Chapter 85

Chapter 85
## Chapter 85: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

I was too proud. Even possessing immense might, mortals cannot walk this path alone; we require one another’s warmth. Clarentia grasped that truth better than anyone.

*“Yet when did I let it slip from my mind?”*

Had I not been thinking merely as a lord today, rather than as kin?

*“Lion Asteri… you have opened my eyes to this.”*

Henceforth, I must lean more heavily upon those who share our blood and bonds.

With that reflection, the chill in the chamber seemed to vanish, replaced by a gentle hearth-like glow. A faint, fragile smile curved across Clarentia’s lips.

“Nothing went amiss. My thanks to you.”

“……!”

Jasper stared in sheer astonishment. More accurately, his shock stemmed entirely from the Duke’s expression.

*Our young mistress… no, the Duke actually made a face like that?*

It felt entirely alien, yet upon reflection, hadn’t she occasionally offered such tiny smiles in days long past? She was hardly a creature of warm affection. Even so, the sole reason Jasper and the estate’s retainers remained bound to this place was because of those rare, subtle smiles. They knew well that it was the utmost expression of gratitude their master could muster.

A profound warmth bloomed in his chest.

*I feared Lion Young Master might be pushing his boundaries too far…*

Yet somehow, the Duke appeared to have finally laid to rest a very lingering, painful season of growth. *I am profoundly, deeply relieved.*

In former times, he might have broken down and wept openly right here. But things were different now—entirely removed from the past! He was the proud butler of the Byrdantis Ducal House.

“No, sir. It was merely… something I was duty-bound to fulfill.”

Struggling to swallow the tears prickling at his eyelids, Jasper offered a somewhat disjointed reply. It was the absolute limit of his composure.

“Ah, the recent tremors have been verified as the result of an avalanche. Fortunately, it took place far from any settlement, so casualties are entirely out of the question.”

“It is a genuine blessing that the citizenry remain unharmed.”

“Indeed. But what were you discussing just now—”

Before Jasper could steer the dialogue back to their prior topic, the heavy oak portal swung wide, and Elvia stepped inside.

“Ah. Elvia.”

She appeared far too pristine for someone who had just scoured the snowy peaks of every lurking beast. True to form, witches possessed baffling capabilities.

“You have returned. Are you unhurt, Elvia?”

“Naturally. I am in perfect condition.” Elvia met Lion’s gaze with a bright grin. “Lion Young Master, let us defer our previous discussion until the morrow.”

At Elvia’s arrival, Clarentia set aside her earlier proposal.

“Let us do so. I look forward to encountering you in other domains hereafter.”

“Other domains? Where might you fancy traveling?”

Lion paused in thought for a moment before gesturing vaguely toward the untamed wilderness.

“The snowy crests, perhaps. I wish to display more of the world to her. She is merely a fledgling.”

“The snowy crests.”

There were numerous destinations lingering in Lion’s mind. For instance, a particular alpine herb bed found nowhere else. *Or perhaps a session of winter camping.* To roast various morsels over an open flame amidst a landscape blanketed in deep powder… while foraging for rare flora at the same time. *Would such a venture suit the Marquis of Bydantis as well?* After all, few pursuits offered the same tranquility as camping.

Yet if he voiced that thought aloud, it might cross a line. He was already giving off the distinct impression of seeking a permanent hearth, so his current goal was simply to maintain an easygoing presence across wide-open spaces.

Meanwhile, Clarentia observed Lion—or more accurately, she observed the small pet avian dozing peacefully upon his shoulder.

*A fledgling?* In truth, its outward appearance resembled nothing more than an ordinary baby bird. Yet its capabilities defied common sense. Had she not just utilized that exact creature moments ago to gently warm her cocoa?

Glancing at Clarentia’s contemplative expression, Lion offered a quick clarification. “This one is truly family to me.”

“…Understood.”

Perhaps he wished to conceal the bird’s extraordinary traits. But since he declared them kin… *I shall guard this secret.*

“Then I shall take my leave until a more opportune moment. I will apprise Jasper of my stance.”

Having inadvertently scaled the absolute peak of trust, Lion offered a polite farewell and quietly withdrew from Clarentia’s quarters.

“…Whew. My thanks. Things could have turned quite sour if anything had gone awry,” Lion muttered to Elvia as they paced down the deserted corridor.

“It was nothing of consequence.”

“Are you truly none the worse for wear?”

“Hah! On the contrary, it felt marvelous to stretch my limbs after such a prolonged dormancy.” Elvia seemed genuinely to have relished the outing. To think that chasing off a horde of monsters was viewed merely as a light warmup was nothing short of staggering.

“Is the avalanche truly of no consequence?”

“Indeed. The vibrations from within that chamber appeared to have resonated outward, triggering the snowslide, but my inspection confirmed zero casualties.”

“That is a relief, at any rate.” Lion stretched his arms upward. In any case, the major crisis was resolved, and with ample time remaining, he could later approach the Duke and suggest her involvement as Rikschel’s partner. Until that juncture arrived, however… he intended to thoroughly savor his leisure.

—

Lion spent his days in exceptional comfort within Bydantis Castle. He would leisurely sip fragrant infusions paired with pastries beside a crackling hearth, and whenever snow began to fall, he and Nature would step out onto the terrace to watch the wintry flurries drift down. Moreover, Butler Jasper, seemingly deeply moved by Clarentia’s transformation, went out of his way to cater to Lion’s every comfort.

However…

“…”

A distinct complication had surfaced.

Lion wore an expression of unusual gravity. It stemmed from the sudden shockwave unleashed when Clarentia’s suppressed emotions flooded back into her blade—triggering the massive avalanche. As Elvia had verified, it had spared all human dwellings and cost no lives. The true dilemma was that the slide had exceeded all expectations in scale, leaving behind a severe threat of secondary hazards…

“You mean access is strictly prohibited?”

“Precisely so.”

The paths leading into the snowy highlands had been entirely sealed off for the foreseeable future due to the unstable conditions. Consequently, every single medicinal herb native solely to the Bydantis domain was now out of reach—or rather, buried deep beneath tons of packed snow.

*This cannot be!*

For the first time in a considerable while, Lion plunged into an abyss of profound despair.

“…Surely this will not take three entire days to clear?”

Furthermore, his allotted stay in the Bydantis Territory had merely three days remaining.

“It will not.”

Clarentia ruthlessly crushed his last remaining shred of hope.

“…”

Right. He had known as much. Even a standard avalanche typically required nearly a month of stabilization. Still, he had harbored a lingering wish for some miraculous shortcut. Alas, it had all come to naught.

“Hoo.” Lion released a long, heavy sigh. *Well, safety must take precedence over foraging.*

“Is your concern regarding the herbs?” Clarentia asked. “If you speak now, know that gathering such flora is merely my pastime. All the reserves within the Bydantis domain are safely housed in our vaults. I am quite willing to transfer the entire stock into your possession if you choose to remain…”

“…”

Lion fixed a steady stare upon Clarentia.

Here lay the secondary crisis. Of all people, Clarentia had evidently refused to drop the matter!

*I certainly did not anticipate receiving a recruitment pitch on a daily basis!*

In the beginning, it had been manageable. He had assumed she merely craved conversation after years of enforced isolation. Naturally, after shutting herself away from the world for so long, she would have a mountain of unspoken thoughts. He could understand that completely. As the emotional dam burst, an overflow of dialogue was only natural, and indeed, it had brought them closer while helping him better understand her complex temperament.

Yet upon closer inspection, this woman still possessed the sharp, calculating gaze of a headhunter scouring the realm for supreme talent. Lion gave a slow shake of his head.

“Marquis. My apologies, but I vastly prefer my own hearth.”

“Very well. If I remodel our quarters to match the exact comfort of your home, would that suffice?”

“I am hardly a person of such grand importance.”

“That is not for you to decide. Others will judge your worth.”

“…….”

In the end, Lion was forced to deploy his ultimate, infallible counter-strategy once more.

“I prefer spending my hours among my family.”

“Hmm.”

True to form, Clarentia ceased her pursuit at that exact juncture.

*At this point, we are practically a comedy duo.*

She undoubtedly anticipated his refusal. Indeed, Lion suspected she continued to press her offers precisely because she wished to hear those exact words: an acknowledgment that cherishing time with family held supreme value. Uttering such sentiments seemed to soothe whatever internal turbulence lingered within her, making it far easier to accept her own reality. Regardless, if such a predictable, bantering exchange brought tranquility to her mind, he saw no reason to object.

“Ah, speaking of which, I have a proposition of my own.”

“I grant you permission to speak.”

“…Must you agree quite so readily without even knowing my intent?”

“I highly doubt you would propose anything foolish.”

“Should I take that as a compliment?”

Lion longed to question why she placed such blind trust in him, yet she was, after all, a Duke hailing from a legendary lineage of swordsmen and a certified Sword Master—someone entirely capable of rectifying her own troubles if things went awry.

“Still, you ought not place such absolute trust in others so casually,” Lion muttered, unable to let it pass entirely.

“Hmm.”

Naturally, the warning completely bypassed her. Clarentia feigned deafness entirely, contentedly nibbling on the pastries Lion had baked earlier.

“…….”

Watching the scene unfold from the corner, Butler Jasper wore an expression of utter, beatific satisfaction.

*It is truly a magnificent sight to behold them interacting as equals.*

In truth, this came closer to the ideal picture Jasper had long envisioned—the Marquis finally looking after her own well-being and forming genuine bonds!

*He is truly an exceptional young man…*

Jasper’s estimation of Lion Asteri was soaring to unprecedented heights. To be frank, he had harbored quiet suspicions at the very beginning. Had the young scion of a prominent magical house truly journeyed this immense distance merely to deliver a set of garments? He had even briefly entertained the cynical thought that Lion was angling for political leverage due to a failed succession struggle within his own lineage.

How utterly mistaken he had been!

*To think I misjudged such a pure, harmless soul.*

Clearly, the sole reason for Lion’s arrival was that he simply could not turn a blind eye to the Lord’s physical and emotional distress, prompting him to orchestrate a delicate, indirect delivery of “clothing” under the guise of an errand.

*Every foul rumor regarding him is an absolute fabrication.*

Though tales painted him as eccentric, witnessing him in the flesh revealed a deeply virtuous character—benevolent, considerate of others’ pride, easygoing, and delightfully unpretentious…

Not to mention, delightfully informal with her.

He was, without a shadow of a doubt, an immaculate match for the young mistress. Furthermore, since she was not formally designated as the primary heir, if circumstances allowed, could he perhaps quietly maneuver behind the scenes—?

Jasper burned with secret, ambitious fervor. It was a pity he stood entirely alone in these grand machinations.

Truly, entirely alone.

*Sigh.*

Lion exhaled an internal lament as he glanced toward Clarentia. He felt precisely as though he had acquired yet another willful, troublesome younger sibling. Though strangely, this particular sibling possessed an exceptionally stubborn streak…

*Compared to her, Rikschel is an absolute angel of tractability.*

“Very well, I shall state my terms.”

“I am attending.”

“I am informed that a grand celebration for His Majesty the Emperor’s upcoming natal day will commence shortly. I ask that you attend as Rikschel’s partner.”