[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 308: The Preparation For The Purifying Ceremony

Chapter 308: The Preparation For The Purifying Ceremony

This time, Xion didn’t open his eyes when the room fell into silence. The weight of that heated gaze still bore down on him.

Talia had departed after issuing a few final instructions, but Caspian was still here.

"I do so wish to keep your face intact," Caspian murmured, and the feather-light touch that followed made bile rise in Xion’s throat.

Despite his best efforts, his brow twitched—betraying the discomfort he had hoped to suppress.

"Ah, are you in pain?" Caspian crooned, as if speaking to a cherished pet. "Don’t fret, little one. It shan’t take long. Once the ceremony is complete, you’ll forget everything. I’ve even prepared a special tonic just for you."

He sighed softly, the kind of sigh that implied profound sentiment—perhaps even devotion. Perhaps in his twisted mind, Caspian truly believed he was offering some sacred kindness.

"It should help with your scars," he continued. "Though I won’t inform Her Holiness. She believes scars of suffering is the only path to repentance... but I—" a pause, fingers brushing Xion’s cheek, "—I would rather preserve this face unmarred."

Xion mentally rolled his eyes. If he ever wanted to remove his scars, he certainly didn’t need this man’s help. He could manage far better on his own.

Caspian, of course, had no idea that the supposedly unconscious young man was biting down his fury with every breath.

"You’ll have to rely on me for everything from now on," he said with a disturbing note of anticipation. "I’m truly looking forward to seeing that grateful look in those pretty eyes when I carry you from place to place."

[Hold back, host. Hold back, please.] The system’s voice trembled. [He thinks you’re asleep. As long as he thinks that, he won’t do anything.] But if you wake up...

There was no need for a system to finish the sentence. Xion gritted his teeth, letting the dull ache of his limbs smother the desire to launch a fist into Caspian’s smug face.

"I’ll return in two hours to collect you," the man whispered in syrupy voice. "Keep resting until then, little one."

The moment the door shut closed, Xion bolted upright and furiously scrubbed at his face until his pale skin bloomed with angry red marks. Tiny scratches flared across his cheek, and a few beads of blood stood out against the pallor like rubies on snow.

"Let’s go and look for the exit."

[...Okay.] There was really nothing it could do to help Xion.

It had long since learned the temperament of its host: melt at kindness but hate it when force was used. A threat like ’you’ll freeze to death’ simply didn’t carry the weight it should in this situation.

When Xion took his first few steps he nearly fell on the cold ground. To persist, he wrapped his legs with a thin almost invisible layer of mana, using it as a clutch.

With the duvet wrapped around his frame like a makeshift robe, and his face partially hidden, he slipped forward without making any noise.

He sneakily tried to turn the knob, and much to his surprise, it really opened.

They must’ve assumed the poison had rendered him immobile. Reasonably so. He shouldn’t have been able to move.

Hence, they didn’t put any guard against him.

The hallway was empty, dimly lit by flickering torches mounted in iron brackets. Wooden doors lined either side of the cold stone corridor.

Leaning against the uneven wall, he moved forward, as quiet as shadow.

It wasn’t long before he reached a corner. Just as he was about to continue walking, he caught onto the faint murmurs coming his way.

[Host! Run back! Now!]

But even if they ran, they wouldn’t make it to the room in time.

The voices grew clearer. One of them was unmistakably Talia, along with her retinue following closely behind her..

"Bind him to the holy podium and leave him to repent. Only then might the malice in his heart begin to wane," Talia ordered.

"Yes, Your Holiness."

[They’re talking about tying you up like a lamb on a sacrificial altar!]

Shit. Shit. Shit!

Xion’s gaze darted wildly. Window? Crawlspace? Dog hole?

Where the hell would a dog hole even be in this hallway?!

[Host! The rooms! Try the rooms! Hide!]

"Use thorned vines to bind his hands," Talia continued, voice now sickeningly reverent. "Let his unclean blood soak the altar."

Xion’s throat went dry. He lunged for the nearest door handle.

While praying that no one was inside, he yanked the door open and rushed inside. With a gentle thud, he shut the door before leaning against it.

His sigh of relief got trapped in his throat when he took a look at his surroundings.

There wasn’t just one person, but a whole group sitting randomly on chairs. Some were even sitting directly on the floor.

All of those eyes stared at him without blinking.

Xion’s heart almost leaped out of his chest, and for a second, he thought that others were able to hear too. If not why were they staring at him with so much intensity?

[Host... ] Although feeling the secondhand embarrassment, the system dutifully reminded Xion, [that’s the sound of your grumbling stomach.]

Indeed, when he pressed a hand to his belly, he felt the vibrations rumbling deep within.

"Here for confession as well?" asked a bearded man with a voice like gravel.

So this was a confessional chamber?

Clutching the duvet tighter until even his chin was obscured, Xion nodded. "Y-yes."

"Ah, come on in, lad," the man said, cheerfully rising. "You must be hungry from the journey. Here, take my seat." He thrust a wooden chair toward Xion with a kind smile.

Half-bewildered, half-relieved, Xion sank into the chair, blinking at the plate now balanced on his lap.

There was a crust of dry bread and a chipped cup of watery broth. But it was too watery without much grain in it. It was basically colored water at this point.

Regardless of the absence of any spice in the food, Xion wasn’t in a position to complain.

He hadn’t eaten the entire day. Even the breakfast was left untouched.

Hence, with trembling fingers and aching wrist, he dipped the dry bread into the watery gruel and munched on it.

All the while, his ears were attentive as he tried to gather any intel he could.

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