The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 209 - My ’Love’ Comes In Like A Wrecking Ball, But Probably Damaged Nothing… Well, Besides Her Lip?

Chapter 209: Chapter 209 - My ’Love’ Comes In Like A Wrecking Ball, But Probably Damaged Nothing... Well, Besides Her Lip?

The spiritual pressure wasn’t hostile - it simply tried to dismiss the building concerns in the most expedient way. Elua er Goltbred truly did not care about them. About their worries. If she had a mind to, she could have moved and left them to gather their wits.

But that mind was focused on the only important thing.

’Qat...’

The children that had attempted to engage with her were insignificant. At least until her beloved told her otherwise. It wasn’t her problem to deal with in the first place, unless... her precious gem told her otherwise. This wasn’t a calculated insult - it was raw *prioritization* that made family politics feel suddenly, disturbingly small.

At least that was the take that Lirades chose to hold on to when Qatrand leapt over the railing and hugged the heiress to his chest. The discomfiting intent drew back in an instant, wrapped tight by so many tendrils of a particular swordswoman’s spirit.

"I’ll apologize in her place for now. Excuse us."

Their winning participant’s arm slipped around the troublemaker’s waist and hoisted her up. The hold was unnecessarily gentle, but with the speed of its deployment... many thought the ’heir’ was being rough with their wife. Without breaking stride or acknowledging the lingering stares, the raven-haired teen bolted away from the crowded venue.

"Qat..."

Elua melted into the two forms of contact as she called out in monotone. The spiritual energy seemed like it was doing its best to serve as a barrier between her and the world’s expectations. The dismissive aura had retracted... but all along there had been something warmer and softer.

The emotions in this life meant only for Qat.

Small fingers tugged on the formal black jacket, all but patiently begging for more direct attention. The familiar weight of her sword at her other hip grounded her steps even as the press of the cute girl against her side kept her from thinking ’properly’.

They passed the main pavilion, then some of the merchant stalls. The supposedly purposeful stride never faltered, even as the Yecine realized she had no destination in mind. She simply needed to get Elua somewhere private, somewhere... they could talk.

"Two more turns ahead."

Elua’s sudden whisper lilted with ’amusement’, proving she was rather back to ’normal’. A short sigh escaped the girl with hair on its way to being blonde. Of course her El would know the perfect spot to go...

’She would have mapped every corner of these grounds, knowing her.’

Qat followed more quiet directions over the next minute. Their path meandered between temporary structures until they reached what appeared to be a maintenance area for the competition’s mechanical obstacles. Neat rows of replacement wooden gears and ropes for pulleys lined the walls.

The Yecine also noticed sigils etched near the entrance in a strange place. Unmistakably filled with a tiny fragment of the illusionist’s spirit. Pigeon blues looked over at the brunette pretending to be a barnacle on her side after she had already let go of her hold.

"The staff surely won’t check these for at least two more hours. They’ll wait for the practice climbers to disperse before making any fixes to the towers."

The heiress let a hand slide up to cup her husband-wife’s face. Her light touch was reverent. Mint eyes sparkled with adoration as Elua traced the jawline that belonged to the reborn cultivator - *her* Qatrand.

"My perfect, protective fortress. What even *was* your plan when you lifted me up?"

The swordswoman gripped again near the small waist. She tugged down on the silver dress, hoping in vain that the girl wouldn’t be all that stubborn.

"I wasn’t thinking. Just needed to... get you somewhere quiet."

"I know. That’s why it’s perfect."

Elua replied while scratching under the teenager’s chin. She had no intention of getting down so easily! If her beloved wanted her to disembark, she would have to say so in words.

"You didn’t hesitate. Didn’t plan. Just saw what was needed and acted. Don’t you know? Most heroes say this... that they moved before thinking to save a person."

Qatrand gave up on tugging at her and rapidly held onto the hand teasing her face. After another ’patient’ sigh, she looked at the little fingertips... and tried to clear the momentary thought from her skull about softly biting one in revenge for ’not listening’.

’I have a feeling that is what she wanted. Or at least one of her acceptable results?’

"I just did well in one event, why are you talking about heroics? Besides, if I saved anyone... it was probably them, right?"

The ancient cultivator who couldn’t entirely refute just ’smiled’ and tilted her head.

"I’m pretty sure I would have done nothing lethal unless you... or maybe Onya... well, we can go ahead and include the rest of my family and disciples. Unless they were in mortal danger without me going that far."

Mint eyes averted from the dependable pigeon blues.

"Still, I felt your worry about them."

The words came soft from the brunette. She let her fingers spread on the black cloth of Qat’s formal jacket, pressing just hard enough to trace the muscles underneath. Her ’enjoyment’ threaded through their connection as she kept her face pressed close.

"Knowing how you were concerned that what I was doing might affect them. It helped me focus again... since I want to care for what you care about."

Elua leaned her forehead into the swordswoman’s neck as a spark of her usual ’mischief’ returned.

"Of course, if you’re that concerned... you could always go back to check on them. Leave me here right now to settle down on my own. That is an option, darling."

The spiritual tendrils wrapped tighter around the schemer’s limbs in response. The more firm press of her beloved’s spirit against her drew a pleased hum from her throat. The reincarnator wanted to feel that she would regret being so honest about liking it... but those thoughts only came when it wasn’t being done!

"We both know that isn’t happening. I won’t just hide you away and leave you."

The low voice carried equal parts exasperation and affection. Qat stepped over and pulled them even closer toward the piled wooden gears, clearly intending to sit on the largest.

"Yes. I know."

Elua’s gaze drifted back to the entrance. The sigils would ensure their complete privacy... and even made people ’want’ to stay away. Though she hadn’t explained them yet to her, the illusionist was confident that her fortress knew as well. After all, she had done something similar in the past.

"That’s why I love you. One of the countless reasons, but a very good one."

They both shifted as the tall girl started to settle onto the large wooden gear. Qatrand’s legs were still inclined without spreading out her feet, but the silver dressed heiress took her throne before she could bother. Sitting on the hard angled thighs, she rested her knees around the blonde’s waist.

While the cute girl held lightly onto the sides of her torso, debating whether to squeeze tighter or keep *calm* and *rational*... Qat cupped the back of her wife’s head. Fingers thread gently through soft brown strands as words gave way to a deep, lingering kiss.

Elua’s spirit eagerly embraced and danced around the tendrils still holding her, in quite the same way her tongue met her husband-wife’s. Unlike the suppressive aura that had ’dismissed’ everyone else, this spiritual mesh felt far more natural.

’Like two pieces finding their proper fit. Only... I have to keep them from fitting *too* closely. Such torture~’

Minutes passed and Elua’s hands remained splayed against the side of Qat’s jacket, though her fingers occasionally curled against the fabric when the swordswoman’s spiritual holds tightened. Which seemed to happen more and more frequently as things went on.

The Goltbred broke their session before her hands decided to do worse than tickle her sides. The monotone she belted out was ’confident’ despite her quickened breathing.

"Your method of calming me down seems a bit... counterproductive. You’re having trouble staying calm yourself, my fortress."

Qat let out a soft exhale at her El’s observation. Her free hand reached up and poked at her own lips, feeling the saliva... and the swelling from being *taught* what too much focus on one spot felt like. Her misty pigeon blue eyes searched dull mint ones, noting the mix of ’teasing’ and ’appreciation’ radiating from her wife.

"We should probably return to our duties soon."

The low voice was even huskier than usual and small fingers bunched in the black fabric of Qat’s jacket. Watching how she affected her... was dangerous! She really needed to be told to ’be good’, because she was forgetting why she ’should’.

"I won’t tell anyone if you want to take a few more minutes just for us. But then we..."

After she trailed off, she leaned in and pressed her cheek against the Yecine’s. A minute later, a thoughtful look crossed the heiress’s restored facade as she smoothed out the extreme wrinkles she had made in the other girl’s clothing.

"Those brothers of yours. They were there, weren’t they?"

"They were close to you when I arrived."

The ancient cultivator took her word for it. She remembered noting them before the ceremony started, but not much of what happened after Qatrand spoke to the crowd. There was only a vague recollection of a child’s voice and tugging on her fake clothes.

"I think someday we should explain things to them properly. Help them understand you more."

Elua’s gaze lifted to meet her darling’s words. The ’older’ teenager hadn’t said anything about pretending or changing - or even done anything like admonishing her. She just bore a little ’hope’ that others might accept her. Even though the reincarnator felt she only needed Qat, her stupid facade teared up!

’I should have never put it back on...’

"But not today. At least, I won’t force it."

With that decision, Qat leaned in to initiate another kiss - quicker and softer this time... but no less meaningful. Through their connection, she could feel Elua’s ’agreement’. The future would likely hold better moments for such discussions.

’They are barely ready to question what they have been taught. Confusing them with the specifics of my complex wife...’

"You haven’t talked about them to me much. We should probably discuss how much you care about them so I can be a bit more careful in the future."

The statements were spoken in that ’sweet’ voice, but a certain swordswoman knew-

’If I admitted I sort of disliked them for calling her ugly - things would get even more complicated.’

The Yecine ’heir’ was very careful describing her current opinion of the two, so that her wife would not mirror her pettiness.