Chapter 222

Chapter 222
Chapter 222: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

An expansive and magnificent dining hall stretched before them.

At its center rested an elaborate feast.

Featuring specialty dishes that the Asteri Territory took immense pride in, alongside regional delicacies from the Baidantis Territory meticulously prepared by the Marquis of Byedantis just in case the flavors proved unfamiliar!

No other meal could possibly boast such refined craftsmanship.

Moreover, one could easily sense the genuine thoughtfulness woven into every single dish set upon the table.

The braised meat was cooked to such tender perfection that it dissolved instantly upon the tongue, and every vegetable had been precisely trimmed to uniform dimensions to ensure absolute comfort with every bite.

To exaggerate only slightly, it rivaled the grandest culinary presentations of the Imperial Family itself.

Despite all of this, however.

“…….”

The masters of the estate, Rikschel and Clarentia, paid the food no mind whatsoever.

Could it be that they felt awkward in each other’s presence, exactly as Lion had hoped?

That seemed even less likely.

Though both maintained a facade of flawless, deeply ingrained etiquette, the trajectories of their gazes told a very different story.

Rikschel stared intently at a painting hanging just past Clarentia.

Clarentia kept her eyes fixed on an infinitesimal speck of dust drifting through the air near Rikschel.

‘My older brother is running late.’

‘Lion Asteri is taking his time.’

Naturally, they were dwelling on nearly identical thoughts, yet…

“…….”

To anyone else, it projected the unmistakable tension of a power struggle, casting a freezing chill over the entire room.

Servants observing the silent standoff from a discreet distance murmured quietly among themselves.

“They still haven’t touched their food.”

“Wait, did we mess something up?”

“Hmm? No, not at all.”

A veteran servant replied with practiced composure.

“The first young master isn’t here yet.”

“Ah…!”

Only then did the other attendants exchange understanding nods and let out synchronized sighs of relief.

That explanation made complete sense.

Even a novice servant would know how deeply Young Master Rikschel cherished his older brother, and rumors abounded that the Marquis of Byedantis held Young Master Lion in similarly high regard.

Or, to be more precise, that he watched over him with a fiercely possessive eye.

“Still, it’s a huge relief it wasn’t our mistake.”

“Of course, of course. If we had messed up, Elvia would have already stepped in to sort things out.”

“…….”

That observation was entirely accurate.

The attendant snapped his mouth shut and nervously smoothed down his uniform.

After a brief interval—just long enough to keep the dishes from turning cold—the heavy doors creaked open.

“Did I keep you waiting long?”

Lion stepped inside, flashing an unconvincing, easygoing smile.

“Not at all, you just got here.”

“Same here.”

The instant Lion crossed the threshold, both of their expressions softened as if by magic, instantly melting away the frigid atmosphere.

It felt as though the temperature of the room itself had risen, mimicking the warmth of a newly kindled hearth.

“Haha. That is a relief.”

As Lion settled naturally into his seat, the meal finally commenced.

“The head chef appears to have gone above and beyond for this.”

“Indeed. He mentioned spending days on meticulous preparations, personally inspecting every single ingredient.”

“No wonder it tastes even richer than usual.”

Rikschel used a subtle application of levitation magic to lift a delicacy from a distant platter and deposit it neatly onto a plate directly in front of Lion.

Simultaneously, Clarentia deftly carved a succulent piece of meat away from the bone with her dining knife and slid it toward Lion’s direction.

“Uh… thank you. Thank you very much?”

Before he fully realized what was happening, a miniature mountain of food had accumulated before him.

‘Wait a second, isn’t this…?’

Isn’t this the exact same habit my grandfather used to have?

Naturally, he understood that the gesture stemmed from pure kindness and affection.

Even so, experiencing it from them carried a distinctly different weight than receiving it from his grandfather.

Finally, overwhelmed by the mounting pressure, Lion cleared his throat.

“Younger brother.”

“Yes, older brother.”

“Even so, isn’t this a bit excessive?”

Lion gestured toward the elaborate tower of food Rikschel had painstakingly constructed.

“And you as well, Marquis.”

With that, Lion picked up the portions and returned them to their respective plates.

“I truly appreciate the thought, but I am hardly a child.”

“I am not treating you like a child. It simply appeared that the dish was out of your immediate reach.”

“Your constitution remains somewhat delicate, meaning you ought to consume more.”

“I completely concur with that sentiment.”

“…….”

Caught in a sudden pincer maneuver, Lion felt his head spin for a brief moment as a mental sigh escaped him.

‘This synergy is entirely different from what I envisioned.’

While it was certainly heartwarming to see the two of them getting along so smoothly, he could never have predicted this particular outcome.

Faced with the surreal ambiance, Lion diligently chewed his food while tilting his head in quiet bewilderment.

His original intention had been to leverage his presence to bridge the gap between the two, yet the dynamic had completely reversed.

The two of them teaming up to…

How should he even frame this?

‘Is this… childcare?’

Even for Lion, the mere thought made his mind reel.

‘Considering everything I’ve lived through…’

While their outward appearances suggested relatively minor age gaps, his accumulated years of life experience told a very different story.

He had lived through far too many seasons to be handled this way.

At any rate, this particular atmosphere needed to shift immediately.

“I am perfectly capable of eating on my own, so the two of you would be better off conversing.”

“Our core discussion concluded some time ago.”

“……?”

When on earth had that happened?

After all, the Marquis of Byedantis had only just arrived today.

‘Did they settle everything in the brief window while I was away?’

Seeming to read his thoughts, the Marquis of Byedantis offered a slow nod, turning Lion’s silent question into absolute certainty.

“Our stances aligned effortlessly, rendering any further negotiations unnecessary. Therefore, you have no need to concern yourself with it.”

“Indeed. Exactly as he said. I will manage all related matters so that older brother can remain entirely free of worry.”

“Riiight then……”

While it certainly made things convenient and welcome, escaping the bizarre sensation of being coddled was an even greater relief.

“So, what course of action did you settle on?”

Rikschel dabbed his mouth with a napkin before offering his reply.

“First, as the Emperor’s birthday festival approaches, we will initiate comprehensive preparations. It will be a collaborative undertaking between the Asteri and Byedantis households. The Second Prince intends to manage any peripheral complications personally, irritating as that may be.”

How dare he casually order my older brother around, expecting him to come and go at a moment’s notice…

To be frank, Rikschel despised the entire arrangement.

It felt as though the Second Prince had manufactured chaos simply as an excuse to demand his older brother’s presence.

‘Surely not.’

While the Second Prince undoubtedly held a deep fondness for his older brother, he was far too shrewd an operator to act on mere impulse.

‘Still, this is no longer a situation where I can simply shield him forever.’

Rikschel understood this reality all too well.

Now that his older brother had fully reclaimed his vitality, ascended as the master of the labyrinth, and begun drawing widespread attention, complete isolation from the political arena was no longer an option.

Under those circumstances, seizing the initiative was the wisest path forward.

The Second Prince, who was steadily consolidating his grip on imperial influence.

The Marquis of Byedantis, hailing from a legendary lineage of master swordsmen.

And the Asteri estate, anchored firmly by the unyielding presence of the Family Head.

It constituted an impenetrable alliance to safeguard his older brother.

Yet, a single lingering anxiety remained.

Namely…

“This is on account of the First Prince, isn’t it?”

“……!”

Rikschel’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment, prompting Lion to offer a casual shrug.

‘It’s hardly a secret.’

Even those who actively avoided politics could not completely ignore glaring disruptions.

Individuals who desperately sought attention inevitably became nuisances, drawing unwanted scrutiny no matter how hard one tried to look away.

The First Prince fit that description to perfection.

Inheriting his father’s profound incompetence, he had been spoiled to the point of absolute blindness regarding his own limitations, resulting in constant, childish tantrums.

Consequently, he had recently suffered a severe, public humiliation for the first time in his existence.

‘Under those conditions, the outcome is obvious.’

Rather than backing down in cowed submission, a person like that would only grow increasingly venomous.

If a minor setback were enough to discourage him, the underlying issues would have been resolved years ago.

“Indeed. The First Prince operates entirely outside the boundaries of common sense, making his next move nearly impossible to forecast. The only certainty we possess is that he will attempt to reach out to my older brother in some capacity.”

“Precisely.”

And that reaction was entirely predictable.

Why?

‘Because he simply redirects his own frustrations toward whoever appears to be the easiest target.’

Such bitter individuals existed in the world.

Twisted souls who could only find solace by venting their spite and inadequacy onto others whenever things didn’t go their way.

The First Prince, whose potential had withered away to nothingness, was the textbook definition of that archetype.

* As expected of the primary scion of a renowned magical household.

The sneering expression and condescending tone he had displayed during the Coming-of-Age Ceremony laid bare his deep-seated desire to trample anyone he perceived as beneath him.

“At any rate, since the First Prince is likely to provoke further incidents, I intend to exercise greater vigilance.”

“No. You are required to do no such thing.”

“Pardon?”

“There is no reason for my older brother to endure any hardship stemming from the First Prince’s tantrums. However, since my methods may occasionally take a rather forceful turn, I wanted to ensure you understood beforehand.”

“Y-you don’t mean…?”

The Marquis of Byedantis gave a solemn nod of concurrence.

‘A rather forceful turn?’

This was the first time Rikschel had ever voiced such intentions.

‘Wait a moment…’

Could it be that the pampered wretch of a First Prince had previously targeted Rikschel as well?

It was an entirely plausible theory.

Rikschel had been thrust into the cutthroat environment of the Imperial Palace at an exceptionally tender age.

It was entirely possible that an intellectually inferior yet older First Prince had routinely subjected him to subtle harassment.

‘This certainly demands a thorough verification on my part.’

Meanwhile.

Lion popped a fruit-infused pudding—served as the final dessert—into his mouth while casting a sidelong glance toward Rikschel.

While he felt deeply appreciative of their overwhelming protectiveness, a lingering worry remained.

‘If they keep neutralizing every threat this way, the cycle will never break.’

Even though the Second Prince was widely projected to claim the throne eventually, the First Prince’s political standing would not collapse overnight.

Even if the Emperor proved utterly ineffectual, the Empress still wielded considerable backing, did she not?

More accurately, the conservative core of the central nobility stood behind them.

Those opportunists would readily manipulate the First Prince to safeguard their own collective interests.

The sole reason they remained dormant at the moment was their profound terror of his Grandfather.

And even though the political winds had shifted in favor of the Second Prince, those factions still retained ample leverage to survive.

However.

What would occur if the underlying tensions escalated further from this point?

He had little doubt they would push the First Prince toward orchestrating a catastrophic incident.

‘And the target of that incident would undoubtedly be…’

The Asteri household, which stood as the Second Prince’s most prominent pillar of support.

And within that household, the bullseye would naturally be painted on him—the perceived weakest link.

Even with his family and allies dedicating themselves entirely to his defense, blocking every single hidden blade was an impossible feat.

“Still, knowing I have so many formidable people watching my back provides immense peace of mind. It allows me to move about without undue stress.”

“Yes. Please rest easy and leave matters to us.”

“Hahaha. I appreciate it.”

Lion gracefully wiped his mouth with a napkin and rose from his chair.

“I shall head up to my quarters now. Today’s travels have left me rather fatigued.”

“Exhausting your physical limits is detrimental to your well-being.”

“Shall I have someone escort you?”

“Hahaha. There is truly no need for that.”

Sporting a convincingly cheerful demeanor, Lion turned and strode out of the chamber.

The second the heavy doors clicked shut behind him, an icy, profound silence reclaimed the vast dining hall.

“It appears…”

“Yes. It seems older brother is already plotting his own course of action.”