Chapter 223

Chapter 223
Chapter 223: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

The pair, relying on instincts akin to the heightened senses of Lion Asteri, perceived a shift through their ongoing actions.

“Wouldn’t it be wiser to place him under restraint?”

Clarentia voiced her thoughts first.

“That approach lacks merit.”

“Is that because it would infringe upon Lion Asteri’s autonomy?”

Rikschel shook his head with firm conviction.

“My older brother pursues his objectives through whatever means necessary. Should we resort to confinement for his protection—”

“In essence, his endeavors would simply turn clandestine, aggravating the situation further.”

“Precisely. Safeguarding him by keeping his every movement in plain sight proves far more efficient.”

“That reasoning holds true.”

One key insight gained via the Byrdentis Family’s intelligence network was that Lion Asteri possessed a much higher degree of thoroughness than anticipated.

‘I failed to recognize that when we met earlier in the Baidantis Territory.’

Previously, I had viewed him merely as considerate, meticulous, and perhaps slightly—no, rather exceptionally—eccentric.

To put it kindly, remarkably gentle. To put it coldly, someone incapable of looking after his own basic needs.

Much like this very pudding served for dessert.

Of course, that trait remained entirely separate from his undeniable intellect.

Consequently, my initial plan involved direct protection alongside seeking his counsel back within the Baidantis Territory.

At the very least, maintaining his immediate proximity gave me full confidence in my ability to shield him.

‘That calculation was erroneous.’

For no particular reason, the Marquis of Byedantis nudged the syrup-drenched pudding with the broad side of his small spoon.

The dessert jiggled before settling back into its initial form.

‘He proves far more versatile than expected, and even more so, he conceals a multitude of secrets.’

Labyrinths, sorcery, alchemy, spiritual arts.

Along with divine power and hidden curses.

Despite projecting the image of someone who merely drifts through life indulging in lighthearted amusement, he guards the depths of his capabilities fiercely.

‘Especially considering he maintains that same guarded facade even toward his cherished family.’

Such tendencies appear rooted entirely in his nature.

The Marquis of Byedantis moved to divide the pudding with his spoon, only to pause midway.

Uncovering the truths hidden beneath would necessitate reckless excavation, a course of action he wished to avoid.

Just as Lion Asteri awaited my movements, the time had come for me to orbit around him instead.

To achieve that end.

“Then, until that moment arrives, we shall proceed according to plan, leaving the selection of suitable attire for the Emperor’s birthday celebration as our next agenda.”

I must cement a formidable alliance with Rikshell Asteri seated before me.

“Agreed. To ensure my older brother avoids unwanted attention at the gala, both of us must outshine the rest. To that end, I have already drafted some potential designs. …How do these strike you?”

“Those fail to satisfy my tastes. I shall commission Lion Asteri directly.”

“Understood. Moving forward, then…”

The two swiftly set about dismantling the pressing obstacles before them through a remarkably direct exchange.

…While the outcome drifted away from the trajectory Lion had envisioned, their synergy remained undeniable.

—

“If I simply withdraw now, the outcome will at least be a pleasant conversation, correct?”

Lion gently patted his satisfied stomach as he stepped out of the dining establishment.

Having indulged slightly beyond his usual limit, a heavy sense of fullness lingered.

The thought even crossed his mind to engage in light physical exertion before retiring for the night.

Lost in these reflections, he came to a halt before his chamber door.

Scratch, scratch.

Pat, pat, pat, pat!

The distinct sound of tiny claws scraping against the wood drifted to his ears.

Without a doubt, Pus was persisting in a singular spot.

‘What could this mean?’

Typically, Pus should long be fast asleep by this hour.

After spending the day bounding about with boundless energy, devouring a hearty dinner, and drifting off with a comfortably rounded belly—that constituted Pus’s standard nightly routine.

‘Has something gone amiss?’

A question mark clearly etched across his face, Lion cautiously swung the door open.

In the next instant…

Fwooosh!

Pus propelled himself out the doorway with a sharp *paat*.

His momentum proved so intense that he tumbled along the hallway carpet while attempting to decelerate before scrambling back to his paws.

“Oh dear.”

Before Lion could intercept him, Pus bounced back up, shook his coat vigorously, and then rose on his hind legs to leap toward the crouching Lion, tail wagging softly.

While undeniably endearing, the situation felt…

“Goodness. Your hind legs will not appreciate such strain.”

Lion cupped Pus’s lower half, hoisting him up into his arms.

Naturally, as a companion beast, his constitution far surpassed that of ordinary pets, yet the sight still prompted quiet concern.

“Were you a good boy? Did boredom get the better of you?”

“Kiying!”

Pus inhaled deeply against Lion’s food-scented clothing before launching into a relentless assault of face-licking.

While a familiar routine, an underlying sense of novelty persisted.

“What brings about such exceptional spirits today?”

His demeanor deviated noticeably from the norm.

Lion cast a curious glance back into the room, wondering if some mischief had occurred. Nature, however, merely emerged from her wall-mounted nest—or rather, her personal domicile—and shook her head.

The gesture signified that no trouble had transpired.

“Then what reason could there be…”

Had a sudden growth spurt fueled an surge in activity?

That remained a distinct possibility.

Upon their initial encounter, he possessed the modest dimensions of a newborn Maltese, yet he now matched the scale of a fully mature counterpart.

Moreover, amidst receiving a fresh wave of affection, he would occasionally freeze mid-motion and fixate his gaze on a singular direction.

And further…

‘Is that mana radiating outward?’

While faint traces of mana had previously resonated from Pus whenever Lion employed his own power, an independent emission of energy marked a first.

“Has your energy level truly spiked that much? Shall we venture out for a stroll?”

“……!”

Catching the word “walk” as though summoned by a phantom, Pus wriggled eagerly within Lion’s grasp before landing lightly on the floor, immediately darting off at a swift sprint as if commanding his master to trail behind.

“…….”

Yet, that trajectory led straight toward the labyrinth rather than the garden.

Finding no cause for objection, Lion pursued Pus at a leisurely pace.

Entering the labyrinth side-by-side with his companion revealed that Pus was already scampering far ahead.

His limbs moved with such swift agility that his compact frame quickly vanished into the distance.

The grass along his racing path fluttered in the wake of his passage.

Enveloped by the cool evening breeze, Lion followed at a relaxed gait.

‘A nighttime stroll holds its own distinct charm.’

Furthermore, with his companion beast leading the charge and Nature stirring comfortably in her elevated sanctuary, the sensory ambiance fostered a profound sense of ease.

‘Indeed, today proved exceptionally demanding.’

From dawn onward, he had erected a canopy to harvest morning dew and plucked fresh botanical buds.

He had also utilized a Warp Scroll to pay a visit to Asteri’s domain.

He had secured Pomegranate Wine and successfully concluded the evening with a well-matched companion.

Admittedly, warnings had been issued regarding the eldest prince, yet such concerns warranted no immediate anxiety.

‘Besides, avoiding him serves no purpose.’

Should the eldest prince choose to instigate a conflict, a warm welcome awaited him.

Such matters could be addressed should the occasion arise.

“Yet, precisely where are our travels taking us?”

At those words, Pus spun in place a couple of times before plunging directly into a thicket dense with Spicy Fruits.

“Mm……”

The gesture constituted a clear invitation to follow.

While a conventional passerby might hesitate and remark, “Even so, this crosses a boundary…,” Lion reacted otherwise.

Swish.

Lion instinctively lowered his posture and crawled straight into the foliage.

“Phew.”

Nature’s exasperated sigh echoed from behind, though Lion merely responded with a chuckle.

“Pus has never summoned me forth with such persistence before. Therefore, bear with it a little longer.”

The destination surely could not lie at an exorbitant distance, or so he reasoned.

Despite cutting through this particular stretch of wilderness for the first time, his mastery of the labyrinth’s geography remained absolute.

Regrettably, Lion’s assumptions proved erroneous.

Because Pus refused to halt!

“Huff, pant.”

Enduring the arduous crawl through the undergrowth, twisting and turning his entire frame to evade a barrage of branches, and even flattening himself to slip beneath fallen timber!

The sheer volume of rolling about brought back memories of his military service, prompting even Lion to question whether the endeavor bordered on madness.

Just as his physical endurance neared its absolute limit.

“Phew!”

The protracted obstacle course finally yielded to an open clearing where standing upright became possible once more.

“Oh my……”

Engaging in reckless physical exertion shall remain strictly off-limits henceforth!

Gasping for breath, Lion steadied his trembling legs and surveyed the surroundings.

The deep gloom confirmed they had strayed far from the shelter of the hut.

Lion channeled his focus, directing his mana straight toward his visual senses.

His violet eyes began to emit a soft luminescence amid the darkness, finally bringing the obscured landscape into sharp focus.

Despite traversing the forest countless times, this specific sector remained entirely unfamiliar.

“What compelled him to drag me all the way to this remote spot?”

Ignoring Lion entirely, Pus set to work, digging with fierce determination between a set of exposed tree roots.

‘Between the roots?’

Come to think of it, his very first encounter with Pus had occurred inside a hollow tree.

Perhaps companion beasts possessed an inherent affinity for arboreal dwelling spaces?

‘No such traits appeared within the knowledge base of Beast Taming.’

If true, a definitive rationale must certainly justify this endeavor.

Otherwise, dragging Lion along made little sense.

‘Shall I lend a hand with the excavation?’

Stepping up beside Pus, Lion retrieved a small hoe and began gently turning the soil wedged between the roots.

Having abandoned such physical digging since his initial days of falling into the labyrinth, the action evoked a distinct sense of nostalgia.

Compared to that era, however, his excavation speed and technique had advanced by leaps and bounds.

Back then, extracting a single treasure chest had required expending every ounce of his strength.

‘Why does this task carry such a strange sense of fulfillment?’

Lost in such musings while mechanically plying the hoe.

Tick-.

A dull clatter rang out as the metal tip struck a solid impediment.

“Hm?”

Confusion flickered across his expression.

Fwoosh!

Pus’s front paws abruptly accelerated into a frantic blur!

“Whoa?”

The motion grew so rapid that half his body threatened to vanish beneath the soil alongside his snout.

And indeed.

Wriggle, wriggle.

“Kii, kiying!”

His short hind limbs pedaled frantically through the air and against the dirt in an apparent display of distress.

“Goodness.”

Lion swiftly seized Pus by the waist, extracting him backward much like pulling a firmly rooted carrot from the earth.

Drenched in grime, Pus gave his coat a vigorous shake the moment his paws touched free air.

The soil dislodged by Pus was damp enough that heavy clumps rained down directly onto Lion’s face like a fine mist.

“Honestly. A thorough bath awaits you upon our return…”

Sparkle!

Mid-grumble, Lion caught sight of a faint glimmer lodged within Pus’s jaws.

It bore the appearance of an unpolished raw gemstone.

While unearthing a raw stone within the labyrinth generally promised considerable value…

To Lion, as Pus’s master, that held secondary importance.

Because a far greater priority commanded his attention!

“What on earth are you attempting to consume!”

Ensuring any suspicious object resting within a pet’s jaws is swiftly confiscated remains the foundational duty of any master!

Lion promptly forced Pus’s jaws apart and retrieved the offending item.

Thump, roll…

The ostensibly precious raw stone tumbled indifferently onto the forest floor.