Chapter 40

Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

The day Lion was anticipated to come back.

Outside the threshold of the labyrinth, a crowd gathered in silence to monitor the gate.

“…….”

Everyone wore tense expressions, repeatedly swallowing hard.

Even though a message had arrived stating he would return within a month, nobody knew for certain whether the Young Master had managed to survive that span of time.

“Are the preparations complete?”

“Yes. If Young Master Lion fails to emerge today, the elite unit is ordered to deploy.”

Knight Captain Rikschel gave a rigid response to Petrick’s inquiry.

The Asteri Family’s elite troop.

This specialized force only mobilized when a direct bloodline member faced grave danger, consisting of Knight Captain Rikschel—who stood on the cusp of reaching Sword Master rank—alongside his elite knights, seasoned battle mages, and the finest healing specialist available.

Its might was widely acknowledged to surpass both the Imperial Family’s Royal Guard and the Temple’s Sacred Knights.

“Should we deploy immediately?”

“……Family Head. Even without the elite squad, Elder Brother will make it back. The labyrinth might simply be causing delays.”

“Right. The time has not yet arrived.”

Though he tried to maintain a composed demeanor, the mana radiating from Petrick’s frame drifted like a creeping fog as the minutes ticked by.

Petrick harbored deep anxieties beneath the surface.

‘Could he have possibly starved?’

‘Did an injury trap him where he cannot walk?’

A whirlwind of worries battered his thoughts.

Petrick drew a long breath and shook his head firmly.

Giving in to useless dread would accomplish nothing now.

‘Indeed. My focus must be on his arrival.’

I am not setting out to search for him.

Instead, I will receive him and tend to his needs the moment he steps through.

“Hoffman.”

“Present, Family Head.”

Hoffman Asteri, a collateral blood relative who also served as the Tower Master of the family’s magical stronghold and stood among the premier healing mages, replied instantly.

“We must prepare for every contingency, so arrange the transport provisions the moment Lion appears.”

“Understood.”

At Hoffman’s signal, the surrounding area was cleared, and medical stretchers along with various arcane apparatuses were swiftly assembled.

With this level of emergency gear ready, even someone on the brink of death—or someone who had already dipped a toe into the waters of the afterlife—could theoretically be pulled back and revived.

Hoffman let out a quiet breath while clenching his fist.

The absolute best scenario would be if his equipment proved entirely useless.

That outcome alone would serve as proof that Lion remained uninjured.

The other relatives shared this exact sentiment.

They wished for nothing more than a safe return.

A return free of any disaster.

Then, at a certain moment.

*Flash!*

The securely sealed library portal flew open, and a blinding radiance, far too intense to view directly, burst outward from within.

“Agh.”

Even seasoned experts like Hoffman and Rikschel were forced to shield their eyes against the glare.

Petrick alone kept his gaze fixed on the brilliance, eager to welcome his grandson.

To his immense relief and gratitude…

*Thump.*

A silhouette emerged from the light, stepping steadily on two functioning legs.

It was none other than Lion Asteri.

“Phew.”

Lion exhaled softly and scanned his surroundings.

Fortunately, it seemed he had exited cleanly into the open air.

However…

“……?”

Why on earth were so many people gathered here?

Lion felt a wave of confusion.

At most, he expected Elviana and Rikschel.

Beyond them, perhaps only his grandfather should have been waiting, yet here stood the Knight Captain, combat mages, and even distant relatives he had not laid eyes on since early childhood.

“Um, did I perhaps emerge later than my scheduled date?”

The sheer size and composition of the crowd compelled Lion to voice his bewilderment.

He had explicitly left a note promising a return in a month, leaving him utterly baffled by their grim assembly.

Just then.

*Grasp!*

Petrick, standing at the forefront, abruptly pulled Lion into a tight embrace.

“G-, Grandfather?”

“…….”

The jaws of every family member dropped at Petrick’s uncharacteristic display, though they quickly averted their gaze and pretended not to notice.

Some instinctive fear told them that acknowledging the moment might invite divine retribution.

Amidst that heavy atmosphere, only Rikschel retained his composure.

‘He must have suffered immense worry.’

Just how grueling had the ordeal been for the boy?

If not for his heavy duties as Family Head holding him back, Petrick would have plunged into the labyrinth himself without a second thought.

“The Family Head was terribly worried, Elder Brother.”

“……Cough.”

Only then did Petrick regain his composure, releasing Lion and taking a step backward.

“I was merely checking your physical state. Well then, how do you feel?”

“…….”

You claimed you were checking my condition, so why phrase it as a question?

The onlookers bit their lips and stared intensely toward the distant peaks.

Lion glanced at them before letting out a small smile.

‘I see how it is.’

The situation made complete sense to him now.

It appeared his grandfather had suffered quite a bit of anxiety.

“As Grandfather has confirmed, I am in excellent health. Ah, now that the coming-of-age ceremony is concluded, you should inspect the retrieved items first.”

“Ahem, indeed. Everyone, please return to your respective duties.”

At the Family Head’s dismissal, the gathered crowd quickly exchanged quiet pleasantries and dispersed.

None of them wished to intrude upon the family’s private reunion.

“We shall take our leave as well.”

—

The Grandfather’s study felt considerably warmer and more comforting than it had previously.

Though, naturally, the sheer volume of paperwork piled on the desk had doubled.

“Did my absence cause you an excessive amount of extra work?”

“Pay it no mind.”

He truly must have worried himself sick.

Hearing that gruff tone somehow melted away the remaining fatigue in Lion’s bones.

He must have been carrying a heavy tension without realizing it.

It seemed the rest of the household shared that emotional exhaustion.

With the great storm finally passed, everyone felt utterly drained.

“…….”

A strange warmth bloomed in his chest.

It felt genuinely like coming home at last.

“I am late, but I have returned.”

“Ah, come over here and sit down first. You must be exhausted. Goodness, your face has grown so thin.”

Rikschel, clearly harboring a flood of things to say, let loose a stream of words while guiding Lion toward the study’s sofa.

Yet…

‘My face has grown thin?’

The touching sentiment subsided just a bit.

While his meals had been sparse during the earliest phase, the food supply improved dramatically in the latter half, allowing him to live quite comfortably.

They had even cooked hand-pulled dough soup, followed by hearty bowls of kalguksu.

The harvests from the local lake and forest were remarkably abundant.

Stews, spicy fish soups… Thanks to the fiery fruits discovered there, they had practically hosted a Korean feast!

“I am genuinely fine. Should I perhaps head back into the labyrinth? I can demonstrate just how well I lived…”

“No!”

“Absolutely not.”

“…….”

“Family Head, I believe you ought to inspect Elder Brother’s condition immediately. Doesn’t his complexion look poor?”

No, I really am completely fine.

He wanted to voice the defense, but his grandfather moved faster.

“Quite right. Hoffman!”

“Here.”

While everyone else had cleared out, Hoffman—who remained behind as the sole exception—stepped forward.

*Glimpse.*

Lion cast a wary look at the attending healing mage.

Surely…

‘Hoffman Asteri.’

He ranked among the individuals Lion preferred least in his restored memories.

The reason was painfully straightforward.

“Hoffman.”

“Yes, Family Head.”

Hoffman approached Lion while carrying an array of diagnostic instruments.

“Lion, I will examine your condition now, so please extend your arm.”

Hoffman operated as a healing mage.

By extension, he served as both a distant relative and Lion’s personal physician.

Yet when had Lion ever welcomed his treatments?

The memory traced back to the aftermath of the Mana Shock.

More precisely, it dated to the period when he suffered agonizing torments because the mana circuits within his body had been twisted into chaotic knots by the shock.

While untangling those ruined circuits was a massive ordeal in its own right, enduring the process was far worse.

Unimaginable pain.

To a young Lion, that agony and Hoffman became permanently intertwined in his mind.

The man was essentially a dentist in magical form!

Consequently, whenever Lion caught sight of Hoffman, he would either flee or outright refuse treatment.

Though a childish reaction, Lion had been entirely sincere at the time.

Well, his attempts at escape had failed every single time.

‘……That was the past, however.’

At present, no such issue should arise.

Is it not said that keeping close to a physician helps reclaim even lost health?

Besides, common wisdom dictates that growing older requires keeping doctors near.

If ordinary physicians held such value, how much more precious was a healing mage standing a tier above them?

‘It is wise to stay on good terms with someone of his utility.’

Furthermore, he needed to prove to these two men that he was completely unharmed.

Thus, Lion obediently held out his hand.

“…….”

Naturally, Hoffman the healing mage found himself taken aback by this compliance.

‘The boy isn’t running away?’

Hoffman’s expression instantly turned grave.

This was the exact same child who used to scream through his agony while fleeing from his presence.

He had needed treatment to halt the pain, yet acting as though he lacked that awareness, a mere touch had been enough to set him wailing…

And now he remained this calm?

‘Rikschel and the Family Head claimed he had changed, but could it really be true?’

Though his heart wavered for a moment, Hoffman quickly suppressed the thought.

He remained convinced that while the boy might have matured into a more rational demeanor, his fundamental aversion could not simply vanish.

Therefore, he concluded that Lion’s uncharacteristic cooperation stemmed not from maturity, but from a severely worsened physical state.

‘Ahem, I had best diagnose him first.’

Assuming a deeply professional mask, Hoffman began evaluating Lion’s physical health.

The warm, gentle mana characteristic of healing arts flowed from his palm into Lion’s system.

The resulting diagnostic feedback, however…

“Huh?”

Hoffman found himself tilting his head in confusion.

“……What is wrong? Is his condition critical?”

“Negative. Let me check once more.”

Pouring a slightly denser wave of warm illumination into Lion’s frame, Hoffman repeated the scan, but the outcome remained identical.

“My word.”

The boy appeared… perfectly fine?

To put it simply, Lion’s physiological state mirrored that of an entirely healthy ordinary human.

While mana still remained undetectable, his physical vitality hovered close to optimal levels.

If anything, he appeared remarkably robust…?

Though the exact nature of his survival inside the labyrinth remained a mystery, the previously damaged circuits had settled into a quiet dormancy, making his past Mana Shock seem like a distant myth.

“How can this be possible after an extended stay in the labyrinth!”

“Well? Is his physical state poor?”

“Is Elder Brother suffering from a hidden ailment?”

The other two men bombarded him with anxious inquiries.

“Ah, no. That is… Lion’s physical condition is exceptionally good. Beyond merely good, I would call him robust.”

“What?”

“Is that the truth? Are you attempting to deceive me once more?”

Rikschel questioned him with a mixture of suspicion and profound relief.

It was a fair reaction; during their younger years, Lion had frequently concealed his illnesses.

Besides, Lion’s skin tone remained as pale as ever!

It was simply his natural complexion, though nobody present would accept that at face value.

“I assure you, this is no deception. I can genuinely sense his robust vitality.”

…Yet Hoffman’s earnest tone finally convinced them.

“Ah!”

At that declaration, the tense expressions of both men melted away simultaneously.

‘Truly, grandfather and grandson through and through.’

Lion chuckled quietly at the sight.

“I told you quite honestly that I am fine.”

“I haven’t the faintest clue what sort of magic he pulled off in there, Family Head.”

“If he is well, that is all that matters. Hoffman, you have performed admirably as well. You are dismissed.”

“Understood. Oh, and Lion! If you find spare moments, drop by my magic tower later. I ought to run a comprehensive examination just to be completely certain.”

“Very well, I will.”

“…….”

Has he genuinely grown up?

Hoffman tilted his head in lingering wonder before turning to exit the chamber.

*Click.*

As the heavy door clicked shut, Petrick cast a soundproofing barrier across the room and finally spoke.

“Now then. Exactly what transpired during that entire month?”

He could tell with absolute certainty that Lion was concealing details.

“Well, about that…….”

Where on earth should he even begin the tale?