Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing

“Welcome!”

Leon resisted the urge to let his mouth drop open and instead pulled his hood down tighter.

He had roamed around the territory so much, yet he never imagined such a place existed.

Well, it was buried in the back alleys, so it made sense that he wouldn’t know unless he was specifically looking for it.

“This is a place only for those who know about it. Illegal goods….”

There probably weren’t any. Maybe.

“…….”

Maybe? That didn’t sound very reassuring.

As Leon mulled over Richel’s words, he slowly took in the shop’s interior.

A broom swept the dust off the floor on its own, while a large feather dusted off items floating in the air.

A magical dustpan then collected the debris and dumped it into a trash bin.

‘A robot vacuum cleaner….’

On the floating shelves, all sorts of magically enhanced items were displayed.

[Ear Cuff Earrings]

-Doubles your hearing ability.

-Single-use item.

[Triple-Writing Fountain Pen]

-Great for copying notes quickly.

-Writes in subtly different handwriting styles for a seamless disguise!

-Ink sold separately.

There were all sorts of peculiar tools, but… they didn’t seem like things adults would use.

Noticing Leon’s gaze, Richel answered without even being asked.

“…I found out about this place while attending the academy.”

“Hm.”

So this was where academy students came to cheat.

No wonder he never knew about it.

Most high-ranking nobles’ children attended the academy.

Of course, someone like Richel never stayed long—just enough to make connections and maintain appearances.

Private tutoring was far more effective, and with Richel’s intelligence, even that was unnecessary.

Leon didn’t attend because of his poor health.

He hadn’t even been able to properly complete his coming-of-age ceremony, so that said it all.

“Despite how they look, a lot of these items are actually quite effective,” Richel assured him.

The shopkeeper grinned.

“If you see something you like, let me know! We have potions that clear up your sinuses and magic tools that wash your hair for you. Ah, except for anything that makes your hair grow back, of course.”

“I’m looking for a disguise tool.”

“A disguise tool! Then you’ve come to the right place. Follow me!”

Disguise tools seemed to be on the pricier side, as the shopkeeper led them into a separate room.

[Skinny Bracelet]

-Need to look party-ready in a rush? This is all you need.

-Side effect: You’ll crave a midnight snack when the clock strikes twelve.

[Height-Boosting Insoles]

-Use when you want to appear taller than usual.

-Instead of lengthening your legs, it elongates your ankles, so sharp-eyed people might notice.

‘Judging by the quality, they were likely made by an intermediate-level craftsman.’

Not bad, but not top-tier either.

“Everything from here to there is for disguises. The cheaper ones slightly alter facial features, while the pricier ones can even change hair color. Hair color is the hardest to modify, especially…”

Midway through his fast-paced sales pitch, the shopkeeper tugged on a cord hanging from the ceiling.

A luxurious set of items, vastly different from the ones displayed earlier, descended.

“These are much more effective, but… they do come at a higher price.”

The design and effects were impressive.

“I’ll take that one,” Richel said, pointing at a set of hairpins.

* * *

[Perfectly Undetectable Disguise]

-Even your parents won’t recognize you.

-Change your hair color, eye color, and even hidden tattoos at will.

-Automatically wears off after 10 hours.

“Thank you for your patronage! Please visit us again!”

Richel and Leon exited the shop.

“What did you think?”

“It was an interesting place. I should come back to browse again sometime.”

Leon lifted a small bag the shopkeeper had thrown in as a freebie, making Richel let out a relieved sigh.

“That’s good. Honestly, I was a little embarrassed.”

“Hm? Why? Did you use that fountain pen to cheat on notes too?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Richel hesitated for a moment before confessing,

“I just felt a little embarrassed that I was the only one who got to attend the academy.”

“Oh.”

So he was worried that Leon might have felt uncomfortable about it.

‘Well… even in my memories, I never thought much about it, so I guess it was fine?’

Besides, Leon wouldn’t have suited academy life anyway.

Group settings and teamwork weren’t really his thing.

‘If anything, I would’ve ended up even skinnier.’

For someone with a weak constitution, mandatory group activities would’ve been rough.

Of course, some level of socialization was necessary, but…

Leon had a unique personality, so it was better not to overthink it.

“Shall we try out the disguise first?”

“Yes.”

Richel and Leon each took one of the oddly shaped hairpins.

“Adjusting just our hair and eye color should be enough.”

They were going undercover as wealthy, kind-hearted noble heirs.

That way, they could help others without drawing suspicion.

“Right. What color should we choose?”

“Let’s go with the most common one.”

Here, the most common combination was brown hair and blue eyes.

As soon as they put on the pins, the accessories vanished, and their appearances changed instantly.

“Looks good. Now, onto our second destination.”

Rather than heading straight to an orphanage, their next stop was a mill.

As they approached the riverside mill, a toasty, nutty aroma filled the air.

“I heard this mill also bakes and sells bread.”

“They make bread too?”

That was unusual.

Most mills only processed grains or extracted oil.

“So that’s why we’re coming here?”

Asteria Territory was vast, with multiple mills.

Yet Richel had specifically chosen the most remote one.

Now, Leon understood why.

But it wasn’t because Richel was after the bread.

It was because of the miller, Nicholas.

According to their servant’s research, unlike other millers, Nicholas never skimmed off grain for himself and, despite living outside the main territory, was well-connected with many people.

‘And that’s not all.’

He was known for his generosity and frequently donated to the less fortunate.

He believed that doing good deeds would bring divine blessings.

In a land dominated by magic, he was one of the few devout believers.

‘Trusting in faith over magic is something I don’t really get, but…’

In this situation, he was a valuable connection.

‘If we befriend him, we might even meet a priest.’

That’s why they had added flour to their donation list and decided to visit the mill personally.

“It smells good.”

“Yes. Freshly milled flour makes for exceptional bread, I’ve heard.”

“Oh.”

Freshly milled flour, huh…

‘It must be whole wheat.’

Refined white flour was great, but whole wheat had its own unique appeal.

A hearty texture, a slight tanginess—perfect for stimulating the appetite before a meal.

And more than that…

‘Cookies would be amazing…’

Leon reminisced about the whole wheat cookies he used to enjoy.

‘Crispy, rich, and fragrant.’

With his newfound cooking skills, he wanted to try making them himself.

Seeing freshly milled flour might even unlock a new recipe in his mind.

So while they were here, it would be worth observing the process.

That way, he could recreate it anytime he wanted.

“…….”

While Leon entertained these thoughts, the two arrived at the mill.

“Welcome! I’ve been expecting you.”

A burly man emerged from a wooden hut, just as the milling process seemed to have wrapped up.

He was the miller and baker, Nicholas.

“Did the milling go well?”

“Of course! It’s been a while since I’ve worked with such high-quality grain. Not a single trace of pests—this is excellent! But… why do you need so much flour?”

“I once saw some children going hungry. It felt wrong to ignore, so I wanted to donate.”

“Oh, that’s a truly wonderful decision. Have you decided where to donate it?”

“I was considering Layra Orphanage or Medic Orphanage.”

“Hm.”

Nicholas nodded.

‘Not a bad choice…’

The two orphanages the noble boy mentioned were relatively well-run.

They even had a few children who occasionally got adopted into noble families, so they weren’t struggling.

Thanks to that, they received a steady stream of donations and government support.

‘Well, it makes sense that these young lords wouldn’t know any better.’

Of course, donating there wasn’t a bad idea.

Giving to others was always important.

Nicholas was about to nod in approval when Richel suddenly spoke up, as if reading his thoughts.

“To be honest, those are the only places we know. Would you happen to have any recommendations?”

A very deliberate question.

“……! Then, would you consider donating to an orphanage run by the temple?”

“The temple? I thought their facilities were better.”

“Well, they used to be. But lately, they’ve been struggling because their funding has been cut.”

Nicholas sighed deeply.

“It’s been a while since they last received any donations. But since it’s run by the temple, most people aren’t even aware they need help. Naturally, Asteria Territory can’t provide support either.”

Nicholas chuckled bitterly before carefully suggesting,

“So if you don’t mind… perhaps you could consider donating to them as well?”

“How many children are there?”

“Not too many—around thirty, I’d say.”

“Hmm.”

Nicholas wiped his sweaty hands on his clothes, feeling a little nervous.

‘This young lord…’

He wasn’t sure of his exact status, but judging by his demeanor and the amount of flour he had ordered, he was definitely from a high-ranking family.

‘If this goes well, the orphanage’s situation could improve significantly.’

“……”

The brief silence was broken by none other than Leon.

“In that case, why not bake some bread so the kids can eat it right away?”

“……!”

For Nicholas, that was the best possible outcome.