Chapitre 168: She Finds Herself Deep in Thought
"'Dwarf armor belongs ta dwarves. Of what use is et in human hands? Likewise, if'n ye should find anything o' ours on yer end, I would hope ye ta be willing ta return et ta us. But even then, it's understandable if'n ya don't.'" Ayva recited as best she could. Robin kept her face deadpan as she imagined King Zephron speaking in a dwarven accent.
"Indeed. That must have been quite generous of him." Robin nodded. "But why does that make you rest assured?"
"Back then Ah was naught but a regular dwarf. No titles, no betrothals: considered one of tha lowest tier of dwarves." Ayva said. "If he, the very king o' the kingdom, could treat me an my kind with honest-ta-goodness respect, then he isnae a bad sort, humanly speakin' o' course." Ayva shrugged.
"At least it's preferrable ta have him instead o' one with a chip on 'is shoulders, too proud ta speak with us lowly dwarvenkind, an' conquest on his mind."
"Mmn." Robin agreed.
"Well, if ye'll excuse me, I have ta go get ma mitts on. Been a while since I had a reason ta go all out!" Ayva said cheerfully.
"Okay, see you later, then!" Robin saw her off.
Robin assumed she was going back to the inn to grab her oven mitts and bake something to celebrate the occasion. But the dwarves knew different.
Ayva was definitely on a search for her specialized punching mitts. Raymond would soon become a bloody mess. His minions would most likely soon follow along.
The dwarves milled about, family members waiting off to the side for their loved ones, admiring the king slimes, and talking about what just happened. Yet, not ten minutes later, another commotion happened at the gate near Robin.
"Well, look who we have here? Isn't et Ole Rahm? I wonder why ye decided ta drop in?" One of the dwarves that had blocked entrance into the tavern said, grudgingly.
"If'n yer looking fer Ayva, then I'm afraid ye just missed her dragging away yer lord Raymond."
This got the surrounding dwarves attention. As Rahm was one of Raymond's men, wouldn't he soon become bedridden just like Raymond? They began murmuring among themselves.
"Perhaps we should hold him here, ta make sure he don't run off and hide." One suggested.
"How dare ye!" Reg exploded. "S'not like Boss Rahm wanted ta work under that stuck up noble either! Why he-" Reg was stopped by Rahm. No matter what was said, those who thought the worst of him were reluctant to change their opinions.
"I don't mind keeping ye all company. But please allow me through. This girl here needs treatment badly." Rahm said.
"Sure an' she was probably beaten up by yer very hand. Trying ta get closer eh? We know better than ta trust to that!" A dwarf jeered.
"Then, please, someone please take her over. She hasn't got much time left." Rahm's throat choked up, as he drifted closer and closer to despair.
"We're a bit busy at tha moment." That snide dwarf sneered.
"Please, someone! Anyone! Save my little girl!" Rahm called out in anguish.
"Hold on, what's going on here? Move aside and let me see." A voice called out from the back of the crowd. The dwarves split to make way for Robin, who was under Ayva's orders.
"You!?" Rahm exclaimed.
"Yes? Me? Do I know you- wait, you're bulb- I mean you're that dwarf from the standoff in front of the inn, right?" Robin's eyes lit up in memory.
"What are you doing here-" Robin's eyes flit over to the stretcher and understood. "A patient, huh?" She drew closer.
"This looks serious! She needs immediate help! Hurry, follow me!" Robin waived him in.
"But he's one of Raymond's men!" A dwarf complained.
"It doesn't matter whose man he is, I have my orders to heal every last citizen. is this girl not one of Ayva's subjects?" Robin asked sharply. "Are you just going to let her die?"
The dwarves stood silently, unsure what to say.
"Shame on you! A life is beyond measure, and not something you can give back once taken away. No matter what quarrels you have with this dwarf, to use it as an excuse to allow this girl to suffer and die? I see now, the fellowship among dwarves. Their minds are sharp and their grudges have long fingers." Robin mocked, pointing out their blatant hypocrisy.
"Either help me gather more injured and sick, or scram and let me do my job!" She gave her final verdict, shooing away the onlookers.
Rahm's heart warmed a bit, as he rushed his little girl, unimpeded to the treatment area, where Wiggle was ready for another batch.
"Wiggle, we've got a serious case here! Please prioritize!" She said, having the girl close to death cut the cue. The patients in line weren't in immediate danger, which is why she jumped the cue for the girl.
Wiggle jiggled in response, engulfing the small girl and giving such an attentive careful treatment that it was done without causing too much bloodshed.
"How can I ever thank ye?" Rahm asked.
"Get in line. you yourself are in need of treatment." Robin replied, wiping the cold sweat off her brow.
"..How?" he asked.
I saw it peeking out on your collarbone whilst you were carrying the little one. have your man get in line, too. just in case." Robin replied. "And pass the word around, that those with bruises should make it their utmost priority to come and see me."
"Aye. That I'll do." Boss Rahm said, as he walked down to the end of the line.
"But what if Ayva finds out that Robin healed Rahm up?" one of the dwarves whispered.
"She'll probably be happy that she can pummel him a bit longer, in that case..." came the thoughtful answer from another dwarf, who recalled Ayva's bloody mary grin.
----
...In a hidden room....
A hooded dwarf sat in contemplation, swirling a goblet containing a dark wine. His eddying thoughts were disturbed by the rushing sound of a single pair of footsteps. Without even looking up, the dwarf uttered hoarsely.
"What news bring you?"
The footsteps halted just before the doorway, as the messenger dare not step into the eerie lighting of the mana lamps.
"Raymond was arrested." A whisper hissed across the room. "Queen Ayva has confiscated his estate. They discovered the plants, and are eliminating them speedily. She has enlisted the help of a traveling human who hails from Ekkinshire to clean up the aftermath. What are your orders? Shall we silence the fool? Shall we trouble the foreigner?"
"Silence? Heh. That bumbling fool doesn't know anything... Let him be. If we move too hastily we could leave opening for someone to suspect us. I also think that perhaps he will be of far better use to us in jail than he was while out and about."
The seated dwarf swirled his drink in thought, then paused. "As for the foreigner...don't do anything yet. It's better to sound him out first. After all, he could merely be a passerby. No need to involve any ...external variables, yet."
The messenger bowed within the shadows where he stood and hurried back the way he had come. When the footsteps could no longer be heard, the dwarf heaved a long, slow sigh.
"Ekkinshire, eh?" The words echoed softly in the room. "Then it very well might be a certain famed individual..."
After another long pause of thought, the dwarf muttered to himself.
"Just in case it is, perhaps I should inform that person...." After swirling his drink so long in thought, the dwarf seemed to come to some sort of decision and lifted up the goblet, draining it in one move.
"Regardless, the plans need revising. I must come up with counter measures immediately." At that, his own footsteps echoed as he too left the secret chamber.
---------
The sun had fully set, and the magic lanterns in the park were illuminating the surroundings by the time the last patient of the day had been taken care of. Robin told those who were healed to spread the word.
For the sake of convenience, Bobble was stationed in a lean-to at the inn in case any urgent patients were rushed there in the middle of the night. A sign was posted at the entrance with this information. As the word spread within the city, a new stream of folks flowed in after the evening meal time.
While some gazed enviously at the king slimes, seeing a mountain of promised treasure, no one dared to have any designs upon the king slime that Ayva had employed for the people. Instead, they felt rather touched that she would employ such a rare creature to heal both commoner and noble alike free of charge. Oddly, not only did Liam and Chelsea not show up for dinner, Quinn also disappeared soon after that.
Robin, who was in the middle of all this didn't look the slightest bit worried. However, she was deep in thought all through dinner to the point where Christian had to call several times before Robin responded.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone