Chapter 147

Chapter 147
Chapter 147: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

The casing felt chewy and resilient, while the inner flesh remained tender.

It possessed a delightful texture, reminiscent of dried persimmon or smooth gelatin.

And the aroma and flavor were simply magnificent!

The deep, resonant scent combined with the bittersweet taste made it feel as though I were resting beneath the shade of a grapefruit tree, safely shielded from the glare of the sun.

Following that came a lingering, pleasant aftertaste carrying a subtle hint of sweetness.

The other fruits were equally impressive.

The apples and oranges delivered a wonderfully refreshing flavor, making me think children would adore them in particular.

The sourness of the lemon had been mellowed just enough for adults to enjoy without hesitation, and it felt like the ideal treat to cleanse the palate after a heavy meal.

“It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

“Pee!”

“Haha. I had no idea it would turn out quite this good.”

Lion, quietly chewing on the candied confection, drifted into a contemplative mood.

Isn’t it fascinating?

It certainly hadn’t tasted this way back when I purchased memories using money.

Even when something was praised for its incredible flavor, the final impression always boiled down to a simple ‘it tastes good.’

“How should I put it……”

Indeed. It failed to truly stir my feelings.

In contrast, this felt akin to a sweet bandage gently covering an old wound with every single chew and swallow.

Lion offered a faint smile.

Candied fruit.

Having actually prepared it myself, I finally understood.

“This was far from a simple dish to create.”

While Lion had managed it with relative ease, it was secretly a snack demanding an immense amount of time and dedication just to achieve a satisfactory result for a single bite.

It required thorough washing, multiple rounds of boiling, careful drying, and precise shaping.

Put politely, it was a labor of diligence; put bluntly, it was profoundly fussy and exhausting.

Had it been entirely for my own sake, I might never have bothered crafting them into such neat, rounded forms.

Yet, knowing someone else would eat them made laxity impossible.

I wanted to hand them the smoothest, most well-shaped pieces imaginable.

Even if they turned out slightly more rugged and less polished than commercially manufactured goods.

And back when I was young……

I suppose I must have desperately wished to receive the softest, most tender morsel after it had been lovingly handpicked.

“As a child, all I knew was envy……”

Now, however, I could genuinely resonate with the mindset of the person who prepared it.

Doesn’t that make me fortunate?

I was capable of experiencing it from both the perspective of the one eating the snack and the one making it.

Much like I told the vendor on the street, my memories were now richer and more vivid than anyone else’s.

“It’s wonderful. Truly a delicious snack.”

I was glad to have discovered this truth.

“Even so……”

Lion gazed into the empty space before him.

By this point, a notification announcing the completion of the hidden quest should have rung out, yet the silence remained absolute.

“Is this still not enough?”

Perhaps additional requirements needed to be fulfilled.

“It is unfortunate, but it cannot be helped.”

Regardless of the quest status, the entire process had been a deeply rewarding experience.

Nature had enjoyed the treat immensely as well.

“Pee.”

“Indeed. Do not worry, I shall prepare an even better snack for you next time.”

“Pippi!”

Seeming rather frustrated, Nature flapped its wings vigorously and lifted off into the air.

At that very instant.

“……Huh?”

『 Make the best snack for your companion spirit ‘Nature’. 』

* Making a delicious snack (Completed)
* Putting a sweet band-aid on a faint childhood scar (Completed)

『 You have cleared the ‘Best Snack’ mission! 』

“……!”

The hidden quest was successfully cleared.

The initial quietness had nearly convinced me it failed……

『 One of the specific conditions has been met. 』

『 If all conditions are met, you can reach a new level. 』

Concurrently, a sharp clanking resonance echoed through the room.

Instinct told Lion that this was the sound of breaking chains.

More accurately, it was the sound of heavy shackles dissolving as they released Nature’s true, unmasked form.

『 The seal of the ancient spirit ‘Nature’ is released one level. 』

『 A powerful presence is felt from beyond the dimension. 』

Lion instinctively held his breath.

An overwhelming pressure filled the surroundings.

Though nothing was visibly present in the space, a massive surge of energy weighed heavily upon the room.

Fiaaat!

Before Lion could be overwhelmed by the sheer force of that presence, Nature’s small body erupted in a blinding brilliance.

In a fraction of a second, the entire kitchen was illuminated with blazing light……

*Creak!*

The kitchen entrance, which had remained firmly shut until a moment ago, swung wide open.

“Brother!”

“Y-Young Master!”

Rikschel and Barg, having rushed over after sensing the formidable surge of power, stared in shock.

Even with the doorway now unobstructed……

“Peeeee-!”

…Nature continued to glow like a brilliant phosphor.

It looked entirely joyful in its regained freedom, letting out a determined, spirited cry through its tiny beak.

“……Pfft.”

The sight brought an involuntary chuckle from Lion.

Indeed. Regardless of how monumental its true presence might be, Nature remained fundamentally the same.

Besides, if any real danger arose, weren’t there plenty of companions ready to rush to the rescue?

“Hahaha.”

Things were entirely different from the days when I stood alone. There was no longer any need for needless terror.

Lion caught Nature as it descended gracefully from the air, using a single hand while wiping away a stray tear with his finger.

Then, turning his gaze toward the thoroughly stunned duo, he spoke.

“You arrived at the absolute best moment. I just finished making some snacks, care to try a few?”

—

“……So that is what transpired.”

The two men listened with rapt attention to Lion’s explanation while casually nibbling on the candied fruit.

“In other words, you were undergoing a specialized form of training… aimed at gaining deep enlightenment in spirit arts?”

“Precisely.”

“And you managed to secure results purely by chance.”

“Exactly as you said.”

Lion maintained that the brilliant illumination radiating from Nature earlier was merely a byproduct of his ongoing cultivation exercises.

He cheerfully added that fortune had smiled upon his efforts with tangible progress.

“I see.”

Rikschel could do little more than nod slowly in response.

Had anyone else claimed to be training an ancient spirit—let alone a regular one—through such methods, he would have dismissed it outright as absurd. But the person speaking was his own brother, who possessed an astronomical, undeniable talent for spirit arts.

‘Perhaps this path is for the best.’

Upon discovering his brother’s immense aptitude for spirit arts, Rikschel had quietly researched the discipline.

That investigation had uncovered a grim reality.

Training in spirit arts proved to be infinitely more grueling than anyone could possibly imagine.

To the point where he would actively discourage his brother from pursuing it.

Practical combat experience was mandatory.

To put it plainly, one had to continuously spar with spirits and engage in exhausting mock battles.

Consequently, despite knowing he perhaps should have interfered sooner, he had kept those harsh details hidden from his brother.

Yet, seeing this outcome……

‘If a method like this exists.’

Perhaps it wasn’t such a terrible path after all.

At the same time, however.

“…….”

Rikschel sank into deep contemplation.

The sheer euphoria accompanying personal growth could grant an intoxicating, irreplaceable high that drowned out all else.

Still……

‘Isn’t he pushing himself far too hard?’

Brother Lion is simply doing too much!

He looked entirely absorbed by that state of ‘dopamine’ release that occasionally surfaced during their chats!

Even now, driving himself relentlessly forward immediately after stepping out of the temple…!

‘What if he injures himself?’

The worry was overwhelming!

Just look at what happened moments ago.

Even if the ancient spirit belonged to his brother, the sheer magnitude of its presence was something ordinary individuals could never hope to handle.

Rikschel himself had been utterly astounded.

If given the choice, he wanted nothing more than to plead, ‘Please, take a rest!’……

‘He refuses to listen.’

Of that much, he was entirely certain.

Thus, Rikschel chose to simply observe Lion in silence instead of voicing the plea.

“…….”

Noticing the intense gaze fixed upon him, his brother—currently occupied with pouring fruit-infused syrup into a separate storage jar—turned his head.

“……Is something the matter?”

Though it was obvious he was overworking his body, uttering a direct warning would only draw an immediate denial.

Nor was it a deliberate falsehood; his brother genuinely seemed oblivious to his own exhaustion.

Rather than piling unnecessary stress onto his heart……

‘It is far wiser to manufacture some proper resting time for him.’

Just as his brother had once done for his sake.

Reaching that conclusion, Rikschel carefully weighed his words before speaking.

“Ah, the arrangements concerning the hotel are nearly complete.”

“Oh, really?”

“Indeed. Therefore, it would be ideal to depart as swiftly as possible… though I am more than willing to wait should your spirit training require more time.”

“…….”

Barg, who had been enthusiastically devouring candied fruit nearby, shot a sideways glance at Rikschel.

‘This is…’

The man was plainly applying deliberate psychological pressure.

Though he desperately wanted to blurt out, ‘The young master is deeply worried about you!’, the fear of earning his ire forced Barg into a tight-lipped silence.

Barg genuinely wished to maintain a strong, favorable relationship with his current young master.

…And he was also well aware of how stubbornly the boy fixated on people who rubbed him the wrong way.

“Hmm? No, not at all. I intended to wrap up my practice by the time we left for the hotel anyway, so you are free to schedule our departure whenever you wish.”

“Are you truly certain it is no trouble?”

“Of course. If you believe we must leave, we can set out as early as tomorrow.”

“In that case, would departing tomorrow afternoon be acceptable?”

“Huh?”

Tomorrow?

Naturally, there were no conflicting schedules.

While certain tasks had been lined up, none of them were matters that would be magically resolved by gaining an extra day or two……

‘Something must be unfolding at the hotel.’

Observing his usually unflappable brother rush matters suggested the hotel venture required their immediate presence.

‘Once we arrive there, proper sleep will become a luxury we cannot afford!’

Inwardly, Lion clicked his tongue in exasperation.

Between this wretched underworld and the second prince, not a single soul seemed capable of handling their duties correctly.

‘The moment we reach that hotel, I am making damn sure he gets a full night’s rest.’

Lion locked in his resolution with fierce determination.

Even if convincing him to rest proved difficult, the boy was going to sleep like a healthy child whether he liked it or not.

The two brothers harbored entirely different visions for the immediate future.

“Ah, in that case, I should head off to sleep.”

As Lion rose to his feet to begin tidying the workstation,

“Uhm, consider this payment for the food I consumed—let me handle the cleanup.”

Barg raised a hand quickly and jumped to his feet.

“There is no need for you to go that far.”

I had prepared more than enough anyway, and asking Barg—who had only recently recovered from an illness—to handle chores felt a touch unreasonable.

*Glance.*

Barg darted his eyes back and forth, casting a quick look at Rikschel and then back at me.

‘Ah.’

Only then did Lion grasp Barg’s underlying motive.

Besides, what reason could Rikschel possibly have for wandering into the kitchen at this ungodly hour?

‘Oh, kid. No need to be so painfully shy.’

It might feel slightly embarrassing to admit aloud, but weren’t they at an age where craving subtle attention was entirely natural?

Furthermore……

If I simply shooed him off to his quarters right now, he would undoubtedly spend the entire night working straight through until tomorrow afternoon.

As Rikschel’s primary guard, Barg must be agonizing over the situation internally, a fact obvious even without looking.

“In that case, might I ask a small favor? Would you mind escorting my brother back to his room tonight?”

“Understood!”

Barg responded with eager cheerfulness before glaring pointedly at Rikschel.

Rikschel completely surrendered his desire to argue against an expression that clearly screamed, ‘See? Handled it perfectly.’

‘Just how old do these people take me for?’

Whether my personal escort knight possessed functional observational skills remained an open question.

Even so.

This particular outcome wasn’t entirely bad.

—

“Haaam.”

Lion let out an enormous yawn, dropping heavily onto the edge of the bed where he sat staring blankly into space for a long moment.

‘Goodness, I am exhausted.’

By the time he finished escorting his brother back to his quarters and returned to his own room, dawn had already broken.

Elvia had thoughtfully drawn the thick curtains across the window to block out the rising sun, gently insisting that sleep was mandatory, which allowed him to catch a few hours of rest……

Yet the lingering weight of sleep remained heavy behind his eyelids.

“Are you still feeling fatigued? Would you like me to inform Young Master Rikschel that our departure should be delayed slightly?”

Elvia asked gently while wiping Lion’s face with a warm, damp cloth.

“No, it is fine. I plan on resting plenty once we reach our destination anyway.”

Despite making that reassuring claim, Lion’s actual inner thoughts ran entirely counter to it.

‘I ought to make myself look even more exhausted.’

That way, Rikschel might actually be compelled to rest for my sake.

To reiterate, Lion’s singular objective for this trip was clear.

Free Rikschel from the clutches of overwork!

And if an incidental opportunity presented itself along the way……

‘Just who are those bastards playing games behind the scenes? I intend to see their faces at least once.’