Chapter 191

Chapter 191
Chapter 191: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

As soon as Lion wrapped up his train of thought, he emerged from the labyrinth.

Elvia stood waiting near the entrance and immediately offered him a fresh towel.

“Thanks.”

Accepting the towel naturally, Lion dried his hands and posed a question.

“Did any mail arrive today?”

“Yes. The moment you stepped into the labyrinth, a single letter was delivered.”

“Ah.”

This came as welcome news.

Lion had been anticipating a message lately.

It was an update from Freya.

‘I figured a reply would reach me soon.’

Considering her previous attitude toward Lion, Jack seemed rather short-fused.

Or perhaps he simply addressed whatever caught his attention right away.

In any case, it felt unlikely that someone with such a temperament would disregard the message Lion had personally dispatched.

“I need to check it.”

“Won’t you eat first?”

“I’ll look at the letter right now.”

Moving swiftly, Lion headed back to his quarters.

True to Elvia’s word, a letter rested on his desktop.

It featured the identical pitch-black parchment and blood-crimson wax seal as the one Freya had delivered previously.

Such an ominous design would likely unnerve ordinary people to the point of hesitation.

*Swish.*

Lion broke the seal without a second thought and inspected the contents.

A gentle smile touched his lips.

* I shall be there within two days of this letter’s arrival, bringing what you requested.

The handwriting did not belong to Freya; it was unmistakably the personal script of Jack, the underworld’s supreme authority.

Judging by the jagged, irritated strokes, Lion’s subtle reminder of the underworld’s unwritten laws must have deeply annoyed him.

“Still, two days.”

At that pace, he must have manufactured the item to Lion’s exact specifications the very instant he read the message.

‘The underworld clearly boasts someone of exceptional talent.’

Even with a detailed blueprint and instructions provided, completing such an artifact would prove far from simple.

“Young Master.”

“Hm?”

“If it’s not an intrusion, might I ask what you ordered from him?”

Worry flickered across Elvia’s face.

She likely feared Lion had commissioned some bizarre device.

Lion, meanwhile, remained entirely unconcerned.

“Ah, did I forget to mention it?”

That oversight stemmed mostly from how little he had dwelled on the matter.

“I told you I’ve been experimenting with meju inside the labyrinth lately.”

“Indeed. You described it as fermented soybean mash formed into brick-like blocks.”

“Right. With those, I can produce a variety of culinary foundations.”

“Oh, fermented soybeans?”

While numerous dishes incorporated soybeans, deriving core cooking components from them sounded entirely novel.

Even as a witch, she had never encountered such a concept.

“Is it comparable to wine?”

“Something like that.”

Excitedly, Lion outlined various fermented pastes, even sketching diagrams on a sheet of paper.

As Elvia followed his explanation, realization dawned upon her.

‘He truly intends to apply alchemical principles to gastronomy.’

Initially, she wondered if something resembling soy-infused wine might emerge, but this proved entirely different.

The goal involved shaping solids, liquids, and semi-solids using meju as a base.

‘In that case… the item our young master requested is likely…’

It would almost certainly serve as an alchemical container designed to store these culinary ingredients safely.

“So I asked for a vessel known as a jangdok.”

Elvia nodded as Lion continued his elaboration.

Naturally, he required a specialized storage container for preservation.

‘He genuinely comprehends the underlying mechanics of the underworld.’

That realization brought back memories of the first letter arriving from the underworld—specifically, when Freya presented the crude potion she had brewed.

At the time, Elvia had felt genuinely impressed.

Her admiration wasn’t directed at the half-elf child’s concoction, but rather at the potion vial itself.

Though inferior to the vessels the Young Master utilized, it was crafted with far greater intricate detail than those used by the Magic Tower’s resident alchemists.

Most fascinatingly, the bottles were ornately decorated to reflect the specific purpose of the potion inside.

Some utilized glass construction, while others employed refined clay.

“You considered it superior to the work of the Magic Tower.”

“Haha, not quite that far… Still, a deal had to be struck, making it mutually beneficial.”

“A wise choice. When forced to deal with such forces, securing an advantage is always ideal.”

Elvia experienced a sense of profound relief.

Her kind and virtuous Young Master had grown capable of anticipating such outcomes.

‘I had harbored concerns that he might get swindled eventually…’

Of course, had such a scenario unfolded, Elvia would have intervened through ‘alternative means,’ but allowing Lion to handle matters independently fostered better personal growth.

‘Besides, watching him manage things proves far more entertaining.’

Even if letting their innocent puppy interact with a stray hound of the underworld remained less than ideal.

‘Petrick is keeping a watchful eye as well, in any case.’

Should any genuine threat materialize, Elvia would simply need to drop a subtle hint to Petrick.

“Right?”

Oblivious to Elvia’s internal musings, Lion proudly placed his hands on his hips.

“Once everything is ready, let’s all share a meal together.”

“Hoho, am I included in that invitation?”

“Naturally.”

Lion nodded, a faint motion of his tongue wetting his lips following the gesture.

Stews invariably tasted richer when simmered vigorously in a large pot rather than portioned out for just one or two individuals, didn’t they?

Doenjang stew with finely diced spicy chili peppers…

The mere thought made his mouth water.

“Anyway, if anyone arrives looking for me, escort them to the receiving room. Understood?”

“Understood. I shall brief the gatekeeper accordingly.”

With a light bow, Elvia departed from the chamber.

“Everything is running smoothly, huh?”

Discarding the letter onto the nearby surface, Lion collapsed face-first onto his mattress.

Recent days had brought an unbroken sequence of tranquility.

Awakening, tending the garden patch that doubled as a greenhouse, and monitoring the meju.

Occasional visits to the village provided a change of pace.

Though a drunken conversation with his grandfather had recently revealed the Hero’s last recorded whereabouts pointed toward the ‘North,’ immediate action remained impossible.

How could anyone hope to track faint traces across the vast northern expanse?

Furthermore, even if clues surfaced…

‘Attempting it in my current Story Mode state…’

His present physical condition lacked the fortitude to endure such harsh conditions.

He had no intention of acting recklessly.

‘At the very least, establishing a baseline of preparation is essential.’

Whether that meant gathering sufficient mana to unlock an additional circle or advancing his Spirit Arts to a higher tier.

To achieve those milestones…

‘Concentrating on the immediate present is best.’

Historically, true progress always accompanied moments where he embraced his current circumstances and found enjoyment in them.

Consequently, manufacturing unnecessary complications served no purpose.

“True. Shall I head over to Mimir Forest today as well?”

“Ppii!”

Ah, visiting Mimir Forest more frequently had indeed become part of his recent routine.

‘Not for gathering herbs, mind you, but for leisure.’

…Though he admittedly still collected ingredients and brewed potions diligently whenever the opportunity arose.

Primarily, however, the excursion served as a chance to enjoy the hot springs alongside Nature and the mysterious egg.

Surprisingly, the Evil Beast’s Egg exhibited remarkable thermal resistance and seemed to thoroughly enjoy soaking in the warm mineral waters.

‘That realization genuinely caught me off guard initially.’

Understandably so—submerging an egg in scalding hot water sounded counterintuitive.

While certain alarming mental images had briefly flashed through his mind, Lion quickly dismissed them.

Contrary to those dread-filled expectations, contact with the hot spring water actually caused the eggshell to take on a shinier, smoother luster!

The phenomenon felt reminiscent of polishing his Divine Power in past days.

Thus, whenever spare moments arose, he made his way to the springs accompanied by his two companions.

“We should grab a bite first. Oh, or perhaps packing a lunchbox would be better?”

With the weather cooperating wonderfully, a picnic sounded like an appealing option.

Lion gently lifted the egg, which remained snugly wrapped inside a soft blanket.

At that exact moment…

*Crack.*

“…Hm?”

He had witnessed it clearly.

A delicate fracture had formed along the flank of the Evil Beast’s Eggshell.

Followed immediately by…

*Tap tap.*

He could distinctly feel movement originating from within the shell.

“…Wait, really?”

Right now, so suddenly?

No, what triggered this?

A specific piece of system text suddenly flashed through Lion’s memory.

Though he had paid little attention to it previously, the description associated with the Mimir Forest hot spring water stated:

* The more frequently you bathe here, the stronger the sensation that a favorable event is approaching.

“N-no way…”

Was that “favorable event” hatching?

Looking at it from that perspective, the timing made complete sense.

The Evil Beast’s Egg had accumulated a wealth of extraordinary experiences. It had been brought into a sacred sanctuary inaccessible to ordinary mortals, undergone a purification of its inner Divine Power, and even permitted interactions with the rare Luminis Deer alongside its master, Lion.

Above all else…

‘Nature remained constantly by its side.’

Even when Lion was occupied elsewhere, Nature provided attentive care to the Evil Beast’s Egg every single day.

During morning strolls, she would offer it fallen branches, and inside the labyrinth, she would gather fresh blossoms to lay near it.

“Nature, what should we do?”

Panic suddenly gripped Lion.

He felt considerably more flustered now than when he had coughed up blood after viewing Story Mode during Easter!

True, he had always known the Evil Beast’s Egg would eventually hatch at some point.

Mental preparation had therefore been ongoing.

Even so, maintaining complete composure when faced with the actual reality proved entirely different!

The only saving grace was the series of notifications materializing before him…

『The Evil Beast’s Egg is on the verge of hatching!』

『Please relocate to an environment saturated with dense mana immediately!』

『※Note: The labyrinth environment is restricted.』

At the very least, minimal guidance was being provided to direct his actions.

‘Right. Keep a clear head.’

Drawing a slow, deep breath and releasing it gradually, Lion forced his racing thoughts to organize themselves.

If he needed to locate the area highest in ambient mana outside the labyrinth…

Only two potential locations fit the criteria.

The first was the dedicated training grounds utilized by the mages of the Asteri Family.

‘No. Mana concentration peaks there only during the early dawn hours.’

With the sun already climbing toward its zenith, that location was currently unsuitable.

That left the remaining alternative…

“…I have no other choice. Nature, let’s move.”

Cradling the Evil Beast’s Egg with utmost care, Lion immediately set off at a brisk pace.

The destination he reached after hurrying across the estate was none other than…

A secluded corner situated at the absolute highest tier of the mansion.

An area forbidden even to Hoffman, the Tower Master, without explicit authorization—let alone general descendants.

It was, in fact, his grandfather’s Private Training Ground.

“Hooou.”

Lion drew a final stabilizing breath before pushing the entryway open.

Crossing that threshold meant stepping into a hazardous zone where giant icicles rained down continuously like a heavy downpour.

A single moment of dropped guard would result in being pierced by razor-sharp ice and meeting an untimely end.

Yet, he had not arrived unprepared.

Reaching into his pocket, Lion withdrew the staff his grandfather had previously bestowed upon him.

‘Assuming the Expert’s Eye has been enhanced by two stages as intended.’

Translated into magical parameters, that equated roughly to a 2nd Circle spell equivalent.

Consequently, channeling his entire current 2nd Circle mana pool into defensive incantations would generate a Shield Magic comparable to a 4th Circle tier.

Furthermore…

“Ppippi.”

Nature fluttered her wings reassuringly, as if urging him not to fret.

With her assistance, navigating the space should prove manageable.

Besides, the garments he wore possessed sufficient durability to withstand substantial impact forces…!

“Very well. Let’s head in.”

“Head where?”