Chapter 219

Chapter 219
## Chapter 219: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Fortunately, a recognizable name finally surfaced.

The butler remained unaware of the murmurs exchanged by the two staff members and set off immediately to locate Elvia.

Well, he was on the verge of doing so.

“Is something troubling you?”

That was when Elvia materialized out of thin air.

“Gasp!”

“Not again… coming out of nowhere!”

Startled, the servants hastily scurried off to resume their duties.

“???”

The butler alone remained completely oblivious to anything out of the ordinary.

It was a reasonable reaction, given that Marquis Byrdantis was equally notorious for his elusive movements.

Everyone had grown far too accustomed to those sudden arrivals and departures!

“Ah, what fortunate timing. Actually, I was hoping to consult you about a few matters…”

“Concerning me?”

Elvia met the butler’s gaze with a gentle smile.

*Such a naive fellow.*

Still, boredom made the timing quite convenient.

He seemed like an ideal target for amusement, and his personality suggested that even a slightly self-serving approach wouldn’t cause any real issues.

Should complications arise, the situation could simply be smoothed over as though it had never transpired.

Regardless, he would serve as an adequate plaything.

Unaware of Elvia’s inner musings, the butler got straight to the point.

“Well, you see…”

Though he believed his explanation was clear, it turned out rather drawn-out, so to summarize:

“Are you asking me to instruct you in household management?”

Nod, nod! The butler nodded eagerly.

“Hmm.”

Elvia tapped a finger against her chin, feigning deep and leisurely contemplation.

*Reminds me of days long past.*

Managing an estate had not always come easily to Elvia either.

Naturally so, given the circumstances.

After all, Elvia happened to be a witch.

Crash!

Thud!

Creak!

Elvia briefly retraced those nostalgic memories.

Back in those days, mastering the nuances of ‘restraint’ was a clumsy affair, frequently resulting in the structural ruin of more than half the mansion.

Had the head of the Asteri Family not possessed remarkably competent magical lineage for generations, absolute chaos would have ensued.

In comparison, the butler’s present predicament seemed quite endearing.

*Now, how did we handle it back then…*

Ah, yes. A subordinate caught in the awkward threshold between panic and sheer confusion had once offered this advice:

“To begin with, let us organize the duties you can already manage flawlessly.”

Indeed. Those exact words had been spoken.

“…Flawlessly?”

“Precisely as I said.”

Elvia provided a somewhat benevolent clarification.

“We simply catalog the simplest responsibilities first and gradually structure them. Afterward, we pinpoint any remaining gaps and implement intensive training for those specific areas.”

“Oh…!”

That sounded like genuine wisdom.

In truth, any casual observer might have remarked, “Isn’t that common sense?”

The butler, however, viewed the matter differently.

He listened with undivided attention, his eyes gleaming with admiration.

“Following that, you will want to re-familiarize yourself with the foundational duties beyond your current capability. If you desire, I can tutor you in those areas directly right here.”

“Would that truly be acceptable?”

“Provided the butler has no objections.”

Free labor was always welcome, after all.

Elvia swallowed the unspoken addendum.

“Then I would be deeply grateful for your guidance.”

“Splendid. Shall we commence with dishwashing?”

The two exchanged bright smiles.

A distance away, the watching servants trembled with apprehension.

Elvia, who had secured genuine authority within the mansion the very moment she crossed its threshold, was now putting the head butler of a prestigious swordsmanship lineage to work!

*Let us… avoid this situation entirely…*

*Perhaps the upcoming Head Maid will simply be this Elvia individual.*

Without delay, the servants wrapped up their current tasks and retreated from the hallway in haste.

—

While the butler and Elvia enjoyed a productive and pleasant workload, and Marquis Byrdantis remained in the guest quarters recovering from his journey, Lion sat down at his desk for the first time in quite a while.

Spread before him were sheets of paper, a writing instrument, and an assortment of heavy volumes.

Given his usual tendencies, it was an entirely uncharacteristic sight.

Lion experienced a quiet wave of nostalgia.

*Just how long has it been since I sat down properly like this?*

Such a scene had not occurred since he first inhabited this physical form.

*Prior to occupying this body, this constituted my everyday routine.*

Though, admittedly, the surroundings had been somewhat more cluttered than this—complete with a tumbler of potent coffee and a wastebasket overflowing with empty energy drink cans… yet, those essential tools designed to help an office worker ‘endure’ were scattered about nonetheless.

At any rate, the motive bringing Lion to this desk was specific.

“It all comes down to this item.”

Lion tapped lightly against a small vial of dye.

As anticipated, an examination of the substance had revealed the formulation with ease.

*The recipe itself poses no obstacle.*

The sole drawback lay in its slightly deficient cost-efficiency.

Naturally, novel materials commanded high prices, yet this particular creation existed on an entirely different tier.

“Which means incorporating three distinct colored gemstones…”

Well, acquiring them through Asteri presented no difficulty, and securing enough up to Marquis Byrdantis’s level should prove manageable, but…

*Commercializing this venture appears unlikely to be straightforward.*

Furthermore, regardless of one’s financial resources, the availability of gemstones remained fundamentally finite.

While Marquis Byrdantis expressed interest in a potential purchase, such a transaction seemed improbable.

*Well, that is a concern to address once the process is finalized.*

Yet, with the formula successfully deduced, what kept Lion seated here?

The reason was clear.

*Swish.*

Lion retrieved his pen and surveyed the sequence of requirements hovering before his vision.

『 Incorporate Aquamarine cultivated in morning dew. 0/1 』

『 Incorporate Diamond tinted with young arboreal sprouts. 0/1 』

『 Incorporate Ruby steeped in vibrant crimson pomegranate. 0/1 』

The gemstones carried specific prerequisites.

Criteria that ordinary individuals would find decidedly abstract.

After all, how was one supposed to manufacture gemstones, dye them, or steep them?

Yet Lion, without a moment’s hesitation, set the methodology down onto paper.

The ink-laden pen nib glided smoothly across the surface, producing a soft scratching sound, occasionally accompanied by the rustle of turning pages.

At times he wrote; at other times he sketched.

Moments later, a rudimentary yet comprehensive set of instructions took shape beneath Lion’s hand.

“Let us review…”

Lion quickly scanned the resulting guide.

Considering it was his first attempt in a considerable period, the outcome appeared remarkably neat.

Back when he was a corporate novice, drafting reports by hand beforehand to preempt mistakes had been standard practice, though he never imagined that habit would prove useful here.

*…I truly subjected myself to every conceivable task at that company.*

What era demanded handwritten corporate reports anyway… No. The past was behind him, so it was best to move forward.

“At any rate, this phase is complete.”

Lion rolled up the documentation, secured it, and stood from his seat.

With preliminary preparations finished, the groundwork awaited execution.

The initial destination was clear.

The labyrinth.

“Ah, right.”

Before departing, a brief retrieval of gemstones from the storage vault was necessary.

—

“This spot will suffice.”

Reaching the labyrinth, Lion made his way directly into the woodlands.

This particular section featured trees of optimal proportions, making it ideal for arranging the required setup.

The method was straightforward.

*Flap!*

Lion extracted a waterproof fabric wrapper from his pocket and spread it open.

It was the identical piece of cloth previously utilized for pounding meju.

*This material is waterproof, correct?*

Consequently, suspending this cloth wrapper between trees would allow for the efficient collection of morning dew.

In substantial quantities, too!

“Nature. Pus. Can I get a hand?”

“Peep!”

Nature fluttered upward, utilizing a gust of wind to elevate one extremity of the fabric toward a branch.

Meanwhile, Pus, treating the action like an engaging pastime, immediately seized and anchored the opposite corner.

“Good boy. Stay right there, Pus.”

“Grrr!”

Emitting a playful growl, Pus braced his fore and hind limbs firmly against the ground, striking a remarkably valiant posture.

*…Adorable.*

To Lion, naturally, the creature merely appeared cute.

Suppressing a chuckle, Lion secured the setup tightly with cord as a final touch.

By fastening all four corners to appropriate trees, a makeshift tent featuring a gently sagging center was successfully erected.

“Splendid. Now, the final step for this location is placing the aquamarine right here…”

The initial phase was complete.

Returning early the following morning would allow for the actual crafting of the aquamarine.

“Next, then…”

Lion transitioned immediately to his subsequent destination.

That location was none other than the Mimir Forest.

Could any environment be more suitable for acquiring fresh young sprouts?

Nabbing juvenile shoots from branches that had only recently begun to bud, Lion navigated the Mimir Forest with the familiarity of his own estate.

『 Acquired Fresh Young Sprouts (★)! 』

“Somewhat fragile, as expected.”

Using his fingertips, Lion exercised the utmost care in gathering the foliage.

*Tap, tap*, delicate as though plucking choice tea leaves.

『 Acquired Fresh Young Sprouts (★★)! 』

This yielded specimens of a noticeably superior grade compared to the previous attempt.

The tactile sensation against his skin rivaled the softness of silk.

An intense, distinctive green aroma filled the air.

Despite their diminutive and delicate appearance, they radiated profound vitality.

*I shall utilize them precisely in this state.*

An initial plan had involved water purified via thermal springs, yet letting such a rich fragrance go to waste seemed regrettable.

Lion rinsed the young sprouts within chilled purified water, blended them with a selection of alchemical agents, and brewed the entirety.

*Swoosh.*

The leaf-based components dissolved like cotton candy, yielding a viscous, vividly green liquid reminiscent of vegetable extract.

“Now, into this mixture…”

*Plop!*

Dropping the diamond directly into the prepared solution initiated the dyeing process, concluding that stage.

The remaining requirement involved…

“Pomegranate.”

While the mansion’s kitchens possessed a supply of pomegranates—making a return trip entirely feasible—Lion opted for an alternative route.

Specifically…

“Pardon me, young master? To what do we owe this visit?”

He stood before Buck, who now held the official status of a full-fledged employee rather than an apprentice.

“Buck, are you occupied at the moment?”

“Pardon? Is there an issue?”

Buck attempted to gauge the young master’s underlying objective.

While occasional inquiries regarding the status of his father’s brewery surfaced, this marked the inaugural instance where Lion had inquired about his current workload.

*Perhaps he requires specialized knowledge in that domain?*

Though not quite possessing his father’s level of expertise, Buck adopted a resolute expression, determined to render assistance to the utmost of his abilities.

“I have concluded all pressing duties for the moment, young master.”

“Good. There is a matter I wish to discuss.”

“I am prepared to answer with absolute sincerity.”

“Does your brewery happen to produce pomegranate wine?”

“Pomegranate… wine, you say?”

While inquiring about pomegranate wine rather than traditional grape wine was unusual, the question itself remained surprisingly conventional.

“Indeed we do. Along with several other varieties of fruit wine.”

In fact, following the hints Lion had dropped regarding the beverage produced during his previous vacation, Buck’s father had continuously experimented with novel recipes.

Though beer constituted the brewery’s primary output, producing wine was well within their capabilities.

“Would you perhaps wish to visit and speak with my father?”

“Eh?”

Buck was instantly flustered.

Naturally, the prospect of seeing him was welcome… yet they had not met since the prior vacation.

Since both resided within the same territory travel was technically possible, but lacking the convenience of noble warp gates made casual visits difficult outside of designated breaks.

“Well, yes, an opportunity to see him would be wonderful, but…”

“A day trip should prove entirely feasible, should it not?”

“Indeed. Provided the journey is possible… though.”

*Could such a thing genuinely occur?* Buck kept the skeptical thought unspoken.

For the young master standing before him wore his characteristic, enigmatic smile once more, accompanied by a distinctly expectant gleam in his eyes.

—

**Follow-up Question:** Would you like to explore how Lion’s crafted items function within the labyrinth next?