Chapter 19

Chapter 19
Chapter 19: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

After receiving the priest’s treatment and stepping out in better physical shape, Rikschel, who had been waiting patiently, carefully examined Lion’s frame.

“Are you feeling a bit better, Brother? Is anything still hurting?”

I just received a blessing from a priest, so if I were actually worse off, wouldn’t that create a massive problem, my dear younger sibling…

Rikschel avoided meeting Lion’s eyes and glanced toward Father Licht, who was trailing right behind them.

They seemed to be communicating through some kind of silent understanding… Well, honestly, it’s none of my concern.

“Your abilities are truly remarkable, Reverend Father. My physical condition feels stronger than ever.”

“…Is that so? I am glad to hear it.”

Rikschel, offering his delayed sense of relief, drifted off into deep thought with a rather severe expression on his face.

He appeared to be mulling over his upcoming schedule.

It looked to be a thoroughly troublesome affair.

Indeed, whenever he wasn’t sneaking away, he was constantly occupied with something around the estate.

It is certainly fitting behavior for a future successor, but it is equally true that I find myself feeling somewhat concerned.

‘Ah, speaking of which, that priest looks quite exhausted as well. I didn’t experience any complications, but did I perhaps keep him occupied for too long?’

Or perhaps I ought to have declined the second round of treatment entirely.

Besides, isn’t it already the dead of night?

‘I should head back quickly.’

If I attempt to behave too nonchalantly at a time like this, it might only make the atmosphere between the two of them awkward.

Lion offered a polite farewell on behalf of his younger sibling.

“Then I shall take my leave now. May you always remain in good health.”

“Righteous Person… Please keep my earlier words in mind. Do you understand?”

“Haha, I believe you no longer need to fret over that. I’ll be going now…”

Lion offered a brief nod and briskly took the lead, with Rikschel trailing closely behind him.

—

Rikschel maintained a grim expression the entire walk back.

“Are you alright? You seem weighed down by a worry.”

“…I am fine. It is simply that I am a bit tired.”

“Hmm.”

That hardly looked like the exhaustion of someone who was merely “a bit tired.”

“You needn’t worry about me. Rather, your own physical state…”

“Pardon? My body?”

“Ah, it is nothing. Well then, I must head off to my mana training…”

Rikschel, sporting even deeper shadows beneath his eyes, insisted he was completely fine and marched straight toward the training grounds.

Surely he didn’t intend to stay awake through the entire night?

He is clearly exhausted, yet he refuses to sleep?

Lion reached out a hand a moment too late, only to realize that Rikschel had already vanished far ahead into the distance.

‘If you drive yourself to such extremes, you will only pay for it later.’

Leaving aside later, it is genuinely worrying to see him push himself so hard at such a tender age.

They say that one should seek out hardship while young, but… avoiding unnecessary suffering is vastly superior.

Isn’t the notion that “joy follows hardship” merely a sentiment left behind by those who managed to survive?

Just how many individuals have endured endless torment only to break down entirely…!

In any case, living as comfortably as one possibly can is always the wisest path.

As he stood there lost in contemplation, the maid Elvia materialized from seemingly nowhere and offered a subtle suggestion.

“The schedule for the successor training is demanding enough on its own, but they appear to be exceptionally overworked as of late.”

“Isn’t that the truth? I am worried he is going to run himself into the ground.”

“If that is your concern, why not bring it up directly with the Family Head?”

“Bring it up?”

“Indeed. Since you will be meeting with him regarding the arrangements for the coming-of-age ceremony anyway, why not raise the topic then?”

That was unquestionably a sound suggestion.

Would it not be effective if I prepared a small gift that subtly asked for a favor, much like last time?

For instance, something I had originally intended to craft anyway…

Something sweet.

Cookies, for example.

“By any chance, do you happen to require instruction on how to bake cookies?”

Asking how she managed to guess my cookie-making intentions would be amateurish.

“Teach me?”

You simply need to accept the offer.

“Confections happen to be my specialty.”

“That works out well.”

A witch and pastries. They certainly make a fitting pair.

‘Though I certainly won’t voice that thought aloud.’

—

…Yes. That was precisely how things had unfolded earlier this morning.

Lion kneaded the batch of cookie dough, blending flour, sugar, and butter together while picturing Rikschel’s face.

‘Rikschel’s complexion looked precisely like this shade earlier.’

A pale dough dusted thoroughly with all manner of white ingredients.

Slapping this exact lump of dough directly onto Rikschel’s face wouldn’t even look out of place.

Press—

Lion rolled out the mass evenly with a rolling pin.

Infused with specks of vanilla bean throughout the flattened sheet, the dough alone emitted a wonderfully rich and inviting fragrance.

Press—

Once that was finished, he pressed down with custom-crafted molds, forming the dough into quite charming little shapes.

Chicks, trees, and snowmen.

Among the various molds I had commissioned was one shaped like a magic wand, but… I decided to leave that one aside this time.

Rikschel is already weighed down by more than enough pressure from his successor duties and magic studies.

Wouldn’t it be far better if he didn’t have to dwell on family responsibilities, at least for the moments he spends relaxing over a gift of cookies?

“Phew, the ones for Rikschel are finished. Now, shall I prepare a batch for Grandpa?”

Grandpa is a completely different story.

Consequently, any symbols associated directly with Asteri present a bit of a dilemma.

The World Tree from the family crest, staves, magical circles… why on earth are there so many restricted motifs?

Regardless, once I weeded out all the forbidden designs, only the rather adorable molds remained.

‘I should ask Mudu to fashion some additional cookie molds for me later.’

While I am at it, I ought to express my gratitude to Leah—whom I pretended not to notice during volunteer work—and spare a few cookies for both Wood and Ipari as well.

Come to think of it, cookies make for a remarkably safe present.

They are visually appealing, place zero burden on the recipient, and instantly lift one’s mood through the simple act of eating something sweet.

Unless, of course, the recipient happens to detest sweet things.

Lion, harboring a lingering trace of uncertainty, turned to Elvia.

“Elvia… does Grandpa actually enjoy sweet foods?”

“He does not have a particular fondness for them, but he will consume anything prepared by the Young Master, so you have nothing to fret over.”

“Hmm.”

I see.

I would prefer it if he genuinely relished them because they tasted wonderful, but is there truly no way to bring that about?

As I pondered the problem, inspiration struck.

“Hold on a moment.”

Lion stepped outside briefly, retrieved the remaining banana sweet potatoes from his inventory storage, and stepped back inside.

“…You intend to incorporate those?”

“Yes.”

If I incorporate a touch of sweet potato, wouldn’t Grandpa be able to enjoy them without feeling any sense of burden?

“It is certainly an unconventional combination…”

“Let us give this method a try as well.”

Lion immediately set to work preparing a fresh batch of dough.

Press— Press—

Unlike the previous batch where sugar was used abundantly, the sugar content here was reduced by three-quarters.

‘Instead of relying on sugar, I will finely dice the banana sweet potato and fold it directly into the mixture.’

Wouldn’t Grandpa appreciate the natural sweetness of the banana sweet potato far more than an artificial sweetener like standard sugar?

He shaped the newly prepared dough, cut them out using the molds, and slid them into the oven.

Subjected to the intense heat, the cookie dough hardened, puffed up into thick shapes, and released a luxurious sweetness scented with sugar and vanilla beans.

It was finally complete.

『Lion Asteri’s Special Banana Sweet Potato Chip Cookies (★)』
-Crafted by incorporating specialized ingredients into the dough under a distinct concept. The moisture derived from the sweet potato chips infuses the cookies, yielding an ideal soft texture paired with natural sweetness. Consuming them alleviates fatigue.
-Appears to yield enhanced synergy when paired with a beverage.
『Usage- Food, Alchemy』
『☞Click to view the recipe.』

…Why on earth do mere cookies possess potion-like attributes?

“You are truly amazing. You accomplished all of this entirely by yourself, from start to finish.”

Elvia offered her sincere praise.

In truth, her sole contribution had been providing the initial recipe for the cookies.

Furthermore, the banana sweet potato added at the final stage was an ingredient even Elvia had never experimented with, leaving her somewhat apprehensive.

Yet, observing the final result now…

I suspect Lord Petrick will appreciate these even more.

“Thank you.”

“Well, the true test of any culinary creation is the tasting, so shall we sample one?”

“Shall we?”

While cookies generally taste superior after they have cooled rather than straight out of the oven, who could possibly resist a freshly baked pastry?

Lion popped a cookie straight into his mouth without hesitation.

Crunch!

The moment he bit down, the cookie met his tongue and crumbled into a delicate softness.

After a few more chews, the mellow sweetness of the banana sweet potato spread generously across his palate, sliding smoothly down his throat alongside the softened dough.

‘This tastes even better than the chocolate chip cookies I used to eat back in my past life!’

A uniquely exceptional flavor, expertly sweetened rather than tasting like a plain roasted banana sweet potato!

『Cooking Proficiency Apprentice Lv.3 achieved.』

Upon finishing the tasting session, his experience gauge filled completely, raising his proficiency level.

Simultaneously, the recipe imprinted itself clearly within his mind.

“Sweets serve to relieve fatigue. While frequent indulgence is hardly ideal for one’s health… this variety is not excessively sweet, so the Family Head will likely take quite a liking to them.”

“Is that so?”

That is a relief.

Still, presenting him with nothing more than ordinary roasted sweet potatoes while holding the title of a Duke felt somewhat lacking… at least I have something proper to show him now.

Since I am offering this as a token of goodwill, I truly hope he enjoys it.

Grandpa is notoriously difficult to read, making it nearly impossible to tell whether he genuinely favors something or detests it.

Though he did seem to appreciate that potion enough to hand it over to Silvia.

“I am merely speaking from observation. The Family Head’s appetite has picked up noticeably as of late. I heard that previously, he consumed barely enough to sustain his own life…”

Elvia’s voice trailed off slightly toward the end of her sentence.

Lion was already well aware of this fact, but he chose to let the matter drop.

There was no practical reason to dwell on it now.

‘In any case, he appears content with his current lifestyle as well.’

That is a positive development. Hmm.

“Regardless, thank you for your concern. You have been of immense assistance to me once again.”

“I have only performed my required duties. Now, shall we divide the remainder of the snacks into portions?”

“Ah! I will take care of the portioning myself. You may go and rest now.”

“Pardon?”

“There are still a few more items I need to prepare.”

“Understood. If you find yourself requiring assistance later, please do not hesitate to call for me.”

Fortunately, Elvia pressed the matter no further and quietly withdrew from the kitchen.

Leaving Lion entirely by himself…

-Appears to yield enhanced synergy when paired with a beverage.

This time, my intention was to craft a drink.

Reaching Cooking Lv.3 had unlocked various new recipes within my mind.

And… I possessed an ample supply of ingredients.

Lion immediately began rummaging through his inventory storage.

I had dismissed Elvia earlier precisely because items appearing out of thin air would have looked far too conspicuous.

‘Found it.’

Lion located the desired item tucked away in one corner of his inventory and promptly laid out the components across the empty kitchen counter.

『Asteri-made Aqua Rosemary Oil』
-It remains much too early to classify this as true cooking. It is a specialized material produced by an ‘Alchemist’.
-It possesses a wonderfully refreshing aroma.
-Curiously, consuming it on its own provides a slight alleviation of thirst.
『Usage- Food, Potion』
『☞Click to view the recipe.』

Aqua Rosemary Oil—which I utilized previously to quench the Fire Spirit’s thirst—a low-grade health potion, alongside star anise root harvested and stored away at some point during my travels.

The item Lion intended to brew this time was…

『Training Aid Drink』
-Required Ingredients: Low-grade Health Potion x5, Aqua Rosemary Oil x0.1, Refreshing Fruit x3, Star Anise Root x1
-Slightly enhances the efficiency of physical training such as swordsmanship and mana cultivation.
-However, it yields no effect regarding life-related talents.

A specialized training aid beverage.

This concoction ought to produce satisfying results for both Grandpa and Rikschel.