[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Speechless Darius

Darius finally released the now red cheek and leaned back. A smirk played on his lips as he gave Xion a fleeting glance, "Next time, think before you act."

Xion, still reeling from what had just happened, nodded slowly. His face was burning, the warmth creeping up to his ears.

"Y-yes, Your Grace," he stammered.

Did I just get teased by a kid?

After a long silence, Xion cautiously cleared his throat, "So... you’re not angry anymore?"

"No."

Rather than angry, Darius was irritated. Annoyed that his thing had gotten damaged without his knowledge. I should just keep him by my side from now on.

Naive Xion exhaled in relief. "Phew, you really scared me there." His shoulders loosened as he visibly relaxed. "How about we just forget all of this?"

"Forget that you are afraid of ghosts, or that you are foolish enough to fall into a trap set by low-level orcs?" Darius asked, clearly enjoying the way those blue eyes widened at his words.

"Hey! You are not allowed to tease me!" Xion huffed. He crossed his arms and openly glared at the archduke. All the hesitation and fear that had clung to him earlier seemed to vanish in an instant.

"Or what?" Darius tilted his head slightly, his long hair cascading down like moonlight.

The sight of the pretty boy with a teasing smile in those pale green eyes made Xion’s spirit flare.

"I can also tease you for crying!"

The moment those words left his mouth; the room fell silent. Xion immediately regretted it. He was an adult for God’s sake! What was he doing, bickering with a child?

"Sorry-"

"What crying?" Darius asked. His brows wrinkled together in visible puzzlement.

Xion narrowed his eyes at him. Although it was childish to argue with a child, it was equally frustrating to let him lie so blatantly.

"You crying. When we were in the carriage. You even avoided me for days after that," Xion pointed out, listing everything one by one.

Darius, "..."

The archduke was speechless.

He had, indeed, been avoiding Xion for, well, personal reasons. But cry? Him?

The last time he shed tears was so long ago that he could not even remember it.

"I did not cry. You mistook it." Darius leaned against the chair, though his gaze remained on Xion.

Xion wanted to argue, but the way Rael had said it so casually, so lazily, told him one thing: Rael was not lying.

He frowned, still not entirely convinced. "There was sudden wetness on my shirt," he muttered. He had, without a doubt, felt it!

"It must have been sweat. We were in a closed carriage, and it was a hot day."

Ah, now that Rael had said so, it indeed was a hot day. So... had he really gotten it all wrong?

And more importantly, Rael was not an angel! The boy was actually teasing him!

What else had he misunderstood?

In a sudden burst of realization, Xion finally grasped what he had overlooked earlier.

Pershia was the lifeline of the Ferni. From meat to plants, everything that sustained their lives came from the mountain. How could they possibly reveal the location of their treasure to a random stranger?

He had been so caught up in his own world that he missed the signs. Missed the way the grey-eyed innkeeper had acted strange, the way he had so easily offered them a map. _{freewёbnoνel.com}

Why am I so stupid? There was no one to blame but himself. Shouldn’t he have been more cautious after Eli’s betrayal? What was he doing, trusting just anyone?

Not anymore though...

"He was using you guys as a little sacrifice," Darius crossed his arms, clearly unfazed by the situation. "A little meat to keep their hunger at bay."

As for who they were, it wasn’t exactly a mystery. Darius was talking about orcs. The zombies were mere inches from sinking their teeth into him!