[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke-Chapter 61: Return of a Wayward Child

The blue pills had worked like a charm, allowing Darius to freely revert to his true form.

The Archduke, now in his adult state, sat in a massive chair. An aura of dominance radiated from him, pressing against everyone in the room.

"Where is he?" His voice was calm, almost detached, but the tension in his jaw betrayed the quiet facade.

No one in the room dared to take his words lightly. How could they, when the very healer entrusted to their care had been abducted right under their noses?

"Did I not instruct you to protect him?"

This time, Darius’ question was directed at Berry. The old man, though seasoned by years of service, felt a cold sweat trail down his back.

"I apologize for my negligence," Berry bowed his bald head. His long, gray beard brushed against his knees as he added, "I should have been more vigilant."

Berry had been handling the herbs as directed by Xion. He needed to give them to the neighbor’s shop.

The healer had told him to be careful not to mix the dosages. However, when he returned, Xion was nowhere to be found.

Darius waved his hand, dismissing Berry, who stepped aside without another word.

All attention turned to Noxian, the only one who had witnessed Xion’s last moments before his disappearance.

The poor boy trembled as he clung to the back of Ray, his small figure barely peeking out from behind the knight.

"Come here." Darius did not call the boy by name. His cold glare was enough to command Ray to step aside and nudge trembling Noxian forward.

"Y-Your Grace," Noxian bowed as he had been taught to. Despite his effort to maintain composure, his small hands quivered uncontrollably.

"Tell me everything," Darius opted to look at his rough hands. He was well aware his gaze was unnerving to others, especially to children.

Noxian repeated everything while trying hard not to stutter more than he already had. "T-then Brother said, ’I’ll be back soon... baby.’ And then... he never came back."

Noxian gulped when a sharp gaze looked straight at him.

"What did he call you?" Darius’ eyes narrowed as he asked.

Noxian honestly had no idea how he had offended the archduke, or perhaps he just could not bear the scrutiny. But for the sake of my brother, I will hold on!

Little Noxian could not understand why it was important, however, if the archduke had asked then it must be necessary.

Hence, he replied, "Brother calls me b-baby."

I like animals and children. They are cute. A cheerful voice echoed in his mind.

They had planned to leave in the evening. Everything had been ready, until they realized Xion was nowhere to be found.

Darius’ first instinct was to suspect betrayal, but he dismissed the thought just as quickly. Xion was too gentle... and far too dim-witted to orchestrate such a scheme.

Thinking about the face brimming with a blinding smile Darius scoffed under his breath.

He might as well believe that Xion was enticed by something on the roadside and got kidnapped... like a wayward child.

"Find him."

The group almost fled from the archduke’s room. Noxian silently followed behind Berry while praying for his brother’s safety.

After going through all the clues, Ray soon managed to find the traitor in their group.

If Xion were here he would have recognized the person. The one who helped him in the inn’s kitchen.

The male was thin, scrawny even. With his mousy brown hair and an unremarkable face, he looked every bit an honest person.

And right now, he was being pressed on the floor by Raymond in the middle of the hallway.

They had caught him in the act of fleeing, narrowly stopping him from escaping their grasp.

"So what if you’ve caught me?" the man spat, his face twisted in anger. "You’ll all die painfully. We’ll avenge our head priest and every brother you’ve slaughtered!"

Darius looked at him as if bored.

Well, yes, he had killed a few priests and self-proclaimed holy servants. But hadn’t they been the aggressors?

They tried to burn him and his castle to the ground, after all.

"Is that so?" He tilted his head slightly, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam. "I am looking forward to your revenge, then."

The man thrashed against Ray’s iron grip. His eyes became bloodshot with unrestrained hatred as if he could not wait to lunge forward and bite Darius to death.

"You’ll die! Hahaha..." His laughter turned maniacal. "That healer of yours... I bet he is screaming in pain right now. The Circle of Truth will destroy his facade, and soon, you’ll receive proof!"

Blood started pouring from his mouth as he gnashed his teeth hard and accidentally, bit down on his tongue.

Still, the traitor managed to taunt, "You’ll see him confess! He’s fooling you!"

Darius watched with cold eyes. The Circle of Truth was an ancient rune only the church had access to.

As the name suggested, it was an array which would force the one held at the center to speak the truth.

A muscle in Darius’s jaw twitched. Xion, fooling me...

Darius chortled. A loud, throaty laugh echoed through the corridor.

In an instant, his blade flashed, and the man’s head hit the floor.

The severed head thudded against the ground with a hollow, sickening sound, until it stopped at someone’s feet.

Xion’s breathing quickened as his wide eyes locked onto the severed head at his feet. Its lifeless gaze bore into him, the terror and disbelief frozen in those bloodshot eyes.

And yet... there was an eerie smile lingering on the face.

Xion’s stomach twisted violently, and a bile rose in his throat. His eyes darted away, but the image lingered, too vivid, too raw. His body tensed as if it could not outrun the horror etched into his mind.

His sight followed the crimson leaving a morbid trail that stretched back to the looming figure holding the sword.

The Archduke stood there. His tall figure against the wall lamp made it hard for Xion to decipher his expression.

Though Xion did not need to gauge anything. The metallic tang assaulting his senses and the archduke’s right hand holding a silver sword stained in red was plenty of evidence of what might have happened.

The thick red drops were sliding off the smooth blade and falling onto the small pool on the floor where the body was.

The dripping sound snapped him out of his stupor. He instinctively stumbled back, his hand fumbling for support on the wall behind him.

"Xion," came the Archduke’s voice, deep, calm, and utterly devoid of emotion.

At any other time, Xion might have swooned at the low timbre sounding like a cello string plucked in the stillness.

The kind that made people subconsciously lean forward to listen more. It was seductive without effort.

However, right now, all Xion thought was to hide behind Allen who just appeared at the sight.