[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 106: The Scars Don’t Hurt.

Chapter 106: The Scars Don’t Hurt.

They say trauma makes you forget things, that it makes your memory woozy. This was not an assumption, but rather a fact backed by long scientific research and tons of paper Xion had read.

People don’t remember their childhood. Not fully, at least.

Mostly they don’t, until they are pushed into the quagmire of reality and are forced to recall those happy moments they had experienced years ago.

Or perhaps those memories return only in the last seven seconds before their final sleep.

For some, childhood may seem insignificant, nothing worth noting. But for Xion, that wasn’t the case.

In fact, he remembered everything.

No matter how he tried to smile and pretend that everything was fine, his past still haunted him.

Ah, that was not suitable. Haunt was not the right word to describe it. Not at all.

Although Xion remembered the pain, the suffering, and the loud yells, they did not hurt him anymore.

Even though the curses still lingered in his ears. Sometimes, they dragged him into restless nights, forcing him to relive those moments in his dreams.

But they didn’t hurt him anymore.

Rather than a painful wound, they were like a scar. Always there to remind him of what he had experienced, but there was no more ache.

That was... until now.

New wounds carved themselves into his body. Fresh pain drilled into his nerves, forcing him to gasp sharply.

Xion glanced down at the cut on his chest. The wet blood seeped into the thin fabric of his blue shirt.

He wondered if he would live past this night or if he would live until this night would also become nothing but a distant memory like all others.

He hadn’t expected his uneasiness to be justified so soon.

It all started when he was teaching Allen and earning Merit points.

[200 Merit Points have been added!]

The notification sounded very similar to the jingle of gold coins to Xion, who had become poor again after buying the lab. So, he was very happy, but his giddiness halved as he waved his hand to fan himself.

The golden sun dipped toward the horizon. However, the heat was still just as unbearable as it had been in the scorching afternoon.

Xion gazed out the window, watching the shimmering air distort the view.

Even with only a thin shirt, he felt like he was melting. If not for the small crystal that controlled the temperature, he would have spent the entire day in the bathroom just to stay cool.

Though its range was limited to a very small area, it still gave him the comforting sensation of an air conditioner.

He placed his cheek on the cold table where the blue crystal was placed. "When will he return?"

His muffled voice reached Allen’s ears who had been jotting down notes on the work of kidney.

Allen didn’t look up from his notes. "Three more days at the least," he answered.

Xion hummed softly. Three days.

He was actually missing Rael.

"Do you want more crystals?" the alchemist asked, noting how the oppressive heat was clearly taking a toll on Xion.

Allen himself wasn’t faring much better. Having spent most of his life in the frigid North, he wasn’t used to such sweltering temperatures. His brown hair clung to his damp forehead, and his back was already drenched.

But despite his own discomfort, his gaze remained fixed on Xion. The younger male’s face was flushed red, his sighs growing more frequent as he pressed his cheek against the cool table.

Compared to himself, Allen was far more concerned about Xion.

"Nah, it’s fine. You should keep one for yourself," Xion said after a beat, shifting slightly against the cool table. "Where’s Noxian?"

"Reading the book you gave him," Allen replied.

Xion chuckled lightly at that. Ever since he had handed Noxian the book, the boy had stopped trailing after him like a little shadow. Instead, he had buried himself in its pages as if he were racing against time.

Xion was not ignorant of the reasons. It was mostly because he had been focusing on teaching Allen that Noxian felt a sense of urgency.

But how could a little boy compete with a well-known alchemist?

"You have to take things step by step," Xion had told him. "Don’t compare yourself to Brother Allen. He’s spent years learning to get where he is now. You should focus on what your heart wants to do."

Noxian, in all his innocence, had responded so casually with an excited gleam in his wide eyes.

"But I really like what you teach! I also want to know which muscle to break so that a person won’t be able to move!"

Xion: "..."

Okay. That was definitely not weird.

Especially coming from a boy who was barely ten.

But the truth was, Noxian was genuinely interested in healing people.

So, Xion had let him be.

However, now that he thought about it, it wasn’t just him staying inside the mansion. Everyone else seemed to be doing the same.

Even the curious Noxian was just staying quietly beside him.

Thinking about this, Xion raised his head from the cold table.

"Brother Allen, can you take Noxian with you to the market? Just take him out on a stroll or he will be bored."

"I cannot do that, teacher."

"Why not?" he asked, tilting his head.

Allen’s expression remained taut. "I cannot leave you alone, teacher."

Xion scoffed, resting his chin on his palm. "You make it sound like I’m some fragile porcelain doll."

Allen did not respond, but the way his brows knitted together said everything.

How could he possibly leave Xion alone when he had been warned? That too, when his grace was not here?

Xion sighed lightly as if troubled. "But I need a few things."

That caught Allen’s attention. The alchemist sat straight, his gaze turned serious in an instant, "What is it? I’ll have someone fetch it right away."

He tilted his head slightly as if hesitating. "Ah, well... I need some herbs that aren’t easy to find. But they should be available in the capital."

He sighed again, shaking his head. "We can’t just send anyone, though. They might mistake one plant for another, and that would be a waste."

Allen narrowed his eyes, instantly seeing through him. "So you want me to go get them."

Xion gave a small, innocent nod. "Who else would I trust with this?"

Allen inhaled deeply.

Don’t let him get hurt, and provide him with whatever he needs.

Darius’ words echoed in his mind, making his resolve waver.

Xion, meanwhile, had already written down the names of several plants—each notoriously difficult to identify, easily mistaken for something else.

He slid the paper toward Allen. "I thought you’d be able to help me," he murmured, shaking his head with a disappointed sigh. "But it’s fine. If you don’t want to go out in the sun, I understand..."

With an exaggerated sigh, he flopped back onto the table. His red cheek pressed against the cool surface.

A few moments later, Xion heard a coughing sound.

Xion smirked inwardly. Got you.

"Then, I’ll go and bring them. But you must stay inside. At least until I return," Allen said firmly.

Xion waved a hand lazily. "Yeah, yeah. Take Noxian with you too." He had no intention of going out anyway.

Without looking up, he placed a small pouch on the table. "Use this to buy the herbs and get Noxian whatever he wants. Some new clothes too, if you find anything suitable."

Allen hesitated as his fingers hovered over the pouch before finally accepting the weight of the gold coins. "...Understood."

The chair scraped against the floor as he stood up. Moments later, the door opened and clicked shut behind him.

Xion turned his head toward the door, and a cat-like teasing smile curled on his lips.

It wasn’t as if he had lied. He did need those plants for his experiment.

Originally, he had planned to wait until Rael returned before going on a little shopping spree of his own. But with Rael still three days away and the rising heat of the Myrthiana, that plan had lost its appeal.

Besides, he didn’t want Allen and Noxian to feel tied down because of him. Both had been eager to explore the royal capital ever since they arrived.

Traveling such a long distance wasn’t easy in this time period, so how could they not be thrilled at the chance to see more of the capital?

Hence, Xion could only resort to this roundabout way to give them some leisure time.

It would serve as a well-earned break for the duo, who had been diligently studying.

Black Box-

Doctor Xion, treating the same patient for the umpteenth time this month, sighed, "Put the bandaid on the tiny scratch. If the scar remains, which it won’t, use this tube."

The high schooler just stared at Xion, slowly blinking his silver eyelashes, "Brother Xion, you look so pretty in red."

Xion, who was wearing the red shirt, "..."

"Please, leave." He pointed to the door and ignored the world-famous model Darius Rael.

Darius smirked, "I will keep coming until you agree to go on a date with me."

Saying so, he grabbed the wrist of his crush and yanked him into his arms.

When those fluffy cheeks became tinted with red, he could not hold back and kissed them.

"You are not allowed to fall for that Allen."

Flustered, Xion could only helplessly kick the naughty boy out of his office... again.