The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 172 - Some Treasures Drool On You In Their Sleep, While Others Sat On Shelves For Centuries

Chapter 172: Chapter 172 - Some Treasures Drool On You In Their Sleep, While Others Sat On Shelves For Centuries

A Yecine blinked slowly awake in a place that none from their family ever had before. As well as in a situation that only a handful born in her family came close to being able to relate with. Qatrand immediately felt that something wasn’t quite right and tilted her head.

The small foot of a person shifted mere inches from her nose. Its little toes flexed in some movement that could only be dream-inspired. Elua’s cream colored skin wasn’t pale, but the bottom of her feet seemed to be a lot lighter.

’I’ve honestly never thought about looking.’

She carefully lifted her head to survey the strange arrangement that her wife had made of their second night sleeping together. Qat found herself being clung to again after laying on her back... except somehow, the brunette had rotated upside down in the night.

Trailing from the leg on her chest was the sight of the silver dress fabric bunched up high around her waist. The blonde felt the blood rush to her ears and neck as she carefully tugged the fabric down over the *not* silver cloth that was exposed to maintain her wife’s dignity.

Trying to purge any considerations for why it had been familiar yellow with *specific* blue lace, how long the girl had been wearing the colors as underwear, or whether this entire event had been staged... took at least fifteen seconds. The swordswoman was rather adept at diverting things she couldn’t understand for later consideration!

’Though I don’t... think I’ll ask her any questions this time. Not today. Not about that.’

The ancient cultivator’s arms wrapped possessively around her thigh and she could see her jaw working methodically at her pant leg. The fearsome reincarnator looked more like a puppy with a favorite toy. Qat had to hold back a chuckle to make sure she could watch it longer.

Every few seconds, the girl would make quiet nomming sounds like she was eating something tasty. Drool had long dampened the cloth... but the tall girl didn’t want to move to stop her. The moment was too precious to interrupt and her spirit tendrils curled protectively around the small form.

Until a foot moved that started pressing into her cheek. A stray thought crossed her mind as she avoided a toe nearly poking her eye. The bottom of that small foot looked rather... ticklish.

Her fingers had barely twitched when mint eyes snapped open. The offending foot darted away as the Goltbred pulled it closer to her own body. The brunette blearily pulled up from her place against her thigh with a few strands of thready saliva trailing from her mouth.

"Don’t you dare."

The monotone warning came too late. She’d already been kicked in the face repeatedly! Qat’s thumb reached out and brushed across the sensitive arch, causing her El to cutely squeak and jerk. The swordswoman couldn’t contain her laughter and closed her eyes while letting her head fall back.

Her wife had quickly ruined the chivalrous attempt at clothing management.

"Good morning, El."

"Hmph."

The pout was audible and the taller girl could picture it, even before the heiress shifted and crawled around enough to show it. Elua had seemingly wiped her mouth hastily and hovered looking down when she cracked her eye to see the puffed cheek.

"That was mean. I was having a nice dream about eating pastries."

"I noticed. You were eating my pants."

A faint blush colored the brunette’s cheeks as she realized that it *was* what she’d been doing. Her facade broke for a second before bouncing back fully. Mint eyes looked down to showcase her ’shame’, but that just made her lock on her beloved’s lips instead.

"Well! Your wife can’t help what she does in her sleep. Besides, you could have woken me properly with a kiss."

"I see. So kicking my face was because you wanted me to... kiss the bottom of your foot?"

Keeping her expression full of emotion seemed fruitless. The light in her eyes fled as she looked into the amused pigeon-blues. Her ’fortress’ was clearly sending out its attacking forces!

"I’m not saying no, but please don’t."

"Okay. I won’t."

It wasn’t a good thing if they started testing other places to kiss. The ancient cultivator didn’t completely agree with the statement, but she had once heard a Clairvoyant say that ’ignorance is bliss’. The making out was already a complicated affair that was fulfilling... and unfulfilling with what they tried.

"I haven’t been up long. I wanted to watch you a little longer. You’re quite cute when you sleep."

"...Really?"

"Yeah. Even when you’re trying to devour my clothes."

The blush still on the girl’s ’emotionless’ face deepened.

"You’re supposed to pretend you didn’t see that."

Her voice lacked heat in its monotone - but even if it had been there, Qat could feel the ’frustration’ was aimed at El herself. The blonde leaned up and pressed a long soft kiss to her lips when she stopped talking.

"Good morning, El. It’s time to wake up."

"You already greeted me once. Are you still mad about before?"

"No. I just like saying it."

Elua’s mood rose and fell at the words as she let her arms grow slack. She fell over the other teenager and buried her face in the blonde hair on the bed. Qatrand quickly started to rub her back in warm concern.

"What’s wrong?"

"I already didn’t want to go anywhere. Now I feel like I’m robbing you of something. Why did you admit you like doing it? Just keep me in the dark~"

The sweet whining voice was muffled near the Yecine’s ear. The whole dinner last night hadn’t just been her little wife pestering her with flirty notes. They’d also broached the topic of the sigilist’s travel and work.

"Why would I hide things I’m sure about? Besides, this just means both of us have to be strong for each other, right?"

Elua turned and kissed the swordswoman on the cheek before reluctantly lifting herself back up. If she needed strength to keep her mood from turning, she needed breakfast. Then they could better get on with their day.

---

The raven-haired swordswoman found herself invited to take tea with a member of her family. Though it only happened when she showed up to the elder woman’s room without much notice. The late morning sun filtered through a set of gauzy black curtains in Lirades’ private study.

Old texts and scrolls lined the walls instead of weapons and paintings of battle, quickly marking her as more of a thinker than a fighter. Though she was still a Yecine and there was still a single large blade on display.

The old woman’s eyes held a sharp gleam as she poured for her young relative. Her hands were not as wrinkled as they should be for her centuries and they moved with grace, showing no signs of age-related tremor.

"This is an unexpected pleasure. Though I suspect you didn’t seek me out to discuss the weather."

Qatrand accepted the cup with proper formality. The weight of her wife’s smiling permission to handle this sat comfortably in her chest.

"I wanted to ask about the mirror you gifted us."

"Ah. You and your young wife have been busy. I trust it arrived home safely?"

"Yes. It has... unique properties."

Qat watched her for a reaction and saw that the elder’s gaze sharpened further. She set her cup down with deliberate care as she met the young heir’s eyes.

"How fascinating. And your wife sent you to inquire whether I knew of these properties?"

"In a manner of speaking. I requested and El agreed that I should handle this part."

A slight smile touched Lirades’ lips at the casual use of the nickname. As well as the very concept that a Yecine would talk the matter through to come to an agreement with their spouse.

’This pair really is quite different.’

She leaned back while considering the young heir before her. Such directness should be met in kind. Lirades had nothing to hide.

"I acquired it from a merchant who claimed it was a family heirloom. He seemed eager to part with it at the time, despite its apparent value. It has sat in my collection for a hundred and fifty years."

Qatrand absorbed the details while noting the careful way the elder worded her response. There was no clear deception. She felt it was instead a curiosity about why the question needed asking - but her mission wasn’t to let a lot of details loose, it was to collect new ones.

"Did he mention anything unusual about it?"

"Only that it had been in their collection for generations. Though..."

Lirades tilted her head and tapped her cup before deciding to just ask.

"If you’re seeking answers, I assume something about it warranted more investigation?"

The swordswoman met the elder’s calculating look steadily. This old woman had always seemed to stand slightly apart from other family politics. She kept herself to the resident’s of the wing of the estate that housed the wives and daughters of their family.

In other circumstances, Qatrand might have grown up knowing her better. As it was, with the deception of the faction Anper belonged to, she was more like a kind stranger.

"It seemed appropriate to inform the gifter that it may have more significance than initially thought."

The woman’s eyes crinkled with genuine amusement.

"How diplomatic. You’ve grown into quite the heir, haven’t you? Tell me, does your father know you’re here?"

"No. This is a private matter."

The old woman studied the young man for a long moment. She wasn’t sure what everyone was up to in the estate, but since she started paying more attention to those of her family upset by the little waves the Goltbred girl had made... she was growing confident that something else was not right.

She often felt a bit of a buzz in her skull when she was near this child.

"Well, should you discover anything interesting about its properties, I would be most curious to hear of it. Of course, that is if such information isn’t being so carefully guarded next time."

She rose smoothly, signaling the end of their meeting. Her guest followed and they walked to the door. She paused before sending her visitor away, a smile growing in her eyes.

"It’s good to see you taking initiative in family matters. Even if they primarily concern your wife’s interests. After all, I know what it is like to care more about a partner than the matters of our Yecine."

Qatrand bowed slightly, recognizing the praise and the unsubtle acknowledgment of her priorities. Her low voice came out to correct her just a little.

"Even still, I plan to care for both, elder. Though it does make me feel good to have your approval."

The conversation had yielded little concrete information. But it did at least lead the swordswoman to believe that the mirror’s appearance in their lives hadn’t been orchestrated by the Yecine family. She wanted to believe her wife’s assessment.

Knowing that her El was right, after already being told she was safe, was a lot more comforting than learning the origin of some relic.