[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 293: Should I run away?

Chapter 293: Should I run away?

Time, Xion realized, was a funny thing. Nothing seemed to change, and yet, everything could shift in a single breath.

That thought lingered as he stood in a dressing room surrounded by bustling tailors.

He didn’t know when it had started, this aching desire to be held in Darius’ arms. But he was certain of one thing now: he wanted to see those cold, terrifying eyes melt into softness when they looked at him.

When he was young, he wanted to be loved, to hear the honeyed words drip from his parents’ lips. He had craved it more than the wish to live. But it never became a reality.

Now, with the way Darius would look at him, with such an adoring gaze, it always managed to rush his senses with a thrill of pleasure.

Xion had fallen head over heels for Darius, and it had started to scare him.

There were millions of things he wanted to do with Darius. Going on dates, cooking his favorite food, appreciating the kind of simple things he never thought he’d share with anyone... The list could go on.

However, now that he had really gotten Darius, the silly Xion felt his heart thudding with unease.

What if something bad happened? It always did.

When he was about to get a scholarship, he almost got into an accident. Things happened again when he became a doctor. When he finally got his life on track and got a new house, he simply died.

What if...

He stood still, surrounded by tailors, stylists, and attendants who swarmed around him, draping fabrics and accessories with utmost care.

They fussed together, frowned, and muttered something before putting things on him only to shake their heads moments later.

In his entire past life, he had never imagined himself getting ’pre-wedding anxiety’. And yet, here he was.

Uneasiness crept over him like a fog. His thoughts grew slow and heavy as if his brain was stuffed with cotton. He barely heard what anyone was saying anymore.

So, he stopped responding altogether.

Serena and Noxian were answering on his behalf anyway. So, he just let them handle it.

After five long hours of labor, they still hadn’t picked an outfit.

He wasn’t being arrogant, but considering his physique, he wouldn’t look bad in anything. So what was taking so long?

He’d been changing clothes, each one more ornate and uncomfortable than the last. And each time, there was something wrong.

Serena would sigh and mutter that she didn’t like the design, then Noxian would wrinkle his nose at the color like it had personally offended him.

Eventually, Xion had had enough.

"I’ll be in my room. Call me when you decide on something."

The exhaustion etched into his brows was enough for them not to stop him.

Even Noxian, who still hadn’t made peace with the idea of him marrying the Archduke, didn’t pester him anymore.

Honestly, Xion was glad they were with him. If it weren’t for Serena and Noxian, he might have spiraled into full-blown panic by now.

However, the rest he had desired didn’t come. Instead, the velvet box set on the table made him even more anxious.

Just as he opened it, a gasp rang in his ears.

It was his own voice along with the system’s admiration.

[Host! That’s the Mermaid’s Tear! There is only one in the entire world. Even the royals couldn’t find it.]

The necklace was of pure gold, with a small, tear-shaped ruby delicately suspended from it.

The design was so delicate that just one look and Xion didn’t even dare to touch it. With trembling hands, he placed it right back on the table.

Do I deserve such lavish things?

No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t accept everything with peace of mind. Not to mention such precious treasures like Mermaid’s tear.

Now that he was thinking about it, since he had met Darius he had only taken things from him.

[Host, if you don’t want it... how about you give the pendant to me? I can give you 10 million merit points and a special discount of 30% off on everything!]

Xion, "..."

Well, his mood seemed to be lifted up by the system’s greed.

’Greed is a sin, my dear system,’ Xion playfully mimicked Talia’s voice. ’Do you want to visit the confession chamber?’

[Never!] the system grunted, clearly disgusted by Talia’s pretense. [Forget that host. How about we visit the night market? There should be many good things we can buy.]

Xion had been holed up with antidote preparations, so he hadn’t seen much of the northern lands.

Given the marriage date and security measures, he doubted Darius would let him wander too far. Still... maybe a stroll under the stars would help clear his scrambled thoughts.

"Should I run away?" Xion mused aloud. He was half joking, and half serious.

Though before the system could answer, a cold chuckle slithered across his ear.

Like a wary animal sensing danger, every hair on his body stood on end. Dread curled in his stomach as he slowly turned around and saw the Archduke standing there, arms crossed over his chest.

He was only wearing his signature red robe, so loosely tied that his muscular torso was in open view for Xion to admire.

He might’ve done exactly that if not for the wicked smirk that made him instinctively step back.

"H-Hi," Xion wanted to smack himself for stuttering.

"What did my baby say just now? I didn’t quite catch it."

That was the moment Xion knew: He was doomed.

Trying to salvage the situation, he forced a smile that looked more like a grimace."I-I should go check if the outfit is ready."

When the Archduke didn’t stop him, he bolted for the door. But just as his hand touched the knob, a strong hand caught his wrist.

The world spun, and in the next moment, he was pressed against the hard door. And against the equally hard Darius.