Chapter 117

Chapter 117
Chapter 117: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

The offspring of Mudu, known as the Golden Branch and the Jade Leaf.

In essence, the daily routine of the ‘Golden Branch and Jade Leaf’ followed a strict pattern.

First, they stirred from slumber around the time their mother, Leah, completed the morning meal preparations.

“Haaam.”

“Hooam.”

Carrying matching expressions and hair as wild as though a small explosion had gone off, they emitted loud yawns, then bounded up to arrange their respective sleeping quarters… or rather, they neglected to do so.

Because the task of straightening their blankets was entirely too bothersome!

“Ahem. What did Mother instruct us to do?”

As Leah called out in a sternly affected tone without turning around, the two youngsters, who were actively attempting a stealthy escape, froze mid-stride with sudden gasps and scrambled back to position themselves beside their beds.

“Ugh, how annoying.”

“Hmph. Why does Mother constantly badger us about making our beds?”

“Exactly! We are simply going to crawl back underneath them once night falls!”

Despite their grumbling complaints, neither child stepped away from their posts.

Instead, a stubborn resolve slowly took root…

“This means we shall have to settle this with a wager once more.”

“Indeed!”

As if following an unspoken pact, both children planted their hands firmly on their hips.

“Elder Brother. Are you prepared?”

“Without a doubt! Today’s wager is officially underway.”

…”

“Will craft a masterpiece and hand it over to the victor!”

The moment the pair finished their declaration in unison, their small fingers, resembling fresh ferns, curled tightly into the fabric of the blankets.

Flutter!

A compact blanket, akin to a simple fabric wrap, was smoothly shaken out by the children’s hands and folded with crisp precision to align every corner!

Immediately afterward, as though locked in fierce competition, they vigorously plumped the pillows until they sat evenly, then returned the twin dolls—distinguished only by their color—to their exact resting places.

At last, every last crease was smoothed away… and the bed-making was complete.

The level of immaculate tidiness achieved was astonishingly high for children their age.

It appeared they had inherited their dwarf lineage for good reason.

“Finished!”

“Ha!”

Triumph and defeat were separated by the narrowest of margins, and on this particular morning, Ipari claimed the victory.

“Hehe.”

Ipari, trembling slightly with excitement at the prospect of a new prize, pressed both hands over her mouth and beamed brightly.

“So close!”

Having participated in numerous similar ‘wagers’ in the past, Gaji gracefully conceded defeat to his younger sibling.

“Very well. As promised, I shall present you with the wooden carving I completed previously.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gaji retrieved a roughly whittled wooden toy from his private keepsake box and extended it toward Ipari.

“Splendid! This is the very one I desired!”

Ipari, radiating joy, pulled the trinket into a tight embrace and grinned broadly.

Having thus exhausted their lingering morning drowsiness through their wager, the siblings thoroughly scrubbed their hands and faces before taking their seats at the dining table.

“So, who emerged victorious today?”

“Myself!”

“Honestly…”

Leah offered a gentle smile, her brows drooping affectionately as though she lacked the heart to scold them.

She occasionally questioned whether permitting these ongoing wagers was entirely wise.

Nevertheless, observing how the two children clearly relished the games while drawing closer together, she concluded it was acceptable for the present.

Besides, according to accounts from his homeland, young dwarfs historically engaged in vigorous competition from an early age, producing their own handicrafts and debating their relative merits.

Back in their native village, they routinely escalated matters by shattering the losing party’s creation…

Compared to that, this approach served as a remarkably healthy outlet for maintaining their bond.

‘At least when they immerse themselves in crafting, they remain on amicable terms.’

Though Leah occasionally struggled to comprehend their logic, the siblings, born just a twelvemonth apart, functioned as each other’s closest companions and most reliable anchors.

‘It is an immense blessing that they have matured so wonderfully without formal schooling.’

Leah smiled softly as she slid their breakfast bowls in front of the children.

“Eat at a leisurely pace and chew thoroughly.”

“Understood!”

The pair eagerly snatched up their spoons and forks, devouring their morning meal with gusto.

Today’s menu featured an omelet prepared with eggs and mushrooms contributed by their neighbors, accompanied by diced carrots and potatoes.

“I am not fond of carrots…”

“I detest potatoes…”

“Ahem! Exemplary children do not pick at their plates!”

“Yeeeees.”

The youngsters, having offered prompt obedience, swiftly exchanged the offending vegetables behind Leah’s back the moment she turned away.

Then, finding the mischief endlessly amusing, they dissolved into quiet giggles.

“Oh?”

Gaji and Ipari, their cheeks bulging with carrots and potatoes respectively, widened their already outsized eyes and gestured urgently toward the window.

Simultaneously, they raised their voices.

“It is the Young Master!”

—

“Did I arrive prematurely?”

“Your presence, Young Master, is perpetually welcome, regardless of the hour.”

“I appreciate your kind words.”

Leah greeted Lion with a radiant smile.

To her mind, Lion Asteri represented the epitome of an upright young man.

To begin with, he had decisively resolved her husband’s deepest anxieties, and he consistently engaged the children in joyful play.

Was that the extent of it?

‘I was genuinely astounded when he volunteered at the orphanage.’

That proved to be the day Leah’s initial assessment—that he was merely an eccentric yet benevolent individual—was thoroughly shattered!

‘His gaze when looking upon Peter carried absolute sincerity.’

Such actions could only stem from a place of pure genuineness.

To be frank, the majority of nobility deliberately shunned the orphans residing in the sanctuary, harboring groundless fears of contagion.

Yet Young Master Lion chose to sit beside them, exercising immense patience until Peter’s guarded heart finally yielded.

Even Leah, experienced mother of two that she was, found approaching Peter to be a formidable challenge.

That stubborn, unyielding disbelief.

The distinct look in his eyes that silently conveyed, ‘I place no trust in humanity.’

Unlike the Golden Branch and the Jade Leaf, who directed their complete attention toward him and openly professed their adoration, Peter unconsciously maintained a rigid boundary.

‘I felt profound shame upon recognizing that truth.’

Even long after the Young Master departed, Leah continued her volunteer work at the orphanage.

As a mother who had brought life into the world, a deep sense of guilt lingered within her for having flinched from a child’s suffering.

Naturally, Peter’s disposition also thawed progressively with each passing day, eventually leading him to initiate conversations with Leah, thereby accelerating the development of their tentative bond.

“At any rate, the purpose of my visit today is none other than…”

“Could it perhaps be on Peter’s account?”

“You anticipated this?”

Leah merely offered a knowing smile, opting not to elaborate on the entire sequence of events.

Should she reveal that all this progress stemmed directly from the Young Master’s influence, he would likely feel an uncomfortable burden, despite his best efforts to feign ignorance.

‘It is simply because he acts in accordance with his own conscience.’

His deeply ingrained benevolence was truly remarkable…

“Indeed. Naturally, not every volunteer is aware. Merely myself and Nicholas, in all likelihood.”

“Quite so. For that very reason, I wished to present him with a token.”

Lion cast a brief glance toward the Golden Branch and the Jade Leaf as he spoke.

He harbored slight concerns that they might feel excluded, but fortunately, they remained entirely absorbed in their own amusements.

“Initially, my intention was to bestow an exceedingly costly artifact, but it failed to feel entirely appropriate.”

He added the reflection that viewing matters through a child’s eyes would yield a better outcome than an adult’s calculations.

“Ah!”

Leah nodded in comprehension of Lion’s sentiment, then rested her chin in her hand, falling into deep contemplation.

“If the objective is an article that captures a child’s fancy…”

Leah mentally reviewed her children’s unusual hobbies, her expression turning slightly troubled.

“My offspring possess rather unorthodox tastes, so I question whether my perspective will prove useful.”

“Unorthodox tastes, you say?”

“Well…”

Leah pressed a hand over her mouth to block the children’s view and lowered her voice to a murmur.

“Listen closely to the topic currently occupying the children.”

“….”

Lion strained his hearing at Leah’s suggestion.

“What shall we construct and play with today?”

“Shall we assemble a slingshot? Or perhaps recreate the wooden soldier from yesterday?”

“Father mentioned we would require a carving blade for that endeavor.”

Judging by their animated chatter, the subject matter was undeniably unconventional.

‘Now that I reflect upon it, their living quarters as well…’

Lion allowed his gaze to drift slowly across the interior of the dwelling.

Novel decorative items were scattered throughout the rooms, accompanied by an even greater profusion of scribbles.

Was that the sum of it? There were even gouges carved directly into the plaster walls, as though scored by a sharp implement!

‘Could this be attributed to their dwarf ancestry?’

In any case, one fact remained transparent: his personal sensibilities were thoroughly unsuited for devising a suitable present for Peter.

“Hmm.”

While Lion remained momentarily lost in thought.

Leah, following a period of intense concentration, hit upon a clever inspiration.

“Might I ask about your own experience, Young Master?”

“Myself?”

“Naturally, you must have enjoyed a life free from hardship since your youth, but were there not particular playthings you cherished above all others?”

“…A plaything I cherished?”

“Indeed! The memory may have faded somewhat with the passage of years, but with focused reflection, an image should surface. I firmly believe that receiving an item carrying profound personal significance would hold far greater meaning for Peter…”

Leah’s voice trailed off gently toward the close of her statement.

“Hoho. I fear I have overstepped my bounds with such presumptuous talk.”

After all, he was the esteemed Young Master of Asteri; he must have spent his upbringing surrounded by an abundance of toys!

“….”

Lion could not formulate an immediate reply to Leah’s inquiry.

Both prior to his arrival in this body and within the retained memories of Lion Asteri following the transition.

Scarcely any recollection existed of engaging with toys.

Lion Asteri had possessed a frail constitution, while Baek Yi-hyun… had been granted no leisure for such trivialities.

The concept of ‘having to surrender things’ consistently preceded the concept of ‘possessing’ them.

Indeed, the sole diversion he managed to cultivate after reaching a semblance of maturity was simply survival.

‘Yet… yes. That reasoning holds true.’

Would a gift imbued with genuine sentiment not outweigh a meaningless acquisition, providing a tangible reason for the offering?

Sensing that Lion was consumed by profound introspection, Leah quietly ushered the two children out into the courtyard.

It appeared the Young Master required a period of solitude for his reflections.

“Peep peep.”

Noticing Lion’s troubled expression, Nature fluttered upward to brush softly against his cheek.

“I am quite well.”

Indeed, Lion was doing well.

Furthermore, he inhabited a reality far happier than any he had previously known.

Unwittingly, he was healing the warm, fragile hollows that had long persisted within his spirit.

Consequently, he had assumed his recovery was complete, but witnessing his mood darken at the mere allusion to bygone days indicated that the younger Baek Yi-hyun still lingered within that frigid chamber.

“…Very well.”

Lion clenched his hand into a tight fist as a firm resolution formed within him.

Alongside preparing a token for Peter, a separate obligation now claimed his attention.

That obligation concerned himself.

Specifically, fulfilling the deepest longings of young Baek Yi-hyun.

Namely, experiencing the very activities he had coveted with intense envy during his childhood.

‘What was it that I desired above all else?’

Lion closed his eyes, searched his memories, and then snapped his gaze wide open.

Affirmation.

‘I longed for building blocks capable of creating any structure imaginable.’

He envisioned constructing towering keeps by stacking them, or combining the pieces to fashion vehicles and mythical beasts.

Blocks sturdy enough that he need never fear damaging or misplacing them should the tower tumble to the floor.

Lion wasted no time in putting his design into motion.

Proceeding to the workshop, Lion retrieved a dense timber log roughly the thickness of an adult’s thigh from his storage inventory, alongside the compact saw and carving blade gifted by Mudu.

Sssss! Sssss!

He began by sectioning the wood into rigid geometric shapes using the saw.

Perhaps Mudu had poured exceptional craftsmanship into the material, as the dense timber yielded smoothly to the blade with minimal exertion.

Once the curved edges were completely eliminated, he made repeated cuts to produce dozens of uniform rectangular blocks.

The resulting sawdust, generated by Lion’s focused labor, quickly formed drifts around his boots.

‘The foundational form of a construction block is the rectangular prism.’

Even in their current state, the pieces would adequately serve as playthings for children, yet.

Taking Peter’s current age into account, something more refined felt necessary.

Consequently, a more intricate phase of work was required.

Lion lifted one of the freshly prepared rectangular blocks and set to work shaving away the top and bottom planes using the carving knife.

The upper surface was sculpted to feature two protruding circular studs in relief.

Conversely, the lower surface was hollowed out in intaglio so that the raised studs could slot securely into place.

Initially, he contemplated replicating the design of modern modular toys.

‘Given that the medium is timber, maximizing structural durability is paramount.’

Crunk- Crunk-

Wooden blocks steadily accumulated in a growing heap.

Although the procedure merely involved trimming the top surface and carving out the underside repeatedly.

The sheer volume rendered the undertaking remarkably tedious.

Yet, strangely enough.

With each completed block and every handful of discarded wood shavings, the lingering weight within Lion’s chest gradually dissipated.

“….”

As the hours drifted by and the miniature rectangular blocks grew into a miniature mountain range.

The Golden Branch and the Jade Leaf, returning from their stroll with Leah, caught sight of Lion’s ongoing project.

The siblings exchanged knowing glances, nodded in unison, and darted indoors.

Following a brief flurry of muffled commotion and hurried footsteps.

The pair reappeared before Lion, keeping their hands concealed behind their backs.

“Young Master.”

The item they produced was…

“This will render the pieces far more vibrant if we apply it!”

A selection of brilliant pigments!