Chapter 588: 13.86

Raphael used his light travel to teleport them far from the Archduchy. Raphael coughed up blood after exerting too much power, and they landed in the middle of a forest. 

"Urk!" 

Raphael landed on the ground with a loud crash. He landed back first because he was protecting Jean on his embrace. 

"Urghh…" Raphael grimaced in pain. He checked on Jean first, and after making sure that Jean was alright, he sighed in relief. 

He checked his surrounding, and it was really a dark forest with tall trees and wet grass around. Raphael didn't know where they were right now because he teleported as quick as possible without setting a destination. 

He engulfed Jean and himself with a shrouding barrier that made them invisible from other humans and animals. 

After ensuring that everything was good, Raphael put Jean on levitation with his magic and then checked on his wound. 

"This wound… Jean…" Raphael bit his lip. It was a big, gaping wound on his shoulder. Because Maximillien had stabbed Jean with an ice spear without mercy.

'Whoever controlled Maximillien with dark sprout right now… he must have terrifying dark magic. Because Maximillien loves Jean so much, so that person must have enough power to completely own Maximillien's body.'

'But if someone was able to put dark sprout in Maximiullien's heart, that means he is someone close to Maximillien. Because it needs to be cultivated for years.'

'Maximillien has never been close to anyone. He is only close to Jean, and there is no way Jean is the one who put the dark sprout inside his brother's heart.' 

Raphael tried to form a solution in his head, yet he found another question left unanswered.

Raphael wondered if he could heal Jean right now because he was also as exhausted and wounded as Jean was. 

But he tried his best and focused on his healing. He gently covered Jean's wound and then chanted holy magic to heal the wound.

The tissues started regenerating at rapid speed under Raphael's heal, and Raphael's face paled as his body trembled. He exerted as much as he could for Jean to heal faster. 

After making sure that Jean's wound was completely healed, Raphael finished his chant and slumped beside Jean. He was breathing heavily, too exhausted and also suffered few injuries. 

"Jean, please wake up faster. I don't want anything to happen to you," Raphael said. He looked around full of vigilance, "I think the invisible shroud should be enough as our protection until the morning comes."

Raphael used his last strength to gave Jean warmth, so he wouldn't feel the cold of the night while he was recovering. 

Raphael was about to close his eyes to rest, waiting for the morning to come. But he suddenly heard a rustle. 

He opened his eyes immediately, looking around anxiously. 

Then, he heard another rustle, and also someone walked closer and closer with his boots.

Raphael thought, as long as he stayed silent with Jean, the person wouldn't be able to see him.

'He shouldn't be able to—"

"Look what we have here. Saint Raphael De Argent and the beloved Young Master Jean."

Raphael's eyes widened at the sight of a man dressed in full black, wearing a mask covering his face. The man was probably around the same age as Jean, seeing his height, voice, and posture. 

"Who are you?" Raphael asked vigilantly but still calm enough to be intimidating. Although he was panicking inside. This guy could see through his invisible shroud, so he was definitely not a regular man. 

"Me? My name isn't really important. I've just passed through the woods and accidentally found you two here," the masked man replied. "It seems that the situation here isn't so good, huh? Do you need my help?"

Raphael didn't believe this guy at all. He got even more vigilant and stealthily created a condensed light sphere in one hand, so he could attack this guy in case he was trying to snatch Jean. 

"We don't need your help. You can leave now," Raphael denied.

"Hm? But I really want to help. Your Holiness is being quite suspicious of me, huh?" The masked man chuckled. "Well, I think that's inevitable. Who would take a walk through the deep woods with a lot of dangerous animals anyway?"

"But I'm here with one intention," the masked man turned his gaze at the unconscious Jean. "I want to take Young Master Jean with me."

"Stay away, or I will not be so kind," Raphael threatened. This condensed light sphere inside his fist was strong enough to kill a man, and this was his only shot. Because he had completely exhausted all his magic strength for the whole day. 

"Stay away? I'm afraid I cannot do that, Your Holiness. You see, my intention has always been Young Master Jean from the very start. This is the right time to take him with me, don't you think?"

Raphael gritted his teeth. He had suspected something, so he pointed it out, "You're that person, right?"

"Hm?"

"You're the person who has planted dark sprout inside Maximillien's heart!"

The masked man cackled as if he had just heard something funny, "Took you long enough to realize."

"Who are you?! You must be someone close to Maximillien. That's why you can cultivate dark sprouts in Maximillien's heart. It took years for such complete mind break to happen!"

"Oh, I'm nobody for His Highness Archduke Maximillien. He is untouchable after all," the masked man snickered. "But I'm someone very dear to Young Master Jean. Isn't it obvious? I don't want Young Master Jean to get close to anyone, including his big brother, who has had a forbidden love for so long. He is the easiest and also the strongest for me to plant the dark sprout, very convenient."

"Did you use Jean as a host to transfer the dark sprout to Maximillien? Were you the one who gave Jean the dark sphere to play with?!" Raphael accused. 

"Both are true, Your Holiness. Everything is according to my plan," the masked man confirmed. 

"I did everything for Jean because I want him. I want him badly. And I come here to claim him as my own. He is mine."