Sparks flew like fireworks as both swords clashed against each other in a flurry of blows too quick for the eye to follow. In the flashing light of swords, Robin's absolute area was much more visible.
Suddenly, Sir Drago's sword lit up in flames as it blasted towards Robin, intent upon winning. But it was equally stopped when Robin's sword suddenly was covered in ice, and countered the flames.
"WHAT!?" Christian exclaimed.
"Hmmph! What's so surprising about fighting with magic blades?" Wilbur sneered.
"It's not that." Christian shook his head. "Robin injured his mana source a short while ago. He should be unable to use magic."
Both princes fell silent as they watched the exchange of fire and ice.
"He seems pretty stable enough to me." Prince Wilbur noted. "Are you sure his mana source is injured?"
"I'm certain. He was just checked by Jasmine this morning." Christian replied. Prince Wilbur might be proud, but even he could recognize that Jasmine, as an experienced magician, could easily determine the severity of the injury.
But the exchange of fire and ice kept going. Robin blocked off the raging flames with an equivalent glacial ice. Her face showed no signs of any kind of internal struggle.
"Then, how?" Prince Wilbur scratched his head. "Healing magic doesn't work on mana source injuries. So, how?"
Prince Christian shook his head. "I have no idea." He said, watching the bright red flames and sparkling blue ice clash again.
---------
A few hours beforehand, Robin was watching the Slime King search for and devour the blue caterpillars surrounding the boar's remains. Suddenly, she had an idea.
"Hey Chelsea." She said. "Slime kings can instantly heal people, right?"
"Yup!" Chelsea nodded, a big grin on her face. She was enjoying seeing the creatures that had caused her such distress being destroyed under the power of the object of her admirations. They were both sitting in an area that had already been cleared of blue catterpillar worms.
"Then, do you think it's possible to heal my mana source?" Robin asked.
Chelsea paused, then turned to look at Robin, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't know." She replied. "I've never heard of any attempts to do so."
"Then, shall we ask?" Robin turned to Skye, who nodded and carefully approached the slime king. This time, it surely wouldn't get caught.
It tapped the Slime King. But, it's paws were then stuck. Skye froze in surprise before it was once again wrapped in sticky threads.
"Not again!" Skye wailed, flailing about, until it was badly tangled up. Once more, a tendril was pressed against Skye's forehead. Since Skye wanted to escape as soon as it could, it quickly conveyed Robin's question.
The Slime King paused a bit in consideration, before the answer came back.
'Can.'
Chelsea's eyes lit up. "He can!?"
But the Slime King wasn't finished talking.
'Me Eat Yummy Food. Can Heal.'
Robin nodded. It was only fair to provide a payment for treatment. "How much?" She asked.
The Slime King considered again for a bit, before lifting up a certain number of tendrils.
'This many. Can Heal.'
Robin took out the glass jar with the blue caterpillars. "We only have this much right now. We can give this to you now. We don't have enough, though. Can you wait here while we go hunt for more?"
The King Slime seemed to brighten up at the sight of the blue caterpillars. A tendril took the glass jar, unscrewed the lid, and upended the caterpillars into it's clear ooze. Then it returned the jar with the lid.
'Can. Will Wait.' It promised. The tendrils were lifted up again, this time four less.
'This many. Can Heal.' It said again, before releasing Skye.
"Ugh! Isn't there another way of doing that!?" Skye made a face. "You don't have to capture me every time!"
The slime wobbled and jiggled noiselessly. Robin realized it was laughing. "I think he finds your reaction to be funny." Robin let Skye know. "If you stop reacting to it, it will probably get bored with you."
"Ugh. Lies! That never works with human children!" Skye protested.
"That's because, to human children, they consider it a great honor to hold a great one such as you in their arms." Robin teased with a straight face. She would not let Skye know that they probably thought Skye was an adorably cute creature.
"Well, isn't that to be expected? I am impressive, after all." Skye lifted his nose up, as it jumped up onto Robin's shoulder again.
Robin laughed. "Yes, very impressive!" She agreed.
They quickly found several more boar with the aid of Skye's good sense of hearing, and were quickly able to return with a jar full of blue caterpillars.
The knights guarded Chelsea and Robin, facing outwards in case monsters were attracted to the site. After eating, the Slime King agreed to perform the treatment. The Slime king tapped a dry patch of stone floor
'Lie Here. Will Heal.' It said, having once more captured Skye to act as an interpreter. Robin lay down, and the Slime King said one last thing.
'Grit teeth. May Hurt.'
Chelsea watched from the side, intent upon observing the Slime King's healing process, while the slime king extended itself over Robin, and engulfed everything but her face, like a sleeping bag. Then the slime king turned an opaque white as it began treating Robin.
Robin closed her eyes, and her awareness delved down into herself, observing her mana source as she watched the slime king treat it.
'All-magic source? Good. More Easy Heal.'
Robin could somehow sense what the Slime King was saying. Perhaps it had forgotten to release Skye.
Like a doctor popping back in a dislocated limb, the separated edges of the smallest crack were pressed back together, and seamlessly joined, as if they had never broken. But like a dislocated limb,it was not a painless process. Each time they were pressed back together, it felt like an electric shock burst out from the heart area, followed by an unbearable tingling feeling in all four limbs.
Robin grit her teeth against this sensation. She had to endure this feeling until they were all joined together. But, working from the smallest crack to the largest one, each time had a more painful reaction. The tingling feeling became a crawling, almost burning feeling. But, through it all, Robin didn't make a sound.
Even though it only took five minutes to finish all but the largest crack, Robin's awareness was stretched due to the pain until it seemed like half an hour. The last crack was then joined together. The pain made her reflexively curl up upon herself, and breathe quickly through her mouth as the Slime King withdrew.
'All Done.' It said.
"Good." Robin's voice was a bit raw as she picked herself up off the ground. "I have a deal to make with you."
--------
Robin and Sir Drago were still evenly matched, despite the disparity between Robin's and Sir Drago's raw muscle power. As Christian watched, he suddenly spoke.
"That reminds me. Isn't there a law that men aside from the royal family not allowed into the palace under pain of death?" Christian asked.
Prince Wilbur nodded. "There is."
"Then....how come Sir Drago is allowed inside the castle?" Christian turned, looking Prince Wilbur in the eye.
"That's because naturally..." Prince Wilbur smirked. "Sir Drago is not a man."
Christian paused in thought. "...A eunuch?" He asked, which almost caused Sir Drago to stumble, as he grit his teeth. 'I can hear you two!' He grumbled in his heart as his sword strikes became heavier.
"Heavens, no! Such a barbaric custom has long been banned from the kingdom."
"Then He's a woman!?" Christian asked, shocked. At this, both Robin and Sir Drago stumbled. Sir Drago stumbled from the implied insult. Robin stumbled because for a moment, she felt she had been discovered, and her heart jumped up into her throat.
"Heck no! Where are you getting these unconventional ideas from! Does Sir Drago even look like a woman!!" Prince Wilbur scolded.
"Well, if he's not a man, and he's not a woman, and he's not a eunuch, then what is he?" Prince Christian asked.
"Haha! Feast your eyes upon this sight! Sir Drago, I give you permission to return to your original form!" Prince Wilbur called out.
Sir Drago blinked, and then did a strange thing. He swallowed his flaming sword. This caused both Christian and Robin to blink and stare in surprise.
Sir Drago groaned; his irises became slits. His armor began to change as his figure rapidly grew taller. His neck grew longer and a scaly tail extended behind him. Robin looked up as Sir Drago grew fangs and scales, turning into a familiar obsidian figure.
"A dragon! Sir Drago is a dragon!?" Christian exclaimed.