[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke novel Chapter 241

Chapter 241: On Darius’ Bed

"Come here, Xion."

Xion... The word rang in his ears with a strange familiarity. Darius had said his name many times before. But now despite being the same words, it felt different.

That same velvety baritone with silent command.

And yet... it felt brighter now. Warmer. As though it had been dipped in sunlight rather than shadow. As though each syllable had been wrapped in something fonder. Something tender.

Xion looked up slowly, meeting the Archduke’s gaze.

There it was again, that smile.

It was wide, bright, and beautiful in a way that was almost unfair to Xion’s heart. A smile that reached all the way to those pale green eyes, softening them until they shimmered like precious jewels.

It knocked the wind right out of him.

And it deepened — Darius’s smile deepened — just because Xion took a single step toward him.

As if that small movement alone was enough to make the Archduke happy.

For a moment, Xion didn’t know what to do with that thought.

Without uttering a word, he walked toward Darius and when the Archduke offered his hand, Xion took it without hesitation.

He didn’t even notice when Lady Nazia bowed respectfully to them, nor did he catch the way Darius shot her an inquiring glance.

What did you say to him? That’s what Darius’s eyes seemed to ask.

But Nazia only shook her head before slipping out through the back door.

It wasn’t something that could be mentioned to his grace.

With the lady gone Darius focused on the silent person beside him.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked as he led Xion into the hallways.

"Anything is fine."

Xion’s mind was too clouded to care. Even when they sat down for dinner, he was chewing automatically, not registering a single taste.

"Is it not to your liking?"

The question jolted Xion from his daze.

He noticed the tight frown on Darius’ lips and then glanced down at his own nearly empty plate. He didn’t even serve himself properly.

Shaking his head, he muttered, "I had too many pastries earlier... I’m just not hungry."

"Alright," Darius nodded, though his attention lingered on Xion’s every move.

Xion looked distracted, troubled, even. If Darius had to guess, it was likely about the cure for the Purple Plague.

He should’ve been annoyed. They were together again after four long years, and yet, even now, Xion’s thoughts seemed to be a thousand miles away.

Still, Darius understood how Xion’s mind worked.

And it was precisely because of that understanding that he didn’t worry about love rivals.

At least, there was no one else Darius needed to kill. That was... good enough for now.

If only he realized the young man was occupied with thoughts of him, and of the uncertain, fragile future that stretched between them, the archduke might have been in the seventh heaven.

But before that, there was something else Darius had been looking forward to. Staying in the same room as Xion.

Earlier he didn’t intrude because Xion was sleeping and he needed his rest, but now... a lord had the right to sleep in his own quarters, right? _{fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com}

Even if he wanted to keep staring at the silver-haired temptation sitting like an open present on the bed, he did his best to wrestle his mind out of dangerous territory.

"...Is there something you need?" he asked. Why are you here at such an ungodly hour?