The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'

Author's Note:

I won't make too much of a habit of these, I promise!

I just wanted to alert anyone that has been following along with new releases so far that I'm working on the Characters section now that I can. So give that a check on the About This Book/Main Page area~

As of writing this statement, I only have our MC and FL 'done' - but will probably also finish Mom tonight and Dad... Soon(TM). Oh, and maybe Anper... unfortunately.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

The young heiress turned eleven before she was able to meet with Qatrand er Yecine once more. More than a YEAR! She had thought that half at most would have been enough to gain the freedom for even a mere shared dinner at her estate - but the place that Anper had attached her fiance was so strict!

Three entire months of survivalist style expeditions. Immediately followed by four months of deskwork at a sister Guild in a different region - Steelbound Tempest Brotherhood. They had no idea they were now on a certain girl's 'list' for overshooting her estimate by a month.

Then, another entire *six* of service in the continental army as a 'reward' for high achievement. Well, even Elua wouldn't *harm* an entire continent's army. Again.

If it wasn't for the fact that she was still occasionally getting one letter back (for every ten sent), Elua would have begun 'acting out'. In more obvious ways that she already had been.

While everything spoken regarding how she had been doing all this time was already known to the wavy haired brunette from their correspondence, getting to hear Qat's *voice* answering the conversational questions from her parents was a treat! As was just getting to *look* at the year older and hard-working husband-wife.

Ondua and Yatrel allowed the young couple a little time alone together in the dining hall after the meal, at the urging of the more 'understanding' parent. It wasn't entirely altruistic. She just wanted to keep her husband from being emotionally bullied later.

"Is there something wrong with my face?"

The Yecine eventually asked after a minute of silence. The mint-eyed girl shook her head and giggled from the other side of the table.

"Nothing at all. It's very handsome and I like it very much."

She stood and walked around the piece of furniture, then hopped up to sit on it beside the still seated older girl. Kicking her legs out and in like she was an excited 'pet' waving a tail, until she reached out and used a little essence to brush the new hairstyle away from the left side of Qat's face.

While the right bangs were cropped more closely to her scalp, the left hung over their side and regularly hid one of her pigeon blue eyes from view. As she arrived after meeting with Yecine elders, the color was their nearly trademark raven black.

"I see you've been practicing little things like this after meeting their requirements. Practicing growing your hair back out faster is helpful if it ever gets cut or burned off. Have your elders been happy?"

There were a lot of things that couldn't be discussed through their letters, with both knowing they would be read by other people. While the Goltbred had been pleasantly informed that her fiance had gotten to the proper physical Fourth Echelon a few weeks after they last saw each other, neither could let on about the 'reason' it was 'needed'.

However, that didn't stop the brunette from penning 'jealousy' about it while being careful about her wording. Also finally 'breaking through' herself to be known as a 'double-Enchanter' - to everyone but the members of the Yecine working on the long-con.

"They have been… less worried that I will be discovered."

Qatrand also couldn't receive any more direct cultivation guidance from her confident little teacher than what she'd memorized back in their personal conversations more than a year before. Alongside all her other duties, that meant her progress had slowed a lot.

Her spirit had reached the Second Echelon - and she did breakthrough and become a triple-Enchanter by unlocking an Element she did not understand how to control at all. Because her other two had been revealed assertively by the girl before her, the swordswoman was optimistic that she wouldn't be let down this evening.

"Well, isn't that nice for them."

A sharp tone came out of the smaller girl, after which she shook her head before bringing her hand back towards herself like she'd just tried to touch something scalding. It was only around certain people, but she very occasionally - and entirely always 'to do' with the person before her - began to 'lose' her well maintained and 'sweet' facade.

It was still more *physically* emotive than her 'real' self, but the reactions were far less 'planned'.

"Sorry, I… just…"

The dark-haired teenager reached across and placed her palm on her concerned betrothed's head. She remembered over the last year being praised in various ways by people she met - none of them her family. Yet, most of those people also gave all the credit of her ability to those very individuals.

'As expected of a Yecine. They prepared you well. Little phrases that are both so correct but also ignore me. Ignore my own effort. Would I have even thought so much about those kinds of words if not for…'

"It's fine. I've… stopped expecting more from them. I don't think I would know how to handle it if they changed to be as saccharine as you."

Elua's jaw dropped then closed with a puffed cheek.

"Well, if I'm too much for your sensitive palette, maybe I don't want to explain the Element that has been troubling you~"

The one being threatened only rubbed a little harder before removing the calloused hand and squinting with a very small smirk on the corners of her lips. She wasn't scared of that happening at all.

'Ugh, I know I had a playful tone but I'm starting to feel like I'm an easy to handle person! I want to say I'm being so 'underestimated'… except she's completely right with that gaze - like I can't *handle* not telling her!'

"…Gravity."

The mint-eyed girl mumbled as quietly as possible before looking off to the side with a slight 'blush' growing on her cheeks. The scheming cultivator was considering all the little 'revenges' she might take someday once the other became interested in 'certain things'. Qatrand leaned forward innocently, with no way of knowing what was running through the younger girl's mind.

"I couldn't make out what you said, could you repeat it?"

"E-ehm, if you aren't going to pay close attention to me… then… I'll start 'charging' you to repeat myself."

Her Qat blinked, clearly not quite understanding the statement but knowing there was 'something' more behind it. Still, whatever it was she would probably do it.

"What would I have to pay?"

The reborn cultivator was going to ask for a kiss but… became *greedier*. The older girl was fourteen and in the next year or two would likely grow even more mature. The Goltbred had once managed to see her exposed arms flexing after asking if the other ever used 'lighter wear' than the uniform blazer when training.

'That was a satisfying memory.'

"W-wait here one moment."

Elua slid off the table and rushed towards the spot in the room she had hidden the present she worked hard on in months before. Her plan had been to give it after they talked more, but plans were made to be improvised! The long and heavy box was hoisted without a care as the short girl ran back to the table - only remembering herself and her 'facade' enough to place it without a 'thump' at the last second.

'Okay I… did tell her I'm a 'double-Enchanter' in the letters. She knows that's a lie and that I haven't told anyone about my spirit. Still, I doubt she will miss what I just did once she realizes how heavy this was. Clearly not First Echelon ability!'

The girl shrugged internally and felt like it was reasonable to imply that it was a recent change. Second Echelon might be believable… and she still hadn't informed her of her potential Physique so that could be an excuse. Either way it was something to say when actually asked. She tapped her fingers on the box with 'pride' before looking at the seated Yecine with a smile.

"This is something that… I want you to have."

She couldn't really say *made* without more questions… or 'found', since she didn't want to lie if she could help it. Elua backed away a bit while gesturing for her to open it.

"I'm a little confused. Wasn't I just being asked to 'pay' to hear what you said again? Now you're giving me…"

Despite her questioning tone, she didn't hold back and lifted the latch and lid holding the gift. The pigeon-blue eyes widened before *focusing* on the weapon. It was a thick and straight blade that even at a glance fit the Yecine style of swordsmanship. More than that, it could almost be a slightly shorter replica of the one she had once described.

It looked so much like the long 'spatha' her family kept.

Her fingers were petting its lustrous polished metal before she realized. Qatrand let out a breath she had been holding without realizing before turning her face. El was watching her with that rare 'reserved' smile that opened up into a more 'age appropriate' grin a couple seconds after being stared at.

"You like it?"

The older girl had to *choose* to look away from her face a little, before reverently reaching for the hilt. Despite all the other similarities, she hadn't truly expected it to weigh quite as much as it did. Like the decreased length, it was 'less' than her family's old sentimental treasure - but it was still very heavy.

More than any physical First Echelon Enchanter cultivator could just run across the room 'effortlessly' with. The surprise… and the quick and firm *acceptance* in her spirit didn't even leave any time for her to look back at the small girl with any 'confusion'.

'I'm sure she can easily be not only a triple-Enchanter at her age. She was right about spirit. I've been progressing quicker myself since then. El is probably going to be much stronger than me soon.'

A little emotion Qat didn't quite understand flitted across her spirit, but Elua noticed the streaks of 'pride'. The brunette of course misunderstood and thought it was over wielding the weapon she had been gifted. This was only 'reinforced' when the soft-spoken voice finally responded.

"Very much. I like it. I don't know what else to say."

Having sincerely enjoyed the moment, the 'devious' cultivator's eyes dulled just a bit as her 'fangs' were about to be revealed. Exposing the gift 'early' had been part of her suddenly improvised plan! It was the perfect accompaniment to the very 'over-the-top' request she was about to make.

"Gravity is your Element. That is what I said that you didn't hear a little while ago. I will be more than happy to tell you more about it… later. Now for your payment. Will you take your upper garments off so I can watch you take practice swings?"

The brazen child held her hand over the bottom of her face after she finished speaking with 'self-assurance'… to hide her tongue that needed to slip out and retrieve the bit of drool that had seeped out one corner of her mouth. She began backing away and turned the lock on the room with a 'click' before also making a point of 'shielding' the entry with a barrier of air. 

"While I've lightly touched some of the muscles through your clothes, I've never really *seen* your abs… or around your shoulder blades… and your neck without the collars of your clothes covering it. What do you think? It's a fair trade~"

She called out more 'explanations' before tilting her head over her shoulder.

"I've been a very patient wife, if you ask me."

A warning shiver went down the older girl's spine. When the request had first been voiced, she couldn't find a reason to refuse other than a worry that a servant might interrupt and see what they were doing. The lock and the barrier lowered that a little, but the strange 'dull' tone of voice the last line was delivered with… made her remember a certain 'presence'.

'It feels just like when I was separated from my training unit… while that large wolf was stalking the mountain passes. But… I don't think El would try to bite me?'

Though that was ultimately 'true' in the short term, Qat would learn nearly a decade into the future from the evening of this thought that it was *not* always going to be the case.