“Oh!”

Lion’s eyes gleamed as he inspected each individual ingredient laid out before him.

『Premium Rice (★★)』

-Just how delicious will rice cooked with this turn out? Take a single mouthful, and you will find it impossible to stop!

『Cotton Candy (★★)』

-Refined fine sugar produced from white sugarcane. Its grains are as light and feathery as spun silk, making it a favorite among the aristocracy.

Not only the rice and sugar, which appeared to be of immaculate quality at first glance, but even the cheesecloth and ginger roots were pristine!

“Wonderful, this is absolute perfection.”

“Hahaha. I ensured every single component met the highest standard available.”

Alex finished his report and lingered, casting a curious glance toward Lion.

‘What manner of dish is he intending to craft this time…?’

Judging strictly by the ingredients gathered, the selection leaned heavily toward desserts, yet remained somewhat ambiguous.

It was bound to result in something remarkable, of course…

‘I would love to watch!’

However, the Young Master preferred handling his culinary experiments in solitude.

Having come to understand the deep satisfaction of single-minded focus on a craft, Alex could respect those boundaries…

“Is there anything else I might assist with before you begin?”

Just! Let me offer my services one last time.

“No, this is quite sufficient. I will manage the rest from here on out.”

“Very well…”

It was no use pressing the matter.

Suppressing a twinge of lingering disappointment, Alex offered a polite bow and stepped back to clear the workspace.

“It seems this time…”

I intend to employ a specialized skill.

Since it bore no relation to formal alchemy, trying to explain the mechanics if anyone watched would prove impossible.

Without hesitation, Lion placed the ground malt powder into a cotton cloth, wrung it thoroughly, and set the resulting milky liquid aside.

Next came the rice…

‘I need to soak it properly first.’

Unlike standard everyday meals, the grain required for Sikhye had to be prepared as ‘godubap’ (firmly steamed rice).

While godubap could technically be expedited using a modern rice cooker…

‘The traditional approach relies on soaking followed by steam cooking.’

That method yielded a significantly lower moisture content than simply boiling grain submerged in water.

The hurdle, however, lay in the necessity of soaking the dry grains well in advance.

‘This presents an ideal opportunity to test my ability.’

Accelerated Fermentation.

While the name seemingly restricted its utility strictly to processes demanding long-term aging, Lion suspected its application could easily stretch to cover any “time-intensive labor.”

Much like hydrating rice grains.

After all, natural aging fundamentally boiled down to leaving organic matter undisturbed over a prolonged duration.

With that hypothesis in mind, Lion deposited the measured rice into a ceramic pot and activated the Accelerated Fermentation technique.

Yet… nothing immediately visible occurred.

No brilliant flash of light illuminated the room, nor did any system notification pop up to confirm the skill’s activation, but…

‘It’s taking effect.’

Instinct told him clearly that the ability was currently running.

He could perceive a very faint, steady drain on his internal mana reserves.

‘Alright. Let’s keep it brief—just thirty seconds for a test run.’

Lion secured the lid tightly over the pot, closed his eyes, and mentally counted off thirty seconds.

Meanwhile, a quiet miracle was unfolding within the enclosed vessel.

The grains, having been thoroughly desiccated during the milling process which stripped away their outer and inner hulls, were rapidly reabsorbing moisture; as the internal starches hydrated, the individual kernels began to swell with a plump, gleaming luster.

“Hmm. Did it take?”

Once the mental count reached thirty, Lion lifted the lid.

‘This… actually worked?’

Because alchemy usually involved flashy visual displays, he had struggled to gauge how Accelerated Fermentation would manifest, but the practical result was astonishingly efficient!

Lion tipped out the excess water and scooped up a handful of grains to inspect them closely.

They were thoroughly plumped and evenly hydrated throughout.

It looked precisely as though they had been left sitting in water for a solid half-hour.

“Splendid.”

After all, wasn’t the traditional difficulty of fine cooking precisely tied to the vast amount of waiting time required?

It demanded endless patience.

‘Though, of course, manual long-term soaking remains superior for top-tier culinary masterpieces.’

Still, having this kind of shortcut available was undeniably convenient.

‘…Wait a moment. Does that mean this could influence sprouting malt as well?’

Lion paused his train of thought for a moment before giving his head a slow shake.

It was unlikely a power capable of manipulating the literal growth cycles of living organisms would be unlocked at this stage.

‘Regardless, it will certainly be worth experimenting with various applications later on.’

For instance, traditional fermented bean pastes.

Doenjang, gochujang, and rich ganjing produced from them…

‘Delicious.’

Lion transferred the rehydrated rice into a traditional steamer basket, distributed it evenly across the surface, and applied heat.

While the rice slowly cooked down to the ideal firm texture.

Lion dragged a wooden stool up to the kitchen counter, seated himself, and surrendered to a quiet moment of leisure.

The distinct, comforting aroma of roasted grain mingled with the rising plume of steam as the rice cooked. The steady crackle of the stove working away in the background.

And the peaceful solitude of sitting quietly in an empty room.

What was the common term for this state again?

…Cooking-morgue? No, cooking-mung?

The phrasing sounded slightly peculiar, but names mattered very little.

Lion quietly indulged in his moment of “cooking-mung” until the rice finished steaming to perfection and the sediment from the malt liquid settled neatly at the bottom of its container.

Scooping the firm godubap into a large earthen jar, Lion carefully poured the clear, nutrient-rich upper layer of the malt liquid over the top before sealing the lid securely.

“For this stage, I’ll leave it to process for roughly six minutes.”

It was time to call upon the Accelerated Fermentation skill once more.