Chapter 197

Chapter 197
Chapter 197: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“…….”

To be honest, I felt a genuine sense of shock.

Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate that the title “Hero” would pass through Jack’s lips.

‘Did he actually figure it out?’

That sudden worry flickered across my mind because I did, in fact, have secrets to keep, though Lion swiftly shoved the notion aside with firm resolve.

‘No way that’s possible.’

Even if Jack somehow managed to dig up far more intel than I had bargained for through unconventional channels, the math simply wouldn’t add up.

For one thing, even I remained entirely in the dark regarding the true nature of my bond with the original protagonist, or why glimpses of bygone eras kept flashing before my eyes.

The sole mechanic I could actually verify was that hidden lore snippets unlocked whenever I acquired specific items belonging to the protagonist.

If I, standing closest to the core of the mystery, was still piecing things together, then no matter how clever this successor to the previous Jack might be, or how deeply he thought he had probed…

It was a total dead end.

‘And above all else…’

“Hmm.”

I offered Jack a leisurely, unbothered smile and canted my head to the side.

Then, I shifted my posture, pulling away from the backrest where I had been lounging in total comfort.

“…….”

Jack’s face immediately lit up with an expression of triumphant certainty.

Right. He had clearly anticipated some kind of visible tremor if he threw a jab like that.

‘Did he genuinely piece together more than I gave him credit for?’

Jack felt confident he had completely unmasked Lion’s true identity.

Meaning, everything Lion had painstakingly kept under wraps.

The brilliant alchemist who single-handedly perfected the Hero’s Potion inside the Magic Tower.

The anonymous philanthropist acting as a divine messenger.

The guy capable of summoning a ‘special spirit’ far beyond normal human limitations.

And on top of all that, the complete elimination of his chronic mana reflux condition.

While he hadn’t cracked the exact methodology behind it all, he had definitely grasped the outcomes.

None of these were the sort of mundane talents attainable by an ordinary commoner.

‘Of course, he’s never actually witnessed my full combat prowess firsthand.’

Yet the sheer fact that these feats were possible proved he was dealing with an exceptional anomaly.

He and the entire Asteri household understood this reality well, which explained why they went to such exhausting lengths to suppress and muddle any information leak.

‘Indeed. I needed a pawn like this.’

Once Kyle ascended the throne as Emperor, a Hero would inevitably emerge onto the world stage.

The masses naturally craved someone to worship and revere as a savior.

If an individual showed even a fraction of extraordinary capability, society would rush to crown them as the Hero.

However.

‘There are no absolute guarantees.’

Whether that designated Hero would ultimately stand as Kyle’s enemy or his closest ally remained entirely up in the air.

Therefore.

Why not simply manufacture one yourself?

A fabricated Hero.

‘Besides, the demon race isn’t going to make a comeback.’

Which meant whoever stepped into the role wouldn’t have the opportunity to match the legendary feats of the previous Hero.

Nor would they have to throw themselves into any life-or-death crusades.

Under those circumstances, finding a more fitting candidate than Lion Asteri was simply impossible.

Weren’t many of his recent actions already echoing the hallmarks of a traditional Hero anyway?

The narrative practically wrote itself.

The former Hero vanquished the demon horde and vanished into the mists of time, paving the way for this new champion to emerge and watch over a realm exhausted by war.

The grandson of Patrick Asteri.

Lion Asteri.

Viewing the situation through that lens, the checklist of necessary objectives for the future suddenly snapped into sharp focus.

Namely, straightening out tangled relationships and steering Lion Asteri toward…

“In that case, I’ll accept it without any hesitation.”

Lion’s voice cut straight through Jack’s internal calculations.

Striking a balance between casual and deadpan, he calmly announced he would take the flattery in stride.

“Barg.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

Barg, stationed outside the reception hall under Rikschel’s strict orders to treat the visitor with maximum courtesy, hurried inside immediately.

“Take this gift.”

“Ah! I shall handle it with the utmost care.”

With those words, he easily hoisted the deceptively heavy jar and slipped out of the room.

Throughout the entire exchange, Lion’s expression remained completely locked down.

‘No.’

Though the outward mask didn’t slip, Jack’s sharp instincts caught a microscopic ripple beneath the surface.

A minute shift in facial tension. A flicker in the gaze.

That particular sign was…

Sheer boredom.

A moment prior, Lion had appeared genuinely engaged.

So what changed?

Sensing something had gone sideways, Jack leaned forward and pressed the issue.

“Is there anything else on your mind that you’re curious about?”

“Not really.”

“Surely you must have some lingering questions.”

“Aha.”

Now that it was mentioned, a minor query did pop up. Lion slapped his palm together in sudden realization and asked, “Freya didn’t make the trip back with you. What happened there?”

“…She had some personal business to handle, so she traveled separately. I didn’t see the point in dragging her along.”

Fair enough; that might be worth wondering about, but wasn’t there something far weightier occupying Lion’s focus right now?

‘I deliberately brought up the one thing he despises most.’

The mantle of the Hero.

In other words, drawing the blinding spotlight of the global stage directly onto himself.

Such a development carried enough weight to actively threaten the successor status currently held by Rikschel Asteri.

Furthermore, it represented a direct assault on the personal autonomy Lion cherished above all else.

Most importantly, it proved that Jack had managed to map out Lion’s entire web of affairs in a single stroke.

Naturally, the initial expectation was an immediate spike of negative emotion.

Jack had intended to play the role of the soothing mediator, softly talking him down, assuring him it didn’t have to happen, and dangling sweet compromises.

Before long, he planned to guilt-trip Lion’s conscience to maneuver him precisely according to the master blueprint.

Did your conscience prick you?

Not in the slightest!

If it meant securing a safer trajectory for Kyle’s future, no measure was off-limits.

Yet.

Absolute zero reaction.

The outcome clashed entirely with Jack’s carefully laid projections.

“…Are you genuinely certain there’s nothing else?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Why not?”

The impulsive question slipped out before he could filter it, fueled purely by mounting frustration.

“Why, you ask…”

Lion offered an internal chuckle at the visibly rattled display.

‘He seems thoroughly thrown off balance.’

For someone presumably seasoned in reading and manipulating people, he was letting his cards show far too easily.

Evidently, the involvement of the 2nd Prince added enough stakes to make him drop his usual composure.

‘Though from my perspective, it’s all the same.’

Either way, the upper hand in this dynamic clearly belonged to me.

Had Jack deployed a different strategy, or come armed with deeper leverage, the atmosphere might have turned out differently.

‘…No, the result would have been largely identical.’

After all, I’ve survived running into enough individuals cut from his exact cloth.

Lion specialized in dismantling those kinds of setups.

You know how those specific dynamics play out.

A scenario that runs counter to personal preference yet aligns with frightening precision alongside one’s natural talents.

Playing puppet master behind the scenes wasn’t my preferred hobby, but when circumstances forced your hand, you simply adapted.

‘Besides…’

Dropping the “Hero” card just now had effectively neutralized Jack as a threat.

If you don’t establish a firm boundary with these types early on, they invariably try to inch closer and dictate your every move.

They were professional exploiters of perceived weaknesses.

I apologize in advance, but I hold an absolute aversion to that dynamic.

Keeping his usual expression, Lion delivered his reply in a mildly irritated, offhand drawl.

“It’s nothing deep. I simply lost whatever fleeting interest I had.”

Hearing those exact words, Jack reached out to steady his teacup before pulling his hand back empty.

He attempted to project an aura of calm poise, but the vessel in front of him was bone dry.

“Let me refill that for you.”

Lion poured a generous stream of the exorbitant brew as though nothing unusual had transpired.

“…This is an extraordinary privilege. My thanks.”

Jack lifted the cup and took a large, desperate gulp of the piping-hot liquid.

The scalding temperature stung his tongue, jarring his stalled cognitive processes back into gear.

‘I made a catastrophic miscalculation of his character.’

Jack was far from slow-witted.

If anything, his brain operated at a remarkably swift pace.

Had life dealt him a different hand away from the back alleys of the underworld, he easily could have graduated at the top of any prestigious academy class.

Perhaps because of that background, Jack’s sharp analytical mind began frantically piecing together a revised theory.

‘I read the baseline all wrong from the start.’

Jack had previously categorized Lion Asteri as someone sharing his own empathetic flaws, just softer around the edges.

Someone inherently gentle, protective of younger siblings, yet lacking the ruthlessness to make hard moves.

Possessing a kind heart to a fault—to the degree that it became a liability.

The primary reason he had fought to keep Lion away from Kyle’s immediate circle stemmed entirely from that supposed misplaced benevolence.

For predators like them, excessive sentimentality proved more lethal than any poison.

Suffering injury merely by catching that disease and attempting to mimic it.

However…

‘What if his detachment isn’t rooted in kindness?’

What if his choices weren’t driven by emotional softness, but by cold, calculated self-interest?

…Then again, that distinction hardly mattered anymore.

The immediate crisis was that he had managed to provoke Lion Asteri along the worst possible trajectory.

To Lion, Jack had effectively crossed the threshold into becoming an ‘uninteresting variable’ unworthy of any further contest.

Consequently, it meant that moving forward, whatever Jack chose to do became irrelevant.

Even if he brought up the Hero narrative and kicked up a massive storm, Lion wouldn’t bat an eye.

Because the underlying investment was gone.

In short, every discernible weakness had vanished.

Yet what about the inverse equation?

‘…That vulnerability still exists.’

The presence of Kyle.

Jack knew well enough that Lion wouldn’t actively sabotage the situation right this second.

Yet what if Lion’s unpredictable curiosity shifted toward a dangerous angle?

“…….”

He continued sipping his tea, yet his throat felt completely parched.

“Ha, I’ve spent my entire life branded an eccentric anyway, so a fabricated ‘rumor’ about being a Hero barely registers. Honestly, it doesn’t even tickle.”

Tacking on that parting blow, Lion rose smoothly to his feet, looking down at Jack.

“Since you’ve made the journey to the Asteri estate, please feel free to take in the scenery at your leisure before heading back. I have matters to attend to.”

“Hold on, just a second.”

Displaying a flustered reaction entirely out of alignment with his usual composure, Jack reached out a hand, managing only to brush against the fabric of Lion’s coat.

By the time he recovered, Lion was already walking away without a backward glance, the heavy double doors clicking shut behind him.

While he possessed the physical means to give chase and force the issue, Jack knew better than to push his luck on core Asteri territory.

A single misstep here could cost him everything.

“Ha.”

Jack dragged a hand roughly through his hair, releasing a deep, pressurized sigh.

Never in his worst projections had he anticipated this specific flavor of pushback.

He fundamentally despised losing control over a situation, yet…

“There is still a margin for error.”

Muttering the words as much for his own comfort as anything else, he sank back into the plush sofa cushions and stared up at the intricate ceiling carvings.

The mental shock of taking such a clean blow left his head spinning.

‘Let’s maintain composure.’

…At the very least, the Asteri household was still extending him the courtesies due a valued guest.

They weren’t about to toss him out onto the streets overnight.

Lion had explicitly told him to stay as long as he wished.

So, what was the correct counter-play?

‘I’ll need to humble myself.’

Act like a domestic hound.

And more importantly, uncover the missing puzzle piece.

Something capable of dragging Lion Asteri back into a state of active engagement.

‘That bizarre jar has already been packed away.’

Besides, it was clearly destined for some esoteric alchemical purpose.

According to Freya’s assessments, Lion’s mastery over alchemy stood virtually unmatched, meaning cramming superficial textbook knowledge into his own head wouldn’t be enough to spark even a flicker of curiosity.

An alternative angle was mandatory.

“…Damn it all.”

This was turning into a disaster.

Jack bit out a low curse and buried his face in both hands.

“…….”

Outside the doorway, Barg caught the muffled oath through the heavy wood, elected to ignore it entirely, and resumed his post trailing behind Lion.

While Rikschel’s directive strictly mandated keeping tabs on the visitor, Barg’s acute hearing had picked up every detail of the verbal chess match…

Judging by how things unfolded…

It was going to be a very long time before that guest managed to regain his footing.

‘…Well, typical underworld business, I suppose.’

Having been hauled out of the darker circuits as a slave trader himself, Barg couldn’t find it within himself to care.