Chapter 282

Chapter 282
## Chapter 282: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“Shall we head back now? Grandfather is fretting as well.”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

The pair rose from their chairs, standing side by side as they drew out a warp scroll.

Rikschel muttered under his breath, gazing at his older brother, who bore a weight far heavier than he had anticipated.

“Still, I am glad we came this far. Hearing your secret in a spot like this feels meaningful.”

“Ah, that reminds me, where exactly is this place we traveled to?”

“You had no idea?”

Rikschel stared at Lion in utter astonishment.

He had assumed his older brother—someone who typically deduced ten distinct outcomes from a single hint—would have instantly recognized the location and its profound significance.

*You didn’t even bother to notice that…*

A faint wave of elation welled up in his chest, instantly shadowed by a pang of guilt.

It struck him that his older brother protected and worried over him to such an extraordinary degree.

*I need to treat him better.*

Rikschel carefully arranged his elaborate strategy to question Jack before replying aloud.

“This is the villa where Mother eloped with Father against the Family Head’s direct orders.”

It was a piece of trivia he had uncovered while digging through various intelligence reports.

Naturally, he had originally pictured it as a scenic hideaway to visit with his older brother for a quiet holiday someday…

He never could have guessed it would double as a casualty of teenage rebellion.

*What’s done is done…*

Was there any use crying over spilled milk?

Though the Family Head would undoubtedly be heartbroken, Rikschel genuinely felt a surge of pride this time around.

*Why keep this a secret from me?*

Having rationalized the matter to his own satisfaction, Rikschel snatched the scroll right out of his stunned brother’s hands.

“The structure is already ruined anyway, so it’s not like it will reassemble itself. Let’s head back, older brother.”

“Wait, no…”

Before Lion could issue a warning, Rikschel snapped the warp scroll cleanly in two.

“Why didn’t you warn me sooner?!”

Lion cried out in desperation, fixing a final, horrified gaze on the front door sagging limply off its warped hinges, right before—

Whoosh!

The two materialized instantly back within the grand estate.

Back inside the mansion, Lion immediately grabbed Rikschel by the shoulders.

His hands were trembling violently from pure shock.

“You must be experiencing a sudden drop in blood sugar. Your hands are shaking.”

“Do you really think they’re shaking from lack of sugar…?”

“Then what else could it be?”

“Well, you see…”

Lion let out a heavy, weary sigh at his younger brother’s brazen demeanor, which made it painfully clear the boy remained entirely oblivious to the gravity of the situation.

“That was your parents’ honeymoon cottage.”

“That is correct.”

“It was the very first piece of real estate they purchased on their own…”

A sanctuary holding immense sentimental value simply by existing, where they had once shared a deep, fiery romance.

Lion, who had lived the life of an ordinary citizen prior to possessing this body, wept silently on the inside.

Because he knew all too well how sweet and elusive the dream of homeownership truly was!

*And if it was a property left behind by Grandfather…*

It felt like a precious monument preserved to honor Lara, his departed mother.

Back then and even now, Grandfather adored and treasured his only daughter above all else.

Just as Lion threatened to drown in sudden sentimentality—

*Are you genuinely that clueless?*

Rikschel looked quite flustered.

He had always assumed his older brother shared a much closer conversational bond with the Family Head than he himself did.

True, Rikschel had more frequent interactions, but those were strictly limited to official business matters.

Consequently, it was only natural that—

*I assumed the two of you spoke at length about your parents.*

Apparently, that assumption was entirely incorrect.

It suddenly dawned on him why Lion had sought out Jack for intelligence in the first place.

*Perhaps his conversations with the Family Head revolved strictly around business as well.*

His brother might have been far lonelier than he let on.

To be fair, Lion always maintained an upbeat exterior, but Rikschel—completely wrapped around his brother’s finger—interpreted it through a lens of deep affection.

Thus, just as he opened his mouth to clear up this tiny misunderstanding—

“You’re back.”

Petrick himself stepped forward to welcome them.

He cleared his throat loudly before looking the two over.

It appeared he wanted to lighten the mood as much as possible, especially since he carried his own share of guilt regarding Rikschel…

“What on earth happened to your appearances?”

The state of his grandsons was utterly appalling.

One had his garments scorched as though caught in the blast of a fireball, while the other sported hair that stuck out at wild, jagged angles, having seemingly been cropped off by some stray blade.

Looking thoroughly disheveled was putting it mildly.

Despite having raised only a single child, Petrick—who had navigated the chaotic upbringing of a rather spirited daughter—diagnosed the situation in an instant.

They had gone at it.

And they had thrown down properly.

“Ha-ha… Grandfather. I believe I can explain—”

“Explain? The boy who boldly swore he would drag his stubborn younger brother back by the scruff is now brawling with him, and you expect me to accept an explanation?”

Just as Petrick’s full-scale lecture was locked and loaded—

“Family Head.”

Rikschel interrupted quietly.

“I heard everything. All the things you never told me.”

“…!”

Petrick snapped his mouth shut mid-tirade, the reprimand dying on his lips.

He glanced toward Lion for silent confirmation, and upon seeing his eldest grandson squeeze his eyes shut and nod, Petrick let out a long, wheezing sigh.

Clearly, this was no longer an appropriate moment to scold them for trading blows.

Besides…

*Ahem, I happen to have a little something prepared.*

The custom parfait, crafted after relentlessly badgering the head chef, turned out to be a masterpiece.

Granted, Alex had momentarily collapsed from sheer exhaustion, but that could easily be remedied with a generous bonus down the road.

“Have you both eaten?”

“Not yet.”

“I see. Then we ought to address our hunger first.”

Petrick ultimately turned on his heel, leading the way toward the kitchens.

The two grandsons trailed closely behind him in silence.

They cut the sorrowful figures of misbehaving youths cautiously monitoring the unpredictable temper of their patriarch.

“What are your plans now?”

“Regarding what?”

“That mountain retreat.”

“If you ask directly, I shall answer honestly. If you never ask, I will simply restore it to its original condition in secret.”

“That… actually sounds acceptable. I will assist you.”

The pair murmured quietly among themselves regarding an entirely different subject.

“Keep the hallway chatter to a minimum.”

Though he couldn’t catch the exact words, Petrick sensed they were cooking up some fresh scheme and issued a stern warning.

*Those rascals. Just what transpired out there?*

While a part of him worried about preserving his hard-won trust with Rikschel, he still hadn’t received a full report concerning his youngest grandson’s exact movements.

Though anxiety gnawed at him, he managed to exercise restraint, recalling a disastrous incident from back when he was raising his only daughter, Lara.

Petrick’s mind drifted briefly to a fragmented memory.

“Ah, Dad, help me out here!!”

“Good grief, Marquis. Greetings…!”

He had only tracked her magical signature out of sheer paternal anxiety, but how was he supposed to react upon stumbling into his only daughter’s secret rendezvous?

Especially when said daughter was aggressively pinning her lover against a stone wall and looking moments away from—

Aside from being apoplectic with rage, he hadn’t exchanged a single word with Lara for nearly half a month following that debacle.

She was normally such a gentle, lovely, and kind-hearted girl, but…

She had still inherited the notoriously stubborn temperament inherent to the Asteri lineage.

*Just thinking about those days…*

It forced an involuntary sigh from his chest.

Consequently, before interrogating them with a barrage of questions, Petrick prioritized filling their stomachs.

“Eat up first.”

To his relief, the pair consumed their meal in relative quiet.

It was evident something significant had transpired, as both of them cleared far larger portions than usual.

At one point—

“Try a bit of this as well.”

“Certainly. Older brother, you should take more of the meat.”

They seemed to have grown even more chummy than before.

…Right. Wasn’t that what mattered most?

It hardly seemed fair for him to demand transparency while keeping so many secrets of his own from his youngest grandson.

Petrick made a resolute executive decision to drop the matter and let the incident slide.

And shortly after—

“Young Masters. Did you enjoy the meal?”

Alex, having recovered a fraction of his stamina, emerged from the pantry to set the stage for Petrick’s grand finale.

“Yes, it was wonderful. My appetite was exceptionally strong today.”

“I am thrilled to hear it! In that case, allow me to serve your dessert. Family Head?”

“Hmm?”

Lion and Rikschel blinked in unison at the mention of Petrick’s name, their realizations locking in at the exact same moment.

*No way…*

*The Family Head has been unusually quiet.*

*Could he have been preparing something behind the scenes?*

“Oh! I’ve been craving a sweet treat all day, haven’t you, brother?”

“Indeed. I am genuinely looking forward to it, and quite curious to see what he’s made.”

Although their delivery sounded like actors reading directly from a script, Petrick puffed out his chest proudly.

“Ha-ha! Young Masters, prepare to be amazed! Today’s dessert is none other than…”

Clap, clap.

At Alex’s double-clapped signal, a squad of attendants emerged carrying massive trays and deep ceramic bowls, completely transforming the tabletop landscape.

As the lids were lifted in simultaneous unison—

“Ooh!”

Vibrant scoops of iced confection were piled high like pastries, flanked by expertly diced fruits, crushed toasted nuts, crunchy cookie bits, and a gleaming stream of pure golden honey.

Lion recognized it instantly.

It was…

*Topping ice cream!*

Grandfather actually handcrafted this himself?

“The Family Head utilized the subtle manipulation of magic to curate this exclusive parfait. Please customize the flavors and toppings precisely to your liking. Enjoy!”

Alex delivered his brief sign-off with practiced efficiency before beating a hasty retreat alongside the kitchen staff.

The parting look of intense encouragement—as if silently telling the Family Head, *You’ve got this!*—was a humorous touch.

It appeared the patriarch and the head chef had bonded considerably during the grueling process of dessert construction.

“…I cannot guarantee the taste, but help yourselves.”

“Thank you for the hospitality, Family Head.”

Petrick swallowed hard against a sudden lump in his throat.

He couldn’t fathom why a simple dessert was causing him such profound nervous tension.

He had poured his absolute soul into preparing it for his grandchildren.

He had even performed a personal quality check beforehand.

The flavor profile was decent.

Even the head chef had offered high praise.

And yet…

*I am entirely on edge.*

Petrick watched with unblinking eyes as both grandsons scooped generous portions of the frozen treat into their mouths.

They each constructed their custom parfaits with meticulous care before taking that fateful first spoonful.

As the chilled sweetness melted away on their tongues, the lingering chill in the dining room atmosphere dissolved right along with it.

Before long, casual conversation sparked up naturally, presenting Petrick with the perfect window to offer a formal apology to Rikschel.

“I apologize for treating you as if you were still an ignorant child.”

“It is quite alright. I caused my fair share of trouble as well.”

It painted a genuinely heartwarming scene.

Naturally, the only one sweating under the collar was Lion.

Whether he picked up on his older brother’s internal panic or not—

Rikschel paused his eating for a brief second, fixing Lion with a steady look before speaking.

“By the way, a minor scuffle occurred with Older Brother on our outing, which resulted in some structural property damage.”

“I suppose it did.”

Rikschel’s combat magic was far from ordinary, and Lion was capable of unleashing devastating force whenever he properly tapped into his spirit arts.

That was the innate privilege of a Spirit King’s contractor.

Consequently, collateral damage had been practically guaranteed.

“It is of no consequence. Can the Asteri estate honestly not afford to repair such a minor loss?”

If anything, they deserved commendation for managing to avoid any actual casualties.

However—

“That strikes me as rather odd. Even if the villa was abandoned, there should have been resident caretakers stationed on the grounds.”

“Ah. To ensure absolute privacy and caution, we deliberately ventured to a sector where even the servants never tread.”

“A sector where no one goes? Where would that be?”

Could it possibly be…?

Petrick’s hand, suspended mid-air with a spoon of ice cream, froze completely.

Just as Lion frantically moved to cut his brother off—

“Indeed. It was the mountain retreat formerly owned by Mother. Rebuilding it from the foundations will likely take at least a full year.”

Rikschel delivered the revelation with absolute, deadpan innocence, glancing back and forth between the two older men.

It was a petty, brilliantly executed act of vengeance.

Though, to be fair, it wasn’t exclusively driven by spite.

“Furthermore, since the villa’s physical defenses were compromised, the old protective ward barring the Family Head from entering has finally dissipated. We should all visit together once the reconstruction is complete.”

Lion, finally grasping the grand trajectory of his brother’s master plan, let out a soft gasp of pure admiration.

*…Good grief. What an exemplary, filial son.*

“I learned this kind of devotion directly from Older Brother, though I pale in comparison.”

“…?”

You certainly learned *something*…

Well, at this point, words failed him entirely. Yes, indeed.