[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke

Xion hid behind the big tree he had been using as a support until now. The voices grew louder, cutting the air and directly puncturing his nerves.

In a desperate bid, he darted toward the huge carriage parked just a few paces ahead.

He hesitated only for a moment before prying open the door and slipping inside. He shut the wooden panel softly after peaking through it.

He had been sitting close to the carriage yet heard no noise. Hence, he was sure there was no one inside. It was only now he noticed another presence behind him.

While praying to the Budha in his heart, he slowly turned around.

There, sprawled on one of the plush seats, was a child. His small frame was dwarfed by the richness of the carriage's velvet cushions.

Long, silver-white hair cascaded over his shoulders and trailed onto the floor like moonlight frozen in strands.

Xion crouched in front of the sleeping kid. The child's pretty face was flushed with red, his breathing coming out in small and hurried gasps.

His eyebrows were furrowed in pain, and even those curved eyelashes were trembling from the impact.

Out of habit, Xion moved his hand to check the pulse of the sick boy. However, the moment his fingers lightly touched the cold skin, his wrist was grasped tightly by a small hand.

Xion glanced at the now awake boy. The boy's small, fragile frame was at odds with the commanding presence in those venomous green eyes.

Despite his flushed cheeks and obvious frailty, there was a strange authority emanating from him, one that made Xion's whole body stiff.

He was afraid. No, Xion was terrified.

Is this the child of that "His Grace"? Xion pondered silently. If that were the truth, then he might be in bigger trouble!

First, he promised Ray to run away with him while staying clear from his master. Then, he did the exact opposite and ran into His Grace's arms.

Wait a minute... Why Do I sound like a lover of Ray who is running away from his cruel father-in-law aka His Grace?

Xion's whole body trembled from the fright. He shook his head to get rid of the weird image of Ray dressed in a white wedding gown waiting for him while he ended up hugging his "father-in-law".

Ray even looked at him with teary eyes and sobbed, "How could you do this to me?"

"So..." terrible! Xion halted midsentence when a fluffy, warm coat was thrown over his shoulder.

"Are you so cold?" The boy, now properly sitting on the seat, tilted his head slightly as he assessed Xion from head to toe.

"No, I am fine. Still, thanks," Xion flashed the boy which he assumed was a pretty smile while returning the coat to him.

Much to his surprise, the boy did not take it. Instead of the garment, the boy seemed to be far more interested in his face.

If it was not for the fact that the boy was in his early teens, Xion might have panicked by now. After all, in his haste, he did not get the time to wear his hood back.

He silently placed the coat on the other empty seat of the carriage.

He kept chanting in his mind "He is just an innocent child!" like a mantra to calm his erratic heartbeat.

It worked like a charm, and he finally stopped trembling from fright.

"Are you ok? Do you have a fever? I might not look like it, but I am a healer, you see," Xion spoke very gently while keeping a smile on his face.

His words brought a small smile to those green eyes, though the boy's pale lips remained as flat as ever. "Hmm, I know."

Xion was about to say that he could treat him. In return, he should be allowed to hide in the carriage for a few minutes.

The voices were getting closer, and Xion was sure that by now, Soren must be talking to those horse feeders and asking about him.

Luckily, he came from the opposite direction. As a result, those people never saw him. The distance between them was not short. Xion was sure they never saw him.

"You know you have a fever? Let me check, and then we can see what medicine we should give to you," Xion raised his hand to check the pulse and this time, the boy moved his thin wrist toward him on his own.

Xion's smile deepened. Nonetheless, not for long. When he finally touched the boy's wrist, he was startled to find his pulse unnaturally slow, almost as though it were of a dead person.

It was not just that. There was a thrum of unnatural mana around the boy's body that made his own hand tingle.

His smile vanished, leaving behind a frown on his delicate face. "You... May I know what I should call you?"

Xion could not keep calling him a child. The boy was from the high-ranking nobility and calling him without his title would be a big trouble.

"Daruis Rael," the boy spoke slowly as he used his free hand to tilt Xion's chin up. His cold gaze roamed over the raven-black hair before sliding to those deep blue eyes, overflowing with innocence.

Xion blinked, his long eyelashes fluttered as confusion clouded his eyes. "Israel?" Israel spoke in such a low voice that he did not quite catch the words.

He did not expect someone else's name to be Israel. What a weird way to name a child.

"...Darius Rael."

The boy repeated again as he let go of his chin. Though, his eyes remained fixed on Xion's face.

"Oh, so... Rail." Xion tested the name on his tongue. The boy did not stop him, so Xion continued with the confidence of an adult.

"Your mana is running rampant. I think that stone hanging around your neck is controlling it, but... If not addressed properly, it will cause trouble."

Xion felt his legs giving up from all the crouching. So, he directly sat on the floor with his legs crossed. The whole floor was carpeted with a soft rug, so it was quite comfortable to sit on.

"Hmm," Darius replied, his chin now resting upon his fist as his elbow remained on the windowpane.

"I can help you with that. But..." Xion scratched his hair as an embarrassed grin spread on his lips. "Can you hide me here? Only until those people leave." He motioned his finger in the direction of the other carriages.

"You... I don't like liars," the tiny smile from those eyes vanished, leaving behind nothing but infinite chill. His disease was not something "treatable".

Even goddess Myrthia had turned her back on him when he was first affected by this.

No healer had ever dared to claim to even lessen the effects until now. Xion's sudden claim did not sit well with Darius.

Xion might have wondered how a small child had such a strong aura that it made even a grown-up like him afraid. However, at the moment, his mind was filled with only one thing.

To get rid of Soren and Caspian.

"No! I promise I am not lying. I know this disease is called Moonshade Affliction. I need one year to treat it. I won't ask for money from you, really," Xion tried to make himself look like a good healer.

If he were in Rail's place, he, too, would not believe some teenager bluffing about such a serious disease.

But Xion had no other option. He could only use his medical knowledge along with the manuals from the system. Just to be on the safe side, he asked for one year.

He blinked his blue eyes at Darius while he tried to make himself as innocent as possible. Yes, Xion was copying anime girls to look cute and innocent.

While cursing himself as shameless for deceiving a sweet little child, he still dropped his eyelashes down as if too hurt to look at Darius.

Please work! Please work! While chanting so, Xion peaked at the boy who was staring intently at him.

It was almost as if Darius was watching some interesting show. Xion was suddenly afraid that in the next minute, Darius might applaud and say, "Good acting! Continue!"

Xion, "..." Sometimes, I hate my imagination!

"Fine," Darius said. The corner of his mouth curled up ever so slightly, and a smirk danced on his lips.