Chapter 241

Chapter 241
Chapter 241: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Lion simply lost consciousness.

The journey back was plagued by even worse seasickness than the trip out.

There seemed to be other contributing factors as well, but he lacked the time to investigate the root cause.

How much time had elapsed since then?

Lion awoke to find himself lying in the recovery suite of the Asteri Mansion, a room he frequented almost as often as his own sleeping quarters.

“Ugh…”

Lion groaned, slowly fluttering his eyelids open.

His entire physique throbbed with a dull agony, as though he had endured a savage beating.

‘I was perfectly fine inside the Dragon’s Lair…’

Following a prolonged groan, Lion jerked upright, startled by his own realization.

A dragon!

There was unequivocally no dragon depicted within the painting.

Which implied…

-You’re awake?

“Haaaaaa…”

Lion buried his face in both hands, exhaling a heavy, exhausted sigh.

Why must ominous premonitions invariably materialize in this fashion?

Lion raised his gaze toward the presence that had no business being inside his chamber.

An Earthbound Dragon.

‘What was its designation… Tiamatrak?’

Regardless, the beast was observing him intently from the opposite side of the windowpane.

Its eyes gleamed with immense fascination.

-You just sighed at me!

“I did. And what do you intend to do about it?”

-…Well, I do not actually have any plans to do anything!

From a draconic viewpoint, such insolence from a mortal was profoundly disrespectful, yet what recourse remained for that Earthbound Dragon?

At worst, it could only serve as a mild nuisance.

It even relaxed its expression, grinning broadly merely because he had deigned to reply.

‘Why on earth is it lingering outside the window?’

It appeared incapable of entering the room directly…

Lion hoisted his frame upright, his joints creaking like ungreased hinges, and shuffled toward the casement.

-As expected, my judgment of character is stellar, isn’t it?

“How did you manage to track me here?”

-That is rather obvious, yet you phrased the inquiry quite well!

Acting as though its maw were itching for conversation, the Earthbound Dragon launched into a meticulous account of its journey in response to Lion’s prompt.

Being an incorporeal entity, its voice carried clearly through the glass barrier.

In short…

It had simply latched onto him.

Directly onto his person.

When Lion pressed for the mechanics of this attachment, the Earthbound Dragon offered an explanation reminiscent of Barg’s instructor Urheel, casually claiming, ‘It simply worked out that way.’

-And you noticed as well, did you not? That particular…

“Silence. Be quiet.”

Lion was already well aware of whatever revelation the creature was about to drop.

He simply lacked the emotional capacity to confront it at present.

Then, an entirely unforeseen phenomenon occurred.

-Gah! Mph!

Its jaw was literally clamped shut by an invisible force!

The Earthbound Dragon’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Lion felt an equal measure of bewilderment, though his underlying dread was far too profound to display outwardly.

Mental control over the command for silence was instantly withdrawn.

Immediately, the constraint on its mouth vanished.

-Phew! Goodness, you can already execute tricks like this? You possess genuine talent!

-At any rate, I utilized your physical vessel as a medium. In exchange, I provided a fair transaction fee.

-What say you to a gift? Do you appreciate it? Most mortals would lose their minds entirely.

“…I suppose I should thank you for confirming the reality of it.”

It had finally grazed upon the elements that unsettled him most.

Lion debated how best to handle this overgrown, dopamine-addicted juvenile before finally giving his head a slow shake.

While it was deeply infuriating that the entity had hijacked his body without authorization, it had indeed settled a substantial “moving fee.”

This accounted for why Lion’s bones felt as though they were fracturing from within.

Mana Pain.

‘A brand-new Mana Circle has manifested.’

Does this constitute a third circle, then?

If so, the sensation was remarkably ambiguous.

How ought one to categorize it?

‘It feels less like a natural growth and more like a foreign implant…’

If Lion’s native, expandable Mana Circles resembled the sprawling Asteri Mansion, the circle bestowed by the Earthbound Dragon felt akin to a lavish detached villa.

Yet it was constructed on such a grand and luxurious scale that the current Lion could scarcely harness a fraction of its output.

-I drew inspiration from that particular brush, you see.

-It remains far too hazardous for a child to wield freely. Hmm hmm.

“…”

So it appeared this particular Mana Circle came equipped with built-in parental controls.

-Still, is it not advantageous that you can draw upon it during a critical emergency?

-Should the need arise, I might even briefly manifest to preserve your life. Correct?

-…And as compensation for that service, I merely require a breath of fresh air for a very, very fleeting duration. Say, roughly a week?

That, clearly, was its ultimate objective.

Lion deliberately chose to maintain a stoic silence.

Noticing his lack of response, the Earthbound Dragon cast a sidelong glance at Lion and subtly adjusted its terms.

-Four days, then…

“…”

-W-well, how about a single day! Just one day?

The realization struck him clearly a moment prior.

This Earthbound Dragon was bound to obey his directives.

‘And it was undoubtedly aware of that stipulation as well.’

To be precise, it had willingly accepted a subordinate status purely to experience novelty, judging that an existence outside the Lair—despite the risks—offered vastly superior entertainment.

-Very well! One hour! Within that timeframe, I shall even deposit you in a secure sanctuary!

Why on earth would it deposit him anywhere? He was not a delivery carriage.

Yet, the proposal was not entirely devoid of merit.

Among Lion’s current inventory lay several assets capable of cheating death.

For instance, the Fragment of the Spirit Sword gifted by the Second Prince.

It guaranteed a single reprieve from mortality.

Consider the broader picture, however.

Would that alone salvage the predicament?

Certainly not.

Even if, by some miraculous stroke of fortune, he were whisked away to a ‘safe haven’ via his grandfather’s staff.

Could a physical form that had already brushed against death resume movement instantly?

That outcome was highly improbable.

Even if sheer willpower propelled him forward, the psychological trauma would be devastating.

Under such dire circumstances, what if this Earthbound Dragon suppressed his consciousness and operated his body in his stead?

‘A dragon’s mental fortitude is staggering.’

Granted, it could not unleash its full draconic might, but it could assuredly transport Lion back to the relative safety of the estate.

‘Though the mischief it might commit in the interim remains entirely unknown…’

-Hah? Why are you glaring at me in that fashion? I am by no means a malevolent dragon!

-You are well aware that dragons are constitutionally incapable of falsehoods, correct?

“I shall ponder your proposition favorably.”

-Splendid!!

It responded with overflowing exuberance.

How was he to phrase it? The entity possessed an absurdly towering stature, yet despite its unfathomable years, its emotional maturity matched that of a primary school student.

A lower-grade primary student at that.

-…This mortal. You are harboring disrespectful musings at this very moment, are you not?

-Regardless, we shall be companions for roughly a century moving forward, so I beg your favorable treatment. My name is Tiamatrak.

It appeared to have concluded its internal assessment of their arrangement while he remained bedridden.

Having formally introduced itself, Tiamatrak resumed chattering endlessly about an assortment of trivial topics.

Roughly two days had elapsed since he collapsed, and the current muscular agony should subside within a week at minimum.

It added that recovery could be expedited by utilizing potions specifically formulated for pain mitigation or by visiting particular geographical locations.

Furthermore.

-Ah, I took the liberty of sealing that map away yonder.

“Map?”

-Were you oblivious? It has been hovering about your person ever since we departed the Lair.

The map?

Swiveling his head toward the spot indicated by Tiamatrak’s finger, Lion observed that the bedside drawer had indeed been secured behind a barrier of arcane locks.

-It kept attempting various maneuvers upon your person, mortal… no, Lion.

-Ah, I cannot be blamed since I was forced to borrow your physical vessel, so spare me any reprimands!

Just as Lion intended to press the creature for further details regarding the map.

Click.

The chamber portal swung open abruptly without the courtesy of a knock.

If anyone possessed the authorization to breach Lion’s infirmary with such casual directness…

“You are awake.”

“Grandfather.”

Petrick and Elvia stepped into the ward, their expressions etched with deeper anxiety than usual.

Judging by the solemn gravity of their features, they appeared to have grasped the entire situation already.

‘…He claimed he secured the map away.’

They must have caught sight of Tiamatrak, who had temporarily “rented” Lion’s physique.

-Those two managed to expel me from the room as well.

-Naturally, under normal circumstances they would pose no challenge whatsoever, but they appear to hold you in rather high regard, Lion, which is why I permitted it.

-It is categorically not because I was defeated in combat!

It had definitively lost the fight.

Even the soul of a primordial dragon would be compelled to yield before an Archmage and an Eighth-Circle Witch.

“How does your physical vessel feel?”

“Hahaha… aside from a lingering stiffness, I am quite well.”

“That is a relief. And what of that entity?”

“I can sense its presence lingering just beyond the casement.”

Elvia chimed in on Lion’s behalf.

-Hmph. It matters little, as they cannot hear my spoken voice.

It seemed Elvia possessed the capacity to detect Tiamatrak’s distinct energetic signature.

Her status as a Witch likely accounted for this perception, though the precise mechanism remained unclear to him.

“Hoo…”

Petrick exhaled a profound sigh of relief upon witnessing his grandson moving with a semblance of normalcy.

In truth, words failed to capture the depth of his alarm a mere couple of days prior.

He had anticipated his grandson inciting a substantial incident within the Dragon’s Lair, certainly.

Yet that expectation was the extent of it.

Petrick briefly averted his gaze toward the drawer, which remained fortified by a heavy restraining ward.

‘Still, that particular item poses no immediate threat…’

When Petrick had previously confronted the dragon regarding the artifact, he received the assurance that it constituted nothing more than an incomplete cartographic sketch.

Given that dragons were bound by truth, that statement held weight.

Assuming that premise, even if future events remained unpredictable, the object was not configured to inflict immediate harm upon his grandson.

‘The greater crisis, rather, is the entity itself.’

To think the boy managed to unearth a draconic soul.

‘And permitted it to inhabit his personal space.’

He had already gathered the overarching details directly from the dragon that temporarily commandeered his grandson’s form.

‘Within the bounds of the Empire, few would detect its presence…’

Should emissaries from the Elven Realm arrive, however, an intensely complicated scenario would unfold.

More to the point, those elves would inevitably harass his grandson endlessly.

Much like the dragon currently outside.

‘…As anticipated.’

Reaching a firm resolution, Petrick addressed the boy with grave solemnity.

“Lion.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Detecting the distinct shift in his grandfather’s demeanor, Lion sensed that the pivotal moment had arrived.

He remained certain they had uncovered the existence of the map tucked within the drawer.

They would undoubtedly question why an artifact had persistently shadowed him.

And if his response proved flawed…

‘He would end up divulging secrets like sausages spilling from a torn casing.’

Such as the manner in which touching a Hero’s Relic unlocked suppressed memories.

And his brilliant grandfather would effortlessly connect the missive dispatched by the Second Prince to this exact chain of events.

The reckoning was at hand.

Just as he debated invoking his fundamental right to absolute silence.

“Would two animal companions not prove sufficient?”

“…Pardon?” -A-animal companions? What is the meaning of this? You designate me an ordinary beast? This vessel?

Petrick, entirely oblivious to Tiamatrak’s indignant protests, pressed onward, carefully selecting terminology designed to minimize offense to his grandson.

“Undoubtedly, the estate possesses ample acreage to accommodate hundreds of pets. Should you desire it, I can readily construct specialized quarters. However, managing cohabitation is rarely a simple endeavor.”

“Cohabitation?”

“Indeed. Naturally, the inherent compatibility between Evil Influences and Dragons leaves much to be desired.”

-There resides an Evil Influence here? No wonder you proved so adept at handling them.

-Still, why on earth would anyone harbor a creature that sheds such an excessive quantity of fur?

Listening to Tiamatrak’s commentary, the complaint appeared distressingly accurate.

Pets, however…

‘Ah, I see.’

His grandfather remained entirely unaware that the entity manifested in a sentient human guise.

Elvia, similarly, possessed awareness only of its general spatial coordinate.

“Furthermore, had it been a Spirit King rather than an Evil Influence, it would assuredly possess the sight to perceive a dragon existing in a spiritual state such as yourself.”

Petrick exerted genuine effort to persuade Lion logically.

And the underlying logic possessed undeniable merit.

The presence of the dragon threatened to distress the household’s existing residents.

“Hmm.”

Lion found himself concurring with the assessment.

Though the arrangement was entirely involuntary, if the household residents found the entity objectionable, maintaining it nearby would prove deeply awkward.

Alternatively, he would be forced to banish it to a considerable distance, much like its current outdoor station.

‘Based on previous disclosures, the tether linking it to the Lair has not been entirely severed.’

Undoubtedly, amongst Tiamatrak’s rambling narratives, mention had been made of ‘the capability to return to the Dragon’s Lair in tandem.’

Naturally, the catch lay in the subsequent warning: ‘though we shall remain incapable of emerging outward once more.’

Which implied he could simply deport Tiamatrak back to its origin point.

“Your reasoning is sound, Grandfather.”

-Mortal? Lion? Surely you do not intend to exile me back to that desolate Lair once more?

“Indeed. Therefore, promptly, that dragon—”

“We must first secure authorization from both of them, of course!”

“…Pfft.”

As though anticipating the exact development, Elvia muffled a chuckle behind her fist, standing just behind Petrick.

At any rate, the formal interview process for Tiamatrak commenced.

Concurrently, from a distance down the hall.

“Master! I have returned safelyyy!”

Freya materialized within the estate grounds, appearing somewhat travel-worn following an extended commercial excursion.