Chapter 186

Chapter 186
Chapter 186: Never Mind The Heir, I’ّل Focus On Healing

Lion swiftly spread a cloth wrapper out across the kitchen floor and set the beans down directly upon it.

Perhaps because he had fashioned it larger than a standard cloth wrapper out of an abundance of caution, it rested quite firmly.

“I am glad that I took the time to sew this cloth wrapper after all.”

Ordinarily, he would have placed the beans back inside the sack or plastic packaging they arrived in for the task, but no alternative container was available here.

Naturally, had he requested assistance from Andri or Hoffman, they would have meticulously crafted one for him, but allowing Lion to handle the tailoring proved both quicker and far more reliable.

‘There was simply nothing else to occupy my time.’

Even if he merely sat reading books, Elviana or Rikschel would inevitably wander over and cast critical glances his way…

Although he felt their reaction was somewhat excessive, it was not entirely illogical, so he accepted the circumstances with grace and channeled his boredom into sewing whenever a spare moment arose.

Lion gathered the beans, arranged them into a proper shape, and draped a second cloth wrapper over them, completely enclosing the thoroughly ripened legumes.

And finally…

*Swish.*

Lion slipped off his shoes and carefully pulled a pair of thick, lined socks over his feet.

The lined socks, constructed from a much heavier grade of cotton than standard footwear, enveloped his ankles and soles in cozy warmth.

This precaution ensured he would maintain traction on the cloth wrapper and prevented any accidental slips.

“Very well. Shall we begin?”

Lion stepped cautiously onto the fabric surface.

The immediate sensation beneath his feet was the residual heat radiating from the warm beans encased within the wrapper.

The feeling of the legumes yielding under his body weight tickled the soles of his feet right through the heavy cotton socks.

“Ah, maintaining my balance here is rather difficult.”

He could suddenly understand why the elders always insisted on wearing lined socks whenever they prepared meju.

Working atop a shifting sack filled with damp, yielding beans proved surprisingly slick.

‘I must take care not to trip.’

If the sound of a heavy fall inside the kitchen reached the ears of his family… aside from the sheer embarrassment, he risked being placed on restriction once more.

‘The punishment would likely last far longer than a week.’

With that sobering thought in mind, his movements naturally grew much more deliberate.

“Peep.”

Noticing the master’s newfound caution, Nature—who had been observing his peculiar routine from nearby—fluttered over, seized Lion’s finger, and gave it an upward tug.

“Hm? Do you wish for me to hold on?”

“Peep peep!”

The creature’s eager attempt to assist was so endearing that Lion could not suppress a chuckle.

“Very well. You are the only one who looks out for me.”

Lion then extended his hand outward, readily accepting Nature’s commendable support.

And then…

“Oh.”

Astoundingly, keeping his balance instantly became effortless!

Nature must have manipulated the surrounding air currents to steady him in some subtle fashion!

“You have learned to do this as well now?”

The task demanded a far more refined touch than simply generating gales to blow people backward or erecting barriers to trap them.

After all, it required calculating the exact moment Lion would begin to sway and predicting the precise direction of his lean.

It was by no means a basic skill; rather, it was a feat born entirely of deep communion with his master.

His astonishment was therefore entirely justified.

“Peep~.”

Hearing Lion’s praise, Nature puffed out its chest and spread its wings wide, chirping with evident pride.

It gave the distinct impression that the sprite had done far more than merely rest after looking after the eggs back at the hotel, prompting Lion to laugh out loud as he resumed his work.

Once the laughter subsided, the process of preparing the meju felt even more enjoyable than before.

“Right then, let us return to the task.”

First, he applied steady pressure to the center where the bulk of the beans lay, compacting them so he could stand comfortably before tending to the outer edges.

What felt awkward at the outset steadily grew more refined as time pressed on.

He had not realized it initially, but the work required much more than blindly stomping down with one’s body weight.

‘There is a genuine technique to it.’

Lion repeatedly crushed and formed the legumes, distributing his weight evenly across his heels and the outer edges of his feet.

When the mixture reached a consistency where the designation of meju felt far more accurate than mere crushed beans, he transitioned to the next phase.

Lion stepped off the molded mass, pulled away the cloth wrapper, and inspected the beans to ensure they had been broken down uniformly.

Although this marked his first time crafting meju independently, his extensive familiarity with dishes incorporating the ingredient allowed him to judge the quality instinctively.

“Hmm. This should suffice.”

Certain sections were thoroughly mashed, while the distinct texture of individual beans remained visible here and there.

Because he had drained the excess moisture thoroughly at the start, the mixture did not feel overly wet or soggy.

This balance would ensure proper adhesion when pressed into molds later while maintaining adequate airflow for optimal fermentation.

‘Of course, what matters even more than the prep work is the actual fermentation.’

No matter the endeavor, establishing a solid foundation invariably reduces the likelihood of failure.

‘Still, this feels like it is heading in a positive direction.’

He had plotted out this project long in advance, so even though the actions felt unfamiliar, he encountered no frustrating roadblocks.

Lion scooped up the beans and transferred them into a square wooden frame.

He pressed down firmly with his palms, packing the clay-like meju tightly into the corners of the mold.

He worked with precision to ensure no internal air pockets or cracks formed.

He shaped it as delicately as a potter forming a prized ceramic vessel.

And the crucial rule to keep in mind here was…

‘Do not give in to greed.’

A massive block did not automatically translate to superior meju.

Without proper caution, an oversized batch ran a much higher risk of spoiling during fermentation due to restricted airflow deep within the mass.

‘Therefore, I shall keep them on the smaller side.’

Fortunately, the dimensions of the wooden frame could be adjusted, so Lion shaped the batch slightly smaller than traditional meju blocks before repeating the process.

He pressed down with firm, steady force, rounded off any sharp corners, and arranged the finished blocks neatly upon the cloth wrapper.

Lost entirely in concentration, he soon found a complete row of square yet softly rounded meju blocks lined up neatly beside him!

“Hoo!”

Lion wiped the sweat from his forehead with his forearm and smiled with quiet satisfaction.

With this quantity, he could prepare everything he desired while leaving plenty aside for proper aging.

Naturally, once the process advanced to the actual fermentation stage, he would require storage pots, but he already had a specific solution in mind, allowing him to concentrate fully on the present step.

“Heave ho.”

Lifting the newly formed blocks carefully to prevent any structural damage, Lion carried them out of the kitchen.

His initial plan had been to utilize the well situated just outside, but leaving the blocks there risked inconveniencing the estate servants.

‘This is not a matter of a mere couple of days.’

Meju required roughly a full week just to ferment, and factoring in the subsequent drying phase extended the timeline to a solid month.

He had no desire to burden the domestic staff with the presence of curing blocks for that prolonged duration.

Above all else…

‘The area surrounding the well is far from ideal.’

Any stray splashes of water or rising humidity levels could easily cause the interior of the meju to rot entirely.

Alternatively, it might encourage the growth of strange molds he had never encountered before.

To properly guard against such hazards…

‘There is simply no location better suited than this.’

Indeed, he meant the library.

To be precise, he meant the secluded hut situated at the far end of the labyrinth—a space that served equally well as an outpost or a private hideout!

Lion strode into the library without a moment’s hesitation.

The terminus of the labyrinth greeted him with its familiar, unchanging scenery.

A cool breeze rustled the surrounding foliage to produce a refreshing rustle, and the afternoon sunlight poured down warmly.

Furthermore, thanks to the various items Lion had manufactured and installed during his frequent visits, the space now carried a distinct, lived-in warmth.

Was this what people called a blend of camping and rustic rural life?

At any rate.

“This spot is absolute perfection.”

Lion stepped directly into the interior of the hut.

Unlike the crisp breeze blowing outside, a potent wave of comforting warmth greeted him immediately.

He had simply failed to notice it previously because he had grown entirely accustomed to it.

‘This building…’

Though the exact method of its construction remained a mystery, the underlying climate control mechanism bore a striking resemblance to an ondol system!

Naturally, the warmth likely stemmed from a permanent heat-retention enchantment woven into the flooring rather than an actual fireplace.

Well, regardless of the mechanism.

No better environment existed for drying meju.

Lion spread out the bundles of rice straw he had hauled from the kitchen across the floor and arranged the meticulously shaped meju blocks evenly over top.

From this point onward, the routine required nothing more than leaving them to rest upon the straw, turning them periodically, and allowing them to dry thoroughly.

“Hoo!”

That concluded the day’s labor!

Lion gazed down at the rows of drying blocks with a look of immense pride before stepping back outside the hut.

He could easily manufacture jang at an accelerated rate by forcing the fermentation process, but he chose to exercise restraint for the time being.

After all, a multitude of other projects awaited his attention here besides mere meju!

“Next up, I believe I shall plant some mushberry seedlings!”

—

One morning, several days after Lion had effectively shut himself away within the labyrinth.

“Eek!”

Freya was seething with rage.

Her anger had nothing to do with the fact that her teacher had failed to visit her even once since she returned to Easter and her grounding order was lifted.

Was the teacher not still young?

Naturally, they must possess countless personal pursuits and interests demanding their time.

Moreover, given their boundless talent, she could easily forgive a degree of neglect directed toward herself.

‘In truth, mine is the position of someone who ought to be clinging to them for guidance.’

Consequently, while she harbored a genuine, if minuscule, sense of disappointment, genuine fury was absent.

‘An exceptional teacher checks in roughly once a month, after all!’

Freya’s current wrath stemmed from an entirely different source.

The underworld was to blame.

Specifically, the anger was directed squarely at Jack, the supreme leader of the underworld network.

“Tsk…!”

Freya clutched a correspondence she had intercepted through a clandestine courier network and trembled with indignation.

Sensing its master’s agitation, the tiny salamander perched atop her conical hat puffed a wisp of warm air from its nostrils.

“You expect me to return simply to deliver a routine progress report?!”

Since when did they conduct mandatory face-to-face debriefings serious enough to warrant a formal dispatch like this!

Worse still, the summons was not directed at the underworld personnel as a whole, but singled her out exclusively!

Given her natural inclinations, her immediate instinct was to disregard the directive entirely and remain right where she was, but unfortunately, she was currently utilizing a significant quantity of equipment and funding backed by the underworld.

Thus, as someone whose living arrangements and research were subsidized, she lacked the standing to issue outright complaints.

True enough. They bankrolled her experiments, meaning she was obligated to follow their directives.

Even so, did this not cross a line?!

“Why on earth must you suddenly become so malicious?”

Indeed! The core of the problem lay in the fact that the recall order itself originated from pure malice on Jack’s part.

The matter of Freya’s housing arrangements had already been settled conclusively between the teacher’s younger sibling and Jack himself.

From the underworld’s perspective, maintaining contact allowed them to monitor internal affairs within Asteri, while the teacher’s younger sibling could communicate with Jack through a much more expedited channel.

Freya merely acted as the bridge facilitating communication between the two parties.

In other words, she was hardly sitting around idling her time away while pursuing only her own interests!

One could fairly argue that the strategic interests of all three parties aligned perfectly!

Furthermore, there were no routine developments of any significance to report anyway.

They had already interrogated her regarding every conceivable detail!

“Ugh! I refuse to goooo!”

Unable to bring herself to tear up the letter, Freya crumpled it into a tight ball and buried her face deep into her bedding.

After all, she still faced a literal mountain of pending tasks.

Above all else, she would eventually have to deal with that twisted lunatic Jack.

The salamander scrambled down from her hat and gently patted Freya’s cheek with its miniature front paws.

After soaking in the creature’s comforting gestures for a few quiet minutes, Freya abruptly jerked her head upward.

“…Wait. Why did he summon me specifically by name?”

Once her racing thoughts cooled slightly, a lingering suspicion remained.

If anything, Freya currently served as the primary liaison maintaining open channels with the underworld.

Regarding ongoing schemes and even minor disturbances cropping up within the Asteri household, Freya had faithfully reported every scrap of information she uncovered.

Even the Asteri faction made no active attempt to obstruct these communications.

If her ties to Asteri presented no inherent issue, what exactly was the underlying problem…?

“Surely not…!”

Freya shot upright into a sitting position.

A problem did exist. A very real one!

It pointed directly to the incident where the teacher traveled to Easter and ended up confined to quarters!

‘You mentioned that the second prince was the one who dispatched that letter, did you not?’

Furthermore, as far as Freya’s intelligence sources indicated, Jack and the second prince maintained active business ties.

That being the case…!

Could Jack’s sudden hostility be directly connected to the teacher’s recent ordeal…?