The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 147 - Little Girls Are Sweet And Spice, And They Will Consume *Lots* Of Both Until They No Longer Feel So Nice

Chapter 147: Chapter 147 - Little Girls Are Sweet And Spice, And They Will Consume *Lots* Of Both Until They No Longer Feel So Nice

The Goltbred estate’s kitchen held an unusual gathering for the hours between meals. Elua sat in the most visible spot at the servant’s table with Onya in her lap. She adjusted her sister while maintaining perfect posture in her silver dress that did not fit the atmosphere in the slightest.

At least in the eyes of her husband-wife. Qat had tried gently steering her wife toward a more private spot, but the brunette would have none of it. The many passersby preparing for the lunch to come only saw the usual style of clothing she wore around the estate, which still did not entirely fit the food workspace... but did not draw the eye as strongly as some things did.

Their Whispering Skydancer observed the scene from atop a cabinet, its white eyes particularly fixed on a cloth-covered heap in the corner. The tall girl’s pigeon-blue gaze also kept darting between approaching servants and that suspicious corner where her earlier failed attempts at cooking resided. The brunette had looked toward it only once when she entered - and had a calloused hand placed over her sight immediately.

"Since my arms are quite full taking care of our precious sister, it seems we have no choice but for you to simply feed me, darling."

Elua’s ’sweet’ voice carried clearly to every ear in the kitchen. The smug ’satisfaction’ radiating from her spirit was matched only by the ’tolerance’ spreading to catch every bit of her wife’s convoluted happiness. The swordswoman dutifully tore a piece from one of her more successful flatbread pan-frying efforts from the plate of them which she’d had the cook store.

While she was not *unphased* by their environment, the blonde was coming to realize that she must have been toughened a little by the past experiences. Her fingers gently brought the food to the small girl’s lips. Likewise well trained by the recent experiences, the heiress opened and took it without any... excessive biting, kissing, or licking.

"Mmm. The spices are perfect~"

The reincarnator’s appreciation seemed genuine as she chewed. More and more servants found reasons to pass through the area and rubberneck as Qat continued feeding her wife the small, carefully torn pieces. The cook and his helpers busied themselves with preparation for the midday meal, though his attention clearly strayed to his morning student’s big success.

A particularly well browned looking morsel from the third piece of flatbread was halfway to Elua’s patiently waiting lips when tiny, chubby fingers snatched it from Qat’s too low grasp. As the shock resonated through the pair of newlyweds, Onya stuffed the bread into her mouth with a loud babble.

The kitchen - or at least the staff members paying too much of their attention on the Goltbred sisters - fell silent.

Half listless mint eyes narrowed slightly as Elua’s cheek twitched and puffed out in ’displeasure’. The almost-year-old seemed quite oblivious to the tension held tight away from her by the protective sister. Brown eyes blinked happily, gumming and chewing her prize with her few teeth.

Meanwhile, Qat could sense everything in the spirit her wife was keeping wrapped tight to her chest through their fragment.

’That is not... good.’

Qat hurriedly tore another piece of bread, trying to smooth over the moment. However, Onya’s tiny hand darted out again and clutched at this morsel as well. The Skydancer tilted its head with keen interest in the proceedings, as if it was starting to wonder if the tall mate of its caretaker intended to feed everyone in the room.

A faint frown crossed Elua’s features as she watched her sister cheerfully claim a second piece meant for her. She didn’t blame her ’fortress’ for refusing to hold on tight. There was only one person to blame! The reincarnator’s thoughts turned distinctly *uncharitable*.

’Why did I ever want a sibling. If they’re just going to get between me and my-’

Her internal complaint cut short as Onya’s chubby fingers suddenly pressed the stolen bread against her pursed lips. The toddler’s face scrunched in concentration as she attempted to copy what she’d been watching... and the last bit of willpower keeping her facade in place fled.

She expressionlessly opened her mouth and took the offering from her perfect, wonderful little sister. Only Qatrand was close enough to see how much her mint eyes shook - and only she had tendrils of spirit wrapped tight around the girl that felt the shudder of the ancient cultivator’s emotions.

’Ahhh... I am really not a worthy person. Such a pure and beautiful creature.’

The teenager was so caught up in the moment that she was oblivious to the many eyes on her. The only ones that mattered were the pigeon-blue, the brown, and the white set - in that order. Blush covered Elua’s cheeks as several servants disguised their amusement poorly.

She was quite certain that one of them down the hall squealed something entirely too accurate about their young miss becoming a mother before any of them knew it. Even the cook paused in his stirring of squash soup to smile at the scene.

The Whispering Skydancer chose this moment to glide down from its cabinet perch with a clear note. It settled with a surprising delicacy on Qat’s shoulder, expecting to be part of the strange sharing of treats. The Yecine tensed slightly at the unfamiliar sensation but relaxed after a few seconds - particularly when the bird made no moves toward her wife’s hair.

"I suppose sharing the meal isn’t so terrible."

Elua murmured after accepting another piece from Qat’s fingers. Her eyes stuck on the traces of flour still visible beneath the swordswoman’s nails as the hand retreated. The cultivator breathed out with a small shudder... as the tide of contentment she felt earlier was set aflame like an ocean of oil.

’Protects. Cooks. Muscles. Cherishes. Accepts. Listens. Waits. Muscles!’

Eyes widened a touch at the rapid-fire sensations of her wife fanning her own flames. The flood of intent could hardly be processed by Qat, but she could tell that unlike moments before with the bit of negativity to the small child in the girl’s arms...

’All of these are good feelings? Strong, but good.’

"Another, please."

The monotone of the young Goltbred could hardly hide the flickering glow in her eyes as her facade failed over and over again to take hold. Or rather, every time she put it in place it wanted to make her do something she really shouldn’t!

Onya continued to intercept every third or fourth piece of the last few spiced flatbread. Proudly, she fed some back to her emotionally charged sister while ’dropping’ others. After the first accident, it became just another part of the game to her.

The heiress allowed her companion to peck at the fallen bits while the cook quietly directed servants to sweep up the scattered crumbs when things were all over. None dared approach too closely while the heir was focused on their young miss.

"Lunch will be ready soon. It would have been ready quicker if everyone minded their own duties."

The cook’s warm voice broke the strange trance-like atmosphere that had built up in the kitchen. Servants began to meander back to their tasks.

"Oh. That’s good."

Elua replied quietly while she accepted the last bite from Qatrand. Onya’s hand had reached out eagerly for it but a stern look from the taller ’brother’ caused her to stall her waving hand for long enough to get past.

"I’m sure our young miss will still eat. She does have a fantastic appetite. But... it’s important not to spoil her too much. Didn’t you say this morning that you had a set of obligations to tend to as well?"

The man said kindly and moved a plate of small cut vegetables over beside the heiress. His tone had a gentle warning reminder to it. He now knew as well as any other the tendency for this particular Yecine to dote - not that he blamed the young man.

’My employers also talk to me more about her eating habits than their own. I imagine being so loved isn’t the easiest thing. And I’m sure she’s got her own worries, being a bride with her duties as well as the rest.’

Qat gave the man a nod and a slight bow before her pigeon-blue gaze turned to her wife. Half-lit mint eyes met her own and her head tilted slightly as if to ask a question. The heiress had been feeling better, but... the ’surface’ still wasn’t quite right.

"You could still use a little time, I think. Sorry that I surprised you this morning."

The swordswoman whispered while moving her arm forward and lifting the heiress’ hand to her lips. A faint shudder passed through the small body in the silver dress as a pair of lips touched her fingers. She had been so good not to do anything to her ’fortress’ the whole time she was being fed!

"Yes... I’ll... leave first. With her. Back to the nursery."

The illusionist managed to reply in a strange voice even as her eyes remained fixed on her spouse. She could feel the technique circulating in the tall teenager as her hair began to blacken. Elua was sure she didn’t look anything like ’cool’ and ’collected’ to the young woman, but she couldn’t bring herself to care at the moment.

"I’ll be coming back early again tomorrow morning to learn more. Okay?"

The Yecine’s search for consent was met with a small nod. Her heart leapt at the way her husband-wife was looking at her as her spirit pressed a little tighter around the fragment in her chest as if it could help calm the rate of its beating.

’So... beautiful. My Qatrand. My precious gem.’

The brunette stood woodenly and held her little sister close and carefully. Despite any plans the cook made her recall, Qat escorted them both to the nursery before ever leaving. The servant who had squealed earlier watched the trio depart, then glanced back at the kitchen.

The place was far duller without such honey-soaked scenes. She could hear a few other servants gossiping about it behind their hands.

"Did you see the look on her face just now?"

"That’s love."

"If... you say so."

One of the newer gossipers, much less sure than the rest, felt like what he just saw was a little stranger than that. He couldn’t put his finger on it entirely... but it did remind him of what a sincerely starving man he met once looked like. Specifically, when he brought the down on his luck man home for a meal.

Overwhelmed, happy, and ready to devour it all even if it would make him sick.