Chapter 224

Chapter 224
## Chapter 224: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Even so, Lion kept inspecting the inside of Pus’s mouth.

What if some remnants were left behind? That would create a major complication.

Following a thorough examination of the compact mouth, thankfully, no crumbs appeared to remain.

“Whew.”

Lion breathed a sigh of relief and let go of Pus.

Pus, caught off guard by the sudden inspection, remained completely still and frozen with one paw lifted awkwardly in the air.

“Aww. I’m sorry. But I did it because something could have gone very wrong if I missed anything.”

“Peep. Peep.”

Nature chirped in agreement with the sentiment.

“But what on earth were you trying to swallow just now?”

Lion patted Pus’s head a few times to calm it down, then finally shifted his attention to the item that had landed on the floor earlier.

……Ah, wait, the thing I tossed aside wasn’t just an ordinary rock?

“This is….”

Lion picked up the raw stone and brought it up close to examine it.

『Labyrinth South Jade (★★)』

-This is a South Jade discovered exclusively within labyrinths.

-Though uncommon, a faint trace of magical energy pulses within the raw mineral.

-It still resembles a basic stone at this stage, but with proper crafting, it could transform into a magnificent jewel!

『Uses: Alchemy, Sewing, Painting』

『☞ Click to view recipes.』

Along with the prompt explaining its various potential uses, the exact crafting technique for the Labyrinth South Jade flowed directly into Lion’s mind.

“Not bad at all……”

He hadn’t paid any attention to it initially because his priority was Pus, but it turned out to be a much higher quality raw stone than anticipated.

‘I could probably use this in place of the Aquamarine inside the tent, couldn’t I?’

Lion held onto the South Jade and looked back down at Pus.

“You didn’t drag me all the way out here just for this, did you?”

“Kiying!”

Striking a proud pose, Pus sat down with its front paws neatly together and held its head up high!

At the exact same moment.

A supplementary notification popped up.

『Companion Beast ‘Pus’ has imitated the actions of its beloved master!』

『From now on, ‘Pus’ will gather and deliver various items.』

『Currently available items: Small Minerals, Damp Herbs』

“It’s actually going to bring me items?”

Lion’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected message.

A companion beast is going out of its way to fetch things?

And not just random trash, but genuinely ‘useful items’?

Unbothered by Lion’s astonishment, Pus walked over with an air of supreme confidence and rubbed its forehead against Lion’s shin.

It was clearly looking for praise for doing a good job.

Lion instinctively stroked the top of Pus’s head while lost in thought.

‘No, when you really think about it, it’s not entirely impossible.’

Beasts of influence possess high natural intelligence and the ability to channel magic, making them extraordinary creatures.

They learn simply by watching their masters and adapt with impressive speed.

They had been living through turbulent times, constantly fighting against the demon race.

But what about now?

‘Honestly, it’s remarkably peaceful.’

While a few minor worries still lingered, they were spending their days in a state of profound tranquility.

They weren’t fighting anyone at the moment, and their daily routine mostly consisted of gathering herbs from the surrounding nature.

Meanwhile, the newborn Pus had been quietly observing Lion’s lifestyle.

『Pus wants to lend you a hand!』

Lion gazed at Pus with a sudden surge of genuine emotion.

It was deeply touching that such a tiny creature was trying so hard to be helpful.

Naturally, this was only possible because Lion had raised Pus with immense care and affection, but that is always how it feels from the caretaker’s point of view.

You always feel like an endlessly inadequate master for no real reason.

‘I haven’t even done anything special for it…….’

Lion felt a warmth in his chest.

『Companion Beast ‘Pus’ desires praise from you and Nature!』

“……You little rascal!”

Lion used both hands to enthusiastically ruffle and pat Pus, showering it with praise.

As if it had been waiting for that exact cue, Pus flipped over onto its back to fully soak up the affection.

Nature also trotted over, chirping continuously while diligently grooming Pus’s fur.

“Kiying!”

Tails were wagging back and forth at high speed.

If Lion stopped petting it even for a second, Pus would roll its eyes upward and wave its paws frantically.

“Oh dear, whose little boy are you to be this brilliant? Huh?”

Lion kept praising Pus until the creature’s fur was flying everywhere in a fluffy cloud.

And that wasn’t all.

‘On a special day like this, I can’t forget to hand out snacks!’

Lion immediately brought up the Silling Shop interface.

Without a moment of hesitation, he purchased the item he had been eyeing earlier!

『Beast of Influence Food』

-60,000 Shilllings ☞ 59,000 Shilllings (1,000 Shilllings Discount!)

-※Caution※ Strictly prohibited for human consumption.

-Please ensure your pet does not overeat and become obese.

-☞ Currently bundled with a free promotional squeeze snack!

At first glance, it seemed like ordinary pet food, but the final warning note made him suspicious, prompting him to read the detailed description more closely.

As it turned out, Lion realized this was far from basic pet food.

If anything, it was much closer to a gourmet wet food treat!

By sheer luck, the promotional long-pouch snack had also been deposited directly into his inventory.

‘Wait, isn’t this a squeeze treat?’

It looked remarkably like the kind of snack you tear open, squeeze from the bottom, and slurp right up.

‘In that case, I’ll save the special food pouch for tomorrow and give it this squeeze treat today.’

Lion checked his inventory with a content smile and scooped Pus up into his arms.

“Of course, before we do that.”

“Kiying……”

Lion offered Pus the most innocent and gentle smile he could muster.

It was the kind of smile that practically whispered, “I’m not going to do anything harsh, so don’t worry,” but—

Something was clearly off.

As the bright look slowly faded from Pus’s face, a heavy, echoing voice rang out.

“Our little Pus did a wonderfully commendable job today, butting heads with all those tasks, however……”

“Ki, Kiying……”

“You really need a bath, don’t you think?”

Holding Pus securely so there was no chance of escape, Lion headed straight back toward the center of the labyrinth where the cabin was located.

Fortunately, he wouldn’t even need to make Pus crawl the distance.

“Let’s go whip up some lather and get you sparkling clean, shall we? I just finished brewing a special shampoo tailored for companion beasts.”

He could exit the area instantly using his authority as the labyrinth master.

Which meant…

Pus had zero chance of running away.

Lion moved efficiently without wasting a single motion.

Upon reaching the campsite where the tent was pitched, he picked up the Aquamarine and swapped it out, placing the newly found South Jade in its exact spot.

Following that, he immediately bypassed the library area and marched directly into his private bathroom.

He shut the door with absolute resolve, prepared the washing basin, and turned on the tap.

Ah, and he didn’t forget to slide the animal-specific shampoo guard cap onto Pus’s head to keep water out of its ears.

Moments later.

Whoosh!

Water at the ideal temperature cascaded downward.

“Kiyiiiiing!!”

Scratch, scratch, scratch!

“Hahaha. Doesn’t that feel refreshing?”

Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch!

For quite some time afterward, the distinct sound of claws scraping against wood and Pus’s sorrowful wails could be heard echoing from inside Lion’s private washroom…

—

And so, smelling faintly of a pleasant floral scent and having fallen asleep slightly earlier than usual alongside Pus, Lion woke up abruptly before the morning sun had even crested the horizon.

Nature was still sleeping soundly inside its new nesting spot, while Pus—having polished off the snack it received after its bath—was mumbling softly in its sleep, likely dreaming of eating even more.

‘Ugh…….’

Lion slipped out of bed as quietly and cautiously as possible, making his way back toward the labyrinth entrance.

He had just as demanding a schedule today as he did the day before.

“Young Master. Your clothing is far too light for this hour.”

Elvia, having somehow sensed Lion’s departure, was already waiting for him by the labyrinth threshold holding his outerwear.

“You’re up this early?”

“Heh heh. Older folks tend not to need as much sleep, you know.”

“You seem to be taking quite a liking to that butler training, huh?”

“When you teach them a single concept, they pick up two or three more on their own, so it’s actually quite entertaining.”

“Hahaha……”

Lion put on his coat and let out an awkward chuckle.

Still, since it was producing tangible learning results, it was safe to call it a mutual success.

“Ah, speaking of which, I received word that the Half-Elf kid should be arriving within the next few days.”

“Really?”

“Indeed. It seems like his arrival will line up nicely with the end of your current schedule, Young Master.”

“That’s a relief. At least things won’t be as quiet around here.”

“…….”

Elvia didn’t offer a verbal reply to that remark, simply maintaining a gentle smile as she stepped aside to clear his path.

“I’ll be back before breakfast.”

“Understood. I shall notify the Second Young Master accordingly.”

The moment Elvia finished speaking, a glowing magic circle materialized beneath Lion’s boots, and he vanished into thin air seconds later.

Elvia watched the empty space for a moment before bringing her fingers up to touch her chin.

“My little puppy seems to be under a slight misunderstanding….”

Of course, it was true that the days felt a bit more sluggish when that Half-Elf youngster wasn’t around to stir things up.

However, that didn’t mean she felt genuinely bored.

To borrow her puppy’s phrasing, while she did have a certain fondness for the Half-Elf boy, from Elvia’s perspective, he was essentially just a light snack.

Snacks are nice to have on hand every now and then, but you aren’t ruined if you happen to go without them, are you?

What truly matters is the main course.

And that adorable puppy of hers was fulfilling that primary role quite admirably…

“Hehehe. There’s no real need to spell it out for him, is there?”

That way, at least a few stray breadcrumbs would keep falling her way.

Though her current situation was already plenty enjoyable on its own.

‘Watching the butler of the Byrdentis household just brought it all back.’

That trip she had taken after such a long hiatus.

Who knows? Maybe her puppy would treat her to something delightful once again.

‘I suppose I’ve grown quite human over time.’

Elvia clenched her fist lightly, let out a soft laugh, and then melted silently away into the shadows.

—

“Hmm. This should be more than enough volume, right?”

As expected, pitching the tent in that specific spot had been a smart move.

By the previous night, no water had collected yet, but now, morning dew had gathered thickly and was pooling all around the South Jade, which remained in its raw stone state.

Swish.

When Lion extended a finger and brushed the surface of the moisture, the droplet burst and spread outward in the exact outline of his fingertip.

A crisp, refreshing coolness brushed against his skin.

Just looking at it, it appeared to be nothing more than pure, clean morning dew, completely ordinary in every way.

It was obvious that attempting to craft South Jade or any advanced material using such thin, watery dew would lead straight to failure.

So, did the attempt fall flat?

“To a certain degree, perhaps?”

Lion smiled faintly as he channeled mana directly into his palm.

‘I was actually chewing on this exact problem from the moment I first looked over the recipe.’

Namely, how to transform standard dew into a thick, viscous binding agent for the Aquamarine.

Then, a brilliant workaround had popped into his head.

What if he simply forced the dew to become viscous artificially?

Normally, processing items of this caliber would require rare supplemental chemical reagents to achieve the proper consistency…

“There happens to be another way.”

A shortcut to render pure morning dew viscous on its own.

Namely.

The anomalous entity that manifests when an alchemy attempt fails…

You can deliberately turn it into a slime!

If a traditional alchemist had been standing nearby.

No, if Freya had been present to witness it, she would have shrieked at the top of her lungs, ‘Teacher, you absolutely cannot do that!’

Fortunately, there wasn’t a single soul around to object at that moment.

“Hahaha!”

This right here was the true essence of field alchemy!

Lion intentionally drew the alchemical circle with a flawed stroke and shouted out his command after a long interval.

“Extraction!”

A blinding flash of light flared up for a second, followed immediately by a thick, murky cloud of smoke rolling across the ground.