[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 220

Chapter 220: A Chaos in Royal Court

A week. That was all it took for chaos to descend upon Faymere.

Being a border village, Faymere was no stranger to tension. Its defenses were solid with high stone walls, fortified gates, and a watch rotation tighter than a miser’s purse. It was enough to stop a small fleet of soldiers.

But this time, the threat wasn’t carrying swords. It was dragging itself on trembling legs, coughing blood, and begging for mercy.

The very gates that once welcomed merchants and wandering monks now stood locked.

On the other side were the desperate sick with purple veins curling beneath their skin like a curse.

No one knew where the rumor had started.

Maybe it was because of Lord Varnehold, who had taken extra medicine and left with his family that very night. People mistakenly thought that the young master was cured. _{freёwebnovel.com}

But like all good rumors, it had fire for a spine and wings for legs.

The healing house had found a cure for the Purple Plague.

"Purple Plague." That’s what folks had started calling Tenberis due to the strange violet veins that surfaced beneath the skin after the fever lasted for more than three days.

Xion wasn’t surprised by that. What did surprise him was the sudden appearance of Ravik.

"My lord," Ravik said with caution, "There are people saying... you’re withholding the cure just because they’re poor. What should we do with them?"

Ravik had only recently become a guard, but he was already familiar with most duties.

"Let them talk," Xion replied, not even glancing up from his desk covered in ink stains and half-finished molecular formulae. "As long as they’re not setting anything on fire, I don’t care."

Although there hadn’t been any confirmed case of the Purple Plague yet, the villagers were too tense when they saw the people crowding at the gates.

Even without a fever, the healing house was busy enough. He really didn’t have the extra energy to take care of some stupid rumors.

"But..." Ravik hesitated, "It’s Lukas. He’s leading them. Says his son had a plague and he died because you refused to treat him."

Xion groaned. If there was anything that could cause more trouble than a deadly disease, it was an angry mob.

Still, he waved Ravik off. "Watch him. Don’t touch him unless he hurt someone else first."

Ravik didn’t argue. But before he left, he paused just long enough to glance at Xion’s face as though he had another question lingering on his tongue. Then he vanished into the hallway with silent steps.

The room was quiet again, save for the scratching of pen on parchment and the occasional crackle from the mana stone kept in the hearth.

’You sent the letter. Do you think it’ll work?’ The system had been more eager about the court drama than the antidote.

’Why wouldn’t it?’ Xion responded internally while his hand moved quickly over a diagram of molecular chains.

He’d phrased it carefully, told the crown in the letter that the plague might be spreading due to some unknown elements and he needed to travel to different regions so he could find the solution.

He had very ’humbly’ pleaded with his majesty to allow him more time. And because court politics were like a snake pit, he had included one very specific, very strategic lie.

He’d said he would be traveling to see his husband, the Archduke as well.

"I’d rather be trampled by oxen in the mountains while traveling than serve in your fancy little palace."