[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 179

Chapter 179: A Ghost And A Puppy

The light scent of burnt earth lingered in the air as Noxian and Ray walked forward.

The distant embers were still smoldering like dying stars. The night was eerily quiet now, but Noxian’s heart was hammering too loud.

It was so noisy that, for a second, he thought he might go deaf.

His steps were uneven, dragging slightly as his injured foot struggled to keep up. However, he still moved with the same fervor.

He hardly noticed the pain. His dim eyes were staring straight ahead, searching for any sign of movement.

Any time shadows shifted in the distance, he would quicken his steps, only to be disappointed.

Nonetheless, that did not discourage him at all. Instead, all of it made him even more determined to search for Xion.

Then, just as his resolve hardened, he heard it.

A soft, familiar voice. Like a whisper brushing against his ear.

"What is wrong with my baby’s feet?"

Noxian’s blood-mated eyelashes trembled softly. But he didn’t stop.

Of course, he was hearing things. He might have hit his head too hard, and now he was going crazy.

Regardless of whether he was losing his mind, if Brother Xion were here, that’s exactly what he would have said.

But then it came again.

"Noxian? Where are you going?"

His feet stopped right then and there.

He rubbed at his eyes fiercely, trying to clear the moisture gathering there. No, no — he must be dreaming —

Just as he looked back, his racing heart stilled.

There, standing amidst the lingering ashes and ruin, was Xion. His brother Xion.

For a moment, neither Noxian nor Ray moved. They both stood frozen, staring at him as if they’d seen a ghost.

Although Xion, with his blood-soaked clothes and ash smudged all over his face, indeed looked every bit like a ghost, this was not the reaction he expected.

Xion blinked at them with mild confusion. "Uh... what’s with those faces? You two look like you’ve seen me rise from the dead."

Barely had his words fallen when Noxian’s still heart roared back to life with full force.

Then, in the next breath, the purple-haired boy broke into a run.

His injured limb was long forgotten. Without caring about the swelling and pain, he sprinted forward, barreling straight into Xion with the force of a small, desperate hurricane.

"Ugh —!" Xion barely managed to catch the boy as they both tumbled backward into the dirt.

A suppressed groan of pain escaped Xion’s pursed lips.

Noxian did not hear it, or perhaps he was simply unable to focus on anything other than the warmth of the person in his hold.

The little boy latched onto Xion, his small fingers clutching onto Xion’s robes like his life depended on it.

For a long moment, he just stared. His pursed lips trembled as he silently took in every detail.

His desperate violet eyes refused to blink, as if afraid the sight would vanish.

He whispered cautiously, "B-Brother?" Just from the tremor in his voice, it was enough to show just how much effort it took for Noxian to utter those words.

Even lying on the cold ground with a sharp stone digging into his back, Xion still found the mood to joke. His arms held the younger one in his arms, letting Noxian’s weight settle on him.

Xion’s lips curved into an amused smile. "Huh? Who else would I be if not your brother?"

That was all it took for little Noxian to bash his head on Xion’s chest. The force was enough to make it hurt.

"Pfft — oh wow." Xion grinned, poking the red cheek. "You look like an abandoned puppy someone just fished out of the river."