She Believes Her

Due to the earlier conversation, Robin gathered that Christian liked someone. That someone was most likely a girl. In which case, Christian was one of the so-called 'taken' men. She almost gave the fact that she was awake away to the others when she sighed in relief.

That was a close call, back then! It was a good thing they had managed to quell that potion problem back in Ekkinshire Capitol. Robin had no intentions of tearing apart two love birds.

'But...it seems like all the somewhat good guys are either forbidden, or taken...' Robin thought in passing right before she felt a single small prick in her chest, like it had been poked by a needle.

'Hmm? What the-oh! It's probably just a side effect of my mana source healing...' Robin surmised, putting Christian's crush out of her mind. It was fine to just stay as good friends between them.

But Robin had no idea that the person Christian was crushing on was her...Thus, a very big misunderstanding was created that day.

They stopped around noon to eat lunch, at which point, Robin 'awoke' from her slumbers.

"Buff-et! Buff-et! Su-shi Buff-et~!" Chelsea chanted happily as Robin delivered her promised seafood feast.

"It's too bad I don't have any miso or soy sauce..." Robin muttered in passing, as she took out the wasabi and the pickled ginger.

"Eh? What's that?" Gerard asked.

"A fermented bean product that is used as a savory flavoring." Robin replied.

"Beans? How are beans going to taste that good?" Gerard asked.

"The same way that cheese comes from milk: it tastes better when it's aged." Robin smiled mischievously and tweaked Gerard's nose.

"Hey, ow!" He backed away. "What was that for?"

"Don't steal other people's food, and I wouldn't have to. What happened to the platter I left with Keith?"

Gerard made a sour face. "They completely forgot about my portion, and already divided it up. I almost got a fork speared through my hand, you know!"

"They did, did they?" Robin eyed Gerard bemusingly. "You know, you might have been more convincing if you had wiped the traces of spicy mayo off the corners of your mouth." She pointed out.

"Urk! I've been discovered! Time to make a run for it!" Gerard backed away from Robin's incoming fist, but was still hit anyways.

"Ow!"

"That was for lying. If you need more food, then ask. There's no need to make up tall tales that smear the good name of others. Otherwise, if I hear you tell another lie again, I'll limit your food." Robin said sternly.

"Please, sir! Give me another chance! I won't ever lie to you again!" Gerard begged.

If it were anything else, Gerard wouldn't have cared, but this was Robin's food that Robin was talking about! For the sake of Robin's food, Gerard was willing to lower his head no matter how many times.

"Good boy. Here you go!" Robin handed him several seaweed-wrapped onigiri. "Try these. I made them using leftover ingredients." She said.

Gerard's eyes widened at the hand-sized rice balls. while he was still somewhat hungry, he wouldn't be able to finish half of them.

"Thanks!" He laughed as he stashed what he wouldn't be able to eat into his knapsack.

"Mmm! Dish Shamin flayvud one ish gud!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full, kiddo." Robin warned. "You might choke."

------

The carriage ride after lunch was rather uneventful, considering the exciting week they had experienced. Robin was content to have things stay that way. Period.

If her mana source were healed, then Robin would have been fine practicing basic spells. But Jasmine was too vigilant. She spartanly forbid Robin from using her mana.

"You keep saying it's no good, but when will it actually be healed?" Robin grumbled. While it was true that she could do many things without the use of magic, the ability to use magic was still new to her. Thus, she was impatient to be able to start practicing again.

"Aren't you already lucky that you didn't shatter your mana source as it is?" Jasmine pointed out, cooly.

"Er...that is true..." Robin had no choice but to agree.

"Oh? What is this about Robin's mana source?" Chelsea asked.

"This idiot tried to look cool by going solo against a huge goblin force in the middle of a treant-infested forest to rescue a group of children!" Jasmine complained.

"Sh- you see, He overused he~is mana source by pulling off outrageous amounts of spells back to back, including raising a pillar with an ancient tree in the middle, and dousing a forest fire while HE was at it!"

"Oh my! That's the Hero for you! So impressive!" Chelsea clapped her hands together in delight, and nodded. "Mhmm! I can see why Jasmine wants to brag about you."

"I'm not bragging!" Jasmine corrected, exasperated.

"But, don't you think there's an easier solution to this problem?" Chelsea asked. "Why not use healing magic?"

"Because this idiot used a healing potion in the middle of damaging her source. Now he can only recover the old fashioned way." Jasmine grumbled.

"If it was normal healing mana, then yes. But I think you have quickly forgotten about my specialty." Chelsea prompted. "Water healing magic is actually better at healing such injuries."

"Is that true!?" Jasmine asked. While she had known about water healing, she had been more interested in alchemy at the time. Thus, for her not to know all the specifics about the obscure rare branch of magic could only be expected.

Chelsea nodded.

"It's true. While instantly closing wounds, and knitting back together muscle and bone is easier for light magic users, when it comes to healing internal injuries that are sensitive, or resistant to light healing magic, water healing is more suitable. Although it is not as swift a remedy as light healing, we can also expel toxins from within the body, if it hasn't settled into the bones."

"But this particular case is unique." Jasmine groaned in consideration.

"Why not let her try?" Robin asked. "At the very least, she can't make it much worse, can she?"

"No, it's a problem of the location of your mana source." Jasmine shook her head. "Since it's situated inside your heart, there is a limited space for Chelsea to use her water healing."

"An internal mana source?" Chelsea asked.

"Yeah. It's inside my heart." Robin confirmed.

"What!? Then if Robin had actually shattered his source, then Robin would be..." Christian was shocked. A shattered mana source was a bad thing, but if it was external, then there was a chance of recovery. But, an internal mana source, if shattered, could even possibly kill the person outright.

Christian grew very silent as he retreated into his thoughts.

"...Actually, in this case, Perhaps it being an internal source is better." Chelsea said as she pondered. "The heart is one of the few open cavities within the body that accepts liquids inside it, unlike the lungs. It's better also than having to circumvent muscles, and navigate blood vessels. Thus, it is much easier to work on, especially with an already pre-existing flow established."

"Eh? Then this might actually work?" Robin asked.

Jasmine paused in consideration. "If it doesn't work..."

"Then you will simply have to wait until the regular healing period is up." Chelsea replied.

"Water healing, though internal, is the least harshest method, since the body is already over fifty percent water. Given an area where I am not disturbed, after a few treatments, the issue should be resolved. Of course, I would still need to examine the area to determine how many treatments are necessary. Unless, of course, you don't trust my skill?"

"I am okay with it." Robin was the first to say something.

"Robin, we are talking about the heart! It is a very delicate instrument!" Jasmine objected.

"I think you'll find that the human body is tougher than you think." Robin replied. "The main question that you want to ask is: do I trust Chelsea enough to allow her to give me medical treatment?"

The cabin grew quiet as Robin had hit upon the unspoken question hanging in the air.

"Companionship is not merely travelling together, but a matter of trust." Robin replied. "If I cannot trust a person, then I woukd never allow them to accompany me."

"But what if it is all just a ruse?" Christian asked. "It is easy enough to fake friendships."

"Do you think I cannot tell false friends from true ones?" Robin asked. "On the contrary, discovering the false ones are my specialty. But Chelsea is not one of them."

"How do you know?"he asked.

Robin smiled. "Call it a gut feeling, but..." She thumped the area over her heart with her fist.

"I believe her."