[BL] Accidentally Becoming the Healer of the Deranged Archduke

"I cannot take you out, but I can answer your questions. Ask me what you need to know."

Xion remained silent. A familiar warmth spread through his chest, yet it only made his body turn cold.

He had lost it all. Had he not? The last warmth...

What else was there to know? Nothing mattered anymore. Not even his life.

But... there was someone he wanted to cure. He had made a promise. And before he died, he would keep it.

"The Holy Book. Do you know where I can find it?"

Serena glanced at the silent Allen. The alchemist had been quiet.

Sir Allen, one of the best alchemists. That was how everyone knew him.

No one ever used his family name, not even on formal occasions. To everyone, he was simply Sir Allen.

Honestly, she and Allen were alike. Neither had a family. And both, in their own way, were trying to protect Xion.

But the Holy Book was already with the Archduke. She had ensured it reached His Grace, and eventually, Xion. But there was no reaction on Allen’s face.

It seems Xion, and Allen, both have no clue that the holy book is so close to them.

"Be honest with the one you wish to protect, and you shall find what you seek."

Xion blinked, trying to process the words. Before he could ask anything else, the lady took the lead in breaking the silence.

"’I need to protect a little angel from the clutches of bad humans’, that was what Minato told me before disappearing. He is happy. I can feel it. And you should be happy too." She sighed lightly, "That was what he always wished for."

All the questions died then and there.

Minato Sensei was gone. He had felt his last breath, watched his body dissolve into the wind.

Even if he did not ask it, he already knew the answer. He could not go back to his old world.

He was stuck in this strange kingdom, with an equally strange system.

So, he would live happily. Just as Minato sensei wanted him to. As for all the questions he wanted to ask, they did not seem to matter anymore.

But there was one thing he wanted to make sure.

"Was sensei also your teacher?"

Serena smiled softly. "He was both my teacher and my lover. He was one of the Thirteen Head Priests."

Xion had no idea there was such a group.

But wasn’t thirteen... a number associated with misfortune?

"He was also the one who taught me how to use my powers. Then, he... went away, and I left the church."

There was too much information in those words. Yet, Xion could only stare at Serena, whose lips curled into a faint, almost wistful smile.

She looked sad. So sad that even her smile gave the impression of someone crying.

Wait a minute... She was Minato sensei’s girlfriend.... Girlfriend!

"You are his girlfriend?! He never told me!"

Serena did not reply to that. Rather she was more invested in another thing.

"Do I look too much like her?"

Serena did. And Xion’s alertness when he saw her and his blatant avoidance had already shown it openly.

Other than her white eyes, she was really like a copy of his mother.

"You have pretty eyes. She had mean eyes."

That was the biggest difference.

Those black eyes had always stared at him coldly. Like an icy blade, slicing into his soul without warning.

"You do resemble her, but I can tell you apart." Even without her eyes, Xion could tell.

Serena’s aura held neither malice nor blatant disgust. If anything... she looked at him the same way Minato Sensei had.

Was it pity? Maybe sympathy? Xion couldn’t tell.

But he didn’t hate it.

It didn’t knock the breath from his lungs in a painful way. It didn’t suffocate him.

Yes, Xion. She is a completely different person. She is not your mother. She is Minato sensei’s girlfriend. He silently muttered in his mind.

"I am glad," Serena raised her gloved hand, her fingers mere inches away from touching Xion when she suddenly stopped.

Xion had already avoided it. It was purely an instinct. He might have understood it but his subconsciousness had not yet accepted that she was someone different.

"Ah." Serena lowered her hand with a small, embarrassed smile. "I apologize."

It was already late, and she had used all the allotted time. Rising to her feet, she stepped back. "I won’t disturb you guys any further. Goodbye, Xion. Goodbye, Sir Allen. Please protect this angel."

Xion cringed at that name.

"Don’t call me that." That was the second time he had so openly expressed his disgust toward it.

Serena merely laughed, "Got it. Xion."

Xion nodded in satisfaction, and his pleased face made Serena’s smile widen.

Minato had once told her that he might have to go to some other place. A parallel world where he needed to protect a child.

Serena had fought him on it. She had been furious. And how could she not be, when this mission meant his death?

There were few priests as powerful as Minato, which made him the target of both admiration and hate.

But Minato never cared. He had always done his work and always cared about the citizens like his own people.

Yet, opening the dimensional portal would take too much mana. Minato might die just by entering the portal.

Nevertheless, he could not deny the goddess’ request.

"I have to find that child, Rene."

That was the last time Serena had seen the suddenly aged Minato.

The overuse of mana had taken a toll on his young body. And yet it could not hide his handsomeness.

That was also the last time she attended the Holy Order’s meeting on his behalf before leaving the church altogether.

There were other side effects of forcefully opening the portal as well. It had robbed Minato of his memory of Eldoria Lunareth.

To Minato, he was really just a doctor living in a normal world. Minato had lost all of his mana.

And she had lost her beloved forever.

Now, she did not want to fail Xion, too. After all, this was the child her beloved had sacrificed his life to protect.

She wasn’t foolish. She had already seen that ring on Xion’s finger. It was the artifact to enhance the mana of the wielder.

It was specially made to open the portal to the other dimension. To the heaven where angels lived. The sacred realm where the first and last angel had come from.

Minato had told her how miserable Xion’s life had been in that world. A mother who only cared about her beauty. A father who deserved to be beaten to death.

For Xion, that ’heaven’ had been nothing short of hell.

So, why should she tell him?

With His Grace by Xion’s side as his protector, he was sure to live a better life. And that was what she wanted.

Minato had protected this child like his own. Serena intended to do the same.

That was also the reason why she had gone out of her way and warned Nikolai.

But the prince had disappointed her. Terribly so.

She knew what Nikolai intended to do. The prince had already rushed to the king’s sleeping chambers to get his permission. Nikolai was truly planning to go all out this time.

Silently, she prayed to the goddess for His Grace to return soon. If not, then with Nikolai’s plan in motion, there would be no one in the entire world capable of taking Xion away.

Because that would mean directly defying a royal decree. And no one would be foolish enough to risk being branded a rebel and a traitor.

As she went out of the cell, her thoughts were already circling around His Grace, and Nikolai.

Which one will you pick little Xion? She mused to herself while directly crossing the name of the prince from the list of her probable son-in-law.

Only if Minato had told her who Xion’s soulmate was she would not have to carry this stupid list.

What a hassle... Minato, when I see you in the afterlife, you’d better be ready for a beating.

Black Box-

Meanwhile, in the realm of goddess Myrthia...

Young Minato was teaching the young little angels the basics of magic. The class was filled to the brim.

Although it was partially due to his handsome looks, Minato had chalked it up to their curiosity.

Then, he suddenly sneezed.

"D-don’t tell me Rene found out about my will!"

Then he panicked even more. His property was left to be secretly delivered to Rene. She had always been a strong-headed woman. What if she thought, he looked down on her?

Minato could only pray that she wouldn’t attack him as soon as they met.

And they were bound to meet. Maybe in some other world, in some other reincarnation.

After all, that was his last and only wish.