The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'

The ride back to the Goltbred estate was, ultimately, a bonding experience for the pair inside. There hadn't been as much of a 'talking to' as Elua expected. What little there was hadn't even started until they were halfway back. 

"You're my child and normally quite socially responsible, so I imagine you know that what you did was objectively inappropriate?"

"Yes, mother."

The older woman looked back out the window. She knew she had to say *something* a little more than that, as a parent, but she also knew that being the 'scolding voice' was out of the question. So, she sacrificed the other parent.

"I'm not going to say it is bad to be so attached to someone. That would be hypocritical. I will only say that you are very young and your father is going to be… difficult."

The brunette honestly hadn't put much thought into that part - even after menacing Ondua the other day over the 'ban' he brought up. If anything, her actions a bit ago kind of proved him correct! She shrugged inwardly and considered blaming him for putting 'those kinds of ideas' in her head. Which wasn't *completely* untrue.

She'd tried very hard these years to keep *those* kind of things from entry into her adolescent skull. Patience was possible in her old life, but she was also an 'adult' then who could make such a 'choice'. Not being of age was a 'constraint' that the young girl did not… *appreciate*.

"I also hope that young Qatrand's father doesn't make a fuss about this. Anper can be 'particular' about tradition."

'There is almost no chance of that. Besides, what is he going to *ask* for that would hurt? I doubt they went through all this to then request to cancel. Ah… but Qat might get in some kind of trouble…'

That put a genuine scowl on her face that she quickly hid with illusions of mere 'concern'. She had neglected to properly make those connections merely because her fiance had never *told* her about receiving any punishments.

"Please make it clear that I was the one who was 'wrong'. Qat didn't ask for it, I just…"

Yatrel chuckled.

"Are you feeling sorry that it happened now?"

The daughter shook her head with a 'blush'. If the 'fortress' had hastily closed all its open gateways at the approach of the scout patrol she sent out, it would be a different matter.

'There was no greeting party waiting yet, but coming close for cautious trade negotiations seemed very doable!'

Well, kissing a little 'wildly' in moderation would be fine… though she'd have to try very, very hard to keep the rest of the 'trades' assigned for after she turned the proper age of an adult. It would get much easier to 'deal with' if she 'hurried through' the physical Enchanter phase and subdue 'evil thoughts' with more than just her spirit. 

'I really might have to do that, even if it might make me stand out as a triple Enchanter. It should… at least be 'reasonable' by our ceremony, right? After all, Qat is going to reach the same cultivation point as that soon. We would then be known as almost the same age when attaining those techniques.'

Considering the backwater region allowed marriage ceremonies beginning at the young age of Guild entry at thirteen, it would be *difficult* without such safeguards. Her husband-wife will be 'waiting' for three years even to be 'legally' bound together. It felt so long already only for that!

In order to adhere to her set of 'principles' that held off on 'certain things' until both partners were fully considered in their 'prime' - it would still be *almost* as long as she'd already lived in this body! The Goltbred heiress really wished her adolescence (and boredom) wasn't breeding all this unseemly *impatience*.

"Elua. I have to ask… where did you learn to feel that sort of… desire?"

And that was when her father was thrown under the path of the carriage they were riding in, again. Figuratively. The man suddenly sneezed after feeling a chill around the same time within his study.

The mother hummed and clicked her tongue as though annoyed, but didn't entirely believe that was the extent of things. While her attention had mostly been caught by the intense spiritual 'markings' being made, it didn't escape her that her kid had seemed to be an easy *natural*. For only her 'second time kissing' that was also supposed to be her first time *initiating*, it was almost… professional.

The woman was honestly a little unsure how to feel about that, though she settled on envy. She remembered being *awkward* at those sorts of things herself! She slammed her forehead into Ondua's when they were teenagers…

Yatrel of course had no way to even imagine that her precocious daughter had more than a few long term (for mortals) and short term (though often longer than one night) relationships under her reincarnated belt. It's exceedingly rare for anyone to travel the path toward Divinity without seeking attachments, especially an illusionist that appreciated diversions.

Though if the mother was told that the woman her daughter had been in that life had started counting 'time' from when 'she' considered herself 'in a relationship' and not the *yet to be informed* romantic target - the Dame Goltbred might just nod and commiserate perfectly well. She herself had 'been together' with Ondua for a full year and a half more than he would ever declare to others… by her way of seeing things.

In that same line of thought, she also might agree that it is 'as expected' to learn that the small mint eyed one in the carriage both once told and really considered herself her fiance's wife on the very day they met. She *also* told her own popular brunette that they would be together 'for eternity or else' the very day she fell in love~

The fact that it was while he was asleep, in a room she hadn't been invited into… and only told to him again after they were engaged… was the primary reason her husband would *never* intentionally go with that measure of time 'together' as the story to tell to *anyone* that asked.

The carriage continued growing closer and closer to their home. Yatrel dazedly questioned how best to brag- that was, *explain* what their daughter had been up to… while the person in question was also considering something. 

'I hope I made it strong enough to warn others away.'

It was very purposeful that Elua had flooded the other's spirit with such strong and solid fragments of 'lust intent', even knowing her mother would surely notice it. The Yecine would be an attractive young applicant to some Guild next week. If she couldn't be there to *dissuade* any other young women, she could at least leave a 'marking' that-

'Wait, won't the ones around her age probably not be capable spirit cultivators? They might not *reall* notice it! The older ones that *are* might… not be as reluctant when they see it as I 'aimed' for. If anything they will be even *more* interested! They'll wonder what Qat is so 'good' at to make another person feel that way.'

She shivered, eyes starting to glisten with 'real' tears and she made the decision to come 'somewhat' clean. She cleared her throat to get the attention of the woman riding quietly with her.

"M-mother. I think I made a bigger mistake than I thought…"

Yatrel held in her laughter when her daughter's whole impromptu 'plan' was finally revealed. It wasn't that she wanted to make fun of her, but was tickled that so many more recent events kept making her realize that the girl was truly woven from the same type of cloth - if in a bit different 'style of dress'.

However, she knew quite well how *attacked* she would feel to be laughed at, when likewise so concerned about Ondua being among others.

"I'm sure it will be alright. Do you not trust your dear fiance?"

"It's not the one I'm promised to whom I'm worried about acting unnecessarily. Qat is so very passive at terrible timing. Letting others do what they want. You saw how 'he' just let me kiss like that! I won't have any of their first experiences taken by another woman."

'Sweet' Elua failed to hide all of the 'venom' in her last words, but Yatrel wouldn't have been smiling quite as much if she had. Today, the woman had *never* felt closer to her offspring! It was even making her start to question if they should aim for another of them…

'Still two more childbirths waiting on us with our cultivation. Would he want another girl - or a boy for him to get along with? There is still a bit of time until the Voidling Descent… to go through another childbirth.'

The mother shook her head for now, knowing her living progeny needed the help and attention. Though she resolved to press Ondua for a response.

"I can't promise that there is nothing to worry about, but I can reassure you just a little. The young Yecine won't be joining just any Guild, but the same one as his father. The Ironclad Order. If I know Anper, that child will not have the time to be approached by the kind of women you are worrying about. My darling husband will also be keeping an eye on him there, when possible."

She chuckled.

"If anything, shouldn't your darling Qat be the one worried? You're clearly starting to be very interested in 'various things' already, but they won't be around enough for you to try them out. With all the other boys nearby, what if you decide to-"

The woman was silenced by a pressure far beyond the 'subtle' range that Ondua had spoken of. She was too shaken to articulate *what* the intent was, only that it wasn't bloodlust. However, she could have fully titled it as the strongest spiritual suppression she'd ever felt in her life… if in the next moment she hadn't entirely forgotten why she'd even broken off her last sentence.

Or why her body had goosebumps all over it. For some reason she strongly wanted to believe she just imagined… something. Elua cleared her throat once again, but wouldn't meet her mother's face.

"D-do not make such assumptions about me. In this life, there exists only one individual that I would consider… *certain things* with - that is my wonderful fiance."

She was beyond mortified that the joking taunts had gotten to her enough to use 'most' of her Primalist spiritual energy to 'bully' someone. The 'beyond' part primarily came from the fact that the person was Yatrel er Goltbred - the relative who had carried her in that warm and comfortable womb all those months. She was not ungrateful!

…Also it was the person she needed most on her side to assure the marriage went through officially, no matter what truths might get revealed. People that feared you were rarely 'on your side'. They were just *waiting* for another 'choice' than to acquiesce!

"A-ah? Yes. I was only joking, darling. I did go with you to the Youth Guild half the time, you know… so I'm well aware that you haven't shown anyone else but your precious fiance even the slightest bit of genuine interest."

The woman's reddish blonde hair shook as she chuckled.

"Much to the disappointment of many. In that popular regard, as well as your gentleness, you are your father's girl. That is the only reason I was teasing you."

The girl smiled back 'awkwardly'. While she had been becoming a little more 'vain' due to compliments, she objectively considered her current looks only better than average for the locale without accounting for personal tastes. And that was only in comparison to all the mortals and other Lower Realm cultivators.

'Well, my being 'sweet' and 'kind' to people I have no attachments to is a 'facade'… and that quality is definitely what most of the other children even find 'attractive' about me. I'm sorry, father. Everything about me that is *similar* to you is 'fake'~'

Ondua sneezed once more. Was he under attack by something? He definitely shouldn't be getting a cold as a Primalist.

"Mm. So long as you understand that I'm not… that kind of girl. I am faithful!"

They were both quiet for a little bit, each accounting for different things. Just as their ride came to an end, the wavy haired youth moved over and sat in her mother's lap to give her a hug. It wasn't that she never did so, but her father was the one who usually 'needed' them. To *reset* his affections after she spoke of Qat 'too much'.

The sudden intimacy was decided upon to make up for the woman's still unsettled spirit after it had been pressed by a cultivator of a higher realm - as well as because of what she intended to tell her next. Elua always found it was… 'better', to practice various things first. Yatrel would be a test.