The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 445 - When Trading Favors, Shouldn’t Everyone Win?

Chapter 445: Chapter 445 - When Trading Favors, Shouldn’t Everyone Win?

The two betrothed wandered for a while longer until they found a small market square that had once served the traveling merchants. Vendors still sold everything from bread baked that morning to simple tools, for the newly constructed commerce places focused on larger orders at this point... and the two general stores could hardly manage residents *and* visitors alike.

"Try this. Is it good?"

They found a bench after standing in line for a while and Nohre held a piece of a meat pie toward Fusand’s mouth. He ate it without question and gave his opinion. Neither of them made much of a thing about it after all this time, they just listened to the words of the others in the market.

"...special gardens planted with flowers that supposedly match some of his Lady’s favorites."

"I heard that. Also commissioned craftsmen to create copper wind chimes for every major intersection because the Goltbred lass apparently loves them."

The teenagers both snickered at the image of the swordswoman orchestrating romantic touches throughout the growing city. The softer side they’d glimpsed before - and much more people became sure of during the competition period - was practically public knowledge now. Qatrand gil Yecine fancied their wife quite a bit, even if the heiress was ’missing’.

"Sounds like the young hero is preparing quite the homecoming."

"Indeed she is. Though between you and me, I think she’s also keeping herself too busy to dwell on the separation. Work work work, from dawn to dusk."

After getting their fill on food and gossip, they only paused once more to watch children playing in a park area. One of many that had been left intentionally between residential blocks despite the many requests for construction. Much more ’empty’ space compared to the center areas of their own home city.

Growing up in the orphanage with its fairly small yard for the number of children it handled, seeing all of the communal freedom resonated deeply. After being displaced so young, then growing up with even more uncertainty... seeing families start to build permanent lives in a place that not only welcomed them but sought security for any natural desire to be animated and ’happy’ made both teenagers feel quite moved. It reminded them immediately of how Elua er Goltbred treated them.

"...It’s good to see something like this."

"Should we head toward the training grounds? The sun’s getting lower."

Fusand’s suggestion came with reluctance to end their mildly romantic exploration of the settlement. But their arrival carried importance beyond their own enjoyment of the afternoon together.

⟠ ⟠ ⟠

"Warden Patrician Qatrand!"

The braided haired teen called the formal title warmly as she approached the pair of swordswomen with a broad smile. Qat was still in the mindset of heavy analysis, so she noticed that more months with the Talcres couple had clearly agreed with both disciples. They had healthy growth in muscle since last she’d seen them at the Goltbred party for her hero ceremony.

’The dietary recommendations and other instructions my El left behind for them in the book were clearly correct.’

"Nohre. Fusand. This is unexpected but welcome. How are Zyris and Meyran?"

"Thriving. Just like us. They send their regards and some gifts for your territorial development efforts."

The sandy haired teen hefted the box as Corde watched the interaction with sharp eyes. Noting the easy familiarity between Qatrand gil Yecine and the other two young cultivators. Connections to the ’absent’ heiress and more potential sources of outside influence... on the person she was increasingly convinced might not be acting entirely of their own will.

She wasn’t sure how it was being done, but she was confident that someone was advising her in secret. The Iralev adoptee had even hired some people to keep a close eye on the possibility that the Goltbred heiress had already ’been back’ for some time now. Avoiding the direct questions about where she went and how.

’Just like the Shadow Whisker Sorority scout who went missing again the moment we took our eyes off of her.’

"We don’t mean to interrupt training, but we hoped we might speak privately. About some developments the Talcres thought you should know about."

The diplomatic phrasing from the green eyed girl suggested serious matters beneath the cheer. Her eyes flicked briefly toward the Frozen Duskblade - a woman she was sure was her master’s nemesis! - before returning to Qatrand’s face. While she was quite grateful for the help she gave during the time with healing Zyris...

"Of course. We were just concluding today’s session anyway."

"Until next time, then."

The dismissal was polite but clear, so Corde spoke back and walked away with movements showing none of her frustration. Though the mist of frost where she had stood showed the subtle sign that being excluded was beginning to crack her professionalism. For each time was a denied chance that her suspicions could be confirmed.

Qat turned her full attention to the disciples who had traveled so far to reach her. The timing of their arrival felt like a relief after the increasingly tense training sessions with the older woman. Though she suspected their visit was not intended to relieve that ’problem’... and it also felt like more than simple social courtesy.

While they had shared letters, the three had not actually come in close contact since the incident with the Saltfire remnant incursion on the Goltbred estate. The two disciples and the Talcres couple had handled some things during that. Notably, going off to fetch the authorities while everyone else was waking up... of course, that was not before the full circumstances were explained to them.

Waving them to follow, the swordswoman took then to the underground area and toward the sealed ice house door. Considering the cultivator she trained with needed to have access to the source material that was so naturally infused with the tinge of essence she was able to manipulate and control, one of them had been placed nearby - designed from a blueprint of El’s like the six others placed around the city, for rationed use by residents.

"Before we get to what you came for, can I have some of your time?"

The low voice started the moment the door was closed with all of them inside. As did the rapid transformation of her hair. It was mostly blonde by the time they’d nodded and Qat had crossed her arms.

"As you know, my wife remains in the Astral Exclave. What I haven’t shared with many is that I believe she’s lonely there. Isolated with only one other person for company, distracting herself by working on something that could take years to complete."

Her pigeon blue eyes met each of theirs in turn, reading their expressions as she continued. Both of them had reacted when the words ’lonely’ and ’isolated’ were used. Which did not surprise the former Yecine so much, but it did make her feel better about her request.

"I want to ask you to go to her. Continue your studies under her guidance... and, well, honestly? Just to make sure she doesn’t spend all of the next few years growing detached from people who care about her. To be the first I send to keep her company."

With the cold air between them, the three young cultivators all burned with hot emotion. Nohre’s face and spirit in particular showed great ’surprise’ that quickly shifted toward something more ’overwhelmed’. Her voice cracked as she opened her mouth to speak.

"You’d... you’d let us go to her first? Not yourself?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"I’m asking you to go in my place. Because what she is trying to do will be ruined if I went, as much as I’d like to see her in person. I am even willing to beg. Please, think it over."

Formality shattered completely as tears spilled over in green eyes. The girl threw herself forward into an embrace that would have knocked over a mortal before her arms even had a chance to wrap around. Words tumbled out between sobs as more than half a year of suppressed grief found release against someone she knew felt it even worse.

"I miss her so much. We both do. She saved us. From having nowhere to belong. She opened the path. Turned us into people who could actually help others. Instead of just... just existing and waiting."

Fusand moved to support his partner with a hand on the back of her head while Qat awkwardly patted her shoulderblade. While she’d had no problem getting a hug here and there from Yatrel, she was still unused to such sudden things from anyone other than her own mintdrop. But understanding the depth of feeling behind them.

"She talks about you both plenty. In the set of letters she sent back with Sevra. I think she misses you just as much. That’s why it has to be the two of you."

Nohre gradually calmed enough to detach and be supported by her fiance. She flushed her face with her Water Element while the blonde continued to explain.

"For this to work, I still need to find a third person willing to make the... journey. The realmshard currently requires three cultivators in its presence to activate."

"We might have someone in mind. It’s actually one of the reasons we have come. Zyris... she finally became an Enchanter in essence. Since then, she’s been struggling with her new abilities."

"Struggling how?"

Holding up his hand and Projecting the woman’s face, Fusand showed off the haunted look in her eyes of late. His skill with his Astralism had clearly improved, though not as much as his combat training.

"We don’t know what her Element actually is. She can cultivate the energy, but now... it’s like everything is stuck near zero for her again. And recently, she became even more withdrawn."

The implication of what he was speaking of was clear, to Qat. Of everyone and anyone who lived on the continent, only Elua possessed the knowledge and experience to guide someone through ’unknown’ or *unusual* developments. They expected she would have answers and advice... and so did her husband-wife.

"Then it sounds like we have our third person. She has compelling reasons to seek El’s guidance... and she is someone the two of you trust and care for enough to come for help."

It felt pieces clicking snugly into place to the swordswoman. The question only became a matter of logistics and confirmations. Family obligations for the Talcres pair would need considered... as well as coming up with excuses on where the three were hiding for however long they stayed. Then there was the small matter of securing the location she’d been eyeing to carry out one of these ’teleportations’ without drawing eyes.

’Scheming involves a *lot* all at once. I’m not sure why my wife likes it so much.’