"Ah, Captain Kagekatsu. It's alright. I am the one who stepped on him. I will be the one helping him." Princess Yuki said to her Royal Guard with a smile, her voice soft but clear like the chime of a silver bell.
"Princess… Yuki?" Akira blinked in confusion. And it was at that moment that his sharp senses finally detected the abnormality of his body.
His limbs felt unfamiliar. Light, almost hollow.
The strength he was known for, the pressure of his aura, the deep elemental energy he always felt beneath his skin… all gone.
He couldn't even feel the hum of his energy core. Only the dull ache of bruised ribs and a dry taste of iron on his tongue remained.
Yet at the same time, his body felt strangely fresher, more alive, as if every cell had been scrubbed clean. A subtle warmth bloomed in his chest, like the first breath after winter.
"Am I… truly sixteen years old?" Akira's mind whirred at top speed. "I must have travelled back in time to my youth like the stories grandma used to tell me!"
"Yes. I am Princess Yuki… I thought you know me? Don't move first. Here, take this recovery pill. It would heal all your wounds in a jiffy." Princess Yuki said gently and a little blue pill appeared in her hand.
For some strange reason, Princess Yuki felt an inexplicable sense of tenderness towards the youth in front of her.
It had never happened to her before!
"Princess!" Captain Kagekatsu was so shocked that he actually stretched out his hand and almost touched Princess Yuki's shoulder, an absolute taboo that could see his hand cut off as punishment.
No one, especially not the members of her Royal Guard, was allowed to touch the Princess without her permission!
"The Royal Grade Pill of Healing is much too precious to be used in this situation! You only stepped on his body by accident, there is no need to use the Pill of Healing!" Captain Kagekatsu came to his senses and managed to stop himself from touching Princess Yuki's shoulders.
But he couldn't help but exclaim loudly, his voice echoing through the marble corridor as he tried to stop her from giving away the supremely precious, Royal Grade Pill of Healing.
"Captain Kagekatsu. I may only have stepped on his body lightly. But even a fool could see that he is heavily injured and is in great need of help. Tell me, are you a fool?" Princess Yuki glared at Captain Kagekatsu sternly, her eyes no longer soft and shimmering, but sharp and commanding.
"No, Princess." Captain Kagekatsu was taken by surprise by Princess Yuki's uncharacteristic outburst. She was usually much more demure and gentle.
"In that case, am I to conclude that you are telling me to leave this boy heartlessly without helping him when I have the very thing that could help him?" Princess Yuki continued to glare at her Royal Guard.
"No, Princess… Please help him!" Captain Kagekatsu finally bowed his head in defeat. A drop of sweat slid down his temple, catching the torchlight that flickered gently along the corridor walls.
"Here you go. This pill will heal you completely. Open your mouth… Aaaa… " Princess Yuki turned back to Akira and extended one dainty right hand towards Akira's face and made a cute aaa sound.
Akira could hear Captain Kagekatsu choking in shock behind her.
He had lived for 39 years and served in the Royal Guard all the way from a cadet to Captain for 27 years, and never once had he heard the Princess make such a cute sound!
And now, for this… this…. Punk. She actually… Sigh!
With a huge smile, Akira opened his mouth and said "Aaaaa" obediently.
"She is definitely my Yuki!" Akira thought to himself. "She is as kind and as loving to me as before!"
Princess Yuki dropped the Royal Grade Pill of Healing into Akira's mouth.
Plop.
Instantly, it melted in his mouth and dissolved into his body. Akira felt its potent medicinal energy surge through him, spreading swiftly to every corner of his being and mending every wound, illness, and hidden ailment with relentless precision.
It truly was a rare and supreme pill of healing.
"No wonder that grumpy old man Kagekatsu didn't want my Yuki to give me this pill. Hmph. I will remember this! Luckily my Yuki is so nice to me… Ha ha ha ha!" Akira thought and smiled to himself as he feasted his eyes on Yuki's beautiful face, her soft features glowing in the warm corridor light, her breath still faintly carrying the floral scent of royal incense.
"How are you feeling now? Much better already right?" Princess Yuki asked with a gentle smile.
"Yes, my body is all healed!" Akira sat up and then did several sit ups, push ups and star jumps in quick succession.
"Ora ora ora! Look, I am all good now!" Akira exclaimed to reassure Princess Yuki and also to reassure himself.
He could feel his strength returning to his limbs. But alas, he was still far from the strength of his previous self, and there was still no hint of his elemental energies in his body.
"Hee hee. Thank goodness." Princess Yuki giggled at his funny antics, her laugh bright and bubbling like a spring.
"Alright. Now that you're all healed up, please make way for the Princess. We are on our way out." Captain Kagekatsu said sharply, glaring at Akira with a voice cold as iron.
Akira blinked and took a quick look around him.
He realized that they were actually in some sort of a Castle.
The floors beneath him were cold, polished stone. The scent of old incense clung faintly to the air, mingling with the crisp breeze from a nearby balcony. He could hear servants bustling in the distance, their footsteps tapping lightly on the ground.
Apparently there was an event, and Princess Yuki was in attendance. And she was just about to leave when she stepped upon Akira who was lying on the ground by the corner of a corridor.
But at that moment, the hairs at the back of Akira's neck stood as a terrifying sensation came over him.
"A monster is nearby!" Akira realized as his eyes narrowed dangerously and scanned the area.
But he saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Still, his instincts were honed in countless battles against monsters and human beings alike, and it had never once failed him.
"Be careful, a monster is nearby! Captain, I suggest you draw your sword. Now." Akira said softly, eyes still scanning around him.
"Do not joke about such things, young man. I could arrest you for fear mongering and trying to show off needlessly in front of the Princess." Captain Kagekatsu said in a heavy voice.
But his words barely left his mouth when a fearsome screech sounded from right above them!
"Stealth Bloodbats!" Captain Kagekatsu shouted in horror as he drew his sword in a hurry to protect Princess Yuki, the ring of steel echoing through the stone hall.
But three huge Bloodbats were already less than a meter away from the still confused looking Princess Yuki. Their viciously sharp claws were at full stretch, aimed at Princess Yuki's head.
Even if Captain Kagekatsu had three more arms and three more heads, he would not be able to protect the Princess in time!