[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Hide From the Scary Archduke

"You know, I can cook more tasty food. How about we make another deal?" Xion asked, his face leaning closer to Darius.

His sudden movements made Darius wonder what this silly healer was up to now.

"What?" he asked in a calm voice. It was because he was bored and definitely not because he had eaten Xion's food and had the urge to try more.

"I can cook for you while also treating you," Xion whispered near Darius' ear. "In return, can you keep me away from your father?"

Darius had never been this close to anyone. It was even more true since he passed the age of thirteen and sat on his throne.

Suddenly, a warm breath fell on his ear, making his whole-body tense in alertness. He was curious about what this healer wanted. He had enough riches to reward this person.

However, the sheer audacity left Darius momentarily frozen. Few dared to speak so informally, let alone propose bargains, to him.

Yet this odd healer behaved as if Darius were just any other boy. A muscle twitched in his jaw. He wasn't offended. No, he was entertained.

"My father..." Darius said slowly, his voice dropping into a quieter, almost dangerous register.

A wave of cold emanated from him, snaking out beyond the confines of the carriage.

Outside, Ray's horse neighed uneasily, sensing the ominous aura. Ray tightened his grip on the reins, stealing a glance toward the carriage.

Had that fool of a healer just infuriated his Grace? Ray grimaced. It seemed likely.

The knight glanced at his surroundings filled with trees. Well, at least the place was good enough to dump dead bodies. While thinking so, he strained his ears to catch any voice from his master.

He was not wrong. Xion really angered the cruel Archduke and was blissfully unaware of it.

He even praised himself for coming up with such a perfect solution to the problem.

Ignorantly, he leaned even closer until his lips were almost touching Darius' ears.

"I accidentally bumped into him this morning," Xion admitted, his voice lowering as if confessing a dire secret. "He looked really angry. So... I ran away."

Darius' entire body stiffened even more. Yet he refrained from pushing the teenager away.

Was it not I who this silly person crashed into? Darius took another bite of the bread and continued to listen.

His face remained the same, nevertheless, the temperature in the vicinity rose a bit.

Xion rubbed his arms to get rid of the goosebumps on his body. He, now thoroughly uncomfortable with the shifting temperatures, reached for the nearby blanket.

Without much thought, he draped it over the silent boy seated beside him. His wide, satisfied smile returned when Darius didn't object.

"There you go," He smiled so brightly his whole face seemed to glow.

He leaned in once again to convince the child. This time, albeit a bit, the boy too leaned forward. This simple action made Xion happy. Trust was the first basic between the doctor and his patient.

"I ran away without properly apologizing. Ray told me that his master is very scary. So, can you hide me from him? I promise I will make very delicious food for you. How about it?"

Xion blinked his eyes, silently urging the boy to answer him.

Darius speechlessly listened until the end. He swallowed the last bite and unlike Xion, he ate very cleanly.