The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 206 - After Thinking Carefully… She Must Have Climbed The Tower To Touch The Bell, Too

Chapter 206: Chapter 206 - After Thinking Carefully... She Must Have Climbed The Tower To Touch The Bell, Too

The deep resonance of a tower’s bell still vibrated in Qat’s whole body. As she caught her breath, a staff member with a ledger noted her name. The second to reach and ring a bell... but the first from this tower. The sound had only faded for a dozen seconds when another dong rolled across the grounds from the last tower.

She looked back at the large bronze bell that hung suspended from a temporary frame. The object was one of many commissioned a long time ago for these events. Most still remained intact from that far past and this was clearly one that had not been replaced.

Its patina soaked in the morning light and reminded the swordswoman of something. Her El had mentioned a few times that she adored the aged and weathered finish of copper. Qatrand stepped back over and her fingers traced its surface.

She imagined she could feel the generations of cultivators who had struck these bells before her. Each subtle dent and scratch told a story. The triumph and struggle of the young and ambitious. Moments where raw determination met the unyielding resistance of an ancient challenge.

’Of course, my mint-drop has made sure I know that this format is not like that of her past.’

The Yecine chuckled and walked away from the bell, fearing the staff member securing the clapper would grow nervous about her proximity to it. The overall winners had already been assigned their glory. The next time it would have the chance to ring out and excite the crowd would be eighteen years from now.

"The lift is ready, but if you don’t mind... others will arrive shortly."

The staff member’s eyes showed admiration despite their professional tone. Qat nodded at them and waited politely. More cultivators pulled themself over the edge in due time.

The fourth to this summit managed a shaky grin as they recognized the Yecine heir waiting. His spirit carried pride in his cousin and no bitterness about not arriving directly after them. The other two climbers were just better than him, he could admit.

Both raven haired cultivators nodded at each other and gripped at each other’s forearms. Once all of them had been recorded in the ledger, Qatrand led them toward where the staff pointed. The lift platform looked sturdy enough to hold all four people comfortably, with guide ropes running through brass rings at each corner.

"After you."

Qat gestured for the other competitors who had made it up to take the first descent. They had earned their rest... and she had earned a stay of ’questioning’. Her own muscles still burned pleasantly from the climb - but while the careful manipulation of her gravity during that final leap had paid off exactly as hoped...

’There will be consequences. If I remember, the ceremony for the winners will not begin for another hour. I hope she won’t be mad that I want to just stay up here for a while.’

The lift began its controlled descent as a counterweight on the other side drew the second platform upward. Pigeon-blues couldn’t *fully* see the similar mechanisms at each tower due to the side of the towers they were placed. However, she was sure the mortal staff at them were working hard to manage the slow stream of successful climbers making their way back down.

Qat walked to the outer rim that looked over the center of the competition grounds. The flood of people, colorful banners, and sun shading tarps was quite a sight from up high. Her gaze drifted across cultivators still ascending the other towers.

Some still moved steadily, intent on using the final half hour of climb to make it to the top. Others seemed frozen in place while weighing their next moves. The support staff on the ground looked like busy ants from this height. They scurried in and out of the water to drag away the many who were giving up.

A flash of twilight feathers caught her attention as her wife’s Whispering Skydancer glided over to land on the bell frame. The bird’s head tilted as its white eyes studied the mate it had been being sent to a lot lately. It hopped off into a little dive closer before bouncing over to present a small rolled note secured to its leg.

Qat’s fingers pinched on it slightly as she untied the message. The fragment in her chest had already recognized the surge of continual ’delight’ from the heiress since the moment she had made her leap. Familiar traces of the illusionist’s spiritual energy was also woven into the paper.

’In case someone else happened to read it, I bet. It’s sometimes unnerving to think that she can so precisely target everyone except me.’

/ Take the time you need. You were magnificent. /

The direct words from this single source carried more weight than the lengthy congratulations she could hear being shouted below. Especially since her wife understood her need for quiet reflection after such an achievement. The swordswoman settled against one of the bell’s support pillars and began to meditate.

While some had already started the wait for the ceremony after the event, she was content processing what her performance might mean for her future. Most importantly... immediately. The Skydancer remained perched on the frame above. It occasionally scanned the horizon with keen eyes.

After all, it had also been told to watch the king’s back. Messengers usually needed guards, not *acted* as them! His queen really was a taskmaster.

---

The gathered Yecine elders stood in a shadowed pavilion near their family’s assigned viewing area. It was chosen carefully to observe all three towers without being obvious about their interest.

The first bell’s toll had drawn sharp glances between. It happened not long after the *unusual* tactic by their heir, who many now had to admit were impressed from the start until that moment. Unfortunately, the sound came from the ’wrong’ direction.

When the second rang from the ’right’ one a minute later, several pairs of eyes turned toward Anper to judge his potential reaction. The man’s expression remained neutral despite the growing murmurs from the crowd about their heir’s success. Of course, inside he was uncomfortable!

The third toll had long sounded from the rightmost tower by the time Navuill arrived in their area. The young man’s steps and proper bow showed off his training, though his spirit carried an unmistakable edge of pride that several elders noted with mild disapproval.

"Qatrand reached the bell second overall. Fourth place in our region was the best I could manage."

His report remained steady despite his own achievement being somewhat overshadowed. The elders that had expected him to be too proud of his own success had not expected he would willingly inform them of his cousin’s placement first. Still, the fact that the person they wanted to question was not available made many stern faces grow a bit chillier.

"A respectable showing for our family. Wouldn’t you all say?"

The sudden voice from Lirades carried just enough warmth to make all the men uncomfortable. They should have known she wouldn’t stay put with the rest of the watching family. Her gaze drifted to where two young boys strained to see past the crowd.

Their excitement at their eldest sibling’s achievement was barely contained by their training. They wanted to be the first to see them approach and tell the elders! Though that hope would fade a little before long.

After a while, the pair of boys had finally noticed that the one they wanted to see was not coming down from the tower yet. Even after what felt like forever, their eldest sibling was still up there. The patience of children... has limits.

"Why won’t brother join us?"

Ajoreal’s question carried a slight whine that made Kaland bristle with embarrassment. He grabbed his younger sibling’s sleeve and tugged him away from where they’d been watching next to the older men. The motion was perhaps a bit rougher than intended, but proper Yecine didn’t complain in public!

"Father says we shouldn’t question why our members do something."

The words came out automatically - memorized and repeated - though it didn’t prevent his own gaze from drifting back to the tower’s peak. He remembered their brief talk with Qatrand before the climb. The way their eldest had told them to watch everything with their own eyes.

’Was staying up there also something to observe?’

His grip on his brother’s sleeve loosened as both continued to stare upward. Their earlier excitement had waned but not extinguished. The elders might disapprove, but neither boy could fully hide their pride in their sibling’s achievement.

At least not yet.

Meanwhile, their father seemed to work in the opposite direction. Anper’s face finally frowned as he watched the staff bustle around the towers. His thoughts turned to the Goltbred girl’s known skill with sigils and her recent work on the competition grounds.

’Of course. If my daughter wanted to win, that girl would make it happen.’

The man started to think that perhaps their ’heir’ and her unexpected performance warranted... closer scrutiny. Instead of being happy that their ’investment of resources’ was finally paying off, he’d rather assume that Elua had helped his ’disappointment’ cheat to win.

"We shall see how the rest of the events unfold."