Chapter 188

Chapter 188
Chapter 188: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing
Elvia navigated the darkness and stepped inside Petrick’s bedchamber.

Even the veteran attendants hesitated to tidy Petrick’s quarters, leaving the space in the exact disorder the two puppies had caused days prior.

While others might overlook such details, a remarkably observant Petrick would instantly notice the smallest disturbance.

Naturally, I could simply let it remain untouched…

I had been contemplating letting the adorable attempt at secretly snooping through Grandfather’s journal slide.

The same applied to Rikschel, who had shown up belatedly.

Mainly because I figured it would prove far more amusing.

And…

‘She was truly a spirited little lady.’

Thanks to the mischief of the two youngsters, fond recollections stirred to life.

Elvia cleared away the lingering signs using magic and offered a soft smile.

Lara remained uniquely endearing, even to Elvia, who had walked the earth for nearly a millennium.

She seemed almost too radiant to be the offspring of an obstinate Petrick.

Yet, since the young woman had long since departed this realm, Elvia kept her safely cherished within her memory.

Much like the countless souls who slipped away from her, unable to withstand the relentless march of time.

Still, this marked the first instance she found herself reminiscing about the departed in such a fashion.

And strangely enough… it felt surprisingly pleasant.

Rather, it resembled drifting through a comforting dream.

‘However… the delay is rather unusual this time.’

Having completely restored the room to order, Elvia rested her chin in her palm while gazing toward Petrick’s vacant chair.

Even during her journeys north to inspect the Great Barrier, she had never remained away for quite this long.

The Great Barrier always stood resolute, and Petrick despised the squandering of time above all else.

The underlying reason, naturally…

‘It must be because of my adorable little ones.’

Elvia understood Petrick’s deep affection for his grandchildren better than anyone.

Long before the family grew this tightly knit, Petrick’s devotion had remained steadfast.

It was simply that his outward expression often fell short.

Regardless, absences rarely stretched beyond a single week.

Yet this occasion marked an unprecedented homecoming after more than a week had passed.

In truth, only one plausible explanation came to mind.

‘It must stem from the Emperor’s upcoming jubilee.’

No matter how deeply he detested the affair, he remained a foundational pillar of the Empire.

Consequently, he likely inspected the Great Barrier with heightened rigor while concurrently filing supplementary administrative reports.

‘If so, he must be thoroughly exhausted.’

Quite deserving of a stiff drink.

Elvia wore a mischievous grin.

“In that event… maintaining a tranquil household routine for the time being seems wisest.”

Normally, I would have intervened directly, but since that half-elf youngster appears to have made up his mind, I intend to step back and observe how things unfold.

—

That very afternoon.

“Teacher!”

Freya shouldered a traveling pack nearly matching her own stature and strode into Lion’s quarters.

Her expression radiated intense gravity, as though she had arrived at an unshakeable resolution.

The Salamander, mirroring its master’s demeanor, displayed an unusually solemn and austere countenance today.

“I must be away for a brief period.”

Lion offered a nod, understanding that Freya was bound eastward for the nether realms.

“Understood. Do not push yourself past your limits.”

“Yes! I shall faithfully deliver your intentions, Teacher!”

Frankly, sending Freya eastward on her own stirred a mild unease, though he figured she would manage.

For one, Freya was far from an ordinary spirit medium, and the Elf Realm had additionally bestowed protective wards upon her.

Should the necessity arise, the elves would mobilize to extract her.

Naturally, operating within the nether realms rather than Asteri could easily precipitate a perilous predicament…

‘Yet that falls outside my responsibility.’

The entire situation stemmed directly from Jack’s actions.

Lion mused quietly to himself before speaking aloud.

“Nevertheless, should you encounter genuine peril, invoke my name to withdraw. Understood?”

“Understood!”

Freya delivered an energetic confirmation, bid her farewells, heaved her pack into position, and waddled away from the Asteri estate.

‘If they consent to my terms, the process will likely require at least a week.’

Lion’s demands proved far more exacting than anticipated.

In exchange, should they grant what he truly desired, he intended to respond with full sincerity.

‘Whether he chooses to believe it remains Jack’s concern.’

Normally, such manipulative dealings might awaken a twinge of guilt… but since they initiated the hostility, he felt no remorse.

‘Should he fail to deliver what is asked…’

Well, it mattered little.

He could simply manufacture it himself.

As those thoughts crossed his mind and he spun around, Elvia materialized directly behind him.

Typically, when someone approaches with such stealth…

“Is this regarding Grandfather?”

“Indeed. You are correct. The Head of the Family is scheduled to arrive this evening.”

Just as anticipated.

It appeared Grandfather was finally returning from an extended expedition.

“Yet his return is somewhat delayed this time.”

“He appears to have been heavily preoccupied with the Emperor’s jubilee matters lately.”

“Does Grandfather personally oversee such trivialities?”

“He handles security protocols. The Emperor places immense value on his personal safety.”

“Hmm…”

Lion acknowledged the point with a nod.

The Emperor desired his birthday celebration to eclipse all previous banquets in sheer opulence.

He recalled Grandfather harshly rebuking the monarch for displaying hollow vanity devoid of actual competence.

And that the ordeal proved intensely wearisome.

Quite understandable, really. Managing the Great Barrier single-handedly already fulfilled his duties, yet he was forced to oversee security for an incompetent and bothersome ruler.

‘And moreover…’

Lion reflected upon the passages he had perused within his journal days prior.

Lara, signifying his mother, carried a history of attempting to draw near.

While he had never experienced parenthood or raised a child, one certainty remained undeniable: the sensation must be profoundly disagreeable.

‘Hmm… in that case, tonight is the night.’

Lion thought of the specialized liqueur stowed securely within the cabinet.

On evenings like this, washing away any lingering bitter or unpleasant sentiments with a strong drink proved far superior.

‘Grandfather rarely indulges to excess.’

Furthermore, possessing the constitution of an Archmage, he was unlikely to succumb easily to intoxication.

Lion had likewise nearly wrapped up his own affairs.

Jack’s predicament would only advance once Freya reached the nether realms.

Meaning… partaking in a drink with Grandfather posed no issue whatsoever.

“Elvia.”

“Yes.”

“The timing is appropriate, correct?”

“It is.”

Elvia, having mastered the knack for responding effortlessly to abrupt inquiries, answered Lion softly.

“Young Master. Are you perhaps contemplating preparing the meal personally?”

“Hmm, that is a possibility, though…”

Lion hesitated, shaking his head.

Should Lion prepare the accompanying dishes himself, the conversation would inevitably veer toward culinary topics.

That ran counter to Lion’s desired atmosphere.

“I shall leave the matter to Alex.”

“Understood.”

Elvia dipped her head in a slight bow before vanishing.

Concurrently.

Petrick, finally granted return to the household where his cherished grandchildren resided…

“……”

His expression carried a chill more severe than ever before.

Waves of dense, frigid mana radiated from Petrick inside the carriage.

Fortunately, he rode alone; otherwise, any companion would have been overwhelmed to the point of collapse.

Petrick’s fingers drummed impatiently against the armrest.

“The man is a persistent nuisance,”

Petrick muttered under his breath.

The Emperor had already faced severe admonishment concerning the First Prince.

Consequently, he had assumed the ruler would maintain a respectful distance from Petrick for the foreseeable future.

That is, assuming the Emperor possessed any measure of common sense.

Yet today’s monarch had deviated entirely from Petrick’s expectations.

“That reminds me, I understand the eldest Young Master of the Asteri lineage personally presided over his coming-of-age ceremony.”

“……That is indeed accurate.”

“Truly remarkable. He must carry an endless burden of responsibilities. Quite unlike our own princes…”

Up to that juncture, the conversation remained tolerable.

He merely assumed the Emperor was rambling nonsense simply to mask his own nervousness.

However, the subsequent remark proved utterly preposterous.

“Therefore, I have been considering a request. I would appreciate it if Young Master Lion Asteri attended prior to my jubilee to conduct a final security audit.”

“……”

Despite witnessing Petrick’s countenance freeze into ice, the Emperor pressed on as though reading from a prepared script.

“Any date is acceptable, provided it is done once. Securing the prestige of having presided over the Imperial birthday will serve your future endeavors well.”

Whatever transpired within the Imperial household, the Emperor’s demeanor had shifted drastically.

Most notably, the manner in which he referred to ‘princes’.

Traditionally, only the First Prince held true standing in the Emperor’s eyes.

The Second Prince was merely an unwelcome reality he had been forced to tolerate.

Thus, he routinely erased the Second Prince’s existence from his thoughts.

Yet the current situation told a different story.

Following that declaration, the Emperor practically bolted from the room as though fleeing for his life.

Before Petrick could even voice a refusal.

‘This bears the unmistakable hallmarks of the Second Prince.’

He was clearly coercing the Emperor utilizing some hidden leverage.

While that might have been ignored so long as the First Prince and the Emperor refrained from outright chaos,

this raised concerns of an entirely different nature.

‘What on earth transpired at that establishment?’

Why would the Second Prince manifest such intense interest in Lion rather than Rikschel?

Though outperforming the First Prince in capability, the Second Prince still fell well short of Petrick’s standards.

Primarily because a descendant of Jack, the infamous rogue, operated behind the scenes.

And further…

‘He presumes to issue directives to my grandson.’

Indeed, that particular transgression proved utterly unforgivable.

Even he, despite worrying over encroaching upon his grandson’s personal time, refrained from summoning him so casually!

“……Hoo.”

Petrick expelled a long, heavy sigh.

He longed to dismiss the incident entirely, but given the Second Prince’s involvement, alerting Lion so he could decide his own course of action remained the wiser path.

‘While I discourage poor associations, but…’

Truthfully, did Lion not require peers of his own generation?

Lion appeared to operate under the assumption that only Rikschel lacked companionship, but Petrick viewed the matter from a distinct angle.

Naturally, building friendships for Rikschel carried benefits as well.

Yet considering his disposition…

‘The boy is a lost cause.’

Even as his beloved youngest grandson, Petrick’s assessment remained unsparing.

After all, the child inherited his exact temperament.

Companions… he likely had little use for them.

Besides, did Rikschel not already possess his greatest confidant in his older brother, Lion?

Lion, however, was fundamentally different.

Lion’s nature mirrored his mother, Lara, down to the smallest detail.

He relished human interaction and found joy in exploring diverse pursuits.

While he occasionally favored solitude, he generally thrived as a child who drew vitality and fresh perspectives from connecting with others.

‘…Hoo. Very well. One must encounter unfavorable company to recognize true virtue.’

Should the boy prove troublesome later, he could simply step in and sever the tie.

Even so, as a grandfather, the entire affair left a sour taste.

‘Hoooo. Never did I imagine having to fret over such trivialities.’

Lost in these turbulent musings, the carriage came to a halt, and the door swung open.

He had anticipated evening, but the hour had advanced slightly beyond it.

‘I suppose skipping supper will suffice.’

So reflecting, just as he prepared to bypass the dining hall.

“Grandfather!”

Lion, the very source of his current anxieties, greeted Petrick with a radiant smile.