[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 198: The Departure

It had been three whole days since death loosened its grip from the Archduke’s chest.

Three days since Xion had foolishly blurted about his feelings.

Putting that aside, he was finally able to stand without falling. Well, mostly.

His legs still wobbled if he stood too quickly, and once in a while, a dizzy spell caught him off-guard.

But compared to how weak he’d been, barely able to hold his spoon, this was already a huge improvement.

More importantly, Darius was healing too.

Xion had never seen the Archduke like this. He looked so vivid and vibrant. Glowing, even.

And it wasn’t just his imagination; Ray had noticed it as well. The Archduke’s recovery was faster than anyone had predicted.

All because of one desperate gamble.

Xion had been ready to repeat the process over and over if needed, but it worked the first time.

It still didn’t feel real though. That was why, the previous day when his body stats were pretty much stable, he had stored a portion of his white mana in Darius’s pendant.

He later told Allen to use it as a backup in the future.

Allen had stayed silent for a long time, before nodding. "I hope you live well, teacher."

The alchemist had said so before bowing respectfully to him.

Just from this, Xion could tell that Allen already knew about his plan to leave and had no intention of stopping him.

Honestly, Xion was glad.

With everything piling up in his mind, he did not want to deal with a clingy alchemist.

But then again, he had already done what he was asked to. He had healed the Archduke from something no one in the empire dared to even think about.

Whenever he looked at Darius, a smile would bloom on his face before he even realized it.

And every damn time, Darius would smile back. Even if that "smile" was so small that it could not even be called a smile in the first place.

Xion could not tell if it was his illusion, but there seemed to be something different shining in those green eyes. Something that made him tense up without any reason.

In just a few days, he and Darius had grown closer than before, and by that, he meant that he was still sleeping in the same tent as Darius.

Yet despite all that progress, he still wasn’t allowed to leave the tent.

If he needed something, it was Darius himself who would fetch it for him.

Yesterday, when Allen asked if he was doing okay, Xion nodded. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Truthfully, he was. His body was healing. His mana was steady.

But his heart? That was a little more complicated.

Now, with evening spreading golden rays across the ground, Xion sat just outside the tent under a wide tree.

Cold air swished past him, forcing him to curl into himself.

The voices and the echo of footsteps drilled into his ears as the servants rushed to pack everything up.

He squinted up at the dark sky, watching the sun hide behind those grey fluffs of clouds. Another day was ending.

Soon, they’d be gone, off to the next city or maybe some nameless town lost in Eldoria Lunereth’s grand sprawl.

He waved his hand, and a translucent map shimmered into view. There were eighty-six cities across the empire, not counting the scattered villages and trading posts tucked into forested edges or mountain valleys.

Eldoria Lunerith was a massive, and beautiful world. And in a world this big... once someone left, they rarely met.

In the distance, Darius was standing among a group of knights, discussing something with Ray.

Xion couldn’t make out the words. Nonetheless, he didn’t need to. They must be talking about the departure, he mused.

His gaze was fixed on the tall figure dressed in sapphire-blue robes who suddenly turned in his direction.

Xion was startled. He hastily dropped his gaze to the ground and waited before sneakily looking up.

He patted his chest, willing his thundering heart to stop when he noticed Darius was talking with Ray.

He shook his head. How can Darius see me from this afar?

That made him think of yet another thing. He had always thought Darius favored red. Not that it did not suit him. Rather it suited him a bit too well.

Because red made him look utterly dangerous and sinfully gorgeous.

Whereas blue made him look different. Like something untouchable. Like frost cloaking a crimson fire.

Xion found himself smiling at the absurdity of the thought.

Like a cursed artifact... too beautiful to abandon, yet too dangerous to touch. That analogy had somehow become true.

"You’re staring at his grace again, brother."

The familiar voice startled him. He turned only to find Noxian plopped beside him. With his legs crossed and his cheeks suspiciously puffed up he looked like a pufferfish.

Xion laughed when he noticed the smudge of chocolate on the corners of his mouth. "I see you enjoyed your treat."

Noxian nodded furiously, the bounce of his fluffy purple hair making him look like a very happy sheep. "It was super delicious!"

Xion chuckled and patted his head. "If you don’t wipe your face, everyone will know I gave you a secret candy."

The boy’s eyes widened in horror. He immediately began licking the corners of his mouth, desperate not to waste even a speck.

Xion, amused by his antics, pulled out a handkerchief and helped clean him up.

Then the two of them, one small and one tall, sat shoulder to shoulder beneath the tree. They quietly watched the world shift around them.

Everyone was busy while the two of them were the only ones idle.

"Noxian," Xion finally spoke, "If I decide to leave... will you come with me?"

Startled by those words, the little boy’s eyes widened in surprise as he turned to look at Xion, "Brother?"

Xion didn’t look away. His gaze was still on Darius. On the braid that trailed over his left shoulder, one that Xion had tied himself earlier that morning.

"May I do your hair, Your Grace?"

The words had tumbled from him on impulse once again.

And as always, Darius had let him.

That time, instead of decorating the braid with wildflowers like that night, Xion had done something else.

He bought a hairpin from his system.

Forged from darkened silver, the pin was shaped like twin angel wings sweeping backward. Their curled ends were sharp and clean like the edge of a blade.

In the center of the wings was a single, oval-cut blue gem that connected them together.

It was deep as twilight, with flecks of silver that shimmered when caught by the sun.

To Xion, Darius was an angel. The Archduke had been protecting him all this time, and he was so grateful for that.

Hence, he had moved his hands very gently through the long strands of silver hair.

He gently slid the pin to secure the braided crown while he braided the long hair into a very loose style.

He had placed it over Darius’ left shoulder, and it was still exactly there.

Darius still hadn’t touched the pin, nor had he touched his hair. Xion gulped.

"His Grace is returning to the North," he softly explained to the boy, "And I’m planning to go South. Our paths are different, my child."

He finally looked down at Noxian.

"You don’t have to follow me. If you’d rather stay with them, I understand. They’ll provide for you. You’ll be safe with them and have so many people to look after you. But..."

He cupped the boy’s cheek which felt cold under his fingers.

"I can’t offer riches like His Grace. I can’t promise safety every day. But I can promise you that I’ll never let you starve. You can live the way you wish to and I’ll stay by your side, Noxian. Always."

"Brother..." the boy whispered, and then launched himself into Xion’s arms, holding him tightly.

They stayed like that for a long moment while the wind rustled through the trees like a hush.

"We don’t have much time," Xion said softly while stroking the purple hair. "An hour, maybe two. Then they’ll leave."

Even if he mattered, even if Darius cared, the Archduke wouldn’t stop the entire retinue just to search for a missing healer who had already completed his mission.

"I want to stay with you, brother," Noxian declared while looking straight into Xion’s eyes. "Always."

A smile broke on Xion’s lips as he planted a kiss on Noxian’s forehead.

"Go get ready and meet me at the edge of the mountain, okay?"

Noxian hummed before rushing toward his sleeping place. He needed to pack his new clothes and his toys. There were also those books and writing pens.

He had already packed his stuff but some of it was with others for safeguarding, and he needed to get all of it back.

While Noxian was anxious to get ready, Xion was calmly watching people rushing here and there.

And once again, his gaze skimmed over everyone until it was back on Darius.

’I am really losing my mind.’

[Host, please refrain from making reckless eye contact with the Archduke. You’re on thin statistical ice.] The system despite having a mature voice huffed.

[You might risk your life again if you stayed near the Archduke. That is why the higher-ups, had assigned you this mission.]

Xion glanced at the system panel. There it was, written in big bold letters. His mission.

[Travel in the opposite direction of the north before midnight. If failed to fulfill, all the reward will be taken away from the host, Xion.]

It seemed that his stupidity had not only scared his system, but it also alerted the higher-ups.

Well, it was not like Xion was doing something different. This had been his plan all along.

Despite the guards and the eyes that watched over him all the time, he had already packed what he needed.

It was his bag, some food, and a few essentials. That was really all he needed.

The sun finally dipped beneath the murky grey horizon, letting the darkness take over everything.