[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 314: The Master And Pupeteer

Chapter 314: The Master And Pupeteer

Before Talia could speak again, he used the puppet card, forcing her to stay silent without moving an inch.

’The first rule to win is to make your opponent speechless.’ Xion muttered to his system. Clearly amused by how her golden eyes bulged in disbelief.

"So, in your eyes... the one who wakes before dawn and works past midnight to keep others fed... is the Devil?" Xion spoke in a clear voice that rang in the entire hall.

"The boy who fought on the frontlines at thirteen to shield civilians from the enemy’s cruelty—is that your Devil?"

"And me?" His voice trembled as his head bowed slightly. Long black lashes cast a lonely shadow across his pale cheek. "Just because I fell in love with his heroic deeds, I became a sinner?"

A hush fell. Even the air seemed to pause.

Xion watched from the corner of his eyes. Talia’s hands clenched so tightly that blood beaded down her palm. She was trying hard to separate her lips, yet they remained glued.

If it was anyone else, Xion might’ve pitied them, but for her, there was only cold indifference. How dare she call Darius the devil? I will make her devil!

Internally, the kitten fumed—while his face wore nothing but pitiful calm.

"I formulated the antidote for the plague because Darius helped me. We managed to secure the herbs growing on the Risa mountain pass because he slayed a beast thrice our size. He did all this so the people of Eldoria Lunareth, who weren’t even his citizens, could live!"

These ’sinners’ had been brought here from many different cities. Of course, many of them bore the brunt of the plague. Even the burly man had only stolen because the situation had worsened.

’Second step—put the real hero on the pedestal,’ Xion whispered to the system.

[...So when you said making someone saint

Xion chuckled when he heard that. ’Or else? Is there anyone more suited for this role than Darius?’

The system really wanted to say ’Are you not here?’ but when it stared at the shift in the crowd, it fell silent.

In their hearts, the picture of Darius had suddenly become taller than the scary statue This sculpture asked for sacrifice while His Grace was trying to save them.

Even the blessed black-haired healer had stepped forward to protect them.

How could their hearts not move? So, they all craned their ears to listen to the sobbing, pitiful child.

Xion had no idea that instead of the mighty image he was trying to create for himself, he ended up looking like a pitiful kid in their eyes.

Hence, he continued with his acting. "Tell me... does compassion for strangers now count as evil?"

There was a wet sheen in his eyes, though he did not let the tears fall.

"But you..." he looked back up at Talia, voice cracking ever so slightly, "you killed an old man. For loving his son."

[Host, the acting buff’s about to run out.] The system dutifully reminded while arranging things as asked.

Xion instantly lowered his face, almost burying his chin in his chest. He needed to hide just for a few more seconds.

Murmurs rose again, though this time not with fear.

Many now looked at the body on the altar as though seeing it for the first time and then their accusing glances fell on the saintess.

They say the black-haired healer could raise the dead.

He saved someone from the devil’s spawn.

He saved the lord of Petik from disease with just three vials...

Wasn’t he the one they believed to be ’Saint’ before they were brought here by the Saintess?

The realization was blooming, eating away at confusion and turning it into disbelief.

And then Xion struck with his last blow.

He jumped from the altar and took a step closer to Talia. Looking down at the pretty lady, he smiled brightly.

"Wasn’t that what the Goddess preaches? That in Her presence, all are equal? So, just because Darius and I were trying to help the poor, you labelled me as a sinner? I know, Saintess. You wanted to sell the cure to nobles at a high price and let the poor die."

He sighed, dramatically, shoulders dropping just a little.

"Ah. I see now. You brought me here not because I sinned... but because I made you lose gold."

He spread his arms wide, head tilted to the sky, as if inviting divine wrath, yet unafraid.

"If I must apologize for saving the poor before the rich...Then so be it."

A few seconds passed and nothing happened to him. That made Xion’s grin even wider. "See? Goddess doesn’t want to punish me."

Talia was more than just astonished. She was terrified. How long it had been since she had felt this feeling? It was years ago when she was just a child.

The young Darius had such an oppressive mana that her heart had nearly stopped working. If it wasn’t for the Archduchess saving her, she might have died in that mana explosion too.

But it was all Ethan’s fault. Why was she dragged into it?

Even when she extended goodwill, that bastard Darius never showed her even a hint of respect. How dare he?!

And now when she was so close to achieving her goal, she was once again stopped by that same name.

Never!

Her eyes were spitting fire, but did that have any effect on Xion?

Absolutely no.

Instead of bowing to the fake statue, he went closer to the old man. He had lost a lot of blood but he was still alive.

Using a potion to replenish the blood, he managed to wake Orren up.

Looking at the hazy eyes staring at him, Xion sighed. Luckily he wasn’t late.

If the system hadn’t told him that the old man could hold on, he might’ve tried to treat him first. However, that would only put him in danger.

After all, all these guards and even the poor people were under Talia’s manipulation. But now?

Amidst the cheering of the crowd, Xion gave Talia a long look.

’As long as she can’t speak, she can’t command. And without command, she’s powerless.’

The system finally realized it. [So she was channelling her power with her voice? No wonder, the moment anyone heard her, they would start acting like her frantic fans.]

But that wasn’t all. She was subtly influencing them, and by doing that she could achieve the result of turning them into her puppets. Just like that priest who was still stiffly standing in the corner.

The puppets would follow her command, but what if she couldn’t command them at all?

The results were very effective indeed.

Just then a rush of dizziness hit Xion, making his eyes go dark for a brief second.

[Host, we need to leave. Even with potions, your body won’t stand the toss for long. It is better to return as soon as possible.]

After all, the puppet card wasn’t without a time limit.

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