The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 187 - Attempted Murder In The Nursery, Qatrand Stabbed With Vocal Adoration, Suspect Still Loose

Chapter 187: Chapter 187 - Attempted Murder In The Nursery, Qatrand Stabbed With Vocal Adoration, Suspect Still Loose

Onya’s nanny and personal servant had long wondered what the eldest Goltbred daughter did during those private visits with the toddler. The way her mint eyes would turn dull and lifeless lately when asking everyone to leave had been... unsettling at first.

Today was different. The young master Qatrand’s presence seemed to change the rule about solitude - and what the servant discovered because of it was both amusing and reassuring.

"...and then your amazing ’brother’-in-law moved so fluidly, as if the weapon weighed nothing at all! The way those muscles flexed when following through with the motion was absolutely captivating~"

The brunette sat on the floor beside Onya’s play area, gesturing dramatically while the toddler grabbed at her silver dress. Her normally reserved spouse stood nearby, a light blush coloring her cheeks at the endless stream of praise that had been coming out of the cute girl.

She regretted taking her blazer off during the light training as much as rolling her sleeves up her forearm. It only made sense now why Elua had grown quiet despite watching her arms so intently. Qat just thought she was watching her form!

"El..."

"Oh, but you should have seen what happened next, little ’riverbend’! Though I suppose I shouldn’t share ALL the details... some things are just between me and ’him’."

The eldest daughter winked at the baby, who giggled and reached toward her facade-animated face. The servant bit back a smile, suddenly understanding why the heiress had always insisted on privacy. If all those times had been filled with her gushing about her beloved to an infant audience of one...

"Ah~ Your ’brother’ is just too impressive not to talk about! Isn’t that right, Onya?"

The toddler babbled back happily in response, clearly enjoying her big sister’s enthusiasm even if she couldn’t understand the words. She tugged at the silver fabric again and Elua scooped her up. She shifted the child to one hip, freeing her other hand to gesture at Qat’s tied-back blonde hair.

"Look, see how the sunlight catches it just right? I told you ’he’ looks better this way, didn’t I? Though the black tied up has its own appeal..."

Onya reached toward her brother-in-law with grabbing motions that seemed to mimic the gesture from her sister. The Yecine stepped closer and leaned down to let the chubby little hands pat at her face. The brunette continued her enthusiastic monologue while the reddish-blonde child showed affection to her spouse.

"I know I’ve told you before about the way your ’brother’ trains so diligently, always working to improve... ah, but you’ll only understand when you’re older how wonderful that dedication actually is!"

"El, she doesn’t need a complete report of my days."

The servant watched the family moment unfold, noting how Qatrand’s embarrassment seemed to war with genuine pleasure at the praise. The tall blonde gently caught one of Onya’s exploring hands before it tried to poke her in the eye... and the toddler squealed in delight. She began slapping the back of the swordswoman’s hand.

"Of course she does. How else will she grow up knowing what an amazing sibling she gained by our marriage?"

Qat’s pigeon-blue eyes softened as she looked between her wife and the baby. She was well aware of what usually happened during their private visits - the illusions and stories Elua would craft for Onya’s entertainment. This deliberate display of ’normalcy’ for the servant’s benefit was both touching... and mortifying.

"Ba ba ba!"

The toddler’s babbling grew more insistent as she stretched toward the blonde. Elua’s eyes lit with ’amusement’ at her sister’s demands before she continued to speak with a ’reluctant’ frown.

"Oh? Does someone want their brother to hold them instead?"

The brunette hugged the child closer for a moment.

"But I just got you! Are you already tired of hearing about how wonderful Qat is? You have to go see for yourself?"

The baby’s only response was to wiggle and reach more determinedly. Qat stood to her full height and took a half step. Her hands moved to support the transfer as the girl knew that the heiress had no intention of denying her sister.

"Come here then, little one."

As soon as she was in the taller teen’s arms, Onya immediately climbed up by grabbing on the lapels of her black suit. Her tiny arm reached fruitlessly around the muscular neck for the cord keeping the blonde ponytail up.

At least until the girl turned her head and brought it close enough to touch. Small fingers tangled in the strands of hair, picking at the little strip of leather, while the child made sounds of curiosity. A ’sweet’ voice carried a hint of purely theatrical jealousy.

"Now aren’t you the popular one, my love?"

The servant couldn’t prevent another smile - she’d seen this particular scene play out before when the young master visited alone. The baby seemed fascinated by Qatrand’s hair... probably because the young man was one of the few who didn’t try to stop her from pulling on it.

"Though I suppose I can’t blame her... everything about you is quite captivating after all~"

"El..."

The warning tone in Qat’s voice did nothing to deter her wife. If anything, the blush still coloring her cheeks only encouraged further enthusiastic praise. Elua sat cross-legged on the floor, her silver dress pooling around her as she looked upward happily.

Her facade bore the expression of someone about to share a particularly juicy piece of gossip.

"Have I properly described how naturally you handle our little sister? Just watching you with her makes my heart flutter! The way you so easily adjusted when she tried to climb higher... and how you turned your head at exactly the right moment to let her reach for your hair..."

The servant watched the Yecine’s face grow redder even as they remained steady and gentle with the toddler. Onya had managed to work the cord partially loose, causing a few strands of blonde hair to fall forward.

"You know, before I saw you with her like this... I never thought someone could look both strong and tender at the same-"

"El, please. You’re going to make everyone uncomfortable."

The brunette’s eyes almost glowed with pure ’mischief’ as she tilted her head and placed a finger against her cheek.

"Oh? But the only one who seems uncomfortable is you, my love. Onya is clearly having fun, and..."

The heiress turned toward the nanny with a ’sweet’ smile.

"Surely you don’t mind hearing about my husband’s wonderful qualities?"

The servant had to admire how the heiress could make such a leading question sound completely innocent! Between all the times the young miss had enthusiastically praised her spouse to her parents, the servants... and even those moments when she’d seemingly talk to herself... everyone in the household had grown quite accustomed to these affectionate declarations.

"Of course not. In fact, it’s rather reassuring..."

The servant’s response made Qat look over in surprise, though she kept her movement slow to avoid disturbing the girl trying to loosen her hair.

"Your love for the young master is quite famous among the staff. We often used to say that if you’ve gone more than an hour without mentioning some wonderful thing about your fiance, you must be feeling unwell."

A light laugh escaped Elua’s personal servant as she entered with a tray of refreshments. When she learned that having anticipated her mistress would want to stay longer.

"Indeed. It’s become quite the reliable measure of my lady’s mood. Though I must say, today she seems particularly energetic in her praise. Perhaps she is trying to trick the young man into something."

The brunette’s facade showed no hint of embarrassment at being discussed like this, her ’sweet’ smile only growing wider. Her husband-wife, on the other hand, looked somewhat stunned by these casual talks about the household’s over-awareness of Elua’s devotion.

Onya finally freed the cord from the teenager’s hair and caused the last of it to spread out. Both personal servants began arranging cups while Elua’s kept talking.

"The correlation has proven quite reliable. The more detailed the praise, the better her spirits."

The nanny poured the pitcher of chilled cider while the other gave Qat a knowing look.

"She spent nearly half an hour explaining to the kitchen staff how impressive your sword forms looked during practice at the Youth Guild. Our cook said it was the most thorough description of blade work he’d ever heard... though he admitted most of it went over his head."

The swordswoman secured Onya in one arm and tried gathering her freed hair, but the toddler immediately protested. Those tiny hands pushed apart the blonde strands again with surprising determination.

"Well, I think she prefers it down, young master."

"Luckily, I like it no matter how you wear it. You can humor her, Qat."

Both servants shared a soft look of amusement as the Yecine let the baby play. Elua sat and watched the patting and tugging with ’content’. The tall teen’s face had a subtle smile tugging at her lips as she spoke to the women.

"Is there anything else to say of my wife’s... enthusiasm for me?"

"Oh, that’s hardly the half of it. Should we tell him about the time you spent an entire afternoon explaining to the gardeners exactly how the young master’s dedication to training had inspired you to work harder?"

A flicker of ’discomfort’ passed through Elua’s spirit, though her facade effortlessly maintained its pleased expression. Qat felt the shift through their connection and glanced at her wife with sudden interest.

"Oh? I don’t believe I’ve heard this story."

Elua’s personal servant was seemingly oblivious to her mistress’s distress - and had no idea how close she had been to being forced into a ’daydream’.