[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 198

Chapter 198: The Departure

It had been three whole days since death loosened its grip from the Archduke’s chest.

Three days since Xion had foolishly blurted about his feelings.

Putting that aside, he was finally able to stand without falling. Well, mostly.

His legs still wobbled if he stood too quickly, and once in a while, a dizzy spell caught him off-guard.

But compared to how weak he’d been, barely able to hold his spoon, this was already a huge improvement.

More importantly, Darius was healing too.

Xion had never seen the Archduke like this. He looked so vivid and vibrant. Glowing, even.

And it wasn’t just his imagination; Ray had noticed it as well. The Archduke’s recovery was faster than anyone had predicted.

All because of one desperate gamble.

Xion had been ready to repeat the process over and over if needed, but it worked the first time.

It still didn’t feel real though. That was why, the previous day when his body stats were pretty much stable, he had stored a portion of his white mana in Darius’s pendant.

He later told Allen to use it as a backup in the future.

Allen had stayed silent for a long time, before nodding. "I hope you live well, teacher."

The alchemist had said so before bowing respectfully to him.

Just from this, Xion could tell that Allen already knew about his plan to leave and had no intention of stopping him.

Honestly, Xion was glad.

With everything piling up in his mind, he did not want to deal with a clingy alchemist.

But then again, he had already done what he was asked to. He had healed the Archduke from something no one in the empire dared to even think about.

Whenever he looked at Darius, a smile would bloom on his face before he even realized it.

And every damn time, Darius would smile back. Even if that "smile" was so small that it could not even be called a smile in the first place.

Xion could not tell if it was his illusion, but there seemed to be something different shining in those green eyes. Something that made him tense up without any reason.

In just a few days, he and Darius had grown closer than before, and by that, he meant that he was still sleeping in the same tent as Darius.

Yet despite all that progress, he still wasn’t allowed to leave the tent.

If he needed something, it was Darius himself who would fetch it for him.

Yesterday, when Allen asked if he was doing okay, Xion nodded.

Truthfully, he was. His body was healing. His mana was steady.

But his heart? That was a little more complicated.

Now, with evening spreading golden rays across the ground, Xion sat just outside the tent under a wide tree.

Cold air swished past him, forcing him to curl into himself.

The voices and the echo of footsteps drilled into his ears as the servants rushed to pack everything up.

He squinted up at the dark sky, watching the sun hide behind those grey fluffs of clouds. Another day was ending.

Soon, they’d be gone, off to the next city or maybe some nameless town lost in Eldoria Lunereth’s grand sprawl.

He waved his hand, and a translucent map shimmered into view. There were eighty-six cities across the empire, not counting the scattered villages and trading posts tucked into forested edges or mountain valleys.

Eldoria Lunerith was a massive, and beautiful world. And in a world this big... once someone left, they rarely met.

In the distance, Darius was standing among a group of knights, discussing something with Ray.

Xion couldn’t make out the words. Nonetheless, he didn’t need to. They must be talking about the departure, he mused.

His gaze was fixed on the tall figure dressed in sapphire-blue robes who suddenly turned in his direction.

Xion was startled. He hastily dropped his gaze to the ground and waited before sneakily looking up.

He patted his chest, willing his thundering heart to stop when he noticed Darius was talking with Ray.

He shook his head. How can Darius see me from this afar?

That made him think of yet another thing. He had always thought Darius favored red. Not that it did not suit him. Rather it suited him a bit too well.

Because red made him look utterly dangerous and sinfully gorgeous.

Whereas blue made him look different. Like something untouchable. Like frost cloaking a crimson fire.

Xion found himself smiling at the absurdity of the thought.

Like a cursed artifact... too beautiful to abandon, yet too dangerous to touch. That analogy had somehow become true.

"You’re staring at his grace again, brother."

The familiar voice startled him. He turned only to find Noxian plopped beside him. With his legs crossed and his cheeks suspiciously puffed up he looked like a pufferfish.

"May I do your hair, Your Grace?"