Chapter 230

Chapter 230
Chapter 230: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

The potent fragrance of flowers sent a sharp throb through my temples.

This was the daily morning trial endured by every maid serving the Empress inside the Royal Palace.

‘Does Your Majesty really not find this suffocatingly sweet?’

While arranging the Empress’s tresses, the young attendant let her gaze drift toward the vivid blossoms flourishing outside the casement.

Blooms that naturally belonged to entirely separate seasons were aligned in strict geometric rows across the courtyard, each competing with its own distinct tint and aroma.

An entirely manufactured paradise.

It served as the definitive emblem of the Empress’s domain.

When the maid had first beheld the gardens, she had imagined herself transported to another realm, but…

‘That sense of wonder barely lasts a couple of days.’

Even the most magnificent sights grow tedious with endless repetition, and before long, every minor imperfection begins to show.

The glittering floral displays were no exception to this rule.

‘Well, at least my only grievance is with the plants…’

Her peers, having finished their basic training and been dispatched to serve various princes, were reportedly enduring a daily existence fraught with genuine terror.

A single misstep could cost them not merely their positions, but their very lives within the Imperial Court, so such anxiety was hardly surprising.

‘As for my own situation…’

Swish, swish.

Even while her mind drifted, the attendant’s fingers continued their practiced, gentle rhythm.

She expertly smoothed the strands of silk-like hair, crafting a style that was elegant yet remarkably understated.

There was no room for error. The Imperial Palace never retained anyone prone to making mistakes.

Reflected in the glass, the Empress appeared more radiant and striking than any blossom swaying in the courtyard beyond.

No one could possibly guess she had raised a child well past the age of maturity.

Not a single flaw marred the intricate arrangement of her cascading locks.

A deep sense of relief washed over the maid’s heart.

With the most demanding chore of the morning successfully behind her, she finally felt she could let down her guard.

However.

“Haa.”

Contrary to her usual demeanor, the Empress exhaled a heavy sigh.

Striving to keep her voice entirely respectful, the attendant inquired,

“Why the sigh, Your Majesty? Does the styling displease you?”

“Not at all. Emilia, I have never once found fault with your handiwork.”

That was a considerable weight off her shoulders.

Unless genuinely distressed, the Empress rarely shifted her moods abruptly.

Maid Emilia drew in a quiet breath, offered a soft smile, and asked,

“Then what is troubling your mind?”

“It concerns the Prince.”

“…”

At this uncharacteristically direct response, Emilia fell mute.

Since nothing of the sort had ever occurred before, she found herself utterly at a loss for words.

“Forgive me, but which of the Princes do you mean…”

And thus, Emilia blurted out the improper reply.

Rather than flashing into anger, the Empress simply stared into the looking glass, a smile as vibrant as a spring blossom playing on her lips.

“…”

Beyond the glass, the clumsy attendant stood looking thoroughly bewildered, entirely oblivious to her blunder.

“Hoo hoo. Whatever could you mean, Emilia? There is only a single Prince within the Imperial household, after all.”

The tone carried a gentle benevolence, as though she were magnanimously pardoning a slip of the tongue.

“…! I beg your pardon. Fatigue must have made me babble nonsense. So, in what way has the Prince cast a shadow over Your Majesty’s thoughts?”

“Lately, he hasn’t bothered to visit his mother even once, and it leaves me uneasy. Disgraced or not, basic filial duty still applies. What on earth is he occupying himself with…”

The awkward exchange transitioned with bizarre smoothness into natural conversation.

Emilia listened with all the deference she could muster, while the Empress casually aired her minor grievances as if nothing unusual had transpired.

From that point onward, the dialogue shifted to mundane topics.

Conversations touching on how an object, even if perfectly functional and long-lasting, sometimes simply sparks an urge for replacement.

Fortunately, the atmosphere regained its warmth.

“I believe the hair is finished now, so I shall handle the remaining preparations myself.”

“Yes, indeed, Your Majesty. I shall return for the evening duties.”

“Hmm? No, that won’t be necessary.”

The Empress lightly rested her slender, unblemished hand upon Emilia’s shoulder.

“I have perhaps pampered you too much lately without granting you adequate rest. Therefore, you are excused from your evening duties today.”

“Your Majesty…!”

Overwhelmed by this unexpected consideration despite her earlier blunder, Emilia’s voice caught slightly.

Filled with genuine gratitude, she offered a series of deep bows.

“T-then, I shall take my leave.”

“Go on. You have earned your rest.”

Once Emilia had withdrawn from the inner chambers, the Empress rose with graceful strides and stepped back before the mirror.

Then, with her own hands, she deliberately unraveled the pristine styling her dear Emilia had labored over, a faint smile touching her lips.

“Indeed. It is only natural to wish to swap out things that have served their purpose for too long.”

If only His Majesty could be discarded quite so easily.

Alas, that proved rather more difficult.

“Wouldn’t you agree?”

As she addressed the glass, a figure cloaked in black silk abruptly materialized from the shadows behind her, dropping cleanly to one knee.

There was no telling where the motion had originated, nor how he had managed to appear so soundlessly.

“Shall I see to it?”

“It grieves me to trouble Emilia’s household, but it must be done.”

The Empress casually rearranged her loosened strands with her fingertips, restoring their polished appearance.

“Execute it cleanly, without leaving a trace, as is your custom.”

Having received his instructions, the masked operative vanished into silence once more, and a replacement maid entered shortly after to tend to the royal hair without uttering a word.

Her locks now adorned with entirely different ornaments yet maintaining an air of flawless perfection, the Empress finally stepped out of the chamber.

It was time to check on her son—hardly a model of perfection, yet strangely endearing all the same.

Soon enough, the scions of Asteri and the Byrdentis household who hovered around that mongrel ought to make their move, yet their presence was conspicuously absent.

Had they surrendered?

Or perhaps…

“I need to discover precisely what schemes are running through that mind of yours.”

And thus, on that very day.

True to the Empire’s traditions, another individual simply vanished.

The relatives of the missing person, tied as they were to the Central Nobility, maintained a strict silence, matching the pattern of all the rest.

—

Fortunately, Lion’s confinement came to an end after a mere forty-eight hours.

The catalyst for his release was simple.

* *Hoo… are you genuinely intent on this course of action?*

The family patriarch had caught wind of the entire fiasco.

Lion and Rikschel were forced to stand before an activated crystal ball in their sleeping attire to receive a thorough reprimand.

Unsurprisingly, the brunt of the fury fell squarely upon Lion.

* *Why is it that every single time I step away from the estate, you manage to stir up a catastrophe!*

“Ahaha…”

* *You find this amusing?*

“…”

* *And you, Rikschel. I distinctly instructed you to notify me immediately if any complications arose.*

“I accept the blame, Family Head.”

Petrick, who had originally intended to dress down Rikschel for failing in his supervisory duties, snapped his jaw shut.

No matter how he analyzed the situation, Rikschel simply lacked the leverage to counter the opponent effectively.

Given the circumstances, Rikschel had performed admirably within his limitations.

Consequently, abandoning his typical harsh rebuke…

* *Very well. You have done commendably.*

He offered a rare word of praise.

Rikschel fully understood the sentiment behind it—or more accurately, he deeply sympathized with the exhaustion of managing childcare… or rather, babysitting his erratic older brother—and responded with a single phrase.

“My thanks.”

* *You are dismissed.*

“Understood.”

Rikschel acknowledged the projection before casting a sidelong glance toward his sibling.

The Family Head had undoubtedly uncovered the details through Elvia.

At the very least, she had tried to maintain her loyalty to her eldest master.

Still, now that their exploits had come to light, receiving a proper disciplinary lecture from the Family Head—or rather, their grandfather—seemed like a remarkably sound outcome.

And perhaps just a fraction…

Though it felt somewhat treacherous to harbor such thoughts regarding his brother, Rikschel couldn’t help but reflect:

*’Please lay into him a bit harder, Grandfather.’*

The thought floated unbidden through his mind.

Rikschel blankly ignored Lion’s pleading expressions and quietly exited the chamber.

*Click.*

As the latch settled, Lion found himself entirely cornered.

-Lion, you absolute menace!

He longed to offer some form of defense, but judging by the palpable fury radiating from the projection, any excuse would merely pour oil on the fire.

“Yes. Grandfather.”

Lion elected to weather the impending storm in absolute silence.

It felt precisely like enduring a dressing-down from a corporate superior.

However, there was one crucial detail Lion had severely underestimated.

His grandfather, Petrick, possessed an infinitely stricter constitution than anticipated.

Furthermore, the old man knew precisely what mattered most to his grandson.

Consequently.

Taking into account his grandson’s physical recovery and various other metrics, Petrick formulated the single most agonizing punishment possible.

“It appears I shall have to drag you along on my upcoming journey.”

Dragged along on a business trip!

If he was well enough to act this recklessly, his physical stamina must have bounced back significantly.

Under those conditions, an Archmage naturally needed to keep the boy under direct observation to forestall any further catastrophes.

Besides, the old man possessed more than enough power to shield his grandson should any unforeseen dangers manifest.

And more importantly…

‘This might be going a touch too far.’

Petrick mentally brushed aside that initial justification and introduced the real motivation.

The simple truth was that he had never once taken his grandson on a proper journey for some uninterrupted family time.

Even if it technically constituted official business, wouldn’t traveling together prove mutually beneficial?

“Whaaat?”

To Lion, the declaration arrived like a bolt from a clear sky.

His grandfather’s itineraries typically centered around the Great Barrier situated in the frozen North.

Not only were the routes notoriously treacherous, but the region was infamous for being utterly devoid of standard flora or fauna.

It offered zero opportunities for leisure or entertainment.

‘N-No way… was that calculated malice?’

Indeed. The thing Lion cherished above all else.

His precious hobbies and restorative relaxation time.

“Consider this a disciplinary measure. I shall transmit the schedule via Elvia upon my return from the Imperial Palace.”

“Wait! Hold on just a second, Grandfathe—”

*Click.*

The crystal ball went dark with absolute impartiality.

Given such a resolute stance, the old man would undoubtedly follow through without hesitation.

Lion stood frozen in despair…

‘The Great Barrier.’

…or so one might assume.

Instead, Lion brought a hand up to shield his mouth, desperately suppressing the corners of his lips from twitching upward into a grin.

As previously noted, conventional organisms failed to thrive anywhere near the Great Barrier.

To be precise, almost nothing normal could survive there.

However, anomalous mutations occasionally cropped up in the harsh environment.

For instance, fungi that dwarfed grown humans.

‘And the vast majority of those happen to be choice toxic specimens.’

But foraging for rare poisonous herbs was practically Lion’s specialty.

And that was barely scratching the surface.

He could brew specialized poisons from the ingredients, or utilize them for entirely different crafts!

In short, it was essentially a high-tier experience farming zone.

‘This is an absolute goldmine!’

Lion forced down his mounting elation and dropped his hand.

If anyone caught wind of his true thoughts, the confinement would instantly be reinstated.

He wanted no part of that!

“There are still loose ends I need to tie up first, anyway.”

It was time to get serious about the upcoming trip to the Imperial Capital.

With a broad smile, Lion glanced at the glowing notification window hovering in mid-air.

“Managed to hit the deadline right on schedule, too.”

The accessories forged from Cosmic Crystals appeared to have turned out exceptionally well under the expert hands of the Dwarves.

Reviewing the status update, Lion unsealed a recovery draught, swallowed it in one swift motion, and began unwrapping the thick layers of bandages binding his torso.

Once he confirmed his physique was completely restored down to the last trace of a scar, Lion stood up with boundless vigor—!

‘Whoops.’

No, adopting the posture of someone thoroughly drained by disciplinary exhaustion, he deliberately slowed his movements, changed into standard attire, and marched straight from his quarters toward the estate’s forge.

Meanwhile, Rikschel—who had been lingering just outside the doorway—observed the scene.

“Hmm…”

Watching his older brother shuffle away with such feigned lethargy.

‘The Family Head must have his hands utterly full dealing with him.’

He was far too clever to be fooled by such amateur acting.

It was the hard-earned intuition of someone who had suffered long enough under the same roof.

If anything, even he had nearly been taken in by Lion’s theatrical display.

Though, as it turned out, the one who had actually blown the whistle on the whole affair was none other than Elvia.