The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 212 - Sometimes I Have ’Good’ Plans And Sometimes Bad Ones... Both Can Make People Hate Me!

Chapter 212: Chapter 212 - Sometimes I Have ’Good’ Plans And Sometimes Bad Ones... Both Can Make People Hate Me!

The little Yecine boys were just obediently standing there as they hadn’t been dismissed. With her beloved looking directly at her, the Goltbred heiress could not keep quiet in the silence.

"Well, people who can change their mind this quickly are certainly an easy case. I thought they’d be... well, far more resistant to shifting their perspectives. Do you think I should show myself to them?"

The swordswoman *almost* opened her mouth to immediately say something back and the ’expectant’ mint eyes received a slight glare that the smaller girl found adorable. Especially when she closed her eyes and rubbed her temple to pass it all off as ’regular’ behavior.

"I didn’t mean just popping into their line of sight, darling. I meant pretending I came to check on things through the entrance. Maybe apologize a touch *insincerely*. I do have a new persona to keep in front of your family."

’And a lot of other personas to go play as later when I collect my winnings~’

Qat’s responding shake of her head was barely perceptible, but quite clear in its meaning - she wasn’t given permission to spook the children any more today. Which was just fine with the Goltbred. There were adults still left to go annoy... though she was sure that wasn’t the thought her husband-wife had as she spoke.

"Alright. I need to speak with the elders now. We can continue this another time. Don’t leave the camp."

Qatrand turned to leave, fully expecting Elua would follow. The brunette had every intention to, but also caught the youngest one’s quiet words to his brother.

"You wrote a letter? Is that why you had me show you how to write the word ’belong’?"

The reincarnator paused mid-step. This meant the younger one made the original mistake but the older one didn’t catch it. Was the struggle with proper writing something both boys shared?

She knew that her fortress was given more ’resources’. More attention. Would her beloved have faced similar challenges at their age without more help? The thought made her uncomfortable.

’...You’re such a hypocrite. You hate to be fooled, but are so easily willing to fool yourself.’

Elua er Goltbred only needed the fact that Qatrand er Yecine might appreciate her taking action... to start to ’care’. They seemed to lack guidance beyond the basics expected of their station.

The girl walked after her spouse with a head filled with ’good’ plots. Like buying the brothers-in-law some chalk and slates and advising them to practice more. That was the easiest scenario she could think of that wouldn’t require more investment on her part.

’Maybe a simple satchel to store them in. I could even burn that incorrect letter onto the flap to motivate them.’

The schemer chuckled out loud at finding a second reason to be ’willing’ to aid them. Now she even had an excuse that helped fit her general personality. She was really hopeless!

"They say if you go looking for something, you tend to find it in some form."

"What’s that?"

"Oh, nothing. So are you excited to see the faces of your elders after I accidentally distracted from what should have been your big moment with them?"

The swordswoman spun and grabbed the forehead of the shorter girl. The fingers that gripped and held onto the willing participant in their usual farce started to scratch at her wife’s scalp.

"My moment?"

The low voice carried the usual ’exasperation’ and ’fondness’ when applying this sort of... punishment.

"You don’t have to concern yourself, mint-drop. The elders’ reactions aren’t what made that moment important. All of them... no, the entire field of watchers combined would not amount to yours."

Qatrand let her palm linger a moment longer before withdrawing. Her spirit stayed wrapped around her wife even as she straightened her posture. She’d been prepared to meet what lay ahead ever since her meditation earlier.

The cute girl had just delayed it all a bit and added a twist to the affair.

"Are you fully ready to be utterly charming to people other than me?"

Elua’s eyes sparkled at the question and her ’sweet’ smile bloomed with ease.

"For your sake? Always. Though I do hope they appreciate how perfectly matched our clothes are today."

As she smoothed down her silver dress, the brunette’s steps fell into a graceful cadence beside her husband-wife.

With a bit of walking through gradually dispersing crowds, they approached the still gathered elders. The reincarnator’s indifference had transformed into something altogether more calculated. A display of ’docile’ affection that made several of the men more uncomfortable even without the spiritual pressure.

Lirades sharply assessed how the Goltbred positioned herself slightly behind Qat’s right shoulder. The stance demonstrated submission to her spouse and also... provided a clear view of everyone present. The eldest Yecine woman’s lips curved slightly at the sight.

’Full trust - and no trust.’

"I trust you’ve had time to collect yourself, dear?"

The ancient cultivator dipped into a perfect curtsy at the elderly woman’s words. Her mint eyes remained downcast in a display of remorse. One undone by the ’satisfaction’ pulsing through her spirit fragment.

"Yes. My beloved was kind enough to help me remember my manners. I hope you’ll forgive my prior misbehavior."

Several of the gathered men shifted uneasily at her choice of words. The way she practically purred ’beloved’ while touching her lips and maintaining a demure expression - it emphasized rather than diminished their recent discomfort with her presence.

’Luckily no one will be fooled by her any longer.’

Anper was confident now. The witch’s mask had been unveiled. No matter what kind of threat she seemed to be, there were more of them than her. In this environment where everyone was paying attention...

"Interesting approach to the final ascent."

His voice carried his particular style of ’disapproval’ wrapped in formality. The words hung in the air as several elders shifted their attention to gauge the heir’s reaction. Some were intrigued by the method and others just wanted to see how they would handle the criticism.

Instead, they saw the brunette’s hands clasp together as she bounced excitedly in place.

"Wasn’t it magnificent? The Gravity Element being used while launching upward... it was so precise!"

Elua’s ’sweet’ voice gushed with pride even as her eyes remained ’innocently’ wide. She pressed closer to Qatrand, hands edging toward ’his’ arm as if she wanted to latch onto it.

’Ah, I really do want to~’

But it was better to maintain a sense of fragile decorum in front of the gathered men. Even though her spouse wouldn’t mind, she would keep holding back like this. After all, it is easy to avert your gaze from something happening... yet a lot harder to ignore moments of it *almost* happening!

"I would call it too precise. One might wonder where such specific training originated."

Another elder’s suspicious tone drew several nods. An ’ally’ of the father-in-law, the heiress gauged by the presence of an ’old’ spiritual mark. One that had been placed back at the wedding on a handful of then suspicious family members.

The implication seemed to be that the Goltbred had provided inappropriate instruction. It hung heavy in the air and this time... all their eyes were clearly on the young girl wearing a black and gold dress.

"Oh! I admit I worried at first, when ’he’ asked me to find anything I could on the subject. ’He’ was just so dedicated to mastering that Element. Didn’t any of you take any time to watch the practice?"

The heiress tilted her head as if puzzled by their concern at this late stage.

"Though I suppose not everyone could witness her determination. After all, most of you were probably still asleep during those pre-dawn sessions."

Her spirit edged with ’mischief’ even as she maintained her facade with pure ’admiration’. The ancient cultivator had mapped out the general habits of those at the Yecine estate during her restless nights. She also knew from Qat herself that, when it came to her self-training, she kept the progress to herself.

’But they don’t have to know I know that~’

Stifled laughter drew annoyed looks from several of the oldest men. Lirades seemed more entertained by Elua’s ’naive’ deflections than concerned about learning the source of ’foreign’ techniques. She’d honestly thought their little conversations before the pair showed up were quite ridiculous.

"D-don’t mind me. Continue!"

"Our heir has always shown dedication to the Yecine style in the past. That is why-"

Anper’s careful start suggested he hadn’t finished making his point. However, his words were cut off by his ’daughter-in-law’ alongside a very enthusiastic nod.

"Exactly! That’s why your heavy blade techniques still show through so clearly in Qatrand’s movements. The traditional stances really display the strength of your teachings."

The ancient cultivator beamed at them with a smile filled with such radiant ’dignity’ that several found themselves unable to voice their prepared criticisms. How could they argue against their own excellence without undermining themselves? One of the more reserved elders spoke up in an attempt to steer conversation toward less contentious waters.

"You performed admirably, but there are other events to consider. The duels will demonstrate your swordsmanship to this generation of-

"Oh, yes, I’m quite looking forward to that one as well."

Elua interjected again brightly and earned several sharp looks for speaking over an elder in this way. There was room to ignore it when it happened once toward Anper, but not twice towards two different members.

"You will allow us to speak with our heir directly."

The words cut back against her ’enthusiasm’ with a cold attempt at authority. The particularly aged elder who spoke was a thin-faced man. He fixed her with a stern silver gaze that suggested her continuous interruptions had worn through his patience.

"Or has the Goltbred girl’s influence made you forget proper respect as well?"

Anper took the opportunity to levy a direct criticism at Qatrand. Spiritual tendrils tightened protectively around her wife, but the swordswoman’s voice remained steady and clear as she finally spoke. She would have done so and said the same thing even without her father’s provocation.

"Rest assured. If my wife said anything I disagreed with, I would have admonished her."

The swordswoman’s arms crossed as she met their steely gazes directly. Her pigeon blues held none of their usual careful deference. She knew they would disapprove and be suspicious of her method, but she didn’t expect them to puppetted along by her father.

’I underestimated her effect on them. They are scrambling for control.’

"As for the upcoming events - I intend to perform to the best of my ability. Just as I did today. Just as I always do."

Her precious gem firmed her position! The tall girl’s chest surged with ’pride’... coming from the little source next to her. Elua had accomplished what she wanted in the meeting already - pushing them until they revealed their true colors.

Marking the remaining ones who showed either of them hostility, the only thing positive she could say was that they all only rather disliked the heiress.