章節 153: She Reveals Her Little Friend
That night, as they were coming down to dinner, Robin was approached by a rather nervous-looking dwarf.
"E-excuse me, ye wouldnae happen ta be Robin, would ye?" He asked.
"I am. Why do you ask?" Robin replied, curious.
"There's a dwarf by the name of Traughn who wants ta see ye." The dwarf informed. "I'd be careful though. Traughn is one o' tha council's cronies. He might do somethin bad to ye."
"No one can do anything bad to me without my permission." Robin replied confidently. "Does he have anyone else with him?"
"E's got his boy with 'im, a sickly little thing. Poor lad 'as probably been terribly mistreated." The dwarf informed.
"I'll be the judge of that. Thank you for informing me." Robin flipped him a copper, before heading to the front of the inn.
"Where are you going, Robin?" Chelsea asked, noticing that Robin was not headed to the tables.
"Someone is looking for me. I'm going to see what he wants." Robin replied.
"Oh, that might be someone I know! Is his name Traughn?" Chelsea asked.
"...Actually....it appears his name is Traughn." Robin nodded after recalling that the name seemed to match up.
"I'll come with you, then, since I'm the one who referred him to you." Chelsea excused herself from the rest of the company.
"Remember to order us something while we're gone!" She told Jasmine before dashing after Robin. Christian watched them leave with a visible frown upon his face.
"You know you've become quite easy to read ever since Robin appeared" Jasmine noted, poking Christian in the forehead. "Whatever happened to your poker mask-like face?"
"It was shattered the first time I tried to wake Robin up in the morning." Christian replied.
"That long ago?" Jasmine was surprised. "Regardless, you need to get it back together soon. Otherwise, what are you going to do when Robin returns to the other world?"
Christian looked at Jasmine, who was examining his expression.
"Hmm, come to think of it, a crybaby face on Christian doesn't sound too bad either."
Christian snorted. "Who's the real crybaby, I wonder?"
"Who indeed?" Jasmine smiled.
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When Robin showed up with Chelsea, Traughn looked visibly relieved. The dwarves that passed by on their way to dinner didn't say anything, but they all gave him a somewhat searching stare. It was understandable, given last night's unwelcome visitors, that the regulars were somewhat on guard against the council and its members. But, being on the end of that sort of stare was far from comfortable.
"Ye're Robin, right?" Traughn asked.
"I am." Robin nodded. "What can I do for you, Mr. Traughn?"
Traughn looked down at his son, and choked up, unable to get past the lump in his throat. Robin, seeing his somewhat anguished expression noticed he did not hate his child. Ergo, the bruises and pallor on the child's face and hands might not be a result of mistreatment. In conclusion, Traughn's visit most definitely had something to do with his son.
"Perhaps we could take this discussion to somewhere with a more private setting?" Chelsea asked, glancing over at Ayva, who had walked over once she saw Robin.
"Is it about your child, Mr. Traughn?" Robin asked, prompting him for an answer. Traughn nodded, his eyes turning red, a precursor to tears.
"...Very well. I will see him in private. Ayva, do you have a room I could borrow?" Robin asked.
Ayva paused, cautious, but once she saw the child, her heart softened.
"There's a waiting room to the left, past the coat racks." She sighed, leading the way.
"Chelsea, I may need your help. Come, this way, Mr Traughn." Robin ordered, following Ayva.
Traughn watched them leading the way, then looked down at his boy. Nearly overwhelmed, he hugged his child to himself, picking him up.
"Ye're gonna be alright, lad. Ye're gonna be alright" He murmured, as he hurried after them.
The waiting room had a window seat, which Robin took advantage of to sit the child down.
"Chelsea, have you taken a look at him yet?" Robin asked.
"I haven't. But, from what I see, it's not something my water healing can help with." Chelsea responsed. "I've seen something like this before, but I was helpless against fighting it."
"Got it. Then we might need to call Quinn in hear." Robin muttered, her expression serious. She looked about the room.
"Close the curtains, and bar the door for a bit." She instructed while calling out to Skye through their bond. 'Skye, can you hear me? come to the waiting room beyond the coat hall.'
Soon enough, a muffled thump thump thump sounded at the door. Robin nodded, and Chelsea opened the door, letting the cat inside.
"Is that a cat?" The boy asked, weakly, his eyes brightening a bit.
"Not exactly." Robin replied. "It's a flying cat. But this time, Skye here is gonna help me talk to someone who can help you out."
'I knew it might be something like this...' Skye sighed. and prodded Robin's belt with his nose. 'Wake up. You might have a patient.'
Then the belt seemed to have clear strands separate from it, like water running over a polished stone. The king slime gathered itself up on the counter in all its miniaturized glory. It separated a tendril to touch Skye's forehead.
"A slime!? What in the world is a slime gonna do ta help tha situation?" Traughn asked, baffled. "Ifn's yer pulling my leg, there won't be a single stone ye can hide behind, mark my words!" He added, somewhat fearful.
"Noted. Hmm, it has already been so short a time, yet people have forgotten this world's best healers, huh." Robin noted. "Little king slime, do you know what is wrong with this child?"
The king reached a tendril out to the child, and placed it on the wrist, as if feeling the pulse. Then it jiggled excitedly.
'New food! Offshoot is infected with food...' It explained the situation through Skye to Robin.
"As I thought." Robin looked serious. "Your child has been infected with a parasite. It's a type that reproduces inside the child. The colonies attach themselves about the blood vessels, which results in a slow internal bleeding that creates vibrant bruises under the skin."
"And yer expecting me ta believe that?" Traughn asked shakily.
"This flying cat here can communicate with monsters and beasts alike. As I have a telepathic bond with it, I can hear its voice. In this way, I am able to communicate with the king slime."
'How long would it take to extract the colonies?' Robin asked the slime.
'Two ways. different time.' came the reply. 'First way, quickest, but painful. Offshoot will leak much blood. Takes five minutes. Second way, slow. Two hours.'
Robin turned to Traughn.
"There are two methods to extract these things." Robin told him. "The first method is the quickest one. it will purge all the worms from the boy within five minutes. The only thing is, in the process, he will also lose a lot of blood."
Traughn's face paled a bit. His child was so weak already, wouldn't losing a lot of blood only kill the poor lad?
"And, the second method?" He asked, his voice trembling with anxiety.
Robin nodded. "The second method, although a bit slower, should also be able to purge them within two hours. But it would minimize the bleeding."
"The second method, please." Traughn instantly replied. He didn't want any more harm to come to his child. Robin nodded, and informed the king slime, which engulfed the child like a sleeping bag. Under the slime's care, the little boy almost instantly fell asleep.
"What are you doing?" Traughn asked, alarmed.
"This is what is necessary for the treatment." Robin replied. "It's best for his mind that he does not see how the parasites will be removed. But, if you are worried about it..."
Robin received permission from the king slime first, then placed her hand upon the king slime, who engulfed her hand up to the wrist.
"I am willing to lose my hand, should it not be successful." Robin replied, calmly.
Ayva looked shocked, and worried. She glanced over at Chelsea, to see what she thought. But, upon seeing Chelsea's confident smile, Ayva relaxed. Robin was only doing this to comfort a worried parent. Nodding to Robin as she left, she stood guard before the door. She would protect the room from any interruptions for these next two hours.
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