Chapter 267

Chapter 267
Chapter 267: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

What had been sliding downward toward the ground transformed unexpectedly into a lavish cape, while the hands that clasped the Grand Duke turned into living, warm flesh.

That thick, fluid substance, which had only vaguely resembled a human shape, was rapidly being absorbed.

His face came into view.

Even though it remained partially obscured, it was more than enough for the Grand Duke to recognize him instantly.

At that exact moment, the Grand Duke’s expression, which had been fighting desperately to stay composed, shattered completely.

Then.

*Sniffle-*

It shifted into the sound of weeping, the likes of which he had never heard before.

“…My son.”

“Sob, hic… Father.”

“I, truly…”

The Grand Duke could not even bring himself to utter an apology.

Such an emotion could never possibly be conveyed by something as hollow as saying sorry.

The soft skin that his own blade had grazed was still vivid in his mind.

The decades he had spent searching for his own identity felt distant and insignificant.

“You couldn’t even wait three days…”

As close as they had always been, his boy simply refused to be parted from him.

He used to ask habitually when he would be back after stepping out, calling out, “Will it be many nights?”

And he always made a promise that upon his return, they would spend at least two full nights playing together.

So, even when he was far away.

Even when locked in fierce combat with dangerous demons, he constantly worried about what fresh games he would share with his son once he made it back.

The child stood as the Grand Duke’s beacon of light, his ultimate hope, and the unwavering proof that he would never succumb to any corruption.

“This time, I found you.”

“…Yes. You’re truly amazing.”

“I cried, but I didn’t give up.”

“You’ve grown so much. Truly.”

Instead of pulling his child into an embrace and weeping, the Grand Duke simply hoisted him up.

Tears rushed forth until his vision turned crimson, but he forced them down.

Alongside his son, who had spent so long tracking him down…

‘I can’t let our final meeting end in tears.’

That surely wasn’t what his boy would want.

Even if it might seem a bit shameless of him.

He would likely have to answer for his deeds after crossing the waters of the underworld.

Yet for the present moment…

*Squeeze.*

He held his son close, knowing the boy had endured such loneliness for so long, wrapping him in an embrace to fill the empty void, matching the vast emptiness where warmth could no longer be felt.

He needed to fill that space himself.

Furthermore.

*Swipe.*

The Grand Duke lifted his face from the child’s small shoulder and turned his gaze toward the figure standing near the entrance.

“You are… a scion of the Asteri Family.”

“Yes. I am Lion Asteri, the eldest grandson of Mr. Patrick Asteri.”

“…”

Anyone capable of reaching this secluded spot was bound to be far more than ordinary.

The Grand Duke called his final mission to mind and shook his head.

Even with precious time slipping away, he had to obey the directive.

The very first priority was… this.

The Grand Duke, still cradling his son, bowed low in deep respect.

“…Thank you. Truly.”

It was a profound level of gratitude that even the Emperor had never witnessed.

“Lion. If not for you, my son and I might never have crossed paths again.”

“It seems you didn’t have much time left.”

“I certainly didn’t expect to outlast even half a century.”

An ordinary person, cast into an environment entirely devoid of anything, would struggle to keep their sanity for even a single month, let alone fifty years.

And yet the Grand Duke…

“I have no wish to intrude upon your reunion, but there are a few matters I must inquire about.”

“I will answer anything you ask.”

“Why were you taking the corruption of the Great Barrier directly into your soul?”

“You get straight to the point right away.”

The Grand Duke stroked his son’s hair repeatedly and offered a faint, bitter smile.

“It was done to atone for my initial sin.”

“Did you forge a pact with the Hero?”

“It all began with my own petition.”

He was the one who requested it?

“Could you explain the nature of that request?”

“That…”

As the Grand Duke hesitated, breaking from his usual serene demeanor, the Grand Duke’s son, Leon, slipped down from his arms and gripped one of his father’s fingers tightly.

“It’s fine, Father.”

He seemed fully aware of why his father held back.

“Leon… Indeed.”

It was the sort of knowledge he would have inevitably uncovered over decades spent anywhere in this realm.

The Grand Duke nodded and began to lay out the details of the agreement.

“Look over here.”

As the Grand Duke directed his gaze toward one corner of the chamber, a fresh illusion manifested just as it had previously.

It captured the exact moment the Grand Duke fell by the Hero’s hand.

With his heart pierced by the Hero’s blade, the Grand Duke finally regained his senses.

Filled with remorse for his actions, he seized the Hero’s shoulder and cautioned him that the road ahead would prove brutally difficult and harsh.

And ultimately, while still pressing forward.

He breathed his last with a final declaration hoping the outcome would not mirror his own.

Adding that he lacked the face to look upon his family, his beloved son.

‘I am well aware of this much, too.’

Naturally, the stark weight of reality differed greatly from what was witnessed within the game.

“So it appears this much is already known.”

Lion simply offered a nod, recognizing that history could not be entirely wiped away given the circumstances.

“Yes. Much like this record, my body was consumed by fire and my soul was locked away behind the Hero’s sword. Of course, a true Hero could have shattered it entirely, but the Demon Race held immense power back then, making the risks too great.”

This marked the first time he had heard this revelation.

Imprisoned within a blade?

“Fortunately, through the joint efforts of the Priest accompanying me and the Hero, my soul, which had rested dormant inside the seal, began the gradual process of purification.”

“…”

Lion stayed quiet, hanging on every word spoken by the Grand Duke.

“As the purification of my spirit drew near its end, I woke up and recalled something I had previously overlooked.”

“You are referring to the item inside that frame?”

“You knew of it?”

“Father. The soul of our ancestor, the Dragon, travels alongside Young Master Lion. He is quite a terrifying presence, yet deeply kind as well.”

“Ah…”

Leon’s straightforward explanation caused the Grand Duke to regard Lion with renewed fascination.

“That certainly speeds up the story. Indeed. I worried that my child’s spirit might still linger within that frame I crafted out of my own greed.”

Regrettably, however, by the time the Grand Duke stirred, the Great Barrier had already been raised.

“I was anxious about my boy, terrified he might still be trapped here.”

He confessed he hadn’t even been able to verify whether the child remained present or not.

“Could you not have simply asked the Hero?”

“…”

The Grand Duke studied Lion, his brow furrowing in a peculiar manner.

“He had his own burdens to bear.”

Although his words carried heavy undercurrents, he clearly wished to speak no further on that subject.

‘As for this particular detail, well.’

Should he ever acquire a Hero’s Item, the truth would likely reveal itself via Story Mode.

“Thus, I volunteered to remain behind and contain the corruption instead. I insisted that someone else could track down his whereabouts in the interim.”

Was that choice driven entirely by thoughts of his son?

“While you stayed behind, you were also keeping watch over the Hero’s relics, weren’t you?”

“You possess a sharp mind. Could you possibly be the next Hero?”

“Negative.”

“Is that so? A wise choice, then.”

The Grand Duke waved dismissively, declaring that being a Hero brought no worthwhile rewards.

“At any rate, my part of the tale concludes here. I saw the Hero off and rested beneath this very earth. Furthermore, as I recall, for roughly forty years, nothing of note occurred.”

This explained why the investigating party had turned up zero traces.

However…

“Since you watched him depart, that implies the Hero left this place, but do you happen to know his destination?”

“You are unaware? …Naturally.”

Such information was hardly something broadcasted to every corner of the world.

The Grand Duke murmured softly to himself and nodded.

“I could tell you, but you stated earlier that you refuse to become a Hero.”

“That is correct.”

“Yet you still seek this knowledge?”

Naturally, he believed uncovering it was essential.

A monumental secret was bound to be tied to the Hero’s final movements.

And Lion himself stood closest to unlocking that very truth.

It would take outsiders a considerable length of time to piece these facts together.

‘Even if I refuse to play the role of a Hero…’

If I secure the details first and share them, won’t my household remain shielded from impending threats?

‘…To be honest, I do understand now.’

Should I choose to grasp and resolve all these complexities, I would ultimately be forced to act like a ‘Hero’, if only from afar.

Up until a short while ago, he had held zero intention of doing any such thing.

He had even assumed he could simply leave matters to the capable people surrounding him if the need arose.

Those around him outmatched him in strength, and truthfully, their primary desire was to keep Lion safe.

Yet…

‘This situation is truly…’

Living side by side made it increasingly difficult to maintain that sort of detached indifference.

Lion let out a soft sigh and gave his answer.

“I have no desire to wear the mantle of a Hero, but I must protect my family.”

Human affection is a terrifying force.

Back when he remained entirely oblivious and viewed them merely with awe, he failed to realize how deeply those bonds could entwine.

Having experienced it firsthand, he felt an urge to invest everything he had.

Just as they did for him. He found himself changing to match them.

Giving away one’s effort is no waste, and being together brings genuine fulfillment.

He could not predict whether things would remain this way forever, but such was his present state of mind.

And Lion had made up his mind firmly on the day he arrived in this world.

He would live true to his own nature and pursue whatever he desired.

Without glancing back, without overthinking the distant future.

“So, please share what you know.”

“Mr. Patrick has truly raised a fine grandson.”

“He is an extraordinary person, isn’t he?”

Leon chimed in alongside his father’s praise, wearing a broad grin.

“Very well. Since my time remaining is short, I shall tell you. Before that, however.”

“…”

“You remember the way back out, do you not?”

The Grand Duke glanced toward Lion’s ethereal form and posed the question.

“…Right?”

“Mhm! You’ll barely beat the deadline.”

Reaching his decision, the Grand Duke scooped Leon up once more and spoke with casual ease.

“The Hero ventured straight into the Great Barrier. I believe he intends to… Hmm, oh my.”

It appeared that was the absolute limit of what he could reveal.

Before Lion could even process the shock of the Grand Duke’s words.

*Rumble.*

The entire castle shuddered violently as though struck by a massive earthquake.

“It is on the verge of collapse, so you had best make haste.”

“What??”

As if validating his warning, the floor pitched wildly underfoot, and the illusory furnishings scattered across the castle tumbled down in disarray.

At the exact same instant, a flurry of system notifications materialized before Lion.

『You have safely returned the Ghost Grand Duke’s son, ‘Leonhardt’.』

* Find Son for Guardian (Completed)

『You have cleared the ‘Lost Child’ mission!』

『You have acquired 100,000 Shillings.』

『You have currently completed four Hidden Quests.』

『Should you complete one additional Hidden Quest, a brand-new mission will become available.』

A substantial notification accompanied the rewards for completing four Hidden Quests.

『Spirit Arts proficiency has advanced to Lv. 3.』

『Gathering Proficiency has advanced to Lv. 3.』

‘Wait, is this skill counting a plant as well?’

Notifications detailing the accumulated experience points from this quest settled all at once!

Under normal circumstances, these would have tasted like sweet victories.

“Eeeeeek!”

Lion immediately smashed the door open with a kick and bolted outside.

Chandeliers shattered above, while the ground grew uneven and perilously slick.

Even as he tumbled and slid across the stone in his spirit state, he couldn’t afford to slow his pace!

『Your connection to your physical vessel is about to be severed. Hurry!』

A terrifying warning beacon flashed insistently!

Lion sprinted as though his very life depended on every single step.

To return to the land of the living!

No matter how vital the explanation was, survival came first!

Meanwhile, the Grand Duke watched him go with a contented smile, gently patting his son’s head.

“We, too, must ready ourselves to embark on a long journey.”

“I’m not scared at all, though! I’ve grown up a lot!”

“Oh, really? Then shall we check your height once more after all this time?”

The two of them shared a warm laugh amidst the crumbling halls of the castle as they turned toward the boundary wall.

Thus, the one who needed to flee kept moving forward, while the ones finally permitted to depart cherished their final moments together.

And Lion…

“Haaah!”

He barely managed to snap back to awareness!

“I—I’m back!!”