Chapter 268

Chapter 268
Chapter 268: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Lion, ecstatic to inhabit his physical form once more, thrust both arms upward.

Instantly, a brutal wave of muscle soreness crashed over him.

“Ugh…”

It was agonizing, yet he welcomed the hurt.

In his incorporeal existence, feeling anything had been impossible.

‘That was a close brush with disaster.’

Instead of a simple demise, he had nearly become trapped forever in some liminal void between the living realm and the great beyond.

Lion slowly brought his arms back down, blinking repeatedly to let his eyes acclimate to the gloom.

‘At any rate, I am glad to be back.’

Perhaps his grandfather and Tiamatrak had managed the situation properly while he was unconscious.

“How much time has elapsed? Tiamatrak.”

No reply came.

“…”

Something felt amiss.

That chatty dragon should not have been this silent.

Had something happened to him during the process of moving my body?

Lion bolted upright immediately.

Every shift of his joints sent sharp bolts of pain that made his vision swim, but mobility, however limited, had returned.

‘I need to find a source of illumination first.’

Whether due to his recent awakening or the excessive use of self-enhancement magic beyond safe thresholds, the surroundings remained remarkably dark.

As Lion felt along the wall by touch to locate the bedside lamp…

-Oh? Lion! You are finally awake!

Tiamatrak’s voice echoed from the adjacent chamber.

“Why are you stationed over there?”

-Is this really a time for such casual remarks? You were in grave peril.

-I was well aware of your recklessness, but how did you manage to stumble into that mess?

-Still, seeing you conscious implies the crisis has largely passed…

Tiamatrak’s jaw was moving at a pace that made his prior quietness seem comical.

Fortunately, no catastrophic issues seemed to remain.

“Were you worried about me?”

-Worried? What nonsense are you uttering! I merely thought you were an interesting specimen; could you truly not even endure that much? It is just that…

Despite his joyful tone, Tiamatrak attempted to sound gruff, grumbling before abruptly pressing his face tightly against the wall and peering through.

-No, that is not the pressing issue right now!

-Examine your own condition first!

“My appearance? It is too dark to observe anything.”

-Just as the old man predicted… your senses clearly have not fully recovered yet. Hmm.

Tiamatrak scrutinized Lion from various angles before offering a verbal explanation.

-First, return to the mattress. There is a luminosity control device on the nightstand.

-Proceed slowly, as it will be far brighter than you anticipate.

-These are instructions from your grandfather, not my own.

Speaking of which, where was his grandfather at the moment?

‘Did I perhaps sleep past the appropriate hour?’

Anxiety began to creep in regarding the events that transpired during his blackout.

With Tiamatrak’s guidance, Lion made his way back to the bed and, keeping his eyes shut, reached out to grope the nightstand.

His fingers brushed against a lamp fixture, and he gave it a slight twist.

Gleam.

A gentle radiance bloomed across the room.

“Ugh…!”

For Lion, however, the effect was jarring.

It felt as though he had stepped out of a subterranean cavern straight into blinding midday sunlight, his eyes burning fiercely.

‘What is the meaning of this?’

The light itself was undeniably faint.

He recognized that much. Yet why did it inflict such pain?

-Oh dear. Did you genuinely believe there would be no repercussions after pushing yourself to such extremes?

Tiamatrak chuckled, poking fun at the youngster who had played so recklessly with his own physical limits.

The real trouble, however, had only just begun.

Lion, having slowly accustomed his eyes to the illumination, finally surveyed his surroundings.

They remained inside Dragnas Castle.

Specifically, the Grand Duke’s private quarters…

Though much had been altered.

‘This defensive array, for starters.’

It turned out Tiamatrak had not been speaking through the bare wall; rather, a massive protective ward enveloped the entire chamber.

Magic circles dense with intricate runes, resembling a heavily fortified bunker, covered every available surface.

This was undeniably his grandfather’s handiwork.

‘…It does not look like an exclusion order.’

Lion pressed closer to the barrier to inspect each individual magic circle.

He had suspected they might be confining him to curb any impulsive actions, but that theory fell flat.

Indeed, given his grandfather’s typical demeanor, an immediate transfer back to the main estate followed by strict orders for his younger brother to guard the gates would have been far more likely.

‘Then this signifies…’

The ward appeared designed to shield him from prying eyes on the outside…

“Is there an unexpected visitor in the halls?”

-Sharp as ever. Indeed there is.

It seemed they had recently arrived straight from the temple.

Given that his grandfather had resorted to deploying such heavy protective wards, the desire to see him must have been urgent.

Consequently, lingering here any longer would only complicate matters further…

“Could you briefly summarize the events that occurred while I was incapacitated?”

Upon hearing the complete account, Lion exhaled a soft breath.

Fortunately, the duration of his unconsciousness had not been overly prolonged.

A single full day.

It was an impressively brief recovery period compared to his past ordeals…

The complication lay elsewhere.

“…This is somewhat severe.”

Lion stared down at his darkened hand.

It had turned pitch black, as though stained deeply with ink.

His reflection in the room’s mirror revealed a body in similarly concerning condition.

The creeping dark corruption was clearly visible beneath his skin.

The only saving grace was that most of it remained concealed beneath his garments.

‘So that was why you mentioned my senses were not fully restored.’

Ordinarily, this level of corruption should have triggered excruciating agony.

While not technically a curse, its underlying mechanism bore striking similarities.

If a curse resembled a refined, finished artifact,

corruption was the leftover residue. It was akin to filth.

“Tiamatrak. What became of your lingering energy?”

-The subterranean energy was drawn directly into your physical vessel, leaving behind only the fragment contained within that frame.

With those words, his gaze shifted toward the picture frame, seemingly curious about the whereabouts of Grand Duke Leon.

“They say you are quite the sentimentalist.”

-…Sentimental? I merely scolded and frightened them.

“At any rate, since you accompanied us thus far, you might as well reclaim that energy as well.”

-No, retain it for yourself. You have greater need of it. You stated as much earlier.

“Was it that transparent?”

Lion offered a sheepish grin and retrieved Tiamatrak’s energy concealed inside the frame.

Closer inspection revealed it to be precisely a severed reverse scale.

-It was an inverted scale, rendering it unsightly, so I merely bestowed it upon a mortal as a token.

-That occurred nearly ten millennia ago, and I had simply lived my days having forgotten all about it.

-Who could have foreseen that lineage would flourish and ultimately establish an entire bloodline.

His tone carried a distinct trace of bitterness.

Lion understood the sentiment.

‘It must have been a deeply memorable first love.’

The claim of having forgotten about it was likely a fabrication.

“You cheeky rascal…”

-Do you intend to gaze upon me with such insolent eyes?

-Hmph. Regardless, you will have no further use for it; keep it or discard it as you please.

“Very well. My thanks.”

Lion tucked the reverse scale into his tunic and continued,

“So, that concludes the primary issues for the moment?”

-Indeed it does.

“Excellent.”

He swiftly dressed himself.

Fortunately, spare garments capable of concealing the discoloration were available, and the ability-suppressing pendant appeared to be functioning properly.

It seemed to mask the extent of the corruption effectively as well.

‘Now, the objective is simply to avoid detection.’

Even as a priest, searching the eldest grandson of the Asteri family without cause was out of the question, so a plausible excuse would suffice.

As for his pallid complexion, that was nothing out of the ordinary.

-Ah, are you planning to move about the moment you regain consciousness?

-It promises to be amusing… but you are well aware that such recklessness invites severe punishment, correct?

-Your grandfather’s wrath is not to be trifled with.

“I am aware.”

Yet what alternative remained?

The ongoing commotion clearly signaled he was being sought, leaving him no choice but to respond.

Lion inspected his condition one final time, stepped beyond the barrier of the protective ward, opened the door, and strode directly toward the Grand Duke’s study.

‘Just as anticipated.’

Mages and priests stood stationed throughout the castle corridors, maintaining a tense standoff.

Ordinarily, such vigilance would be unnecessary, but likely…

‘The priesthood is fully committed.’

Some underlying power struggle appeared to be underway.

Perhaps the Archbishop had dropped hints to stir the waters.

‘They undoubtedly believe I have accomplished a major feat.’

Since his grandfather had deliberately kept him secluded, that assumption would have solidified into absolute certainty.

‘Well, it is a logical deduction.’

He presented the facade of an amiable youth capable of grasping matters far deeper than surface appearances suggested.

According to rumors he had overheard, he was supposedly as devoted to the Saintess who raised him as Rihit was.

‘I can comprehend that sentiment now…’

Or rather, he grasped it far better than before.

Nevertheless.

That did no justify harassing an innocent bystander.

‘Very well. It is best to clear the air immediately.’

To achieve his objectives, he needed to offer steady support rather than endure this sort of pressure.

‘Though, of course, those details can be settled after a proper discussion.’

Accepting polite greetings from the passing mages, Lion cheerfully swung open the door to his grandfather’s quarters.

“Oh dear, I seem to have overslept!”

Just as expected.

Seated inside the room were both his grandfather and the Archbishop.

Noticing the strained expression on his grandfather’s face alongside the Archbishop’s beaming smile…

‘The Archbishop has clearly deduced something.’

Lion stepped forward, maintaining an unshakeable smile.

“…! Lion.”

“Hahaha, my apologies, Grandfather. I suppose exhaustion caught up with me after all that traveling. However…”

Lion shifted his attention toward the Archbishop.

“I scarcely expected the Archbishop to be present here… It has been quite some time.”

“Hahaha. Young Lion. I wished to behold your face before concluding our talks with the Marquis, so it is truly a delight to find you in such good health.”

“Since the opportunity presents itself, may I join you?”

“I am quite well… Marquis. Are you feeling alright?”

The Archbishop deliberately glanced toward Petrik, posing the query with a knowing air.

“…Did you manage adequate rest?”

“I slept so soundly that my head is still spinning. Nearly as long as Reverend Father Rihit! I almost thought I had awakened with a surge of divine power.”

“Lion.”

“Hahaha. Forgive me. That was merely a jest.”

Lion smoothly assumed control of the conversation, waving a hand dismissively.

“…It appears Rihit remains asleep.”

“Ah, were you unaware? Reverend Father Rihit has been slumbering for quite some time now. He likely withheld the news simply to spare you needless worry.”

Lion promptly accepted the cup of warm tea offered to him.

‘Ah, this truly qualifies as a mandatory retreat for rest and recuperation.’

Despite the beverage being hot, he could barely register the temperature.

‘Which is precisely why I must expedite this matter.’

This realization served as the primary motivation behind Lion’s energetic demeanor.

Yet that was not the sole factor.

To be entirely candid…

The scene that had greeted him upon entering the room a moment prior…

The expressions worn by both his grandfather and the Archbishop had genuinely irritated him.

His grandfather was a figure who should never have been subjected to such taxing circumstances over the course of his life.

His reputation, standing, and martial prowess alone demanded better.

And yet…

‘All to shield me.’

He had surrendered ground simply because he tended to be sparing with his explanations.

Consequently, vital information had remained tightly guarded until now.

Under those conditions.

‘I must elevate his spirits.’

Lion adopted a determined combat smile, reminiscent of his days as a team leader, for the first time in an exceptionally long while.