[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 236: Itching to Take A Bite Of Healer

"I must be out of my mind," Xion muttered, burying his face in his knees. "What kind of idiot asks someone on a date to take a bath with them...?"

And then, like a thunderclap, realization struck him.

Wait a goddamn minute. It wasn’t him who asked. It was Darius who brought him here. Darius who’d been fumbling with his coat. Darius who gave all the wrong signals...

I just misunderstood!

[Pffft... I’ve heard love can turn even monarchs into fools. This is the first time I’ve seen it firsthand. Good job losing your brain cells, dear host. Want to buy a brain-boosting drink? I’ll give you a special discount.]

Xion huffed aloud. ’No, thank you, ’cause I don’t need it. Why would I lose brain cells? And... when did I say I love him?’

[Oh, come on, host.] The system snickered.

[We both know you go stupid every time you’re near the archduke. If I had to explain it scientifically: you instinctively sense you’re safest with him, so your brain just... shuts down. Humans call it love, apparently.]

The silly healer opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Damn it. He didn’t even have a good counter to that.

The worst thing was he knew the system wasn’t entirely wrong. He really did act like a dumb teenager around Darius sometimes, didn’t he?

The fact was so absurdly strange that he even forgot his embarrassment.

He stared at the warm water and then at his invisible system and without another thought muted it. Anyway, he was already there so he should take full advantage of it.

The water, unlike his system or even himself, didn’t judge him.

Just as he carefully stepped inside, a groan rumbled in his throat. It was wonderfully soothing. The heat slowly melted away the stiffness in his limbs, easing the knots in his shoulders.

The tension in his spine dissolved. Even the dull ache behind his eyes ebbed. With a satisfied hum, Xion let himself sink in.

The mana in the spring wasn’t too strong or harsh. It gently trickled along his nerves like it was filling in the tiny cracks inside his body he hadn’t noticed forming.

With a soft hum of comfort, he let himself float just enough to rest against the edge, eyes fluttering shut.

Darius had said he needed to deal with something and would be gone for a while. Maybe about an hour or so.

So Xion let himself drift, unaware that just beyond the enchanted veil, Darius was standing motionless.

And not for a single second did he let his guard drop — not while his treasure was in the water.

At first, he was going to use a healing potion on his bleeding hand but then he halted.

Thinking about the healer taking a bath, he changed it to wrapping a cloth over it. His thoughts were already drifting with many twists and turns and all of them ended with Xion.

But Xion wanted to visit the Caverns of Haldris...

It wasn’t that Darius didn’t want to help Xion. Rather he was eager to take Xion there and that was exactly what worried him. For the Caverns of Haldris were exactly where the archduke had kept a very special gift for Xion.

Taking him earlier meant he might do something to Xion that was definitely not along the lines of ’normal’ companionship.

As he was dwelling over how to force Xion not to go there, the person in question appeared in front of him.

When Xion stepped out of the cave, steam curling around his figure like a lazy mist, Darius felt his breath catch.

The pallor that had clung to his skin like exhaustion was gone. His cheeks were tinged a healthy pink from the warmth, his skin dewy and glowing like fresh petals.

The dark circles beneath his eyes had faded, and there was something lighter in his expression. He was less guarded and more alive.

The Archduke had seen many beautiful things in his life. And Xion was at the top of that list.

Darius was well aware of the effect Xion had on others and on him, especially on him. So he was prepared. Oh, he had been trying not to mess up for far too long.

And yet, with all the preparation he had, he was losing his self-control just by the view of freshly bathed Xion.

His darling looked like a fresh apple: red, crisp, and so inviting that Darius had the sudden, reckless urge to take a bite.

He took a step forward without thinking, drawn in by the shine of those bright eyes. Just as he wanted to touch the damp strands clinging to his forehead, Xion narrowed his eyes at him in warning.

Darius halted right then and there.

Fine. He could behave... For now.

"You’re here," he said in a steady voice despite the chaos in his mind. "Let’s go back. It’s going to be cold."

Although the sun still lingered in the sky, evening was fast approaching and up north, that meant frost and bitter winds.

The last thing Darius wanted was for Xion’s newly restored warmth to be stolen by the weather.

Xion simply nodded. "So," he said, wringing out his damp hair with a fluffy cloth he found in the cave, "when are we leaving for Haldris?"

Darius paused for a fraction too long. "...Maybe in a few weeks? Why not rest first?"

Thise words made Xion blink in suspicion.

Now that he was in the North, he had a decent grasp of the terrain now, especially with the system map clearly lit for him.

He knew the caverns of Haldris were located to the east and that getting there would take at least several days. Not to mention — after this month, the roads would likely become unusable due to snowstorms.

So why was Darius delaying?

"I came with you, just as I promised," Xion said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You can’t go back on your deal now."

The silly healer no idea that once he reached the said caverns, he would be the one to sob miserably.