[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 279: Who Is The Biggest Fool?

"Ray?"

Xion wavered before voicing his thoughts. They walked down the long hallway from the courtroom to the monarch’s private chambers.

It was an awfully long distance, long enough for Xion to hesitate, stumble and trip over his thoughts before finally relenting to simply ask it aloud.

"Do you think I made him angry?"

Ray blinked, then chuckled. "Who exactly are we talking about here?"

He briefly thought back to the courtroom. The ministers? They had looked like they’d seen the heavens open.

The royal envoys? That was a different story. They definitely wouldn’t like this little rabbit’s presence near His Grace.

Still, with Xion’s very loud, very public outburst, there was no doubt they’d all heard about the cure by now. Probably already starting a commotion about handing over the cure to them.

Honestly, Ray was grateful Xion had barged in. At least, he didn’t have to endure any more long-winded speeches.

But Xion wasn’t thinking of any of that. The silly healer was visibly worried.

"Darius. I... I just barged in like that, and..."

"Ah, that." Ray chortled. "His Grace was more than happy to see you, Your Grace. He was mad at those ministers, not you. So don’t overthink it."

"Oh," Xion fidled with the hem of his coat. "But, why are you calling me His Grace now?"

His attention was finally diverted to notice the change in Ray. This knight was acting all formal and had strangely become more ... respectful?

Why though? And what was with these ever-changing titles?

"You are going to marry His Grace, that’s why," Ray stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and then casually shrugged. "Although you still look like a little rabbit to me. Small, silly... but we have to follow protocol, you know."

Xion’s felt his heart flutter at the mention of marriage and he might have even blushed if not for the second half of the sentence.

"I am not!"

[You are, host.]

"You are, Your Grace." There was a special emphasis on the title.

The sudden double call of the same words made Xion’s lips twitch. The system was more than eager to marry him to Darius.

Starring at Ray and then at the invisible A.I., he suddenly seemed to understand why his system had evolved into this strange creature.

Anyhow, he really didn’t have anything to argue with. "Fine, you win," he said sulkily, his gaze dropping to the brown shoes shielding his feet from the chill.

"But... am I that stupid?" he murmured.

"I mean, I know I’m not good at discovering miscreants as you guys do. I can’t fight like some warrior either. But I can still manage things on my own."

Even as he said it, the doubt clung to his words. He knew it had been Serena and her guards protecting him all this time.

When patients got violent or perverts came too close, it was them who protected him. And Noxian, of course.

Just as he was about to spiral deeper into self-doubt, a large hand ruffled his hair.

"Hey!" Even without looking Xion knew his head must look like a chicken coop.

Ray partially amused and partially exasperated by the words flicked Xion’s forehead. "And why do you want to do that alone? Don’t you have us? And who said you were stupid?"

Xion rolled his eyes. "You. Just now."

"I said silly. It means you’re innocent. Not aware of how dangerous humans can be. But stupid? No. Honestly, you’re far better than most people I know."

He tilted his head, grinning. "You’re the genius everyone’s dying to get their hands on. If you’re stupid, then no one is smart."

First a slap, then a sugar cube. This must be the famous carrot-and-stick method. Xion mused silently.

And annoyingly, it worked. He wasn’t even mad anymore.

"Your only problem is you trust people so easily. Take me for example," Ray eyed the innocent little rabbit with a mischievous smirk, and in the next second, Xion was dragged to the corner and pinned against the wall.

"I can do anything to you, and you won’t be able to resist at all." As he said, Ray leaned forward, his dark gaze flicking down to those parted lips before meeting those wide eyes filled with surprise and then...

This little thing actually laughed!

"Oh, come one. I know you won’t hurt me. You like me, Ray."

Ray faltered, lips parting slightly, his gaze churned with something intense before he dropped his hands.

"Yeah, you’re right." With a crooked smile, he gestured down the hall.

"Come on, little lord. Let’s get you back to your cozy chambers before you get sick and get me killed."

Xion moved his shoulders, still feeling the phantom presence of the strong grip. He didn’t expect Ray to hold him so tightly.

"I am telling Darius you pinned me to the wall."

The smug look on Ray’s face vanished instantly, replaced by pure horror.

The sight of the blonde man looking like a shivering, pitiful animal was indeed very amusing.

"You look like a little rabbit, Ray. I wonder why."

This time it was Xion who took a step forward, efficiently forcing the knight taller than him to cower back against the cold wall. freewebnøvel.com

"I was wrong! Don’t tell His Grace, okay? I promise I won’t tease you anymore."

The panic in those eyes almost overflowed with each passing second.

Xion was having a lot more fun than he imagined it to be.

Was this why Ray always teases me, he wondered while placing his hand beside Ray’s head. A full-on wall slam. Like some over-the-top K-drama hero.

"How about I take you on a date?" Xion smirked. "Then I’ll tell Darius how much fun we had with you protecting me with all your might. After all, I am silly and can’t understand what humans might do to this poor little old me, right?"

While saying this he didn’t forget to bat his eyelashes like some innocent doll.

"I was wrong!" Ray wailed.

Feeling the rush of thrill, Xion leaned even closer until their noses were mere inches apart.

It was so obvious. The way knight’s breath hitched, how his muscles tensed, how his jaw clenched tight enough for veins to show.

They are all so scared of Darius, Xion thought with amusement.

He tapped Ray’s chin with a cheeky smile. "Look at you. All scared. You shouldn’t follow people so easily. After all, you never know what others might do to you, and you wouldn’t even be able to resist."

It was oddly exhilarating to give back the same words that had taunted him.

"Xion..." There was something complicated buried in Ray’s voice, but it was hidden under the complex layer of other emotions, far too hard for Xion to understand.

So, the healer simply burst out laughing and finally decided to leave the poor knight off the hook.

Stepping back, he waved his hand to say goodbye, a gesture they had become familiar with after staying with Xion.

"My room is here. See you later, Ray."

With an amused smile, Xion walked along the hallways and slipped inside his room.

All the while, Ray stood there frozen on his feet, watching the little healer stepping away from him once again.

That thin back easily overlapped with the young healer from four years ago.

It was dark, and yet the brightness of those eyes was not least a bit dimmed.

He had obeyed Xion’s order of not telling His Grace about his disappearance, all because of the oath of his knighthood.

But sometimes, as he lay there on his bed, Ray wondered. If given the chance to go back, would he have taken Xion into his arms instead of letting him just go like that?

However, knowing the intentions of His Grace, he hesitated.

One path led to his loyalty to his master, while the other led to some unknown city with Xion’s bright smiles.

Even now, Ray could not decide between the two. If, by any chance, there was a little hope of Xion fancying him, would he be able to leave His Grace?

Can I do that? He stood there mulling over it for a long time.

A sigh of defeat finally escaped his lips. His heavy boots slapped on the floor as he turned around, ready to stand by his master’s side.

After all, that was where he should be. That was where he belonged.

What he didn’t see was the tall figure standing behind the pillar, staring at the knight commander with a faint look of pity in his honey-brown eyes.

Allen glanced at the big doors of the chambers, hiding his teacher, and then at the retreating figure.

"You call others silly, but aren’t you the biggest fool? Why are you waiting for someone who never belonged to you?"