[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 204: Hail And Drizzle

"I have a villa there. A small one, you see," Serena smiled as she recounted her resting places. "Nothing too fancy, really."

And from what Xion had gathered so far, she had lots of those places. Even when he mentioned he was planning to live somewhere near the edge of the south, there was still an extra villa there for them to use.

"Thank you for your help, my lady," Xion smiled while running his fingers through the purple mass of hair sprawled all over his lap.

The boy fell asleep the moment the warmth of the carriage cocooned his cold body. Honestly, Xion was tired too.

He had been running for the whole night, and not to mention that his mana was still falling on the low zones. It was like a leak he couldn’t plug in just a few days.

The reserves trickled, but never filled.

His entire body ached. His muscles, his head, and even his bones felt worn out. Still, despite the tiredness clinging to every inch of him, his eyes remained stubbornly open.

More than once he let his gaze fall on the window, to stare at the distant lands.

Even if the darkness did not allow him to see anything, he still squinted his eyes at the heavy rain until it had softened into a drizzle.

The sun was up now. Golden beams engulfed the entire land in its embrace, warming up their bodies from the previous cold.

Yet, Xion felt his heart slightly emptier than it used to be.

But then again, what was he expecting to happen? For Darius to look for him? No. He didn’t. He truly wished to leave, without any burden.

Without regrets. Without the weight of eyes always watching him.

Still... Maybe it was the lingering attachment. A thin red thread that was still coiling his fingers and forcing his hand to reach back toward the archduke.

He covered the window of the carriage, and the interior turned dark once again. As if doing that would snap that thread away.

"You do not look well, child." Serena had noticed it much earlier.

Xion’s face was pale, his lips chapped, and not to mention his eyes which were faintly red at the edges.

Serena even thought that Xion might cry any second. But the young man didn’t.

Rather than crying, his lips quirked up in a smile as he talked to her about mundane things.

Of course, it was mostly her asking questions about Minato and Xion answering them with a smile that spelled nostalgia to her.

As they talked, something bitter and sweet unraveled in equal measure inside them.

Before they knew it, it had already been a few hours since they started traveling to the south.

The thick forests had gradually turned sparse, opening into rolling green plains dusted with wildflowers. There were fewer houses now. Fewer eyes.

Howbeit, Xion’s face was getting more pale. In the end, she could not resist asking.

"Do you want to sleep? Or maybe eat something?"

Xion shook his head in denial. Forget eating, he did not even want to look at the food. "I’m fine, my lady. Really."

A lie. A small one, but necessary, nonetheless.

Serena didn’t believe him. So, Xion decided to focus on something else to divert the attention away from his face.

Because when those completely white eyes stared at you with so much focus, it was very creepy!

Xion knew that if he glanced at her a few more times, he would have nightmares where some ghost with white eyes would chase him all around the house.

He’d definitely wake up from the jolt of falling off his bed. It was very shameful for a grown man to be afraid of ghosts!

So, he mumbled, "Is there something else I can call you?"

Serena raised her well-trimmed eyebrow, "Mother? Mom? Whatever you feel comfortable with." She smiled and those wide white eyes glinted like frost catching sunlight.

The words landed gently, but they made his heart stutter.

Xion actually meant to call her aunt. Considering her relationship with Minato sensei, and all the help she had given to him, he wanted to change the title.

Calling her ’my lady’ felt too distant. But...

Mother. The word echoed in the deep recesses of his brain. He had called someone with that word with so much adoration, so much expectation that even after so many years of neglect, he was still willing to call her that.

Not anymore though.

There was a hollow inside him where that title used to live.

His dim eyes made Serena aware that she might have said something wrong.

"I apologize, child. I got a bit excited. Minato had taken you as his godson, so you are also my godson. You can call me whatever you want," She gave a sheepish smile which on her mature face looked a bit cute.

At least, it made Xion smile.

"You can also call me darling like Minato," she said and winked at Xion teasingly. "I am sure, even in heaven he will get jealous."

Xion imagined the always gentle and mature sensei being childishly jealous over his lover like a teenager and... he could not imagine it.

At least not without ruining the image of Minato sensei. So, Xion just laughed along.

"Although I’m sure Minato sensei will kill me, I think I might take that risk someday."

Serena tapped Xion’s nose with a smile, "He wouldn’t dare to hurt you. Not when I am the one protecting you."

Xion wanted to divert his attention from all the things happening, and Serena, without any question, accompanied him.

Soon, the two were laughing and joking and before Xion knew it, the title of ’my lady’ had changed into ’Aunt’.

The wheels of the carriage were rolling over the rough path, while little Noxian was still fast asleep. He was even snoring.

A smile on Xion’s face finally eased a bit of the paleness. There was a slight blush coating his cheeks, making him look healthy.

"I am glad you are letting me stay with you." The lady said.

Xion waved his hand, and a flash of embarrassment made his cheeks bright, "It is your home to begin with. I am just happy that you are letting us stay there."

"You know, with Minato gone, I have spent my time staying alone most of the time. So, I am really excited to live with you young ones."

She had a faint smile on her red lips, perfectly masking the lie she had woven.

Of course, there hadn’t been any villa at the edge of some faraway village.

It was only when Xion told her that he truly planned to settle there, she made up a lie. As they traveled, her people were already preparing the said villa according to Xion’s needs.

From all the talking they had been doing; she had deduced a few things. Xion preferred silence, but he also wanted to continue healing the common folks.

That was why she had asked her people to buy the land around the villa as well. Xion could use it as his garden, or he would just let it be. All in all, it would keep the people away from him.

And then there was also Noxian. Though this kid had a strange aura around him, he was good to her son. So, observing him was worth it.

She also wanted to introduce a few people to Xion. Just the thought of living with her family made her excited.

She silently tapped the crystal hanging on her waist, urging them to renovate the place as soon as possible.

Xion had no clue that the supposed lady who was sitting there with an air of authority was actually thinking of the kid’s game she could play with Xion.

However, her calm presence sure brought him a sense of relief.

With his heart finally at ease, he tilted the curtain to the side and stared at the plains adorned with distant houses.

The further they traveled, the warmer the world seemed to become. There was no rain thrashing them at all, nor was there a sweltering heat roasting them like the royal capital.

It felt cozy. Almost unreal.

"It must be hailing by now," Serena muttered under her breath.

Xion knew it. He had seen the weather from the system. With the water level rising in the river, it would become impossible for the Archduke to follow after him.

That was also the reason why Xion had decided to leave the previous night.

He silently prayed for Darius to return to the north safely, not knowing that the said archduke had decided to wage a war.

Not a simple one to fend off the enemies lurking at the borders, but a war that would reach the heart of the kingdom, one that would force the king to abdicate the throne.

A war to sever the North from the monarchy. Because it was those damned royals who had delayed his return.

If not for their meddling, Xion would not have found the cure so soon. He wouldn’t leave so soon.

After the war, Darius would stand not as a servant of the crown, but as an independent sovereign, ruling his own land, with no need to bow or ask for permission.

After all, if his kitten wouldn’t return willingly... then he would build a world to cage Xion within it.