[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 140

Chapter 140: To Marry My Xion, Are You Worthy?

Nikolai had already noticed it. The way Darius had directly called him by his name and not by his title.

A blatant act of disrespect toward the royal family.

If he wished, Nikolai could have made a grand fuss over it, forcing Darius to kneel and accept punishment.

But... but!

This damned devil feared no one!

Instead, it was the king himself who feared angering Darius just as one would fear offending the god of death.

Nikolai forced down his rising frustration, swallowing his pride and fixing a perfectly polite smile onto his face. _{frёeweɓηovel.coɱ}

"I want to marry Xion," Nikolai’s voice was laced with smug satisfaction. "Even His Majesty has given us his blessing. See?"

With an excited gleam in his golden eyes, Nikolai waved the royal decree. The satin scroll was encased in a decorated gold cover. Its presence alone signified the king’s absolute authority.

"No one can deny His Majesty’s will." His smirk deepened. "Not even you."

This was the ultimate ace up his sleeve. The assurance that no matter how strong Darius was, his influence was vastly tied to the North.

Here, in the heart of the capital, all the nobles were staring at him like vultures.

They were eagerly waiting for him to slip up, ready to pounce at the first opportunity so they could devour him.

Regardless, Darius would not be foolish enough to make a scene.

That was what Nikolai believed. And for a moment, a glimmer of satisfaction crossed his face. Three parts arrogance and two parts relief flooded his gleaming eyes.

But he overlooked one thing.

He forgot who he was speaking to.

The man who had made kings of neighboring countries flee for their lives. The devil whose mere name sent shivers down the spine of even the most battle-hardened warriors.

A soft chuckle escaped Darius.

Not the kind of laugh that signified amusement, but the kind that carried an underlying mockery, as if Nikolai’s words were nothing more than a child’s delusion.

In three unhurried steps, Darius closed the distance between them. His shadow suddenly swallowed Nikolai’s form. He reached out, and without hesitation, he plucked the decree from Nikolai’s hand.

And then, there was no more.

No more royal decree for Nikolai to flaunt.

The satin cloth ignited under the influence of murky green mana. Flames devoured the royal decree and those disgusting words written on it.

In an instant, His Majesty’s words were turned into nothing but blackened ashes.

"To marry my Xion," As he spoke, he reached out. "Are you worthy?"

With a single pat on Nikolai’s cheek, Darius smeared the remaining ashes against his fair skin, leaving behind dark streaks of what was once the king’s decree.

It was both a reminder and a warning. A warning not to test his patience, not to anger the sleeping beast.

Darius didn’t even spare Nikolai another glance. Whether the royal prince had anything left to say no longer mattered.

Without hesitation, he turned on his heel while Allen started walking beside him.

By the time they reached the hallway where Xion and Raymond were waiting, Allen had already filled him in on everything.

How Xion had stood up for him at the banquet.

How he had somehow ended up in prison because of it.

With a raised brow Darius asked, as if making sure what he heard was not wrong, "In the middle of bloody jail, Xion taught you about bones? Using a criminal’s decayed body?"

Allen could only nod.

What a shame.