Chapter 263

Chapter 263
Chapter 263: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“Yikes, Pus!”

Before any trouble could break out, Lion swiftly scooped up Pus in his hands.

“It is great that you want to safeguard Father, but you cannot treat Great-Grandfather that way.”

“Great-Grand…”

Petrick experienced a brief blurring of his vision at the suggested relation.

Though he had expected to hear such words eventually, he had never imagined the moment would arrive so soon.

Especially considering who they were discussing…

‘No, I cannot allow myself to get distracted by this.’

Petrick drew in a steadying breath, pulling his thoughts back into order.

“Lion.”

“Ah… Yes. Grandfather.”

“Explain this to me. Where did that painting come from?”

“Well…”

Lion nervously stroked the soft ears of Pus, darting his eyes around the room.

There were several presences present that his grandfather remained entirely blind to.

For instance, the lingering spirit of the Grand Duke…

-What reason is there for secrecy? Just lay the whole truth out for him.

-That way, the remaining pieces can be reclaimed all the sooner.

-Besides, we need to deal with that fellow as well.

Tiamatrak chimed in, carrying a distinct tone of grievance following the previous day’s events.

It appeared both his pride and his disposition had suffered a joint blow.

‘Well, I suppose I have no other choice.’

Lion proceeded to recount the exact sequence of events.

He had encountered the ghostly form of the Grand Duke, and while struggling through the hurdles of communication, Pus had caught a scent and ventured into the storage room.

That was the exact spot where the portrait had been discovered.

“I sensed a presence akin to a dragon’s energy beside you.”

“Indeed. Though Tiamatrak mentioned it was merely a ‘fragment’.”

“…”

So that was how the situation unfolded.

Petrick finally pieced together the circumstances of how his grandson had come to possess the canvas.

He was, after all, well-acquainted with the lore surrounding the Great Duke Dragnas lineage.

More crucially than that, however…

‘The Grand Duke.’

Petrick fixed a steady gaze upon the portrait.

The individual depicted within those strokes was someone he recognized from the past.

The sole blood relative of Great Duke Dragnas.

The man had lived as though he would surrender his entire existence, making it entirely believable that items imbued with dragon power would be interred alongside his portrait.

‘He likely had no inkling himself that it would shackle his own son to this mortal plane.’

Leaving behind such an agonizing and bitter final memory, at that.

Nevertheless…

‘Something remains amiss.’

Petrick harbored a lingering doubt.

It was undeniable that the Great Duke held a deep affection for his child.

Yet, as he had noted previously, it was the Great Duke himself who ultimately brought about the tragic end of that very son.

Naturally, that act had been driven by the absolute loss of self due to advanced corruption…

‘Could a young boy genuinely comprehend and forgive such a deed?’

Had the youth not spent decades isolated after death, drifting aimlessly through the realms?

Because direct dialogue was out of the question, pessimistic assumptions naturally took root first.

Even assuming the Grand Duke’s search for his father stemmed from pure and well-meaning intentions…

‘It is out of the question.’

His grandson possessed far too gentle a soul.

It was simply in his nature to offer aid to those in distress without seeking any reward, and to constantly untangle the troubles of the wrongfully accused.

Even in moments where simply turning a blind eye would have sufficed.

Up to this point, that kindness had fortunately been met with favorable outcomes.

‘So long as he remains within Asteri Territory, he can lead his life that way.’

With Petrick’s own eyes and ears spread across every corner of that domain, any brewing incidents could be swiftly contained.

Yet the Great Barrier was an entirely different environment.

Especially now, with the Archbishop keeping a watchful eye on Lion.

“…”

Petrick slowly shut his eyes before opening them again, his expression turning resolute.

“Do not involve yourself any further.”

“Pardon?”

“Comforting wandering spirits is the duty of the priesthood. Do you not have a separate objective for being here?”

He carried a mountain of pressing responsibilities that far outweighed the task of soothing a spirit departed for decades.

At the very pinnacle of that list stood his own grandson.

Even if it made him appear selfish, he could not act otherwise.

“I am told an emissary from the Temple is approaching.”

“From the Temple?”

As Lion repeated the words in surprise, Petrick provided a brief summary of recent developments.

Before Lion could voice his dismay, Petrick pressed on.

“I once believed that unhinged Archbishop would serve as nothing more than a liability, but there are times when such figures prove useful. If an investigator of the Archbishop’s stature takes charge, the Grand Duke’s soul will assuredly find peace, and the remaining spirit fragments will be located.”

“What about Tiamatrak’s energy, then…?”

“I shall negotiate with him separately to secure its retrieval.”

“…”

Petrick’s stance brooked no argument.

Recognizing the firm intent behind his grandfather’s words, Lion found himself unable to mount a protest.

-As for me, I have no objections so long as my power is restored properly.

-It is simply because you are endlessly softhearted, Lion, but most would not go to such lengths.

-That crybaby will manage to understand in time.

Lion pivoted his gaze toward the spot where the Grand Duke’s spirit hovered.

The phantom wore an expression of profound dejection, looking as though he might dissolve into tears at any moment, yet he pressed a hand against his hollow chest and offered a slow nod.

He then gestured toward the word cards resting upon the desk.

『Yes.』 and 『It is fine.』—the latter being one of the newly introduced phrases.

“…”

When even the entity in question declared it acceptable, Lion realized his hands were tied.

“…I understand. I will leave it be.”

“Good.”

Though a pang of sympathy struck Petrick at his grandson’s subdued tone, he deliberately averted his gaze.

Shielding one’s family occasionally demanded a ruthless resolve.

Petrick reached out to clap a reassuring hand on Lion’s shoulder.

“Furthermore, it appears we must accelerate our timeline.”

“Agreed, we should.”

“…That being said, I intend to offer all possible cooperation regarding matters tied to the ‘Hero’.”

Petrick cast one final look at the portrait resting in the corner of the room.

Uprooting it immediately would have been ideal, but doing so would inflict unnecessary distress upon Lion.

‘Since his attachment runs so deep, I ought to grant him time to process it.’

Should any unforeseen threat manifest, the Dragon would deal with it.

“I shall permit this painting to remain here until the arrival of the priests.”

“My thanks, Grandfather.”

“Then join me outside when you are ready. I shall wait for you.”

Giving Lion’s shoulder a few parting pats, Petrick exited the chamber with heavy strides.

The heavy door clicked shut behind him, and Nature, who had been resting upon the mattress, fluttered over to settle lightly upon Lion’s shoulder.

“Peep…”

As if offering consolation, the tiny creature rubbed its cheek gently against Lion’s face.

“Kiying.”

Pus, still cradled securely in his arms, offered a similar gesture of comfort.

-Lion. It cannot be helped.

-To be fair, the burden of carrying all of this was never yours alone.

-Did you not state you had no wish to become a Hero? Then indulging in a touch of selfishness should be permitted. That is the privilege of mortals.

Even Tiamatrak, despite maintaining an uncharacteristically chilly demeanor throughout, tossed in a word of rough solace from a distance.

And Lion…

“Hoo.”

He lifted his chin, which had been cast downward.

Never before had he faced such unyielding resistance, and a part of him had worried whether he was causing undue strain.

*Creek.*

The corners of Lion’s lips twitched upward into a faint curve.

“Indeed. I simply need to execute what must be done.”

“Peep, peep?”

“Grandfather is entirely correct. What legitimate reason do I have to meddle within such a perilous zone?”

As he voiced those thoughts, a brilliant gleam ignited within Lion’s eyes.

He was thoroughly consumed by a positive form of madness!

‘This represents an opening.’

He grasped the true underlying meaning of his grandfather’s caution.

He understood how deep the man’s anxiety must run.

Consequently, as a dutiful grandson, Lion felt compelled to completely alleviate those fears.

Besides…

‘I have secured official clearance.’

His grandfather would refrain from interfering with matters concerning the ‘Hero’.

That single factor felt akin to granting wings to his back.

There remained, however, one detail his grandfather had yet to realize.

‘The whereabouts of the Great Duke.’

While he suspected it shared a proximity to the Hero’s trail, Lion kept the thought to himself.

‘For nothing is certain yet.’

After all, there existed the distinct possibility that his deductions were flawed and every effort would amount to nothing… but!

‘Fortunes favor those who take calculated gambles.’

He had been gripped by anxiety when his grandfather laid down the law inside the carriage.

Quickly turning his head, Lion directed his attention back toward the Grand Duke.

The phantom’s expression, which moments prior had hovered on the verge of tears, now bore a look of utter bewilderment.

Perhaps it was because he had just witnessed a brand of single-minded obsession that outstripped even his own decades-long pursuit.

“As I mentioned previously, I can no longer offer assistance to the Grand Duke. Therefore, please do not harbor high expectations. Moreover, my next destination is far too dangerous to bring you along.”

With those words spoken, Lion extended his little finger.

“So I must ask you to remain here and refrain from trailing after me. Do we have an understanding?”

The Grand Duke hesitantly extended a translucent hand, attempting to interlock his small finger with Lion’s.

In truth, physical contact was impossible.

Their fingers met only empty air.

Yet, simply through the gesture… a profound sense of reassurance washed over him.

The Grand Duke beamed brightly.

“Now then, let us put an end to our involvement here and direct our attention to my own objectives.”

“Peep!”

With a confident stride, Lion stepped out of the chamber.

And…

-Right, of course you will keep your distance.

-Frankly, you are quite a remarkable piece of work.

Tiamatrak muttered under his breath as he drifted through the door, trailing in the youth’s wake.

Before departing fully, the dragon casually glanced back over his shoulder.

-Hey. Crybaby.

-Stay put and guard this dwelling. I shall arrange a meeting for you later.

It was not out of any sentimental attachment to bygone ties…

Unable to even formulate a convincing lie to himself, Tiamatrak simply swept out of the room.

—

Having finalized their preparations, Lion and Petrick set out directly toward the Great Barrier.

The route leading to the Great Barrier proved treacherous.

Portions of the terrain were heavily corrupted, transforming what should have been vibrant green canopies into barren wastes of death.

Even the surrounding atmosphere carried a sickly, pungent odor, capable of striking down any traveler lacking adequate protection with sudden illness.

Lion, however, remained entirely unaffected.

‘Though I owe that entirely to this cloak.’

The specialized garment, crafted through the joint efforts of the Magic Tower and the Temple, appeared packed with a multitude of practical properties.

Chief among them was a built-in capacity to absorb surrounding contamination.

Courtesy of this safeguard, Lion advanced safely without acquiring so much as a scratch, reaching the outermost perimeter of the Great Barrier.

Furthermore, he indulged in the minor satisfaction of discreetly pocketing a few tainted medicinal herbs while Petrick walked ahead, oblivious.

“Ahem…”

Petrick likely harbored suspicions regarding the boy’s actions, but perhaps weighed down by the recent conversation, he pressed onward while feigning ignorance.

“We will shortly arrive in the vicinity where the final traces of the Hero were detected.”

“The vicinity?”

“Yes. Intelligence places the discovery somewhere within this general sector, though the exact coordinates remain unknown.”

After covering a short distance further, Petrick came to a halt.

“Our search begins here.”

At the pronouncement, Lion swept his gaze across the expansive landscape.

Across the vast plain, not a single blade of surviving grass met the eye.

The ground was marked by deep fissures and scarred earth, bearing the hallmarks of ancient devastation.

-Tch, this wretched barrier dampens my senses completely.

-In my younger days, I could track mana vibrations spanning entirely different continents.

-It is certainly not because my powers have grown dull over time…

It appeared Tiamatrak’s assistance would offer little utility here.

Nature and Pus had likewise been instructed to keep a low profile, leaving Lion to survey the territory entirely through his own faculties.

‘…Hm?’

A sudden realization dawned upon him.

“Does the level of contamination not feel noticeably lighter in this particular sector compared to the rest?”