[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke
Chapter 89: A Fool’s Awakening

Chapter 89: A Fool’s Awakening

There were a few things that should be declared illegal with the big "I" and his name should be slapped onto the list.

Like.. ’I, Xion, will never drink again!’

Xion was not a heavy drinker. In fact, he was the type to get his mind fuzzy after just a few cans of beer. And by a few, he meant two. Three was his absolute limit.

Any more than that, and a drunken Xion would take over, making a mess of the situation.

By some god’s grace, he was not the type of drunkard who would become too loud or break things. No, that would be too easy.

Instead, he would lose his ability to think properly. His nerves would slow to process things, and worst of all? His mouth would betray him.

A drunken Xion was a brutally honest Xion. He would solely pilot based on his feelings. If he disliked something he would say that aloud, and if he liked something he would express his admiration without any scruples.

But this time, it was not just his mouth that betrayed him. It was his trembling hand dripping with red.

Unlike before, it was not wine, but real blood. The blood that he had spilled in anger.

As to how he reached such a junction of being a criminal, one needed to go back a bit.

The night air was cold, adulterated with the scent of damp earth and blooming flowers.

Roses. Xion recognized it as he ventured deeper. The back garden was dimly lit. It seemed like a perfect place to commit a crime.

However, Xion saw them. The shadowy figures lurking just out of eye’s reach. Though, he could easily see them through his map.

Even in his drunken state, his instincts whispered danger. But did he listen? No. Because he was a fool.

A fool wrapped in a red robe he still hadn’t taken off, despite the fact that it did not belong to him.

What could he do when he liked the scent?

It was soothing, familiar, almost intoxicating in a way that made his already-clouded mind feel heavier.

With wobbly steps, he stood a bit away from Eli.

His delicate face was flushed from the wine, lips tinged red from where he had bitten them earlier in frustration. The color matched his robe a bit too perfectly.

So much that it irked Eli.

"You," Xion spoke slowly almost stumbling to articulate his words properly. "What do you want to talk about?"

His usual gentleness was gone. But with the way his words slurred together, Eli didn’t seem to notice.

She watched him with her sharp eyes. "How did you become His Grace’s advisor?"

She didn’t say it outright, but Xion knew what she meant. With your stupid brain, how could someone like the Archduke favor you?

Xion giggled. It was soft, almost childish. "They told me to be the advisor, and I agreed."

Eli frowned. "How can that be?" she blurted out, frustration creeping into her voice. "His Grace is not short of better people."

Xion sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as the breeze kissed his face.

"You sound jealous, Eli," he mumbled. "At least try to hide it, like you did before."

Eli froze.

For the first time that night, she looked truly taken aback.

"Why, Eli?" Xion’s voice was quieter now. "Why do you have so much hate in your eyes? Or maybe it’s always been there, and I just missed it?"

That made her laugh.

A sharp, unbridled sound that forced Xion to wince.

She doubled over as if his words were the funniest thing she had ever heard. "Oh, you," she chortled. "At least you have some brain."

Xion tilted his head in an attempt to dull the headache hammering against his skull.

There was a voice in the back of his mind telling him to leave, to go back and just sleep. But his feet still carried him forward, stopping just before the thorny vine that separated him from Eli.

It was odd.

The distance between them was small, barely an arm’s reach, yet it felt unconquerable. As if they should never be in the same place.

"You’ve played enough, Young Master Xion," Eli spoke. Her voice became soft and gentle, just the way she would talk to him at Marquis’s estate. "Now, it’s time for you to return to where you belong."

Xion shook his head, "And where would that be? As far as I remember, I don’t have a home."

Eli tilted her head slightly. A beautiful smile bloomed on her face. "To my master, of course."

Master.

The word sent a sharp pang through Xion’s chest.

"Your master..." He swallowed. "It’s not Roberto Vaelis."

Eli’s widening smile confirmed it before she even spoke.

"Why don’t you guess who my master is?" she hummed. Her expression softened into something that screamed love.

It made Xion sick.

His mind was a mess, but the pieces were slowly falling into place. The bullying. The molestation. The hunger. And then Eli.

Eli, who had always been there. for him. Had she not?

Always... As if she knew when he needed her.

A fool finally woke up.

Xion’s breath hitched. His fingers twitched. "...Oh, Lord."

Eli clapped happily like a child who got her favorite candy. "Oh, you guessed it!" she beamed. "Isn’t that wonderful? Master even guessed that you would know it! My master is so intelligent!"

Xion’s stomach churned. He had only ever told Eli about the wooden shed. The place where he wanted to hide away from Vaelis family.

"Soren. You’re following that bastard?"

The moment the words left his lips, Eli’s smile vanished.

"How dare you!" she snapped. Her pretty face twisted in anger. "You’re the bastard! My master is the rightful heir!"

It all made sense now.

Soren had always loved his mind games. But he wouldn’t break little Xion so easily. Where would be the fun in that?

So, he had sent Eli to be Xion’s warmth. His comfort. His false sense of safety.

Xion was actually impressed by Soren’s elaborate plan. But he was even more impressed with himself.

Because somehow, through all the madness, he had finally figured it out.

But he had understood it too late. Soren had already stepped out of the shadows.

"In just a little time you’ve grown this lovely, Xion," Soren mused, blue eyes trailing over him lazily. "Although I liked it when you were a trembling mess, I think I’ll enjoy you even more now."

Eli dropped to her knees instantly. She gazed at Soren with so much devotion, so much obsession, that Xion nearly gagged.

She’s mad. Madly in love and a complete psychopath. What an interesting combination.

He was shaken out of his focus from Eli when Soren reached for him.

Xion didn’t think before his body reacted.

In the next second, Mana flared around him, sharp and wild, and before Soren could touch him, Xion attacked.

The force of his power sent Soren stumbling back. Many pale yellow shards made from violent mana rushed toward him.

The mana rain ended just as quickly as it had started. Soren’s clothes were torn apart. There were fresh, bloody marks on his arms from where he had tried to shield himself.

Xion had never attacked him before.

And it had caught Soren so off guard that he had forgotten to raise his shield.

However, the little victory was short-lived. Just as Xion was about to take another step, he was tackled to the ground.

He had actually forgotten about Eli!

The first thing Eli did was tear away the red robe. "You don’t deserve it!" she hissed. "You only deserve to stay under the feet of Master!"

Xion struggled hard. His breath was getting ragged with each shove and push. He had learned that Eli was strong. Too strong!

All Eli had to do now was put Xion to sleep and take him away. It should have been easy. But she had underestimated him.

Because this was not the same Xion who cowered before everyone. This Xion fought back.

And this new Xion had caught Soren’s attention more heavily than ever. He even dared to harm her beloved! Fuming, Eli looked for a stone to directly smash it on the vile vixen’s head.

Seizing the opportunity, Xion grabbed the thorny vine beside him and punched Eli across the face.

A loud scream and then a rain of blood. It directly splattered on his clothes and his face.

With a hard push, he shoved the now-wailing Eli away from his body.

His own hand was a mess of torn flesh and crimson. Yet he felt no pain.

There was only a refreshing, exhilarating feeling blooming in his chest. And through the madness, Xion laughed.

Because, for once, he wasn’t the one trembling.

In a rush of adrenaline, Xion coated his hand with mana shards, and along with the thorny wine, he rained Soren with punches. He did not know where he was hitting. Nor did he step back when Soren fought back.

All the humiliation, all the pain little Xion had been through, this adult Xion wanted to avenge it all. And that was exactly what he did.