The Dragon King's Heart

Seeing the determination the crown princess had, Ramona understood. The things people are willing to do for love should never be underestimated. Often, people would brave through death to save their significant other. Regardless of status or wealth, the love was always the same. 

After the oracle fully recovered from her injuries from a few days of rest, they got to work immediately with making the elixir. Every night, Laina would be in the basement working on it alongside Ramona. 

When the first batch of elixir was complete, the delight on Laina's face was undeniable. She could feel the warmth of the elixir in the palm of her hands.

"Let me take a closer look," Ramona asked as she received the elixir from Laina. 

She cast a spell over it to access its concentration. The higher the concentration, the more effective it would be. 

"How did we do?" Laina asked eagerly. 

"Perfection," Ramona replied reassuringly with a smile, "Now all you need to do is test it."

"I'll be your test subject, your Highness," Florin bravely volunteered immediately. 

"No, you can't," Ramona stopped him immediately. 

The vampire was confused," Why not?"

"The name of this elixir is also known as the essence of the sun. As a vampire, what do you think is going to happen to you if you consume it?" Ramona asked. 

"I'll burst into flames?" Florin replied as he gulped. 

Ramona nodded. Florin retreated and took a step back. Laina decided that she would test out the elixir on herself. Ramona will cast a low-level curse on her. The elixir was strong enough to completely eliminate low-level curses. Should it succeed in doing so, the elixir would be a success. 

"Are you ready?" Ramona asked.

Laina nodded, "Ready."

Ramona tapped her staff twice onto the ground. Vines from the ground crawled up Laina's body. Her arms were covered in sharp thorned vines. 

"Now, drink it," Ramona urged her. 

The crown princess did as the oracle asked. Laina wanted to drink it all down at one go. But the terribly bitter and fiery taste caught her off guard. She squinted her eyes as she forced herself to drink it all in one go. Despite the awful taste, the elixir worked instantly. 

The curse lifted in the blink of an eye. 

"If that's not a miracle, I don't know what is," Florin proclaimed in amazement. 

"We did!" Ramona declared with a smile, "Congratulations, Your Highness."

But Laina was still wincing from the taste of it. If she wanted Dante to take it without suspecting anything, she would have to find a way to neutralize the taste. When she mentioned it to Ramona, she had a solution for their problem. 

Ramona added a few more ingredients into the elixir before handing it back to Laina. When she gave it another taste, she was amazed. It had no flavor or color to it. If they placed it in a glass, it looked just like regular water. 

"I'm impressed, Ramona, how did you manage to do this?" Laina asked in shock. 

"I never liked medicinal potions when I was young. So I developed ways to neutralize the taste. Cures never taste good but they are essential. This should work like a charm," she explained. 

The next day, Laina found the perfect opportunity for Dante to drink it. They were about to turn in for the night when he asked for a glass of water. Laina poured the elixir into the glass and handed it to him. She watched him closely as he drank it all down in one gulp. 

When he noticed her looking at him intently, he asked, "Is something the matter?"

Laina, realizing she was staring too much, came out with an excuse for her behavior and brushed it off. Dante did not question her any further. 

"How do you feel?" Laina could not help but ask as they lay down on the bed. 

"Why are you acting so weird today, my dear?" Dante asked as he turned to face her. 

He pinched her nose, which caused them both to laugh a little. Laina huddled closer to Dante, laying her head on his chest as he wrapped his hands around her. 

She did not need a verbal response from him. As she held his hand in hers, Laina could feel his body temperature. He was not as cold as he was before. Dante felt it too but he did not suspect anything. He contributed the warmth to Laina's natural body heat. Hugging her was like embracing a warm pillow. 

In the days that followed, Laina kept a close eye on Dante. She made several attempts to sneak a peek at the dark veins that had once covered Dante's entire body. From what she could see, there was no sign of spreading which was a huge relief. This helped her put her mind at ease. 

Dante still did not suspect a thing, much to her relief. Ramona's wound was healing well too. As the mansion was currently filled with fire affinity crystals and geodes, this has also helped aid her in her recovery. 

But the oracle was worried. While everyone slept in peace, Ramona was tossing and turning. In her slumber, she saw visions of what was to come. She sat up, hyperventilating with sweat trickling down her forehead. Under the small candlelight that lit the room, Ramona clutched her heart. 

The Crown Princess has been most kind to her despite her being a complete stranger. She could not bear to bring harm upon them. Should Dexerion and his forces come looking for her, Laina would be pulled into the mess.

Ramona made up her mind. Since she had already helped Laina with the making of the elixir, the crown princess no longer needed her assistance either. She touched her bandaged wound. It was healing well thanks to the crown princess's efforts.

The fire affinity crystals and geodes in the mansion also helped to speed up her healing process.  Ramona got out of bed and packed up what belongings she had. She left a quick note on the table before taking her leave. 

"May I know where you're going, Oracle Ramona?" a voice shot out from across the room.