[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 103

Chapter 103: An Old Friend

Author’s note- Just a little notice to... well, steady your hearts if you are an emotional person.

Xion’s fingers twitched, itching to reach for something that could ground him. His mind screamed at him to react, to question, to demand, but his body refused to obey.

He hesitated for a moment, then pointed a trembling finger at his face. "A-are you talking to me?"

"Of course, I am talking to you, Xion Aijawa."

Xion exhaled slowly, forcing himself to breathe.

It’s not real.

What I’m seeing is just someone from this world. It’s not what I’m thinking.

It’s not real. It’s not real... It’s not real... It’s not...

He forced his mind to repeat it, over and over, until his breath no longer caught in his throat, until the tightness in his chest eased just enough for him to think.

But the old man seemed completely unaware of the storm raging inside him. Or perhaps he simply didn’t care. His next words made Xion’s heart tremble.

The old man chuckled. A deep, knowing laugh that made Xion even more dizzy.

"It’s not every day I see an old friend. So I am a bit excited."

Old friend...

Xion’s lips parted, but no words came out. His throat tightened as he struggled to form the name, to give voice to the impossible thought clawing at the edges of his mind.

"Sensei..."

The rest of the words remained trapped on Xion’s tongue, refusing to cross the barrier between thought and reality. Because if he said it out loud, it would become real.

And reality seemed more elusive to him.

"I am also excited to meet an angel, you know." The old man winked at the stunned Xion.

Long black eyelashes trembled along with those parted lips, "A-angel? I am not-"

He was about to protest, to deny, to grasp onto whatever fragile sense of logic remained. But then Minato raised a hand.

Just one simple gesture and Xion stopped.

"Don’t be so surprised," the man continued with a slight smile on his face. "In fact, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time," Minato said so while his head rested against the cold pillar.

Though Minato remained seated on the floor, making no move to stand, his smile was filled with the same warmth and love Xion remembered.

Why are you not hugging me? Xion felt his eyes getting dry. His gaze fell on the familiar face filled with wrinkles which he had almost forgotten.

However, now that he was looking at the old man, It felt like just yesterday that a twelve-year-old him was clinging to Minato-sensei’s sleeve, demanding pasta for dinner.

He could still remember the way he had shamelessly wrapped himself around Minato-sensei’s legs, refusing to let go, whining and pouting until his teacher finally sighed and agreed to stay a little longer.

Only then did Xion notice that under the cover of the duvet, the old man was missing both legs.

"You-" Xion rasped.

How did this happen? Why are you here? Why are you hurt?

He wanted to ask so many questions. However, when he opened his mouth, all the words died on the edge of his teeth.

Suddenly, his tongue seemed to forget how to spell correctly, and his mind buzzed with a static noise that made him wince.

"Don’t fret, Xion. These legs are the result of the Blight Rot." Minato patted the place beside him, silently inviting Xion to take a seat.

Until then, Xion hadn’t even noticed how stiff his legs had become. His mind felt detached from his body, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. Still, he forced his feet to move forward, one step at a time.

But just a few steps in, his strength gave out.

With a dull thud, his knees hit the cold ground.

He did not even bother to stand up. He crawled until his back rested against the same pillar as Minato.

"I’ve heard the air whispering that you cured someone of Blight Rot. I would have been lucky if I met you earlier. Am I right doctor Xion?"

No hope...