[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 223: For Whom Was Xion Struggling?

Friendship was fickle. Xion had known this truth for as long as he could remember. No matter which world it was, he had personally experienced it.

Faymere had been a little heaven for his jittery nerves for four years. He had lived there in peace, and now when he was betrayed by the very people, he felt hopeless.

It was the same feeling that was creeping into his senses. His wish to vanish into oblivion.

It wasn’t like he had let those people enter his heart, nor had he allowed himself to trust them completely. And yet, when the night settled, he found himself thinking about everything that had zoomed past him in a blink.

The cold air swished inside the cave, shaking the violent flames illuminating the dark space.

Suddenly Xion wondered if Darius also felt like this. After all, they had been together for more than just a month, not to mention the life-threatening battle they had survived together.

Could the archduke also feel that he had betrayed him?

The answer he received was the whistling of the wind, and more snow drifting inside the cave. Despite carrying the fire crystals on them, Xion still shuddered.

I really don’t like cold. His gaze lingered on the darkness that stretched beyond the cave. I don’t like cold things. I don’t like cold people either. I should really find a better place to live once I clear my name of this plague.

He was the only one who was having such a bad time. Noxian, like a curious penguin, was busy jumping in the snow and admiring the new lands. Meanwhile, Serena had been silent.

She was usually quiet, but since they’d crossed the border, she’d been staring at everything in a strange trance.

Other than them there was Ravik, who had been working as a guide while the fifth person, John had joined them just a week ago.

"I am heading to the Vyr, mind taking me with you?" the young man had asked with a grin, and they had let him join them.

Vyr was the village situated somewhere on the other edge of the Northern kingdom.

Now that Xion had a map, he could see that Vyr was very close to the plaza from where they would have to rent a special vehicle to move further.

With all the traveling they’d done, all Xion wanted was to sleep peacefully. After reaching Vyr, they would rent a house and say goodbye to both John and Ravik.

That was the future plan, but before that, they needed to rest until dawn.

Sleep refused to come to his exhausted eyes. Dark circles spread like a panda’s eyes... except pandas were fluffy and full, and he was wasting away.

His shirt which used to hug him snugly now hung over his frame like a loose rag. It made him look even smaller. His stomach which felt soft to the touch was sunken.

But under the heavy layers that cocooned him, no one noticed how much he’d changed.

How could they, when Xion played the part so well? But he wasn’t fine.

He loathed how easy it was for others to betray him.

I am not lovable... And now such thought had been clamoring in his mind.

Why was he struggling to find a cure with all his might? For whom?

The people he saved would forget him after a few days, and if he didn’t save them, he would become a sinner.

Xion scoffed at the absurdity of it all. His head felt heavy, his eyes were dry and tired.

So, he adjusted his position on the cold stone floor, trying to find some semblance of comfort.

The crackling fire beside him did little to chase away the chill that had sunk into his bones. He reached for the fire crystals. freewēbnoveℓ.com

But it couldn’t warm the aching emptiness inside him. Nor could it bring the sweet sleep that refused to give him a little bit of rest.

Hours passed by, and finally forcing his even more tired body off the blanket, he stepped out of the cave.

The moment Xion stepped out of the cave, an arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself in the stone wall exactly where his head had been a heartbeat ago.

Had he not moved at that instant, he would’ve been dead.

His eyes widened as he scanned the surroundings. His heart pounded against his ribcage with the same fervor as his thrumming nerves against his temple.

Without wasting a moment, he darted back inside. More arrows rained down on the cave entrance, each thudding against the stone like a silent warning: Stay inside.

"Get up!" Xion shouted, already raising an invisible shield around them.

"Huh—what?" Noxian blinked groggily, rubbing sleep from his bleary eyes. The sleep had dulled Noxian’s reflexes, whereas Ravik was already on his feet.

"Stay in the cave. Don’t step outside, no matter what," Ravik requested while moving to the edge of the entrance, trying to peer out.

But between the snow and howling wind, it was nearly impossible to see who was out there.

Serena hastily threw on her outer robe. Her pale pupils shimmered as she scanned the storm-covered landscape. "They’re from the Holy Order," she said after a second.

Noxian, finally fully awake, rushed to Xion’s side. "What the hell do they want?" he nearly yelled in anger as he gripped Xion’s arm tightly. "We haven’t done anything to offend them. We didn’t take anything sacred, or mess with their temples. So why?!"

He turned toward Serena. After all, she was the only one among them who truly understood how the Church operated. But her response didn’t offer comfort.

"They want Xion," she said flatly. "Alive, most likely. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be holding back."

Much to the other’s surprise, Xion chortled. Not a soft gentle chuckle but a full-blown laughter that was bordering on creepy.

"Brother?" Noxian softened his voice as he called again, "Are you okay brother?"

Tears welled up in Xion’s eyes as he laughed. "They want me. Of course, they do." He wiped his face with extra force, "Goddess Myrthia, why must I bear this?"

The last words were said barely above a whisper. They mingled with his laughter and died along with it.

"The antidote. That’s the only thing I can think of, but we don’t have it." Noxian scratched his hair into a mess while trying to make sense of the situation.

Xion snorted. "They think we are helping the north to take control over the situation."

Although it took Xion some time to piece all the clues together, he was sure of it now. Those people who wanted to attack him and the ones who bribed the village head must be the same kind.

After Xion started preparing for his journey it took him about a week to get everything ready. By then, almost everyone knew that he was moving to the North.

If there was anyone who would get benefits from delaying the plague’s treatment, it was the crown.

Whatever Darius had done — details Xion wasn’t fully aware of, there were far too many people saying it was better to be under Darius’ rule.

Looking at it from a new angle, it was a direct slap to Silas Valaria. But that aroused another point.

Silas’s reputation wouldn’t be in such jeopardy if not for some insider’s work. So, who was it?

Was this the same person targeting him? Xion wondered while taking a deep breath.

"Let’s fight." Xion clenched his fists, the white mana crackled around his fingers. Because this time, he was going to kill anyone who tried to hurt him.

"Noxian, stay close to Auntie. Ravik, handle the left."

Only then did they notice John huddled in the corner, his face twisted in terror. Poor boy got implicated because of them. However, they didn’t have the time to pity him.