Chapter 237

Chapter 237
Chapter 237: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

The ‘Expert’s Eye’ skill is temporarily heightened.

The magic stones scattered around the cavern lofted into the air, revolving in a fluid dance.

Moving in rhythm with Lion’s internal power.

‘Wait, why is this happening?’

Lion stiffened, trembling subtly to keep it hidden.

None of this was intentional on his part.

He had merely activated Expert’s Eye as he usually did.

He had hoped to catch even a faint clue hidden within the lair.

The lingering presence of the dragon fossil had also drawn his suspicion.

That was the extent of it.

Breaking into a cold sweat, Lion forced himself to look unbothered.

It put on quite a spectacle, but that was all it amounted to.

No concealed defenders emerged, nor did any secondary magic circles trigger in sequence.

Furthermore…

‘The focal point is simply a magic stone.’

Doesn’t this sequence look remarkably familiar?

Indeed. It bore a strong resemblance to the floral design he encountered when first pulled into the labyrinth.

The only differences were that he had been by himself back then, whereas the second prince accompanied him now, and the display was perhaps overly dramatic…

A sidelong glance.

Lion turned his attention toward the second prince.

Though the royal was trying hard to keep up appearances, his eyes gave him away.

He was clearly jumping to major conclusions.

Lion felt an urge to clear things up immediately, but decided to lean into the bluff instead.

Hadn’t he already been promised no questions would be asked?

‘Right. This isn’t the time to fret over his suspicions.’

Composing himself, Lion drew a slow breath.

Despite being caught off guard by the showy display, he had managed to gather a wealth of insight.

First, this location.

It responded to his personal energy for reasons yet unknown.

This reaction likely stemmed from the influence of the former hero or his grandfather.

Next were the magic stones.

‘There is definitely some sort of pattern here…’

Yet it remained obscured.

Gaining deeper clarity seemed beyond his current threshold.

‘Should I draw upon the staff?’

If he unleashed the dormant Asteri staff resting within his inventory, Expert’s Eye would unquestionably surge to an overwhelming degree.

However.

‘The danger is far too great.’

Didn’t he learn that lesson when examining that ancient vial previously?

The backlash from absorbing data beyond his capacity had been severe.

On that occasion, Nature had somehow intervened to shield him by exerting her own force, but unfortunately, Nature was nowhere nearby at the moment.

This was supposed to be a brief detour toward the Imperial Palace, making it awkward to drag Nature along for the ride.

*Sip…*

Besides, another detail nagged at him.

Within the framework of ‘In the World,’ navigating this area wasn’t merely a matter of crushing obstacles through sheer force.

He was required to analyze monster traits, exploit vulnerabilities for counters, and even manipulate gargoyles and golems into destroying one another.

‘I will make do with my current limits for now.’

Forsaking the staff, Lion instead tapped deeply into the reserves within his mana core.

Partial information is glimpsed through the enhancement of the ‘Expert’s Eye’ skill.

Fortunately, the gamble paid off as previously obscured details slowly drifted into view.

Squinting against a mild throbbing in his temples, Lion rapidly processed the newly unveiled data.

Ancient Magic Stone

* A depleted magic stone with minimal energy remaining.
* Restoring it appears to demand a massive amount of power.

Broken Gargoyle Wing

* Where has the rest of the body gone? It appears thoroughly shattered.

Broken Golem Fragment

* Oh dear! The core is completely pulverized.

Lair’s Gold and Treasures

* Anything that glitters seems to rest here. Why did the intruder leave these behind?

And…

Dragon’s Remains

* The skeletal remains of a dragon that perished ages ago.
* That is peculiar. A dragon’s physical form and energy typically dissolve entirely back into nature upon death…

Flash!

Just as Lion processed the final line, the Expert’s Eye skill lapsed.

His eyes, which had flared with a reptilian luminosity, dimmed instantly and reverted to normal.

Simultaneously, the floating magic stones dropped back to the stone floor with dull clatters.

As though nothing had transpired.

‘Ugh, exhaustion.’

He still held reserves of power, but the strain on his vision was immense.

It felt as though he had endured several sleepless nights in a row.

Lion blinked his heavy, unfocused eyes repeatedly.

His corneas felt parched, scraping harshly against his eyelids.

Thankfully, his vision stabilized shortly.

“……”

Meanwhile, the second prince watched on, working hard to keep his expression neutral.

Just as Lion anticipated, the royal was profoundly shaken.

Being pulled into a Dragon’s Lair via a painting was startling enough, but watching Lion Asteri stumble momentarily before shifting demeanor to invoke a strange technique defied common sense.

Consequently, the very magic stones of the sanctuary resonated with him.

That wasn’t all. Although he was demonstrably utilizing energy, no ambient signature leaked into the surrounding air.

‘He definitely possesses mana.’

Hadn’t that fact been verified with the second prince’s own eyes?

The unique signature of the Asteri bloodline undeniably swirled through Lion’s veins.

‘…Is he even human?’

Yet he acted thoroughly human for someone of that description…

It did not take long for the second prince’s internal musings to arrive at this crossroads.

Had Lion overheard these thoughts, he would have found them utterly baffling, yet the abilities he wielded—forged from Kyle’s perspectives and collected lore—extended far beyond conventional limits.

“Your Highness! It is finished. It appears we can depart sooner than anticipated.”

As Kyle stared at him with forced composure, Lion shook off his inner monologue, stepped forward, and made his declaration with absolute assurance.

“…By what means?”

“Hahaha. I cannot say for certain, but would you care to hear my deduction?”

It sounded far less like a hypothesis and more like a proven fact, but Kyle nodded without challenging him.

Indeed, whatever the young man’s true nature might be, it changed little. The fundamental core of him had remained consistent since their initial meeting.

“Come, let’s hear it.”

Doing his best to overlook Kyle’s penetrating gaze, Lion began outlining his confident theory.

“To begin with, this lair. It is evident that other intruders passed through prior to our arrival.”

“Indeed.”

Kyle concurred, glancing around the chamber.

Many elements stood out as inconsistent with natural decay over long centuries.

Such as the cleanly severed golem chassis or the gargoyle frame stripped down to isolated wings.

“Undoubtedly, the constructs forged by the dragon continued to guard this place long after their master’s demise.”

Lion reached out to tap the dragon skull positioned behind him.

Kyle flinched involuntarily.

Even if the creature had vanished into history long ago, treating its remains with such casual familiarity… no one else would dare.

It remained an object of primal dread and reverence.

“Yet those intruders must have neutralized every single defense, likely departing immediately once the conflict concluded.”

Lion felt a sudden pang of guilt.

He had referred to them as ‘intruders,’ but those trespassers were none other than his past self playing ‘In the World,’ alongside his grandfather, Petrick.

My apologies, Grandfather!

“……”

Kyle offered a slow nod.

The reasoning held weight.

Had they lingered, the vast treasures scattered across the cavern would not have been left behind.

Furthermore…

‘It is difficult to imagine they simply fled.’

The Dragon’s Lair was sealed away by barriers dense enough to obscure the outside world entirely.

Thus, the mechanism for traversing here mirrored the painting they had encountered, meaning the return route would rely on similar logic…

“My conclusion is that they ‘proved their worth.’ They likely demonstrated superior might.”

“If that is the case.”

“Precisely. By establishing excellence through alternate trials, passage outward may be granted once more.”

While the argument held some coherence up to a point, Lion’s final assertion contained glaring leaps in logic.

He offered no explanation for how he arrived at such a specific conclusion.

Had he uncovered it through the strange faculty he deployed moments prior?

Certainly, it was remarkable, yet it offered no direct proof.

Nevertheless.

‘His conclusion is likely correct.’

Besides, he had no intention of cross-examining Lion’s methods.

From the moment he exercised that ability, Lion Asteri had made up his mind.

To trust his own path.

Kyle suppressed a smile threatening to break across his face.

‘Though unexpected, this turn of events is not entirely disadvantageous.’

It felt as though Lion Asteri had casually dissolved a subtle boundary he usually maintained.

Whether others realized it or not, Lion’s personal walls were far more rigid than they appeared.

He offered warmth to everyone, yet rarely permitted anyone deep access.

Particularly toward individuals like Kyle, whose initial introductions had been less than stellar.

It seemed he preferred keeping his inner thoughts strictly partitioned.

There was truth to that impression.

Consequently, Kyle reaped unexpected dividends from this bizarre detour.

What choice remained for him now? He would cooperate with as much enthusiasm as possible.

“Are you suggesting we align our accounts regarding these events, then?”

“Precisely.”

Lion responded with cheerful audacity.

The second prince had already given his word not to pry.

That being the case, no further explanations were owed.

“Understood.”

Fortunately, the second prince grasped the underlying intent without difficulty and readily accepted the proposal.

“Splendid. In that case, allow me to outline the practical procedure for our exit.”

“I will assist in any capacity required.”

“Wonderful. As it happens, Your Highness’s abilities will be necessary.”

Clapping his hands together, Lion flashed a bright grin.

“Please gather all the scattered remnants of the guardians.”

“……”

From this moment onward, the process of ‘crafting’ utilizing those remains would commence.

—

“……Sigh.”

Unfolding the paper messenger bird personally dispatched by the Family Head, Rikschel Asteri released a heavy breath.

Neither his older brother nor the second prince had appeared by late evening, pointing toward some unforeseen entanglement.

Given that the Family Head intervened directly via letter, the root cause was likely…

‘It has to be my older brother.’

The only consolation was that the situation rarely involved mortal peril…

“I cannot fathom it.”

Having monitored his older brother far more closely than the Family Head ever did, Rikschel understood the reality all too well.

His older brother possessed a talent for stumbling into high-risk scenarios within supposedly safe environments.

‘Still, what choice do I have?’

Tucking the Family Head’s message into his pocket, Rikschel exhaled another weary sigh before turning toward the Marquis of Byrdantis, who stood quietly nearby.

“The second prince and my older brother will be away for a few days.”

“Is that so?”

“Consequently, we will need to fabricate an alibi for their absence. Will you lend your cooperation?”

Without examining the missive, the Marquis of Byrdantis grasped the general situation.

It bore the unmistakable signature of Lion Asteri causing complications.

“We will need to manage the Empress’s faction.”

“That would certainly keep things tidy.”

“Word has reached me that various disappearances have plagued the Imperial Palace lately.”

The two men exchanged quiet, knowing glances.

Their shared objective remained singular: shielding his older brother from unwanted scrutiny.

As for the second prince?

That was outside his concerns. The royal would find a way to survive.

Regardless, achieving that cover required drawing attention toward a much larger distraction.

Thus, the successor of the Asteri house and the unsuspecting Marquis of Byrdantis set out to unravel the mystery behind the missing persons within the Imperial Palace.

Could they have anticipated?

That this string of disappearances was tied to matters of far greater magnitude.