Chapter 181

Chapter 181
Chapter 181: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

By the time Lion came back, the conference must have concluded because Rikschel was waiting outside.

“Older Brother.”

He then carefully checked Lion’s physical state.

“Are you doing alright?”

“Hm?”

Lion understood what Rikschel meant to ask, yet feigned ignorance while tilting his head.

“Ah, the displays in the lobby were quite impressive, you know. Worth seeing.”

“……Is that so?”

Rikschel let out a breath of relief, acting as though a crisis had been averted.

Only then did the Second Prince, who had been observing from a distance, start walking over.

It looked like he intended to depart alongside the Merchant Guild Leader.

‘…Well, that’s settled!’

The Second Prince’s complication was resolved, and he had successfully shaken off the Merchant Guild Leader as well.

Since he would likely need to investigate how his information leaked, he wouldn’t approach Lion anytime soon.

That was quite enough.

‘Well, if he investigates and finds nothing, he might hang around one more time.’

Even in that case, couldn’t he just play dumb?

Silence carries immense weight.

Crucially, the superior who had burdened Rikschel with overwhelming duties had recovered some health, meaning excessive work hours would likely drop significantly.

‘Hmm, not a bad result at all.’

Naturally, I also went through an unprecedented ordeal, but it was strictly an incident, and compensation came with it, so let’s simply put it behind us.

“Shall we head back then?”

“Yes. Let’s move.”

Just as they were about to step into the carriage.

“Wait a second, Liiiooon!”

Someone came running breathlessly from afar.

It was Willy… or rather, several others trailing right behind him.

Each of them was clutching massive boxes!

“What, what is going on?”

Lion, with one foot already inside the carriage, stared blankly and looked at Rikschel.

“I’m not entirely sure either, but it appears to be a farewell present.”

No wonder the man had rushed away the moment the meeting ended.

Rikschel emitted a soft sigh.

Meanwhile, Willy and the staff reached the carriage and gazed at Lion with intense, overwhelming eagerness.

“……Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Had we known you were departing so hastily, we would have organized the gifts much sooner.”

“Hahaha… why go to all that trouble.”

He had already secured a solid profit and completely forgotten about gathering souvenirs at the hotel.

Lion laughed awkwardly, eyeing the burdensome pile of presents.

“So, are all of these meant for me?”

“Yes, indeed. To clarify right away…”

Willy launched into an extended explanation concerning the gifts.

Most consisted of rare toys and keychains obtainable exclusively at Hotel Easter, and then, remarkably…

“These are rare seedlings.”

“Seedlings?”

“Yes. Actually… even though Easter holds the premier position among hotels, it cannot rival the vast fortune of the Asteri Family…”

Presenting jewels felt awkward, and offering hotel vouchers was pointless since Easter already fell under Asteri territory.

In short, they could visit whenever they pleased.

“We pondered quite a bit, and this seemed the most fitting choice… We would be deeply honored if you accept them. Hohoho…”

As Lion attempted to peer into the crates, a quick-witted employee flipped open a lid to reveal the contents.

Inside lay herbs and plants that thrived only beyond the continent.

Above all else…!

“This is.”

“Yes, exactly. A fruit cultivated specially by our Easter.”

They were Mushberry seedlings.

Though they looked rather dreadful, their flavor was phenomenal!

‘If I possess just these…!’

There were endless possibilities if they managed to cultivate Mushberries on their own.

They could turn them into fruit preserves, jams, or juices.

Candied fruit… might not look terribly appealing visually, though.

Regardless!

‘I can let the folks back home taste them too!’

Especially since he had been wondering how many years he would need to age the Mushroom Berry Liqueur because Rikschel remained a minor, this timing was fantastic.

As Lion’s eyes twinkled with excitement, Willy felt reassured and flashed a double thumbs-up.

“We’ve enclosed detailed cultivation instructions. Furthermore, we selected only the finest seedlings, so they are guaranteed to flourish vigorously!”

“This is the greatest gift! Thank you so much!”

“I am thrilled that you appreciate them!”

“Hahaha!”

The two of them instantly bonded, even exchanging a light hug.

Rikschel, watching the scene unfold…

‘…When on earth did they get so close?’

Surely, when he last saw them, their relationship was strictly that of a hotel manager and a guest.

What transpired while I was busy working and sleeping, Older Brother…!

“Ahem, I shall take the gifts inside now.”

As if answering Rikschel’s silent cry, Lion hastily wrapped up his farewells with Willy and ducked into the carriage.

The employees shut the crate lids and methodically loaded the cargo hold with the presents.

They packed everything so precisely that the storage space filled up instantly without a single empty gap.

“Whew. Very well then. I leave the rest in your capable hands.”

Rikschel gave Willy a casual, weary goodbye before climbing into the carriage.

Once serviced, the carriage slowly rolled forward, heading outward from Easter.

“Heh.”

Lion smiled with deep satisfaction, thinking of the substantial treasures stashed in the cargo hold.

“Do you enjoy them that much?”

“Naturally. When else would I receive such bountiful presents? It’s all thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me?”

“Hm? Well, you asked Willy to place an additional order, and this is simply the reward for that effort, correct?”

“What?”

“Hm?”

No…

Lion slowly turned his head to look out the carriage window.

In the distance, Willy was waving a handkerchief to send them off.

Even that view vanished the moment they crossed the boundaries of Easter grounds.

“Older Brother.”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Could you halt the carriage for just a moment? I suddenly recalled something I forgot to ask the manager.”

“No, if it isn’t urgent, wouldn’t it be fine to skip it?”

It seemed that the note had reached Lion through private channels.

Consequently, if they stopped the vehicle right now, Willy would most likely…

‘Get caught like a trapped rat!’

Considering the man had handed over wonderful gifts as a consequence, repeating that ordeal was unnecessary.

“Haha… ha… Oh dear, I am exhausted. I need to take a quick nap. Right, Nature?”

“Peep.”

Lion deliberately brushed aside Rikschel’s request, stretched his limbs out, and shut his eyes.

Nature let out a protesting peep, but Lion clenched his teeth and ignored it completely.

“Older Brotheeeer!”

“Oh, so sleepy. Zzzz…”

Thanks to Lion’s convincing fake slumber, the carriage kept rolling without interruption all the way back to the Asteri Family estate.

Their brief yet eventful hotel holiday thus came to a close.

—

The plan to visit the market immediately upon reaching the mansion was shattered instantly.

The reason behind this sudden shift was simple:

“You are placed under house arrest for the upcoming week.”

“What?”

“The forest, the kitchen, the library, and the knight order are all strictly off-limits.”

“Whaaat?”

It hit like a bolt from the blue.

Not only was leaving the village forbidden, but even the places Lion frequented most were completely blocked off!

“Grandfather, what did I possibly do to deserve this punishment?”

To Lion, who posed the question in sheer disbelief, Petrick dispatched a letter using flight magic.

He likely chose this method because throwing a physical letter at his cherished grandson felt too harsh.

Lion opened the note in a daze, and inside…

“…Understood. I shall obediently remain in my room.”

It contained a personal message penned directly by the Second Prince.

The text explained that thanks to Lion, the prince had enjoyed a wonderful meal after a long time and received much-needed comfort.

As a postscript, it added a heartfelt plea for Lion to rest at home for a full week, noting how fatigued he looked.

The only saving grace was that there was no mention whatsoever of curses or disguises…

‘I am completely ruined.’

Lion had no choice but to offer a bleak self-assessment after a long interval.

“Hoffman will arrive by afternoon, so keep that in mind.”

“Yes.”

He wanted to claim he felt fine, but Lion himself could not accurately gauge his physical condition.

Even with the combined power of potions and Nature, this recovery differed slightly from a normal internal injury, meaning it might not be entirely healed.

“Um, Grandfather.”

“……”

Petrick stared at Lion with an expression swirling with complex emotions.

He appeared worried sick about a grandson who returned from overworking despite being told to rest, yet he also looked furious.

He was likely frustrated by his grandson’s stubborn refusal to follow simple instructions.

The grandfather asked for very little.

Simply to remain healthy.
To avoid falling ill.
And on top of that, to enjoy his own life happily.

Aren’t those the most fundamental things any family could wish for?

‘He showed me a tremendous amount of consideration as well.’

In truth, enduring a week of confinement was also something the grandfather had to exercise significant restraint over.

Overcome with guilt and embarrassment, Lion scratched the back of his neck and offered a hesitant, sheepish smile.

“Still, it was quite fun.”

“Haa…”

Petrick let out a heavy sigh upon seeing Lion react that way.

He wondered how his grandson had turned into such an absolute troublemaker.

That smile mirrored his mother’s precisely, making it impossible to stay angry.

Then again, perhaps the fault lay not with his beloved grandson, but with the Second Prince.

‘Why on earth did the Second Prince, that heartless fellow, do this to my grandson…’

Something significant must have occurred during their time away, yet neither Lion nor the Second Prince seemed willing to discuss it.

He could threaten them to extract the truth, but Petrick knew that crossed a line.

The moment he tried prying into every minor detail, it felt like clipping the wings of someone he loved.

“……If Hoffman issues a clean bill of health, I will cut your confinement time in half. However, should he find any lingering issues… then prepare yourself to remain locked in your room for months until you are fully recovered.”

“Yes.”

“And… exercise greater caution the next time you go out to play.”

“I apologize for causing you worry.”

“That is enough. You may leave.”

Lion exited the office with an awkward smile, then popped his head back through the doorway.

“Ah, I brought back some fine liquor from Easter. Let me know later if you have time.”

“You rascal…!”

He had only learned about his grandson’s illness through someone else’s letter, yet his grandson’s first thought was suggesting a drink.

Petrick felt a sudden surge of emotion, sighed once more, and waved a dismissive hand.

He understood the sentiment; now go rest.

“Haha.”

Lion departed with a silly grin lingering on his face despite the warning.

It felt as though his eccentricities grew worse every single time he left the estate and returned.

While he occasionally felt the urge to scold the boy severely, seeing him moving around freely always managed to calm his temper—which presented a persistent problem.

‘…By the way. Liquor.’

He couldn’t even recall the last time he shared a drink with family outside of a formal, rigid setting.

Furthermore, sharing a drink with his own grandson was something he had never even imagined possible.

“They say old age brings second childhood.”

He knew he shouldn’t indulge it, yet he found himself wishing the day he could share a drink with his grandson would arrive sooner.

Meanwhile, back in his own room…

‘First, I need to check the Silling Shop.’

He typed keywords including ‘Netherworld’ into the Silling Shop search bar.