Chapter 278

Chapter 278
## Chapter 278: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

To offer an excuse right off the bat, Lion had never properly experienced adolescence.

To be exact, his teenage years certainly happened, but because there was no one around to look after him, it was far more accurate to say he simply suppressed them.

Why on earth am I bothering to explain all of this?

“……It’s already late.”

It meant he had completely failed to catch up with Rikschel, who had already departed.

In the brief span of a few minutes while he stood there dumbfounded, Rikschel had vanished from the estate without a trace.

It was safe to assume he had utilized a Warp Scroll.

“What on earth am I supposed to do?”

Despite scouring the entire mansion out of a desperate sliver of hope, and running back and forth to the Knight Order five times, Rikschel was nowhere to be found.

His grandfather, whose expression had frozen as rigid as a stone statue, had tried to step in halfway, offering to conduct the search himself, but Lion had flat-out refused.

‘Somehow… it feels like that would spell absolute disaster.’

Hadn’t he already broken that trust once before?

At the very least, if he searched for his brother personally, his sincere concern would shine through.

And besides…

‘It’s bound to be less suffocating with me than with Grandfather, after all.’

So he had loudly declared that there was nothing to worry about… but…

How on earth was he supposed to track him down?

He grew slightly frantic as a significant amount of precious time ticked away.

-Isn’t that reaction a bit too rushed?

-He needs some time to let his head cool down as well.

“I suppose that’s true…”

Normally, he would have given him space.

The trouble was that Rikschel’s expression had looked deeply abnormal.

-Hmm.

Tiamatrak gazed down at his flustered Contractor.

Honestly, the dragon couldn’t fathom why the boy was in such a state of panic.

After all, Tiamatrak was not human, and his perception of the passage of time was entirely different.

To Tiamatrak, this was nothing more than a passing blink of an eye.

‘Wouldn’t it be fine not laying eyes on him for about a year?’

That length of time would be ideal for cooling tempers and sorting out tangled thoughts.

Furthermore, by that point, Rikschel Asteri, Lion’s younger brother, would also be approaching adulthood, which carried various practical advantages.

‘He’s being far too soft.’

He wasn’t born weak, so why was he acting like this?

If anything, the dragon worried that Lion might collapse purely from running around searching for him.

Didn’t his face turn completely pale just from pacing the mansion a few times?

-Sigh. Look at you sweating buckets. If you’re that worried, why don’t you use them as well!

“Use what? Grandfather is entirely out of the question…”

If he utilized Spirit Arts, he could likely pinpoint a rough geographic coordinate.

-No. I mean that cursed human who tagged along to my Lair back then.

-Indeed. That fellow is supposed to be rather competent among mortals, isn’t he?

-He seems to hold quite a fondness for you, too.

…The Second Prince!

Accepting assistance from his grandfather versus accepting assistance from the Second Prince or the Underworld were two entirely different beasts.

The latter was a connection Lion had forged entirely through his own efforts.

And…

‘He happens to excel at tracking positions, too.’

Lion reached out to him without a moment’s hesitation!

This occurred precisely three hours after Rikschel had bolted.

—

Fortunately, Kyle picked up the communication immediately and promised to dispatch an expert intelligence operative the moment he grasped the situation.

There were no unreasonable demands attached… though.

That supposed information expert turned out to be someone unexpected.

“Haha. Oh goodness, hahaha!”

The real problem was that the person was Jack.

From the second he crossed paths with Lion and stepped inside the chamber, Jack had been laughing his lungs out.

In truth, he had burst into fits of laughter multiple times during his carriage ride to the Asteri Estate.

No, it was simply hysterically funny that the unflappable successor of the great Asteri House was losing his grip to this extent.

And the root cause of it all…

‘His most treasured older brother!’

From Jack’s viewpoint, it was an entertaining spectacle he might never witness again in his entire existence.

“Quit laughing.”

Only after Lion ground his teeth together and issued a sharp warning did Jack finally manage to suppress his amusement.

“Oh dear, my apologies. *Cough*, it’s just such a marvelous sight.”

Jack mumbled, wiping the corners of his eyes as though he were still savoring the moment.

“Who would have thought even Lord Lion could commit such blunders?”

“…”

He bristled defensively, but found himself entirely devoid of a counterargument.

Lion deliberately drew in a slow, deep breath and posed a direct question.

“So, do you happen to know where Rikschel is?”

“Naturally. I am well aware.”

“Then pray tell me.”

“Well, pointing the way isn’t difficult, but what exactly do you plan to do once you arrive?”

“Well.”

“Shall I hazard a guess? Your options are rather limited, so you intend to march right over there and offer an apology first thing, don’t you?”

“…”

Lion lapsed into silence for a second time.

As a matter of fact, the man had hit the nail on the head.

“Oh my, do not misunderstand, I am not saying you are wrong. Since the head of the house regards Lord Lion with special favor, patching things up will be a breeze. It will likely continue to glide along smoothly just like before. The family will find its harmony, and everyone will live happily ever after, won’t they?”

What a truly wonderful outcome!

Jack, whose moral compass left much to be desired, found this entire predicament immensely gratifying.

He even felt a subtle jolt of thrill.

To witness someone he secretly envied exposing such a glaring vulnerability!

“Indeed. A thoroughly pristine resolution. Everything wraps up neatly if a single party simply keeps their mouth shut. It is a style of conclusion I rather fancy in my own line of work, too.”

“Which means.”

“Yes. It is entirely accurate to say that Lord Lion intends to leverage this to silence his younger brother, isn’t it?”

‘An advantageous position…’

Jack’s remarks were piercing and grating to the ear, yet they lacked any logical flaw.

Lion swallowed a heavy sigh deep within his chest and conceded the point outright.

Even so, having raised Kyle much like a younger brother, he still held the upper hand in this dynamic.

And what that particular fellow desired was…

‘Most likely to back me into a corner.’

It was crystal clear that Jack wanted to orchestrate a scenario where Lion found no escape route and was forced to beg for assistance at the expense of his pride.

Residual spite from their previous encounters likely played a part, too.

However.

‘Can I afford the luxury of being picky right now?’

Regardless of what outsiders might think, Lion was genuinely anxious.

If Rikschel refused the mantle, the burden of the heir would fall squarely on his own shoulders.

…Well, he had often voiced that sentiment outwardly, but reality was far more complex.

If his younger sibling truly abhorred the idea of becoming the successor… Lion was prepared to step into that role in his stead.

To Lion, family occupied a profoundly singular and irreplaceable status.

Consequently, he prayed that bitter discord could be averted and that they would not be forced down a thorny path.

He naturally hoped his younger brother would be spared any unnecessary heartache, as well.

Yet, for the epicenter of all this turmoil to be himself…

‘Absolutely not.’

Lion shook his head firmly.

“What about Lord Jade?”

“When our falling out occurred?”

“Yes.”

“Do you honestly expect me to hand over that information for free?”

Jade assumed an air that practically screamed, “Our relationship isn’t nearly that intimate, is it?” and leisurely crossed his legs.

It was a rather audacious posture for the leader of a Merchant Guild, yet Lion let it slide.

That man was, after all, the supreme sovereign of the Underworld.

“What is your price?”

“My price… You make it sound as though you can grant absolutely anything.”

“Try me.”

“Ha, and just what do you suppose I might ask for?”

“If it lies within my power to execute, consider it granted.”

“…”

Jack snapped his mouth shut and fixed a long stare upon Lion Asteri.

Lion possessed an obsession with familial ties that ran far deeper than he had initially anticipated.

Was it born merely out of pity for a younger brother who tried to shoulder the entire world alone?

No, this emotion did not stem from simple altruism.

It was driven entirely by his own inner anxieties and lingering voids.

Jack understood this dynamic better than anyone else alive.

‘Tsk, this is precisely what makes him so unsettling.’

On the surface, Jack and Lion walked fundamentally opposing paths.

Jack ruled over the shadows of the Underworld.

While Lion basked in the dazzling glory of the light.

And yet, it was darkly amusing—or perhaps thoroughly unpleasant.

‘We are cut from the same cloth.’

Jack and Lion shared striking foundational similarities.

A fact that both of them recognized all too well.

At the very least, Jack did.

That realization was precisely why he held an inherent aversion toward Lion Asteri.

‘A mutual aversion between of the same breed.’

Jack shrugged dismissively in his mind.

This deep-seated resemblance was why watching Lion clash with his brother had brought him such perverse satisfaction.

It felt akin to thinking, ‘Let us see how well you stomach this bitter pill.’

And yet…

‘I despise seeing him act so submissively, either.’

Was it because he saw a reflection of himself in the boy?

Witnessing Lion Asteri cast aside his towering pride somehow made Jack feel diminished by association.

“Ah.”

Jack brought a hand up to obscure his face, letting out a heavy sigh that bordered on a lament.

Navigating the complexities of his own temperament was exhausting work.

“Very well. Let us handle it like this, then.”

Jack uncrossed his limbs, gave a light clap of his hands, and formally laid out a proposition to Lion Asteri.

“The Prince happens to be searching for a suitable Imperial Tutor.”

“…An Imperial Tutor?”

“Literally, the mentor to the Emperor. Some circles refer to it as the pillar of the Empire. It carries immense symbolic weight and authority. It appears the Prince is rather fond of the notion that you should occupy that seat.”

“I see.”

He had anticipated something along those lines to a degree, but they were genuinely prepared to hand him such a monumental post.

‘Naturally, there is no one else quite like me.’

If an individual harboring political bias or power matching that of the Emperor were to seize the position of Imperial Tutor.

Kyle would naturally find his freedom of will severely constrained.

At the same time, appointing someone entirely devoid of backing would present an entirely different crisis.

Viewed through that lens, pushing Lion into that role was a remarkably astute strategic choice on Kyle’s part.

Well, entirely separate from that consideration…

‘He must detest this arrangement.’

Hence, Jack was likely attempting to cement this outcome permanently.

To demand a blanket refusal of any future favors requested by Kyle… would that form the core condition?

‘It is a favorable condition for my interests.’

Securing a path to reconcile with his brother immediately carried far more weight than a prestigious title he cared nothing about.

“Accept that appointment.”

“I understand…?”

Fortunately, he managed to catch himself before trailing off entirely.

“Yes? Is there a problem?”

“Do I possess an obligation to humor you?”

Jack observed Lion’s expressionless visage and allowed one corner of his mouth to curve upward.

He experienced a sharp thrill of triumph, instantly tempered by the quiet regret of having steered Lion straight into Kyle’s orbit with his own two hands.

Even so, one fundamental truth remained certain.

‘This will ultimately serve Kyle well.’

Not for the sake of others, but for the Hero himself.

And even more than the Hero, for the future Imperial Tutor.

It would cast an inescapable shadow over the man’s prospective path.

His existence was already a treacherous, thorny road; wouldn’t he finally catch a moment of breath if a shadow fell across it?

As luck would have it, Lion, who wielded absolute authority over his own decisions…

“Haa, fine by me.”

He simply lacked the luxury to weigh every pros and cons.

It was a weighty compromise for Lion, who utterly despised being shackled to any single place and yearned for nothing more than a life of leisure.

“Then hand over the directions.”

“Oh, it is remarkably simple.”

Jack smiled leisurely, drew a sleek dagger from his inner pocket, and held it up to the light.

The sharp, honed edge reflected Jack’s amused, gleaming eyes.

“As the old saying goes, siblings truly grow by trading blows.”

“…”

“Caution during one’s formative years is commendable, but isn’t a thorough brawl far healthier now and then?”

Well, when dealing with matters of this nature, heed the victor’s wisdom.

“Especially in your specific case… this cleansing process seems entirely indispensable.”

Lion was left utterly speechless.

How could anyone suggest such a barbaric method…!

And yet.

“…It isn’t entirely terrible, is it?”

Though the framing was crude, stripping away Jack’s rough phrasing meant one simple reality: venting long-repressed frustration was far better for psychological well-being than keeping it bottled up.

“That is surprisingly sound advice.”

“I merely harbor concerns that I might be overstepping my bounds before someone who is destined to become everyone’s mentor.”

With those parting words, Jack retrieved a folded parchment from his garments and tossed it across the table.

“This details the current coordinates of Rikschel Asteri. Farewell.”

Having delivered his piece, Jack rose smoothly, offered a polished bow, and exited the chamber without a backward glance.

The moment the door clicked shut behind Jack, Lion…

*Creeeak.*

He immediately swallowed a dose of motion sickness tonic and tore open a Warp Scroll.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief instant, then blinked them open to find Rikschel standing right before him.

Lion blurted out the first words on his mind to prevent his brother from vanishing once more.

“Brother.”

“Brother. I apologize deeply, but I have nothing left to say to you at this moment…”

“Let’s fight right now!”

Rikschel was left entirely at a loss for words.