[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 199

Chapter 199: A Dumb Kitten’s Silly Reply

The wheels of the carriage turned in a gentle rhythm, rocking ever so slightly with each dip in the rough path.

Outside, the dark silhouettes of trees passed by silently in the cold night while inside, the enclosed space was comfortably warm, bordering on drowsy.

Xion sat with one leg tucked under the other, wrapped in a thin cloak that still carried Darius’s scent.

The farther they traveled from the capital, the colder it grew.

It was not quite cold enough to burrow under thick duvets or hold onto the warm fire crystals. Yet it was cold enough to make a cozy corner feel like a soothing lullaby.

And Xion might’ve given in to sleep already, if not for his nerves on high alert.

He leaned against the window, his breath fogging the glass slightly.

Darius was sitting across from him, dressed in the same sapphire robe. His braid was still resting over his left shoulder.

It made something shift in Xion’s heart.

What if... he silently wondered. What if I stayed?

Even if he failed the mission, even if he ended up broke again, it wouldn’t be the first time. He could always earn more merit points.

If the system abandoned him... well, that wouldn’t be the end of the world either.

Not if Darius was around. Not if he didn’t have to worry about protecting himself all the time.

It was not like he would forget all the knowledge he had been cramming from all these system books.

Books... That reminded him about the important thing he had been delaying all this time.

From his bag, he lifted a cloth-bound bundle of books. They were written with the help of his system while he had personally added more than just a few notes to make it easily understandable.

He extended it toward Darius, who raised his brow in question.

"Can you give these to Brother Allen?" Xion asked casually like he was handing over a grocery list. As if he hadn’t just asked the Archduke to run an errand.

It was actually funny how something that might’ve earned anyone else a punishment only earned him a lingering, unreadable stare.

Darius tilted his head slightly. "You could give them to him yourself. He’s in the supply wagon, barely two carriages behind us."

Xion grinned, his face looking even more delicate under the golden lamplight. "I’m too lazy to move right now. And I am sure I’ll forget, again."

Darius stared for a beat before accepting the books. It felt surprisingly heavy in his hands, and by the looks of it, there were more than five to six books wrapped in the cloth.

He took the bundle without another word, setting it carefully beside him. "What are they?"

"My notes," Xion replied while stretching his arms lazily above his head.

"Mostly alchemy, a bit of enchantment theory. Some of it might help with restoring the energy balance in corrupted mana stones you guys get from the dungeons."

There were many dungeons in the north, but the orcs there were far more advanced.

Their hardened skin could withstand even the fiercest storms, making them the most difficult kind to kill. Without the knights’ brutal training, survival would be impossible.

Ironically, that same danger made the northern dungeon crystals more valuable.

Yet, despite all the effort they had to go through, a large number of those crystals ended up infected with corrupted mana which would drastically lower their grade.

After all, the quality meant everything. The better purity meant longer energy retention, higher demand, and of course, a much better price.

They had struggled with this problem for centuries.

And now, this silly kitten had so casually given them a solution for it. Like it was no big deal.

If Xion had shared this method with the royals, he’d have been awarded a special title by now along with enough flattery to last a lifetime.

Not once did Darius doubt that this method would not work.

Was he not living proof that despite the unhinged ways, Xion’s strategy always worked?

He traced his fingers over the satin cover. The knowledge inside could shift the balance of power in the north.

Darius had already decided. He would give Xion everything he could. Not as a favor, but as repayment. For saving his life.

If Xion wanted a palace wing for his work, he would have it. If he asked for a title, he’d get one. Even if he asked for silence, Darius would grant that too.

Darius told himself this was all logical to do. He owed Xion this much after all.

And besides, how could he not want to protect someone who looked so endearingly cute?

It was a sight to behold when those blue eyes widened with innocent curiosity and babbled strange words that despite being so absurd still made sense.

Like that saying, ’Dine and Dash’... Darius had retained it in his memory.

It was only natural to keep this kitten close so he could protect him, and keep him away from the filth of the world.

This six-foot-something wall of muscle was definitely not a baby. Not even close.

Who in their right mind would dare call this terrifying man their brother? He definitely didn’t have a death wish, alright?

Xion, "..." I have zero dignity left.