Chapter 290

Chapter 290
Chapter 290: Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing

“Ha.”
[Item is being re-bound.]
Before Lion could pursue any further train of thought, the system alert flashed, striking home like a driving wedge.
To put it plainly, this was not some replica crafted by the temple, but the exact artifact the Saintess had once bestowed upon the Hero.
Lion turned the weathered, ancient token over in his palm.
The Flame Token was, in reality, not a particularly earth-shattering artifact.
To summarize its role within the setting of In the World, it was a sacred temple item given by the Saintess to the Hero upon his initial arrival at the sanctuary.
‘With the demonic forces swelling lately, it will prove vital for your pilgrimage,’ she had told him.
As an early-game provision, it possessed the capacity to absorb miasma or minor traces of corruption radiated by intermediate demons.
It remained a somewhat conditional relic, demanding activation prior to any physical contact with contamination in order to function properly.
‘So…’
From what Lion recalled, the object had already faded too severely to operate long before they ever set eyes on Grand Duke Dragnas.
Regardless, the core revelation was clear.
Among the Hero’s old effects, this token held little monetary or tactical value.
And there was zero chance the Archbishop lacked the perception to realize that.
The fact that he had left the object planted so blatantly signaled only one thing—
‘Wait, did he calculate things down to this degree?’
It implied he knew everything.
A secret Lion had guarded from everyone else.
Entering Story Mode.
‘Naturally, he won’t possess exact knowledge of what discoveries I make.’
The specific detail the Archbishop had likely deduced was far more focused:
the fleeting window when Lion crossed into and out of Story Mode.
During that exact interval, Lion was left completely vulnerable, and if the data influx crossed a specific threshold, he could suffer severe internal feedback.
‘So that is why he laid this trap here.’
It served as both confirmation and warning.
It also functioned as a direct retort to Lion’s own maneuvers.
The man had no intention of sitting idly by while opportunities slipped through his fingers.
He would prod Lion through whatever means necessary, fully capable of executing a scheme precisely like this if it served his broader design.
…Something along those exact lines, wasn’t it?
I figured he was no simple adversary…
Lion curled his fingers tightly around the token and let out a brief, dry laugh.
‘He is truly formidable.’
Truthfully, a cold shiver ran down his spine.
Amidst the fierce intelligence war between the Criminal Underworld and House Asteri—and despite keeping the matter heavily guarded even from them—
The reality that the Archbishop had uncovered Lion’s secret to this extent meant his capability and obsessive drive demanded absolute respect.
‘He is a double-edged blade as well.’
If a cooperative alliance could be forged, the Archbishop would prove an invaluable asset.
Yet, their respective objectives pointed in entirely opposite directions.
Until the truth regarding the previous Archbishop comes to light, he remains an adversary.
For the moment, he was less an ally and more a sharp edge pressed far too close to Lion’s neck.
While Lion believed the Hero would never have driven the Saintess to her demise, individual perspectives varied wildly. Haa.
‘Not a simple path.’
Regardless, it was undeniable that the Archbishop had engineered a massive blow intended specifically for Lion in this scenario.
Had Lion been operating at peak physical health, he undoubtedly would have walked straight into the snare.
‘I nearly transformed into a dramatic period protagonist overnight.’
Even so, one crucial factor remained—
An element the Archbishop had completely failed to account for.
[Current item cannot be identified.]
Reason: Qualifications not met
It came down to Lion’s current physical condition.
A physique thoroughly saturated with corruption lacked the baseline prerequisites to access Story Mode.
While disastrous for intelligence collection, it carried the distinct silver lining that sudden, system-triggered crises would bypass Lion entirely.
‘In my view, this functions as a built-in protective barrier.’
Having suffered under previous penalties, he forced himself to adopt a different outlook.
“Well, look at that, absolutely nothing here.”
Lion smoothly slid the token into his coat pocket and redirected his steps elsewhere.
“Did you come up empty?”
“Huh?”
“I could have sworn I sensed something over there…”
“Ah, it was likely just lingering divine residual energy left behind by the clergy because of the Empress Palace disruption.”
“Ah…”
Peter struggled to conceal his evident disappointment.
‘I wanted to be of genuine use to Lion.’
It appeared their search had yielded no tangible results.
“Are you disheartened?”
“I simply wanted to lend a hand…”
Lion reached out to ruffle Peter’s hair, but catching sight of his own dirt-stained gloves, he merely offered an easygoing grin.
‘The boy doesn’t need to carry this weight yet.’
In truth, the primary reason Lion had chosen to step into the Archbishop’s trap with open eyes was Peter.
If Peter hadn’t been present, Lion would have agonized over the setup before ultimately walking away.
Knowing full well that Grandfather and Rickshel were working tirelessly to cure his contamination, he had no desire to court unnecessary danger for its own amusement.
‘Though, knowing my own stubborn nature, I probably would have returned once the contamination was cleared.’
He wouldn’t have collapsed in a crowded venue, but by that point, the Archbishop would likely have hatched a fresh plot, leading to the exact same outcome.
It was a scenario that could easily have devolved into the worst possible crisis under different conditions.
And yet, the threat had been neatly averted entirely thanks to Peter.
In essence, the boy had unwittingly pulled off a monumental rescue.
“And who knows when our paths will cross again… which is why I wanted to assist.”
Yet, if Peter were to discover the truth behind these events, future interactions would grow unnecessarily complicated.
Regardless of how sharp the child was, a young boy’s expressions were transparent.
The notion of a kid being manipulated as a pawn without his knowledge left a bitter taste in Lion’s mouth.
Perhaps it stirred memories of his own complicated youth.
“Hey now. We can always cross paths again whenever we like. Come to think of it, isn’t it nearly time for you to begin your academy studies?”
“That is true…”
The boy seemed convinced that once institutional life commenced, finding opportunities to visit Lion would become nearly impossible.
Furthermore, with Peter’s latent divine gifts now officially confirmed, recruitment pressures from the theological seminary were bound to intensify.
“Look at you, playing the part of the model student already?”
Lion gave Peter a playful nudge to deliberately lighten the atmosphere.
Pooch seemed to pick up on the shift as well, trotting in joyful circles around the boy’s ankles.
“Should you ever feel the urge to see me, just give the word. I can help you skip classes—completely within legal bounds.”
“Legally… sanctioned skipping?”
“Hhhsss, am I even authorized to share such secrets…”
Lion glanced about with exaggerated theatrical caution before leaning in to whisper directly into Peter’s ear.
“Listen closely, the academy actually features a special provision known as the field study program.”
While Lion had never enrolled in the academy himself, his younger brother Rickshel had attended in the past.
Naturally, even then, Rickshel had been forced to balance heir duties and critical obligations alongside Grandfather, frequently missing lectures as a result.
The sole reason his academic attendance record remained unblemished was entirely due to this system.
“Someone with my clearance can easily smuggle you out for a day or two without issue.”
Of course, the individual pulling the actual strings would be Grandfather rather than Lion…
Though he elected to leave those complicated adult logistics out of the explanation.
“Brother…!”
“Mmhaha. Well? Don’t you think your older brother is brilliant?”
Lion understood all too well how irresistible the concept of authorized truancy was to a young student.
Naturally, this maneuver cast him squarely in the role of the corrupting older relative—or rather, the older brother coaching a child not yet even enrolled in school on how to dodge coursework.
Still, what did it matter?
Kindness deserves to be met with kindness!
As long as Peter wore a smile, that was all that truly mattered…
“Even so, taking shortcuts feels dishonest.”
“Oh, really?”
“Besides, I’m going to miss you, so promise that we can spend your upcoming vacation together instead.”
…Peter proved to be far more grounded than anticipated.
Though Lion had recognized the boy’s unusual maturity and intellect from the start—
‘I certainly didn’t expect that kind of counter-argument.’
Suddenly, Lion was left looking like the irresponsible adult in the dynamic.
Hahaha.
‘No helping it then.’
He had little choice but to curate a completely different sort of present.
“R-Right, understood.”
“It’s a promise, then.”
When Lion hesitated due to the grime coating his gloves, Peter initiated the gesture by locking pinkies first.
“Did you really think a little dirt would bother me?”
“Look at you taking charge.”
Lion was moments away from messing up Peter’s hair with his soiled glove when Nature intervened, physically holding his hand back.
Amidst this lighthearted banter, the atmosphere suddenly shifted.
“F-Found it! Our Pinky tracked it down!!”
“Oink! Oink!”
-Oh my, a pearl necklace!
-Those companion pigs truly possess remarkable tracking instincts, don’t they?
The participant who had secured the top honor cried out in sudden jubilation.
True to Tiamatrak’s prior intelligence, the first-prize victor was a prominent aristocrat who doted on a massive, sleek prize pig.
All eyes instantly converged on the scene, accompanied by a chorus of warm congratulatory murmurs.
“Now, settle down everyone, the second and third place honors remain unclaimed, so please continue the festivities. As a reminder, the third-prize package features an exclusive stationery set stamped with the imperial seal—an exceptionally coveted treasure for any active academy scholar, or anyone with a student relative in their household, wouldn’t you agree?”
The designated host elaborated on the remaining rewards to reignite the crowd’s competitive spirit, sending a fresh wave of enthusiasm through the gathered contestants.
And right at that moment—
A fierce competitive fire ignited within Lion’s gaze!
‘That’s it! Scholastic writing implements!’
Could there possibly be a more essential tool when stepping through the gates of an academy?
Furthermore, writing instruments bearing the authentic imperial seal were guaranteed to command the total fascination of fellow students.
‘And if I implement a minor modification or two…!’
Wouldn’t that birth a truly remarkable set of writing tools?
“Peter, I desperately need to secure that third-place prize. Will you lend me your assistance?”
“Very well…”
Such a sudden pivot!
Still, if Lion desired it, Peter was eager to help.
Besides, when it came to tracking down hidden objects, wasn’t Peter exceptionally gifted at the task?!
At the very least, he was bound to outperform noble heirs who had never once gotten their hands properly soiled!
“O-Okay! I’ll help you win!”
“Pooch, are you prepared as well?”
“Krrng? Kyiing!”
Though the exact motivation eluded it, Pooch seemingly sensed that its moment of glory had finally arrived, aggressively wagging its tail before dropping into a firm sit right at Lion’s feet.
“Alright, our primary objective is the third-tier prize.”
“Understood!”
And thus, Lion entered the ongoing treasure hunt rather belatedly.
Utilizing a clever shortcut—or rather, leaning heavily on Pooch’s superior tracking instincts—he managed to claim the third-prize reward with absolute composure.
“Hahaha. Hahahahaha!”
On the surface, it simply looked like another eccentric noble indulging in strange whims, marking the quiet close of the second night of the Emperor’s Birthday Festival.
Lion waited patiently until Violetta, Ferguson’s spouse, arrived to collect Peter before retiring to his private quarters.
“Phew. What an eventful day.”
Only after confirming the heavy wooden door was securely bolted did Lion unbutton his outer tunic and peel away the stifling gloves.
Enduring any physical exertion in garments of such restrictive weight proved a genuine trial!
With his ongoing contamination, every minor movement carried an added layer of strain.
“Peep.”
“Indeed, it was reckless behavior, I concede. Yet nothing catastrophic occurred, so all is well, correct?”
“Peephoo!”
Nature released an expressive sigh, as if declaring him utterly incorrigible, before presenting a fresh pair of clean gloves.
After changing into much lighter indoor attire, Lion successfully resisted the temptation to collapse onto the mattress and instead chose a seat on the parlor sofa.
‘Judging by the timing, he should be arriving shortly.’
Only a single day remained until the climax of the Emperor’s Birthday celebrations.
Naturally, a multitude of complex plots were scheduled to unfold during the final hunting competition.
House Lepisent was guaranteed to stage a massive escalation, requiring House Asteri to intervene publicly alongside the Second Prince.
Amidst that brewing storm, Lion intended to—
“I need to purge this residue.”
“As anticipated, you detected my arrival.”
“You’re finally here.”
Slipping his hands into the freshly donned gloves, Lion stood up to welcome Petrick.
“It appears the Spirit King has extended his favor toward you.”
Observing that Lion’s physical baseline seemed relatively stable, Petrick exhaled a long breath of relief.
Yet before that breath had fully dissipated, Petrick sensed an unnatural stillness in Lion’s posture, casting an anxious glance toward his perpetually troublesome grandson.
“…Surely not?”
“Half… perhaps?”