[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 121: A Terrible Mistake of Being Blind

Chapter 121: A Terrible Mistake of Being Blind

Xion had always wanted to analyze the peculiarities of Darius’ mana, but until now, he’d had no way to do so.

At first, he could not afford to let Rael waste any mana due to his condition. Then, even after stabilizing it, the opportunity never arose.

There was also the issue of storage. He had no means of containing mana for study.

But now, he did.

The Ring was more than just an amplifier; it was a reservoir, capable of holding mana for later use.

If he could extract Darius’ mana and uncover why it rejected others, half his problem would be solved.

Excitement stirred in Xion. The sooner he unraveled the mystery behind Moonshade Affliction, the sooner he could disappear.

Thinking like this, he jumped to his feet. The pain thrumming in his ankle did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm. If anything, it only heightened it.

That was until he opened the door, and then... Nothing.

Xion froze in his place as a sudden realization forced his mind to crash. To do this, he would need to meet the archduke. Face to face. Up close.

"Do you hate it when I touch you?" Xion had once asked.

And what had Darius replied?

Ah, yes. He remembered now.

"Don’t hate it because it’s you."

His ears burned as the heat spread from his neck to his face.

Slowly, he crouched down. He sat in the doorway, burying his head against his knees. If he could travel back in time, he would slap the living hell out of his past self.

What the hell were you thinking, past me?! That was the Archduke! The one they called the Devil!

The one who was the reason I got kidnapped!

But the signs had always been there, had they not? They were so blatant and impossible to ignore.

Red flags had been waving right in front of him. And yet, he had been blind to them all.

That was until now...

Suddenly, all the little details came rushing back.

He had seen Rael kill that thief in Uzera. And how had he reacted?

He had thought it was self-defense. Sure, maybe it was self-defense, but that didn’t change the fact that Rael had killed someone.

Xion groaned, burying his face deeper into his arms. He had been so unbelievably stupid. How had he managed to ignore all of it?

And worse? He had been foolish enough to take the Archduke with him to sleep and sing him a lullaby.

A shudder ran through him.

"Oh lord above, just take me with you right now."

The more he recalled, the more unbearable his thoughts became.

He had picked Darius up. And not just any way, he had carried him in a prince’s carry. He had even fed him with his own hands!

Damn it!

With a groan, Xion buried his head completely between his arms and knees as if that would hide him from his thoughts.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for the earth to open up and swallow me whole," Xion mumbled lifelessly.

The voice came again, closer this time. "Why?"

Xion let out a long sigh. "I think I made a terrible mistake."

"And which is?"

Had Xion not been so lost in the agony of his own memories, he might have noticed the quiet amusement lacing that low voice.

But he didn’t. So, he simply answered the truth.

"I treated someone very important and terrifying like a child-"

He lifted his head from his makeshift cave of arms and knees... only for his words to die in his throat.

He had assumed it was Allen speaking to him.

But could someone, anyone, please explain...

What the hell was the Archduke doing here?!

As if that weren’t bad enough, Darius was mirroring his posture.

Maybe he found this way of sitting amusing. Or perhaps, judging by the slight smile on his lips, he simply found Xion amusing.

Xion who was already a mess felt his heart being hit by an arrow.

No, not Cupid’s arrow. Calm down, will you?!

It was the arrow of reality.

The undeniable truth that he, Xion, was absolutely done for.

And also... that Darius was way too close!

Faced with that dangerously handsome face up close, Xion had no way to defend himself against the sudden beauty attack.

So, like a true rabbit in danger, he did the only thing he could. He buried his head in his burrow (ahem, his knees) and began chanting.

"I didn’t see anything. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t see anything. I didn’t-"

His frantic mantra was abruptly cut off by the sound of laughter.

A baritone sound coupled with the roughness of the adult’s voice drilled into Xion’s ears and directly hit his heart.

"Look at me."

Darius poked the curled-up kitten’s head with a single finger.

Like a Mimosa plant reacting to the slightest touch, Xion’s entire body stiffened. His flustered response only seemed to amuse Darius further.

Touch-me-not... it really suits you when you act like this.

The archduke mused to himself as his fingers moved from poking to lazily running through Xion’s messy black strands.

"So, you do realize you treated me like a child?"

With someone as big as Darius looming over him, hiding was impossible. No matter how much Xion wanted to disappear, there was nowhere to go.

Left with no choice, he peeked up. Just a little, though.

He did not lift his whole head. He raised his face only enough for his wide eyes to blink up at the archduke’s smiling face.

"S-sorry."

Darius’ fingers trailed down as they brushed past strands of messy black hair until they found the ears hidden beneath.

Red.

A chuckle rumbled from him as he gently pinched one between his thumb and forefinger, enjoying both the warmth and the way Xion’s eyes widened just slightly.

"It’s alright. I don’t mind because it’s you."

Xion felt his ears being pinched. He really wanted to swat away the misbehaving hand, and if it had been Rael, he absolutely would have done so already.

But the problem was... it wasn’t Rael. It was Darius.

And Xion, the self-proclaimed scaredy-cat, did not dare to move a muscle.

Still, he was not completely spineless. He had the mindset of a soldier. If punishment or death was inevitable, it was better to get it over with quickly.

Besides, the smile on Darius’ face wasn’t threatening. If anything, it gave him just enough confidence to be a little reckless.

Gathering his courage, Xion spoke what had been in his heart for a long time.

"Do you like me?"

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