Chapter 208

Chapter 208
Chapter 208: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Alchemist’s Moonlit Energy Gangjeong (★★★)

* Flavorful nuts accompanied by sweet and tangy dried fruit, all bound together by a rich, aromatic cloak of special honey!
* Who could possibly turn this down?
* Especially a bear beastman with an absolute fondness for honey; they would lose their mind over it!

Lion surveyed the batch of gangjeong he had just finished preparing.

‘Indeed. With just this!’

Whether an ordinary bear or a beastman of the same kin, any creature with a sweet tooth ought to be utterly captivated—yet things were never that simple!

‘To be frank, relying solely on this presents certain challenges.’

There was no doubt it served as a deeply alluring and irresistible trap.

The gangjeong Lion crafted was exceptionally well-made.

However, the adversary wasn’t merely a wild beast; they were a bear beastman, intelligent and cunning.

This meant that after being drawn in by the aroma and devouring every last piece of the gangjeong, the creature might suddenly turn vicious and unpredictable.

Furthermore……

‘Bears possess considerable intellect.’

People often mistakenly assume that foxes hold a monopoly on cleverness, but bears are far from dull-witted.

This proved doubly true for beastmen.

‘Consequently, they likely realize they are already being hunted.’

Lion had even considered the possibility that the target might avoid the trap altogether, but judging by their recent behavior, that seemed unlikely.

Their past actions had been remarkably bold.

They had halted the carriage briefly, sneaked directly into the apiary, and even selectively plundered the ripest fruits from the orchard.

‘It should be obvious they would get caught if they kept up such reckless behavior.’

Yet, they continued their petty crimes unabated.

The reason behind this came down to a single factor.

They possessed enough skill to escape even if cornered.

‘And if the person waiting here with such bait is just an ordinary human like myself?’

Wouldn’t they slip away without a second thought?

That was precisely why Lion had prepared one more countermeasure.

Sleep Inducing Powder (★★)

* Indulged a bit too much in sweets? Then try pairing them with this powder!
* A savory blend crafted from banana sweet potato stems and a variety of soothing herbs.
* Highly effective at curing severe cases of insomnia upon ingestion.
* ※Caution※ The effects are magnified exponentially for those who have consumed large quantities of sugar.

This was a formulation Lion had concocted long ago during his early days of potion experimentation.

Initially, he had hoped to win praise from Rikschel or his grandfather, both of whom routinely pushed themselves to exhaustion day and night, though he ultimately never had cause to use it.

‘Rikschel is gradually learning to pace himself.’

Grandfather’s complexion had also improved remarkably after consuming the mental fatigue recovery potion.

Though it seemed most others hadn’t paid much attention to the change.

Regardless.

“Thanks to that, I happen to have a supply left over.”

With the help of this sudden blood sugar crash—or rather, this specialized sleep potion—that bear would undoubtedly drift off to dreamland in no time.

If that occurred…….

‘Barg will be more than capable of managing the situation.’

Once that happened, Lion could hold the troublesome bear beastman financially accountable for the stolen banana sweet potatoes and every other infraction!

Thinking along these lines, Lion gently dusted the sleep-inducing powder over the plate of gangjeong.

Fine white crystals, resembling salt, shimmered as they adhered to the surface of the sweets.

The final presentation looked quite appetizing.

“Splendid. The preparations are complete.”

Only one thing remained…….

Lion glanced toward the window.

Outside, Barg could be seen pacing back and forth with nervous energy.

The young wolf didn’t seem to realize what was going on inside, let alone catch the scent of the honey.

‘Barg will handle his part well.’

Though he hadn’t briefed him yet, Barg’s role in this operation was surprisingly crucial.

‘After all, he is a red wolf beastman.’

Most common folk remained entirely ignorant of beastman bloodlines, but within the beastman tribes, red wolves were regarded as even more noble and revered than the lion beastmen who ruled the kingdom.

The opposing bear beastman was unlikely to launch an immediate attack upon seeing Barg.

If anything, the creature would likely be consumed by curiosity.

“Nature.”

“Ppippi.”

“It’s probably best if we keep this part of the plan quiet from him for now, right?”

“Ppiyi.”

After a brief pause, Nature bobbed its head in agreement with Lion’s assessment.

“Very well. Then we shall proceed with the plan as intended!”

Carrying the cooled plate of gangjeong, Lion stepped out of the kitchen, which still lingered with the rich fragrance of sugar and honey.

As the back door swung open…….

“……!”

Barg, who had been growing restless from the overwhelming aroma, stared at the gangjeong with wide eyes.

“You couldn’t smell it at all from out here, could you?”

“N-no! Thanks to Nature concealing it, not a single trace of the scent leaked… but.”

Barg kept his gaze fixed firmly on the plate.

“Is this the trap?”

“Indeed. Does it smell appetizing to you?”

He offered no verbal reply, but the audible sound of him swallowing gave him away completely.

Under normal circumstances, such a reaction would have mortified him, but in the presence of such alluring bait, pride was entirely forgotten.

‘Th-this sweet and savory fragrance is unlike anything I have ever encountered…!’

A delicate undertone of fresh berries drifted through the rich scent, making him feel bewitched simply by standing near it.

‘W-wait, does that mean…’

A sudden realization snapped Barg back to reality, prompting him to speak up in a rush.

“M-Master, you ought to move this bait away from here immediately.”

“For what reason?”

“Well, bears possess an exceptionally sharp sense of smell. With a fragrance this magnificent, they are bound to show up!”

“Really? That sounds ideal.”

If Barg was reacting this way, it confirmed that the bait had turned out precisely as intended.

“Shall I carry it instead? If you will direct me to where we are setting the trap—”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“But still—”

Before Barg could finish uttering the word of warning, Lion offered an easy smile and interrupted him.

“Because your only job is to protect me.”

“……!”

The words carried absolute sincerity.

Yet, there was an even more tactical reason behind the arrangement.

‘This is my personal reckoning.’

The flicker of annoyance that had recently faded from Lion’s eyes flared back to life.

‘I intend to squeeze every last drop of accountability out of this intruder.’

Steeling his resolve, Lion strode briskly toward the edge of Mimir Forest, holding the plate aloft.

“You have arrived.”

The Asteri family knights, who had finished positioning themselves beforehand, offered a respectful greeting.

“Yes. Everyone has worked diligently.”

“Not at all. In truth, thanks to your assistance, Master, this operation is certain to proceed without issue.”

The knight who spoke, alongside his companions standing behind him, struggled to conceal their confusion upon noticing the iron skillet and strange energy bars resting in Lion’s hands.

‘What exactly are those?’

‘Could he have brought refreshments to encourage us during our watch?’

‘Word has it that anything Young Master Lion cooks is truly extraordinary, so I suppose I can’t help looking forward to it.’

The nut gangjeong genuinely looked appetizing enough to elicit silent praise from the onlookers.

“However, ahem, if I may be so bold, what precisely is—”

Caught between the expectant stares and unspoken curiosity of his peers, one of the knights hesitantly rested a hand near his sword hilt—or rather, its empty scabbard—and voiced his question.

“This is the bait.”

“I see. The bait… Pardon? Did I mishear you, sir?”

“It incorporates every single element a bear finds irresistible.”

“…….”

He certainly wasn’t wrong.

Nuts, berries, and honey.

The fundamental issue, however, was that…….

These were precisely the ingredients soldiers enjoyed as well.

“I-I see….”

The knights managed to keep their expressions composed with considerable effort.

They had briefly forgotten how delightfully eccentric the eldest young master could be.

‘Such a waste… to leave something so precious out in the open.’

More than a few knights instinctively swallowed their saliva.

It simply looked too delicious to abandon…….

“Understood.”

“Very well. Thank you for your continued hard work.”

The knights exchanged brief farewells, retrieved their respective weapons, and began withdrawing toward the distant mansion.

“…….”

Barg remained the sole individual utterly bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

‘Why are all of them leaving?’

Weren’t they supposed to be staging an ambush for a bear?

If so, why did they decide to leave Young Master Lion behind completely unprotected?

He briefly wondered if perhaps today wasn’t the designated day after all.

Tap, tap.

“Try not to push yourself too hard.”

“The youngest has his work cut out for him.”

“Keep your guard up.”

“Ah, yes….”

As they passed, the knights offered reassuring pats to his shoulder and head.

Their demeanor strongly suggested they were privy to some secret information!

Barg found himself sinking even deeper into confusion.

Even after the final knight vanished from sight.

“Um, Master.”

“Hmm?”

Lion carefully set the plate down upon a flat boulder and turned around.

“I apologize for interrupting when you are busy, but what happens now…?”

“We catch the bear, of course.”

“Right. But if every single knight has withdrawn, who is actually going to subdue the beast…?”

Before the word “subdue” had fully left his lips, a sudden realization struck Barg like a physical blow.

‘Ah. It falls to me.’

Am I the one expected to handle it?

The bear?

His master had dropped hints to that effect prior to making the gangjeong.

He had asked for assistance with a personal grievance.

Barg had readily agreed without a second thought, yet not once had he imagined the revenge would involve such direct confrontation.

After all, until now, Master had always—!

‘Entrusted me with nothing more than minor errands…’

Barg desperately wished to prove himself as a reliable pillar of support for his master.

That meant dealing with dangerous threats and neutralizing them directly.

Or perhaps tasks like hunting.

Up to this point, however, Master must have judged his abilities insufficient, which explained why such duties were never mentioned.

Young Master Rikschel had experienced a similar treatment early on.

He had been assigned guard duties and subjected to grueling training regimens, yet no grander expectations had been voiced immediately.

Which could only mean one thing…….

‘… B-Barg! This is your moment!’

Barg slapped both cheeks sharply with his palms and fixed his gaze forward with intense determination.

Perhaps this exact opportunity would allow him to transform into someone genuinely worthy of aiding his master!

“There shouldn’t be any major complications, but if the situation takes a turn for the worse, your sole duty is to keep me safe.”

“Understood! I will see this through without fail!”

“Hm? Oh. Do your best.”

Fired up far beyond what the situation called for, Barg flexed his fingers and extended his sharp claws with grim resolve.

‘Well, things like this happen from time to time.’

Choosing not to overthink Barg’s dramatic enthusiasm, Lion turned his attention to finishing the remaining preparations.

In truth, very little preparation remained.

He double-checked that the capture net laid out by the knights was positioned correctly, and instructed Nature to suppress both his and Barg’s scent from drifting into the surroundings.

This exact precaution was the real reason the knights had been dismissed.

A dense concentration of human presence within the woods would inevitably put the target on high alert.

“Let us find cover.”

“Right!”

In addition, just to be thorough, concealing themselves deep within a thick cluster of nearby bushes should ensure complete secrecy.

“Now, we simply wait.”

Whether a violent confrontation would ensue remained to be seen.

Even if the creature was a bear, it possessed the characteristics of a beastman, meaning verbal communication ought to at least be an option.

‘Before any conversation can happen, however, it needs to take the bait.’

The stakeout might even stretch across multiple days.

‘There is no telling how long the spirit arts will maintain their concealment.’

Even with his proficiency in spirit arts having advanced recently, sustaining them over an extended duration presented distinct logistical hurdles.

He hoped to wrap the matter up as swiftly as possible.

Time slipped away quietly until the twilight hour when the shadows lengthened into deep silhouettes.

‘Sniff….’

By now, the rich fragrance of honey must have permeated every corner of Mimir Forest, if not reached even further into the surrounding wilderness.

Yet, the plate of nut gangjeong remained entirely untouched.

In fact, even the smaller woodland creatures, like the squirrels that had darted about during the afternoon, were completely absent from the vicinity.

‘It has arrived.’

The sudden disappearance of local wildlife served as a definitive indicator that a apex predator was lurking nearby.

Neither Lion nor Barg was making enough movement to frighten off ordinary animals.

If the wildlife was fleeing, then the culprit… must be the targetted bear beastman.

At that exact instant.

Rustle.

“……! Master.”

Sensing the shift in the air, Barg lowered his voice into a tense whisper.

A massive, heavy mass began parting the foliage on the opposite side of the clearing.

That giant, boulder-like silhouette casting a dark shadow through the undergrowth…….

‘It’s here.’

A bear emerged into view, its coat gleaming with an oily, well-groomed sheen.

The creature possessed a frame so excessively robust that its sheer physical bulk was staggering.

It was undeniably overweight for a bear, moving with a heavy, rolling waddle.

Anyone catching a glimpse would immediately recognize it as plump and overfed…….

A state of absolute, unapologetic overnourishment.

‘Goodness… it has been quite some time since a mere appearance managed to irritate me this thoroughly.’