The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 129 - Paying So Much Thought To Another, You Forget The Distance You Kept

Chapter 129: Chapter 129 - Paying So Much Thought To Another, You Forget The Distance You Kept

In any case, Fusand was not as worried as her about appearing ’disloyal’ - but it wasn’t as if he hadn’t wondered what to do if the cultivator pair gave them some sort of ultimatum, to continue learning along with them.

’Adults always want something for doing something. It makes sense. Time is valuable to anyone, even a child.’

The spiritualist boy didn’t think either of them would charge too much for their tutelage. The Talcres did strike him as ’good’ people. But, he’d have to admit that any amount would be an ’expense’ compared to getting *paid* to explore and shop between learning the Goltbred girl’s rather incisive cultivation advice.

Nohre finally nodded her admission about loyalty concerns and a braid bobbed with the movement.

"I don’t want her to think we’re ungrateful if we end up spending more time with them in the coming weeks."

"I don’t think she would see it that way. She always says to seek knowledge wherever we can find it, right?"

Fingers ran along the edge of a particularly fine and particularly expensive piece of leather as Nohre reluctantly conceded the point. She hated when she had to do it, knowing it made her thoughts seem silly.

"True. But that was before she started acting... different. What if she changes her mind about us learning from others? What if it was a test of some kind in the first place?"

Fusand fell silent. He was too wrapped up in thoughts about his relationship with this girl, and hadn’t actually considered that approach - it sounded like something their master might do!

The sounds of the market washed over them as they lethargically continued their search. Both of the orphans were lost in thought about their enigmatic patron and the changes swirling around everyone. A hand lingered on a promising piece of leather when Fusand suddenly gripped her arm.

’Oh no, is this it? He’s finally going to kiss-’

Her rapid heart beat stalled, when she realized his gaze was fixed on something beyond the market stalls. With a nod in the direction, he began to urgently whisper.

"Look over there. Isn’t that Qatrand? The hair is still black and the suit is the same as when we met after their breakfast..."

Green eyes blinked away their disappointment and followed his line of sight. She spotted the tall, raven haired figure striding purposefully through the crowd. Sunlight glinted off of a crystal wrapped around a large scabbard worn by the young man.

’That does look like our gift...’

It also helped that Qatrand’s usual stoic expression was softened by what could only be described as a hint of a smile. It was easy to equate it with the looks that the groom had seen given towards the Goltbred at the wedding. A tiny gasp escaped Nohre’s lips as she turned her face.

"It is. And they’re heading straight for..."

"Elua’s workshop-house."

The boy finished as she trailed off. The two disciples exchanged a loaded glance, both of them primed with excitement at the thought of that pair reuniting. The girl even took a half-step forward as if to follow.

"Should we go say hello? Maybe warn about ma- Elua’s mood?"

Fusand’s hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Wait. We probably shouldn’t get in the middle of that..."

Nohre paused, studying their master’s spouse more closely. There was something about the swordsman’s entire demeanor - a sense of confidence that was even stronger than the last time they met.

’This person handled our master so gently... and lovingly.’

She wasn’t envious of the second thing! Or so she grumbled inwardly while hesitatingly shaking her head. After a sigh, she admitted that he was right - but that didn’t completely stop her from wanting to follow.

"Doesn’t it make you curious? What if something has happened since we visited?"

The boy’s fingers gripped her a little tighter as he shook his head. He didn’t often use a firm tone, but as wary as she could be about strangers and other dangers... his fellow disciple would quickly stick her nose into the matters of people she cared about.

’It’s the most common complaint I hear from the other orphans.’

"Think about it, Nohre. Her husband is heading straight for her after coming back... probably, since the station was that way. After how we saw her... don’t you think this might be, well, best left private?"

The girls shoulders sagged slightly as understanding dawned. The other children didn’t just complain to *him* about her behavior. Though for all his attempts to stop her now, he was just as ’tolerated’. He had a habit of impulsively and bluntly saying things to people.

"Oh. You mean they might need to... talk. Without us around."

"Exactly. I don’t think we want to be caught in the middle of that. I don’t want to be, at least."

They both watched as Qatrand disappeared around a distant corner. The tall figure’s stride had never faltered, though it *did* look like it sped up some as they were talking.

"So what do we do now?"

The teenager with braided hair voiced with disappointment. The boy scratched at his slim neck, not liking that he was part of the reason she felt that way. He cleared his throat upon some ’sudden inspiration’.

"Well, we can finish our task here. Then we head back and drop things off. Who knows? Maybe by the time we return..."

A grin spread across the girl’s face as she turned and picked him up in a sudden hug.

"We might catch the aftermath! Fusand, you’re brilliant!"

"Yes, and you are strong. This hurts."

She quickly dropped him. Her arms fell limply to her sides as she released the boy, her face burning with embarrassment. Nohre took a step back, her wide green eyes darting everywhere but at her ’friend’.

Fusand stumbled slightly as he landed, panting a little while catching his breath. His sandy hair was disheveled as he doubled over from the sudden embrace. He ran a hand through it, trying to regain his composure as she started to mumble an apology.

"I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to... I forgot how strong-"

"It’s okay."

The boy interrupted a little too fast. He cleared his throat and turned his face, trying to hide the small bit of pink heat in his own cheeks.

"Just... maybe a warning next time?"

The girl’s head snapped to his profile over his particular wording.

"Next time?"

Fusand’s blush deepened and his voice cracked.

"I mean, not that I- i-it’s just a figure of speech!"

They both stared at each other with a palpable level of *awkward* crossing between them. Nohre fidgeted with the end of one of her braids and Fusand became suddenly fascinated with adjusting his sleeve. He’d never cared about his clothing in his life!

A merchant’s loud haggling a few stalls down broke the tension and caused them both to jump. Their eyes met for a brief moment to check on each other before quickly darting away again. The Projectionist cleared his throat.

"We should probably... finish the shopping."

"Right. Shopping. For leather. For mas- for our employer."

Nohre agreed too quickly, her voice pitched in a lower register than normal. They walked down the length of stalls with stiff movements. Each was being overly careful as if afraid to accidentally brush against each other and make even more of the moment.

Of course, the more you focus on something sometimes the more likely it is to happen.

The teenage girl reached for a piece of leather that caught her eye at the same time as the boy. Their hands touched only briefly, yet they both recoiled as if burned by the contact. Both of them muttered an apology at the same time, before laughing nervously.

The stolen glances at each other when they *thought* the other wasn’t looking... made both *acutely* aware that something had apparently shifted between them.

---

An illusionist’s eyes grew as big as saucers as a familiar sensation pulsed through the fragment in her chest. Qat was near! Too near... the swordswoman was *closer* to where the heiress was going than she was.

’The house. Oh no, the house!’

Panic hit her like a physical blow, driving the air from her lungs. It was one thing to know you had an ugly side, one thing for you to tell the person you loved that you had it... and another entirely for them to see it in action. Elua knew that she couldn’t even do anything in time, but she broke into a run anyway.

Her feet pounded against the streets as she weaved through startled pedestrians that quickly forgot what they were looking at an instant later. Her spiritual sense followed in her wake with more force than finesse.

Rather than swerve when a merchant’s cart loomed in her path, the reincarnator leapt. Her feet found the edge of a rooftop and she just kept running up above. Since she wasn’t being so careful with the use of her abilities, there was no sense in pretending to be bound to mortal methods.

Her spirit funneled through the fragment and reached out to probe the distance between her and Qat. The brunette was moving significantly faster, but she had wandered too far into the city. The Goltbred girl pushed even harder, combining use of her essence to knock away the winds and round off her running balance when using her Physique in such a constant state.

As she neared the small home, a place she’d meant to be a nice and comfortable place for Qat to return to... her anxiety mounted. She wondered if she had hidden the new sigils well enough. If there was a single thing she could do to make this instantly better. If she would be asked what was wrong with her.

If, if, if. Questions with no good answers pounded at the mint eyed girl.