Chapter 153

Chapter 153
## Chapter 153: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“Hmm…”

Lion cocked his head to the side.

He couldn’t be entirely certain of the reason, but it was obvious that the Evil Beast’s Egg had played a remarkably decisive part.

‘Still… even so, it shouldn’t have boosted my affinity score.’

Turning his gaze back toward the Luminis Deer, he observed the animal sitting in absolute tranquility, fixing its eyes upon him.

…It even appeared to harbor a faint sense of goodwill.

“Frankly speaking, it is highly unusual for this little one to guard anyone other than myself.”

True to that assessment, such an event was evidently a rare occurrence.

The staff member continuously expressed utter amazement, mentioning that it took years just to approach the beast.

‘That means it wasn’t brought about by mere hierarchical pressure.’

If so, an external force must have influenced the Luminis Deer.

Lion resolved not to dismiss such a valuable hint.

Would gathering these individual clues not allow for a more attentive and proper upbringing once the Evil Beast’s Egg finally hatched?

‘If it acquires its inherent talent prior to hatching, perhaps the resulting Evil Beast can enjoy a much more comfortable existence.’

Having zero prior experience in rearing a pet, a wave of subconscious anxiety washed over him.

What if he failed to raise it properly? That was the core of his worry.

There was no guarantee it would express its feelings as openly as Nature did, and more importantly…

‘This creature is far too good at bearing agony in silence.’

Indeed. That was the most unsettling realization.

Lion had never personally raised a companion animal.

Yet, he possessed indirect familiarity with the ordeal.

Back when he was Baek Yi-hyun, numerous colleagues around him had kept pets.

“Have a look at this snapshot of my puppy; isn’t he hysterically funny when he drops off to sleep?”

The very first memory to surface was that of a junior who entered the firm during his tenure as a Deputy.

That individual had been timid and hesitant, prompting Lion to ponder ways to help him integrate smoothly into the office environment until the topic of pets naturally arose.

From that moment onward, the newcomer transformed into a remarkably vibrant person, endlessly boasting about his canine companion.

He would display photographs of the dog sprawled flat on its back like a human being, or looking thoroughly guilty after getting into some mischief.

It was a mixed-breed rescue dog with dark fur encircling its muzzle, giving the comical impression that it had dunked its face directly into a bowl of black bean noodles, which led them to christen it Jjajangyi.

‘I thought little of it at the time.’

Fortunately, the junior adapted quite well to corporate life following those pet-related conversations, and Lion had assumed that was the end of the matter.

He had even genuinely enjoyed listening to those occasional anecdotes about the dog.

Then came a certain morning during standard working hours when that same junior, now promoted to a regular employee, failed to show up and missed notification entirely.

Such behavior was entirely out of character, leading Lion to suspect sudden illness and reach out directly, only to be met with a shaken response…

“D-Deputy. Today, I…”

The speaker struggled to maintain composure, his voice trembling noticeably.

“Jjajangyi has fallen severely ill at the animal hospital. And I failed to notice beforehand… I am terribly sorry, but I will need to take a personal day today…”

The flustered cadence laid bare the sheer terror gripping the employee.

At that exact instant, Baek Yi-hyun arrived at a sobering realization.

Ah, companion animals can fall gravely ill without warning.

And even when afflicted, they might lack the means to convey that distress to their keeper.

He had never pondered this dimension before, having been far too consumed by his own busy schedule to care.

Following that episode, he resolved that no matter how profound his loneliness might get, he would never take on the responsibility of raising a pet until he was fully prepared.

After all, nothing inflicted quite the same agony as irreversible loss.

Ultimately, the newcomer took both the following day and the one after that off to tend to the matter.

It was a profoundly melancholy conclusion.

However.

Later on. Much later down the line, that same junior offered a specific reflection.

“What? Haha. Even so, when that moment arrives again, I would still bring Jjajangyi home. The warmth that creature brought me far outweighed the sorrow.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. And you are familiar with that common saying, aren’t you? Among the thoughts a pet might voice if it possessed speech is the phrase, ‘I am in pain.’ I care not for such regrets; rather, I simply wish to pay closer attention before it reaches that point.”

Given how long ago those words were spoken, the employee—or rather, the now-established Deputy—had delivered them with a gentle smile.

…Abruptly snapping back to reality, Lion stared down at the Evil Beast’s Egg, old memories flooding his consciousness.

That very Jjajangyi, whom he had known only through flattened photographs, had likewise endured its suffering in silence until reaching its final moments.

*Swish.*

Lion smoothed his fingertips softly across the curved shell.

The entity resting within this vessel was a master at enduring silent torment.

Even when struggling for breath while blanketed in suffocating divine power, it had offered zero resistance, choosing merely to endure and endure.

He surmised it was likely an instinct forged by the wild, where showing any sign of injury meant immediate elimination from the pack.

‘If that holds true…’

Before my junior ever utters the words “I am hurting,” I intend to locate the source of that distress myself.

Now, I can genuinely comprehend that sentiment.

Perhaps I have finally cultivated a true sense of accountability.

“Of course! Above all else, even if you cause endless trouble, my greatest hope is simply that you remain robust and healthy!”

Pat, pat.

Lion offered a tender stroke to the Evil Beast’s Egg, taking care to bestow words of praise.

After all, hadn’t it been with this very entity’s backing that he managed to secure the Egg Coin in the first place?

At any rate, to avert such harrowing scenarios in the future, he needed to properly grasp the fundamentals of “Beast Taming.”

The issue loomed large even before any formal talent awakening.

Consequently, Lion directed a belated inquiry toward the ranch keeper.

“Is it not standard for them to behave with such aloofness?”

“Ah, it is clear you hold a deep fondness for animals!”

The rancher cleared his throat, patted the majestic antlers of the Luminis Deer, and launched into an explanation.

“Truth be told, most observers fail to notice, but beasts possess a unique gift. Specifically, they can instantly discern the pure intent within a person’s soul, and this particular Luminis Deer exhibits that trait to an extraordinary degree.”

Such creatures were occasionally whispered of as beasts on the verge of ascending to spirithood.

“Thus, this friend undoubtedly perceived the esteemed guest’s genuine motives as well. Surely, that reaction stemmed from mutual consideration, did it not?”

“The staff member speaks the truth, Older Brother.”

Rikschel murmured softly so that only Lion could catch the words.

Individuals who mastered this particular craft within specialized domains could eventually step into the genuine art of taming.

“I see.”

Naturally, that explained why the Druid class remained exclusive to beastmen.

Beastmen possessed an innate capability to communicate fluidly with fauna without requiring exhaustive external effort.

‘Wait a moment, does that imply—’

If direct communication is achievable, could one not accomplish a similar feat even without formal taming skills?

Granted, Lion lacked the capacity for true verbal communication with them.

Had he not failed to notice the deer approaching entirely?

Yet.

Stealing a quick glance.

Lion cast his gaze downward toward the Evil Beast’s Egg nestled securely within his satchel.

What if this tiny lifeform had translated his inner emotions and conveyed them to the deer in his stead?

In essence, what if it functioned as a sort of living amplifier?

‘……It is entirely plausible.’

Even prior to its hatching, it possessed the complete capacity to “broadcast” a person’s subconscious intentions outward.

This was no ordinary beast, after all, but an entity of Evil origin.

Then again, why would—?

“Ppippi.”

At that precise juncture, Nature—having emerged fully from slumber—poked her head out from the pouch and offered a small forest twig directly onto Lion’s palm.

Struck by a sudden wave of deja vu, Lion let out a soft breath, “Ah.”

“Are you wishing to join this hotel excursion as well?”

Indeed. He had uttered those exact words earlier.

Could it be that the Evil Beast’s Egg had been eavesdropping from the very beginning and lent its hidden strength to make a shared experience possible?

‘……This minuscule creature that has yet to even enter the world.’

Can it truly be this commendable?

“Do you happen to have any further inquiries? I have never once encountered a visitor who resonates with the local fauna to this astonishing degree…!”

The rancher fixed Lion with an intensely earnest stare.

The dynamic no longer resembled that of a casual “guest” or a “direct scion of the Asteri Family.”

How best to describe it?

It was the look of a veteran master who had just stumbled upon an exceptional prodigy.

Regardless, the man appeared ready to pull out every possible stop if given the chance.

‘I appreciate the enthusiasm, however.’

Lion sensed there were no further secrets left to uncover from this particular rancher.

Furthermore, one fact had grown indisputable.

The Evil Beast’s Egg was actively assisting in the mastery of Beast Taming.

If one were to assign a designation to the phenomenon, it would undoubtedly resemble a passive ability titled ‘Empathy Enhancement.’

Simultaneously, a broader realization dawned on Lion.

True Beast Taming was not a discipline achieved purely through solitary effort on the tamer’s part; rather, it demanded genuine synergy with various animals and companions.

“In that case……!”

With a dramatic flourish, Lion drew the Evil Beast’s Egg straight out of his carrying bag!

Polished to a brilliant sheen, the surface caught the natural golden sunlight, scattering a dazzling radiance across the clearing.

“I wish to show this fellow the deeper reaches of the forest once more; would an extended look be permitted?”

“Oh! While it is true your allocated schedule is nearly exhausted, as a valued guest who successfully claimed an Egg Coin, I shall gladly grant an extension!”

Though momentarily startled by the sudden appearance of a massive egg emerging from a travel bag, the rancher smoothly recovered his composure and accommodated the request.

‘He is, after all, the Young Master belonging to the Asteri household…!’

Any manner of eccentricity could be expected from such a background.

Besides, regardless of what anyone might claim, hadn’t the young man successfully uncovered the elusive ‘Egg Coin’ with the Luminis Deer’s active cooperation?

“The Luminis Deer indicates it wishes to accompany you as well!”

“Is that so? That would be wonderful. Oh, Rikschel, you shall join us for the ride this time around.”

“Pardon?”

“You witnessed how fruitful the experience was just now, did you not? Right?”

“…….”

Rikschel’s jaw dropped slack at his Older Brother’s abrupt decree.

Of course, his Older Brother had a chronic habit of acting like a total eccentric without warning, but keeping pace with this particular maneuver proved exceptionally difficult.

Even so, seeing how pleased the other appeared…

‘Older Brother….’

Rikschel squeezed his eyes shut in silent resignation.

‘Forgive me, but I have never cared much for beasts…!’

It wasn’t that he harbored outright malice toward them; rather, the notion of deliberately coming into physical contact with untamed creatures made him deeply uncomfortable.

“Do you object?”

“Not at all! I shall ride gladly!”

Yet, facing such apparent enthusiasm, refusal was not an option.

With tears metaphorically welling in his eyes, Rikschel hoisted himself up onto the back of the Luminis Deer.

That unexpected woodland expedition stretched onward until the evening shadows began to lengthen.

—

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

“…You have already secured an Egg Coin?”

“Affirmative.”

“And you managed it at the ranch?”

“That is correct!”

“By what possible means!”

Willy, currently reviewing reports submitted by his subordinates, could only drop his head into his hands in sheer disbelief.

“No, I suppose such an outcome was technically within the realm of possibility.”

As a seasoned manager, Willy managed to steady his nerves and regain his composure swiftly.

The task of tracking down the hidden Egg Coin had been engineered with a deliberately formidable difficulty curve.

In fact, the parameters were set so harshly that even a representative of ‘that Asteri lineage’ should have found it arduous to locate.

Only through such rigor would the eventual sense of triumph and reward soar to the proper heights!

Yet, they had resolved the challenge in less than half a day!

Perhaps he had seriously underestimated the capabilities of the Asteri Family.

Should he dial the difficulty parameters even higher for the remaining phases?

‘…Negative.’

Willy shook his head almost immediately.

He reasoned that unearthing the coin at the ranch was likely an isolated stroke of sheer coincidence.

Furthermore, even if luck wasn’t the sole factor, it remained entirely possible that Lion Asteri possessed a uniquely nature-aligned constitution.

‘It is for the best this way.’

Since all the remaining Egg Coins were densely concentrated within the ‘entertainment’ sector, tracking them down would prove far more complicated moving forward.