Chapter 239

Chapter 239
Chapter 239: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Kyle cast his gaze around the interior of the Dragon’s Lair. Ordinarily, navigating such a domain demanded extreme caution with every movement, yet the present circumstances called for an entirely different priority. The reason lay squarely with Lion Asteri.

‘I need to let him rest.’

And beyond rest, nourishment was essential. Left to his own devices, the man would undoubtedly continue working without pause until that sculpture reached completion.

Kyle began sorting through the vast piles of gold scattered beneath his boots. Items of unimaginable value lay discarded—a crown fit for a monarch, alongside a blade so masterfully crafted that any master swordsman would covet it.

*Swish. Swish.*

As he cast these extraneous treasures aside…

“……!”

In a secluded alcove, his eye caught the only object lacking any luster. Though safely swathed within an antique fabric, its contents were unmistakable.

“Preserved rations.”

Whether left behind by past explorers or arranged by the dragon itself, it was undeniably edible. More remarkably, it remained unspoiled.

‘How could that be?’

A flicker of doubt crossed his mind. Historical records indicated that dragons had vanished from the world ages ago. Furthermore, magical theory dictated that upon a dragon’s death, its enchantments dissolved in order of weakest to strongest.

By all rights, these provisions should have decayed centuries ago—or vanished entirely. Yet their preservation remained absolute.

‘Could it be connected to those remains?’

The second prince glanced toward the dragon’s skeleton before dismissing the thought with a shake of his head. The mechanics of lingering draconic magic were of little consequence. What mattered was that his savior, Lion Asteri, was running on empty, entirely consumed by the creative process to the exclusion of basic survival needs.

“Hoo.”

What manner of person is this? Still, needs must.

Laden with the recovered provisions, the second prince made his way back to Lion’s makeshift workshop. In the interim, the sculpture had undergone yet another subtle transformation.

Kyle opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, simply watching the artist. A part of him wanted to halt the work immediately and force him to eat, but seeing the expression on Lion’s face made such coercion impossible.

Lion Asteri’s expression remained bright, a faint smile gracing his features as he sculpted. Some might have deemed such relentless enthusiasm eccentric, but Kyle, who prided himself on understanding Lion better than most, knew better. Was not genius merely another facet of eccentricity?

Right now, Lion was channeling every ounce of his capability toward the singular goal of escaping this place. Consequently, Kyle decided to wait until a natural lull in concentration occurred… though that moment seemed distant.

“…….”

Kyle watched silently as Lion spent a full hour refining the exact same minute detail. Expected, perhaps, yet testing his patience.

“Cease this at once.”

-Yes! Exactly in the nick of time! Put a stop to this stubborn mortal, you useless human!

Prodded by the Earthbound Dragon’s incessant commentary, Lion finally stepped back.

“Hoo!”

With his focus broken, fatigue immediately reclaimed his frame. His shoulders slumped, his spine curved, and a dull ache settled into the nape of his neck as if a heavy stone rested there. Still, an inspection was necessary.

*Swooosh.*

Lion retreated several paces to observe the sculpture from a distance.

‘I need to evaluate the silhouette as a whole.’

While the proportions had been sound from the beginning, focusing too heavily on localized details risked disrupting the overall harmony of the piece.

“Hmm!”

To Lion’s critical eye, the current state was remarkably satisfactory.

-Now hurry up and eat already, human!

“Since the progress is steady, you should attend to your physical well-being.”

With those words, Kyle retrieved the carving tool from Lion’s hand and gestured toward a nearby water source.

“Go clean yourself up.”

“Am I truly that unpresentable?”

“…….”

Kyle swept a slow, assessing gaze up and down Lion’s frame, communicating the answer far more effectively than words could. Even during his lowest points navigating the underworld, he had never accumulated such a thick layer of grime.

“Hahaha…….”

Only then did Lion inspect his own attire with a sheepish expression. To him, it had seemed acceptable; from the second prince’s vantage point, however, it was appalling.

‘It’s only because he’s been intermittently looking after me that I don’t look worse…….’

-You’re a filthy sight. While you’re at it, drink some water!

“……I shall go wash.”

Suppressing any lingering annoyance, Lion made his way toward the bubbling spring of clear water.

“Truly… the antithesis of nobility.”

The second prince shook his head at the retreating figure and set about tidying the area. He swept away the residual stone dust with careful precision, then laid out the cloth that had wrapped the rations. While hardly luxurious, it transformed the corner of the ancient lair into a remarkably civil dining space.

“Where on earth did you find these?”

“I uncovered them while searching the perimeter of the hoard.”

“It seems the master of this place prepared adequately before departing.”

As Lion tore off a strip of the dried meat and tasted it, the second prince nodded in agreement.

“Indeed. Perhaps the torment we face isn’t entirely without reason.”

-Naturally. Naturally. I have no intention of slaying you both! I merely seek diversion.

As Lion resumed eating, the Earthbound Dragon chimed in once more, sounding immensely relieved. Despite the one-sided nature of their interaction, the entity conversed with unflagging persistence.

‘His self-regard is impressive.’

The preserved meat itself exceeded expectations. Crafted apparently from high-grade beef, it yielded a savory, deeply rich flavor accompanied by a satisfying saltiness with every chew.

‘This is genuinely good.’

Dried meat had always been a preferred snack of his, even prior to arriving in this world.

‘Though usually, it was prohibitively expensive and sold in frustratingly small quantities.’

Receiving such items as holiday gifts had always been a rare highlight. While tearing into vacuum-packed strips along the grain was enjoyable enough, certain methods could elevate the experience further.

‘If only appropriate implements were available…….’

Midway through tearing a piece, Lion paused. If the dragon had left provisions of this quality behind…

“Do you happen to see any cooking utensils nearby?”

“I shall search.”

Without hesitation, the second prince set aside his portion and began scanning the treasury once more.

-That fellow is rummaging about yet again… What is he planning now? Utensils? Does he intend to brew a stew from dried rations?

Unfortunately, that was not the objective. It was less about formal cooking and more about optimization.

“I found something serviceable.”

Kyle returned carrying a grill plate and cutting board fashioned from an unidentifiable, precious alloy discovered among the gems.

“It appears to possess an automated thermal function. Will this suffice?”

He must have tested it beforehand, as a faint wisp of steam drifted from the metal surface.

“More than enough.”

Lion took the grill and arranged the strips of dried meat evenly across it.

“Are you planning to sear them?”

“Yes. Just until the fats render slightly.”

Lion manipulated the grill controls to apply gentle heat. Lacking an open flame, the internal heating matrix rose steadily, and within moments, a glistening sheen of fat bubbled across the surface of the meat.

‘Absolute perfection.’

Excessive heat ruined dried meat by rendering it tough. Pulling the sizzling strips away at the precise moment, Lion transferred them into a jewel-encrusted bowl the second prince had salvaged.

Then!

‘Hehehe……!’

With a triumphant grin, Lion fumbled through his belongings, extracting several items from his inventory space.

“What are those?”

“merely provisions I happen to travel with.”

The collection included portioned gochujang, a spicy variant of aromatic fruit, and assorted seasonings. Lion immediately set to work on the fruit, splitting the garlic-like cloves to extract the pepper seeds within.

Using the smallest dagger from the weapon display as an improvised blade, he minced the ingredients upon the metallic board. The pepper was reduced to a fine powder, while the garlic was left with a coarser texture to retain its bite.

-Listen here, bizarre human! What constitutes that fruit? What is that paste? And why on earth do you carry such things about?

It was a habit born from his early, perilous days trapped within the labyrinth.

Lion combined the gochujang with the freshly minced garlic and pepper. Adding a measured touch of sugar and vinegar, he whipped up an instant, highly aromatic dipping sauce right on the cutting board, transferring it neatly into a small dish.

“Finished!”

“……Remarkably swift.”

The second prince looked on with genuine admiration. He had witnessed fast hands during the sculpting process, but this displayed a different kind of mastery—one honed through countless repetitions. Even now, the seared meat retained a faint warmth.

“How is this consumed?”

“Tear off a portion of the meat and submerge it thoroughly in the paste.”

*Gochujang*…

While unfamiliar with the nomenclature, the second prince recognized the distinct profile of the condiment.

“Try it.”

“Very well.”

Unhesitatingly, the second prince tore off a strip of the meat, coated it liberally in the spicy paste, and brought it to his mouth.

“……!”

The initial sensation was an interplay of gochujang’s deep savoriness and the sharp tang of garlic and pepper. Almost instantly, the vibrant heat stimulated his palate, drawing an involuntary response.

As he chewed, the texture proved significantly softer, the rendered fats melting seamlessly into the robust flavor of the sauce.

“Your verdict?”

“The pairing is exceptional.”

“Precisely.”

It was a combination universally difficult to refuse. Lion smiled, taking a bite of his own portion.

‘This is the peak.’

The blend of sweet, spicy, oily, and salty notes, finished with a sharp hint of vinegar!

‘Though it would pair even better with a bowl of plain white rice.’

Still, within the rugged confines of a draconic lair, it served as an adequate feast.

-It appears edible… Ah, no. Hmph. It is merely heated meat, making quite a fuss over nothing.

The Earthbound Dragon swallowed audibly, then quickly altered its tone into a grumble. Understandable, given that sensory interaction was entirely barred to it; perception without touch or taste carried its own quiet torment.

‘Somewhat regrettable, truly.’

For a fleeting second, Lion felt a twinge of sympathy for the dopamine-starved entity…

‘Though caution remains paramount.’

Until concrete verification of his safety was secured, lowering his guard was out of the question. Whatever else the entity was, it possessed the capability to restrict his movement here. The exact mechanism remained obscure…

*Glance.*

‘Judging by the fact that the perimeter wards remain intact…….’

It was clear that even in a disembodied or spiritual state, considerable power lingered. Magic remained within its repertoire.

“Well, now that my energy is restored, I shall return to the task.”

-Pardon?

“…….”

The second prince and the Earthbound Dragon stared at Lion with identical expressions of disbelief.

“You have consumed barely half a strip.”

“Indeed?”

Lion blinked in mild confusion. Half a strip might sound modest, but by his standards, it was a substantial intake—equivalent to multiple standard servings.

-He exerts himself thus after consuming less than a single one of my scales?

For context, a single draconic scale spanned the combined breadth of two adult hands.

“You haven’t slept either.”

“Sleep is rarely a primary concern for me.”

-Deceptions. Your eyes are dark with exhaustion!

“Rest.”

“……Understood.”

Facing simultaneous pressure from both the ancient entity and the prince, Lion conceded without further argument.

—

*Follow-up Question:* Would you like to explore another chapter adaptation, or focus on a different aspect of this scene’s narrative style?