Chapter 189

Chapter 189
Chapter 189: Never Mind The Heir, I’ّل Focus On Healing

Patrick halted his steps and strode directly toward Lion.

“Why are you standing out in the hallway when it is chilly?”

“Oh, it is not cold at all, is it?”

The interior of the Asteri Mansion maintained a perfectly regulated climate, reminiscent of a mild spring day.

Naturally, this comfort was the result of Patrick’s constant vigilance regarding Lion’s delicate constitution.

Even so, the grandfather could not shake his lingering anxiety.

“Have you eaten anything yet?”

“No. Not yet.”

“……You haven’t eaten?”

Did he dislike the meal options?

Or was his physical health deteriorating?

Just as Patrick’s expression began to tighten with a wave of worry, Lion responded with an easy, teasing smile.

“I was waiting to dine together because you were returning home today.”

“Ah.”

Hearing those words, Patrick felt all his accumulated exhaustion instantly dissolve.

‘When did he grow up this much?’

He had actually expressed a desire to share a meal with his grandfather.

The sentiment was both deeply touching and slightly melancholic.

Had he only arrived on schedule, his grandson would not have had to wait around in hunger.

‘If that emperor hadn’t insisted on spouting nonsense.’

Patrick clicked his tongue internally before shifting his perspective.

‘……Very well. Even if it irritates me, this is a decision Lion must make.’

Since matters had progressed to this point, he decided to discuss the recent events while they ate.

“Let us head inside immediately.”

“Yes.”

Upon reaching the dining hall with Lion, Patrick noticed a subtle change in the arrangement.

‘There are two wine glasses set out.’

Patrick’s own place setting, where he occasionally enjoyed a drink with supper, always included a wine glass.

However, the other two seats at the table—

Specifically, Rikschel, who remained underage, and Lion, who had only recently attained adulthood—typically lacked wine glasses.

Yet this time, a glass rested beside Lion’s plate as well.

‘You did mention something to that effect earlier.’

He recalled Lion saying he had acquired some fine liquor from Easter and wished to share a drink when time permitted.

“Today felt like the ideal occasion.”

“……I see.”

Since he had intended to have a drink alone in his quarters anyway, the timing proved quite convenient.

As Patrick seated himself, the attendant servants quietly withdrew.

Only Alex, the head chef, remained to serve the courses personally.

After arranging the dishes, Alex poured the drinks into each guest’s glass.

Dark-colored liquor swirled within the transparent, antique crystal glassware.

“This is a mixed beverage prepared using Young Master Lion’s personal recipe.”

“Hm.”

Patrick lifted his glass and tested the bouquet.

At first, a sweet, fruity fragrance came forward, but a familiar, pleasant bitterness quickly tempered it, preventing the drink from becoming cloying.

‘It is not unpleasant.’

Patrick generally disliked overly sweet flavors.

Naturally, that preference extended to alcohol, causing him momentary concern that the beverage Lion had gone out of his way to procure might not align with his tastes.

‘This should be entirely drinkable.’

Patrick took a measured sip of the concoction.

“……!”

Without thinking, he immediately took a second swallow.

He had anticipated an artificial taste given that it was a mixed drink, but none was present.

The initial berry note felt less sugary and more like a crisp refreshment.

As the sweetness bloomed on his tongue, a deep, bitter complexity emerged to cleanse the palate.

A lingering, aromatic aftertaste followed before fading cleanly away.

It suited his preferences far better than anticipated—indeed, better than he could have imagined.

“Did you infuse black tea into this?”

“Yes. I blended it with a robust brew of the specific tea you favor, Grandfather.”

With that, Lion took a small sip from his own glass.

‘As expected of Alex.’

The preparation method might have seemed unorthodox, but the chef had executed it flawlessly according to the instructions.

Perhaps the result was so successful precisely because Alex had managed the grandfather’s meals for so long.

Naturally, the flavor appealed to Lion’s own palate just as well.

‘I can drink this quite comfortably.’

The black tea effectively softened the alcohol content, making each sip smooth.

It served as an ideal accompaniment to both the food and the light refreshments.

“Ha.”

Patrick let out a low chuckle at the mention of the black tea.

‘You despised anything bitter when you were a child.’

The particular black tea Patrick enjoyed possessed a strong, astringent bitterness.

He routinely used its sharp flavor to clear his mind when his concentration began to fade.

For Lion, who had always detested bitter tastes, experimenting with it must have been quite a leap.

“If you were going to mix a drink, you could have chosen any flavor profile. Why select this one?”

“Because novel experiences are always more enjoyable when shared.”

“……A novel experience.”

Perhaps the word experience triggered it, but his earlier thoughts rushed back to the surface.

* *Sigh*. I never imagined I would find myself worrying over matters like this.

Had it not been for Lion, would Patrick Asteri, an Archmage and the head of a prestigious magical lineage, truly be agonizing over trivial complications involving his grandson’s companions?

Patrick raised the glass to his lips once more.

‘What I experienced was simply growing pains.’

The emotional friction he had previously dismissed as annoying was, in reality, the inevitable discomfort of embracing new perspectives.

‘For someone like me to react this way.’

Life certainly continued to offer surprises.

If he intended to keep pace with his vibrant grandson, this sort of adaptation was likely necessary.

With that realization, the nagging anxiety regarding the Second Prince began to fade.

Patrick swallowed the bitter liquor that tingled on his tongue and cautiously broached the topic.

“Ahem, regarding the Imperial Palace today……”

Though Patrick attempted casual delivery, his tone sounded remarkably stiff from Lion’s perspective.

After all, his grandfather was hardly the sort to chatter endlessly about his daily affairs.

‘This might be the first time I have seen him act quite like this.’

Lion quickly raised his glass to cover his face and stifle a sudden burst of laughter.

Fortunately, the dark mixture of black tea and liqueur obscured his expression.

‘So that is how events unfolded.’

He gathered a great deal of useful information from his grandfather’s account.

First, the Second Prince, having shed his curse, was now rising in prominence.

While the exact details remained unclear, the prince appeared not only to be applying pressure to the Emperor but also reclaiming lost ground step by step.

‘And perhaps even seizing portions of the Emperor’s authority.’

Well, none of that concerned Lion directly, so he could safely ignore it.

‘This fellow—I told him not to come, yet he issues invitations through roundabout means?’

Since the message came straight from his grandfather, it evidently had nothing to do with Jack.

“Under normal circumstances, I would have declined on your behalf, but I concluded that such a course might contradict your wishes.”

“Hm.”

“How would you like to proceed? If you prefer, we can simply pretend this conversation never occurred.”

Having finished his statement, Patrick fixed his grandson with a serious gaze.

He had decided this was a hurdle Lion was capable of managing.

Even so, Lion might not yet feel prepared.

Should that prove to be the case, Patrick stood ready to shoulder the burden himself.

His grandson’s personal growth?

Naturally, that was a welcome development.

Yet if pursuing it caused undue distress, the entire exercise lost its purpose entirely.

Lion would mature in his own time, perhaps along paths Patrick could not yet foresee, developing even now at this very second.

Therefore, he refused to force a trajectory visible only through an elder’s eyes.

“……No. Actually, this works out well.”

“It works out well?”

“Yes. A profitable idea just crossed my mind.”

“What sort of idea?”

At his grandfather’s inquiry, Lion grinned and offered a casual shrug.

“Since things have reached this point, wouldn’t it be far more entertaining if everyone attended together?”

“Ho.”

Patrick’s eyes glinted as he grasped the underlying implication.

The Emperor had explicitly stated that Lion Asteri’s assistance was vital to finalizing the gathering.

Consequently, the Emperor desired Lion’s presence at the Imperial Palace.

However.

‘He never specified that *only* Lion Asteri was permitted to visit.’

For any ordinary noble household, attempting such a maneuver would be unthinkable.

Daring to play word games with an imperial decree.

Yet this was the Asteri Family.

Furthermore, the person who had heard the words firsthand was none other than Patrick Asteri.

“Whom do you plan to bring when you say everyone?”

“The individuals who honored me by attending my Coming-of-Age Ceremony.”

While numerous nobles had visited during the ceremony, only a select few held the status of guests of honor.

The First Prince and the Second Prince.

And—

“You are referring to the Marquis of Byedantis.”

“Indeed. He currently manages all his responsibilities single-handedly, so consulting with him might prove mutually beneficial. Besides, it would serve as good exposure for Rikschel.”

That strategy carried genuine merit.

Should they arrive as a unified delegation, neither the Second Prince nor the First Prince—who remained under disciplinary restrictions—would be able to maneuver freely.

Patrick let out a silent rumble of amusement within his chest.

How foolish he had been to fret over how his grandson might handle the Second Prince.

The Second Prince was not managing Lion; rather, Lion was quietly keeping the Second Prince in line.

‘Just as I would expect from my grandson.’

He had spent years worrying how his soft-hearted kin would endure such a ruthless society, only to witness such composure!

Cheers!

Patrick and Lion clinked their glasses together.

As they emptied glass after glass, the conversation flowed with increasing ease.

Their drinks were plentiful, and their underlying concerns had been resolved.

Naturally, the choice of alcohol evolved accordingly.

Transitioning from mixed drinks to wine, and finally to spirits.

By the time both of their faces bore a healthy flush, Lion cautiously brought up another matter.

“Grandfather!”

“Ahem, yes! Speak.”

“To be honest, there is something I must confess. While confined to the estate due to the house arrest, I grew rather bored… and ended up entering your private study.”

“What? Well… I suppose.”

“Hiccup! And I happened to find a journal.”

“…….”

Patrick experienced a sudden, bizarre phenomenon where his mildly intoxicated mind instantly snapped back to complete sobriety.

‘……A journal.’

He braced himself inwardly.

Only a single journal existed among his possessions.

It was essentially a collection of memories and reflections concerning his late daughter, Lara.

‘Right. He must have been curious.’

Patrick drew a steadying breath.

Whenever Lara’s memory surfaced, he still needed to armor his heart.

No matter how many years had passed, that old wound had never truly healed; it had barely scarred over.

‘What questions could he possibly have?’

Why did she perish?

Why was he powerless to save her?

Or perhaps, would the boy harbor resentment toward him?

Even if Lion blamed him for failing to protect his mother, Patrick was prepared to accept the condemnation without complaint.

In that regard, Patrick remained a perpetual sinner.

……Yet the words that actually left Lion’s lips diverged entirely from his expectations.

“So, I came to realize that you were a wonderful father, just as you have been a wonderful grandfather to me.”

“……!”

“I apologize for prying without permission, and I thank you.”

Slightly flushed with drink, Lion gave a soft giggle and took another leisurely swallow from his glass.

“Had my mother been here, she would have felt profoundly grateful as well.”

Rikschel would undoubtedly feel the same.

“……You have had too much to drink.”

Instead of offering an apology or expressing gratitude in return, those words slipped out of Patrick’s mouth.

The sole distinction from his usual demeanor was that Patrick’s statement happened to be entirely truthful.

Having spoken, Lion slumped forward, resting his forehead against the tabletop.

Patrick rose abruptly as the boy drifted downward…

“Phew……”

Hearing the steady, peaceful rhythm of Lion’s breathing, the old man released a breath he had been holding.

‘To make such a declaration and then fall right asleep.’

He felt a vague, indignant sense of bewilderment.

And yet—

Patrick slowly clenched and unclenched his fist.

He felt the strange, profound sensation of his lingering sins being quietly absolved.

All because of a single, simple word: gratitude.