Chapter 71

Chapter 71
Chapter 71: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

An ordinary individual would typically feel intimidated by the wild behavior of those two, yet…

“Shh.”

His visitor, Lion, proved to be an equally eccentric personality.

Raising an index finger to his lips, he hushed both of them as if instructing them to quiet their voices.

“He just woke up, so he seems to be sensitive. I think I’m fine since I’m the master…”

“Gasp! I understand.”

“We will be as quiet as possible.”

Nod nod!

“Then please step inside.”

Lion effortlessly quieted the pair and ushered them into the chamber.

The presence of an ancient spirit was a truth bound to come to light eventually, so he had no real desire to keep it a secret, but…

Without this precaution, they surely would have abandoned any thought of journeying back to the Elf Country.

“The ancient spirit is…”

“He rests within that blanket; should I wake him?”

“Ah, no! Merely sensing the aura from here is enough.”

Embrog absorbed the overwhelming force radiating from Lion’s living space.

It was the raw breath of nature, a phenomenon he had never encountered even within the Elf Country.

‘Still, the concentration of the essence itself is subtle.’

This must be the ancient spirit exercising restraint.

For such a majestic entity to adapt itself to the summoner’s tier…

“Embrog.”

“Ah.”

Catching Tiali’s glance, Embrog pulled himself together and stepped before Lion.

“How are you holding up, if I might ask?”

“I am well, just feeling slightly fatigued.”

“Hoho, it is a blessing that it is only that. Pulling a powerful entity across dimensions demands an immense expenditure of mental fortitude.”

“Hmm.”

Could that explain his recent nosebleed?

Fortunately, the fairy dust and spirit water appeared to have counteracted the strain.

“Please take ample rest, and if possible, avoid unsummoning the spirit. Releasing and summoning them anew would only drain more of your mental reserves.”

“I understand.”

The two took turns offering guidance on spirit arts, placing heavy emphasis on elemental affinities.

Naturally, that was not the extent of it.

“And this material will prove beneficial for you and Freya to examine.”

He handed over an entire stack of texts concerning spirit arts.

Even though the cover bore the clear inscription: ‘Strictly Forbidden for External Distribution.’

“To go to such lengths for my sake… I am grateful.”

“It is your rightful due. Had you chosen to study abroad, the Elder Elf might have instructed you personally.”

So… he possessed a standing that could have placed the Emperor as his master, far surpassing the status of a mere acquaintance.

A fresh wave of relief washed over Lion.

‘I am glad I never went.’

Venturing there surely would have introduced a fresh path of misery.

Why else would they shower him with such favors?

There had to be some underlying motive.

“Ah, lastly…”

The two hesitated before each presenting Endairon and Silairon to Lion.

“Um, forgive me for imposing when you are already weary, but…”

They rambled on, but the core request was simple.

Would he be willing to share a portion of his aura with their young ones?

‘What difficulty is there in that?’

Just as Lion prepared to pat their heads without a second thought…

Whoosh!

The heavy blanket was whipped away by a sudden gust, collapsing onto the floor.

Revealed beneath was a round chick.

Nature stepped forward, its expression twisted in displeasure.

“Huff!”

At the sight, the two elves dropped their jaws wide. Their pointed ears even flushed a brilliant pink.

To think they would lay eyes on the Spirit King, a being they assumed was beyond their reach!

Lion, remaining entirely indifferent, focused instead on Nature’s expression.

Its bright yellow face was scrunched into a frown of annoyance.

“…Surely not.”

Could it be jealousy?

Furthermore, as if responding to the intensifying aura, Endairon’s tail drooped until it curled tightly, while Silairon tucked its face into its chest fur as though pretending not to notice.

Despite taking the form of an endearing chick, its pressure vastly outstripped that of any high-level spirit.

“…My Endairon. This is astonishing.”

Embrog murmured, fighting to regain his composure.

“Oops.”

Lion crossed to the bed, scooped up Nature, and slipped it into his pocket.

“You must not direct your anger at our guests.”

With those words, he stroked its head gently with his index finger.

Instantly, the turbulent aura faded as its irritation dissolved.

“Ah, no! Before the spirit grows any more displeased, we should take our leave.”

“Indeed? But you intended to receive the aura…”

“No! I believe we have experienced quite enough.”

They had already provoked its ire simply by approaching; attempting to pet it would surely invite disaster.

“I see. Are you heading back to the Elf Country now, then?”

“Yes. We will certainly visit again before long.”

“Whenever you like. Friends should keep in touch.”

The three parted ways following a remarkably cordial exchange.

Come to think of it, Embrog’s tone had shifted to one of profound politeness.

He had been respectful before, yet… it was as if the professor’s authoritative air had completely vanished.

Perhaps his demeanor changed because Lion served as the master of a Spirit King.

“Then, we shall take our leave.”

With those words, the two elves offered deep bows of reverence before exiting the quarters.

As Embrog stepped out, Tiali lingered just behind him before pausing…

“Oh, right. Lord Lion.”

“Yes?”

“Is that pendant a present?”

“‐‐Yes?”

A pendant?

Lion pivoted, gazing toward the spot Tiali indicated.

There lay…

‘The one Freya left behind.’

『A Noblewoman’s Lost Necklace』

* A noblewoman is desperately searching for this necklace.

It was an item lacking any registered owner.

“Do you happen to recognize the owner of this piece?”

“Hmm, so it was not a gift after all.”

It could hardly be categorized as a gift.

“I am uncertain under what circumstances it came into your possession, Lord Lion, but that… belongs to the Byrdentis Family.”

The Byrdentis Family, you say…

A lineage renowned for swordsmanship?

‘Is that how it found its way into the underworld?’

From what Lion understood, the internal struggle for succession there was fiercely contested.

“Thank you for the clarification. Yet, how did you come to recognize it…”

“Centuries ago, a spirit user emerged from the Byrdentis Family. I visited them personally to extend an invitation, and the Family Head at the time wore that very pendant.”

Tiali added that the unique energy signature had left a lasting impression, then immediately offered an apology.

“Still, seeing it within your quarters, Lord Lion, made me wonder if the Byrdentis Family had met its downfall, which prompted my inquiry.”

Ah, meaning our family?

“Haha, my grandfather detests troublesome affairs. This is merely a misplaced article.”

“I see.”

“Freya handed it to me.”

“Ah.”

Tiali released a heavy sigh, comprehension dawning across his features.

It appeared he had pieced together the general situation.

“My apologies. We raised our child rather poorly… You have been put through quite an ordeal because of her.”

“Not at all. Thanks to you, I now know who holds claim to it, allowing me to return it when the opportunity arises.”

“They might offer quite a substantial reward.”

Tiali offered a cryptic smile, delivered his parting words, and departed the room.

‘A substantial reward?’

When even an elf spoke of a significant bounty, the item was bound to be extraordinary.

Yet at that moment…

‘It appeared ordinary enough when I checked it previously.’

Lion advanced directly toward the pendant.

“Even now…”

Just as he prepared to dismiss the matter as unchanged, Nature leaped out from his pocket and tapped the metal with its tiny beak.

Then…

“Hmm?”

『Updating Hidden Information of Necklace.』

The necklace’s information has been updated!

『Lost Necklace』

* This is a necklace passed down as a family heirloom of the Byrdentis Family. Someone seems to have been desperately searching for this necklace.
* Although it is no longer possible to return it to the person who was looking for it, wouldn’t it be best to return it to its original place?

Lion’s eyes widened at the unexpected development.

Setting aside how Nature had triggered the change…

“This qualifies as a hidden quest, doesn’t it?”

A hidden quest.

True to its title, these were missions that could only be unlocked by fulfilling precise conditions within the framework of the world.

Typically, they served to boost NPC affection, but…

On rare occasions.

‘Certain ones yielded exceptional rewards.’

They tended to surface precisely when a suspicious narrative thread was involved.

“The log noted someone was searching for it.”

Now it stated that returning it to that individual was no longer possible.

What could that imply?

It meant the seeker had passed away.

‘Realistically speaking, given my current standing, I have no need for special rewards.’

He possessed wealth, enjoyed complete freedom from external judgment, and had even secured an adorable companion spirit.

He could amuse himself whenever he pleased, and any pursuit he attempted received the unanimous backing of his household.

What more could anyone desire?

In past times, had this been a standard game, he would have pursued the objective relentlessly.

Thus, in truth, he could have simply surrendered the pendant to his grandfather without a second thought.

And yet…

‘It continues to nag at me.’

Previously, it was merely an accessory of unknown origin, but acquiring Nature had unlocked entirely new data.

Even Nature had pecked at it repeatedly for reasons unknown.

That realization sparked a new line of reasoning.

‘Could it connect back to my own character?’

If so, he could hardly pretend ignorance.

While his curiosity extended toward his personal abilities, the hero, and the missing figure, an underlying discomfort remained.

He felt uneasy about simply leaning on Asteri while ignoring potential leads, regardless of how slim the odds might be.

“Besides, you did lend assistance when my grandfather was trapped within the labyrinth.”

And that had been delivered without any expectation of compensation.

It was a notable gesture, one Rikschel had explicitly mentioned during their recent venture into the labyrinth together.

“It is strange; you offered help without demanding a reward. You hardly strike me as a malicious person.”

“Ah! Could that be it?”

Suddenly, a spark of realization lit up Lion’s eyes.

Come to think of it, the Swordsmanship Family currently held a weakened political position due to their bloody succession disputes.

Granted, the reigning Duke, Clarentia Byrdentis, was steadily stabilizing the region through her exceptional capabilities, but…

Despite lingering anxieties, the fact that he had spared time to aid Asteri…

‘He was seeking friendship!’

Our household… no, Rikschel and mine!

“Ah, I was so dense that I treated it merely as a sewing commission.”

Lion cursed his own lack of awareness.

“I remained completely oblivious to this.”

Granted, while Duchess Clarentia shared a similar age group to him, the generational gap between Lion and Rikschel placed them on equal footing within high society.

Their respective positions aligned closely as well. Rikschel remained the designated heir, yet he would inherit full authority upon reaching adulthood.

If that were the case…

‘They make ideal peers!’

In any event, the Asteri Family harbored no ambitions of encroaching upon the Swordsmanship Family.

Nor did the Swordsmanship Family appear to covet the domain of the Magic Family.

While the current Duke’s true strength remained unmeasured, so long as his grandfather drew breath, such ambitions seemed impossible.

‘Then there is no harm in them forging a bond as equals!’

Furthermore, if the two managed to strike up a genuine rapport…