The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 249 - To Safely Teach A Good Person... To Respectfully Fear Their Own Good Intentions

Chapter 249: Chapter 249 - To Safely Teach A Good Person... To Respectfully Fear Their Own Good Intentions

Nohre’s legs burned lightly from the unexpected hike as she followed her master up the gentle slope in the fading light. The braid wearing teen hadn’t thought much of it when Elua suggested they find somewhere quieter to practice, but the journey had taken them well past the edge of the competition grounds and deeper into the plains.

Fusand walked beside her, his Projection practice keeping small colorful crabs dancing in his palm as they climbed. Whether he was showing off or trying to distract himself from his tired state, she couldn’t quite tell. The boy was not half as athletic as her.

"Almost there."

The brunette’s voice carried back to them. Her pace never slowed or seemed unsure despite the uneven ground. As they crested what felt like the hundredth tiny rise, Nohre noticed how the land dipped away sharply on the other side. A natural bowl sat in the earth plenty well hidden from the distant tents and pavilions.

Signs of previous occupation caught her green eyes. An enclosed fire pit’s careful construction. A few slightly worn paths between specific points. Even a small lean-to shelter was built and tucked against the slope. Someone had clearly spent time here before.

’She’s more... resourceful than I think most expect, isn’t she? This looks at least as organized as a soldier’s camp.’

The teen had no thoughts that the camper could have been anyone but the person who led them there. Her master seemed to have a thing for ’second abodes’!

"I came here sometimes when the grounds got too... ’noisy’ and crowded."

Something in Elua’s tone suggested she meant more than just the physical presence of people. A lesson came to mind about the way that spiritual pressures interacted with each other. It was like the purpose of the structures placed for the duels that Fusand mentioned, she felt.

’Of course, her Astralism is so advanced - it makes sense that she is sensitive to these things. Maybe it’s why she doesn’t like combat? But it’s definitely how she always senses her husband coming!’

While the teenager felt she had solved one mystery, the mint-eyed girl gestured for them to settle down near the shelter. The brunette checked something inside its entrance as the orphans sat on the ground.

"Master, have you been sleeping here some nights too?"

The question slipped out before Nohre could stop it. Their teacher paused in her inspection of what looked like carefully carved marks in the shelter’s support. The sigils that helped ’guide’ interlopers away from the destination were still fine, she knew. But... it was a habit to physically check instead of only relying on her spiritual sense.

’Ever since that time I’d been fooled. Though that enemy spiritualist should have gone for the kill instead of gloated.’

The brunette grabbed for one of the small millet hull pillows she put together. A local market clothier was more than happy to quickly sew the covers for a premium. Then a confused but malleable mortal working as a stable hand by the train station was just as happy... that she was willing to mill the grain they’d ordered.

Elua shook the pillow for effect as she turned around toward them.

"Sometimes. When I missed my Qat too much to stay in the camp."

A playful smile curved her lips as she leaned forward and tilted her head..

"Though if you two are looking for somewhere *private*, I’m sure we could work out a schedule for this place."

The other girl’s eyes widened while Fusand’s skin took on that muddy brown tone that showed his embarrassment. The tiny crabs in his palm warped and disappeared as Nohre shook her palms frantically.

"That’s not- we... we aren’t-"

"No? Then I suppose we should focus on why we’re actually here."

The small cultivator’s ’sweet’ tones shifted smoothly to her teaching voice. She settled across from them and made a showing of extending her hands. The air between them filled with shimmering lines that turned into a basic representation of a human form.

"You’ve been asking about how your Mend works. About what exactly you’ll be doing when you help someone heal. I’ve been waiting for your Astralism to stabilize and you to grow accustomed to your spiritual sense."

The transparent figure rotated slowly, as layers of bone structure and muscle groups were carved in multicolored light beneath its surface. Fusand watched the superb detail of her imagination and the control of their ’shared’ Aspect. Seeing the Goltbred do something like this with so little effort was more wondrous to him than all of the fighting everyone had come to watch.

"For a cultivator, the body naturally tries to repair itself using your accumulation of physical energy. What your particular Physique does is inject additional energy into another and... *ideally* it aids them as something like a template for that repair to follow."

"So it really is like Regeneration, but able to be used on others..."

The boy mumbled as parts of the outline dimmed to highlight the glowing specific areas of the projection she intended to talk about. A gash of red appeared on the figure’s thigh meant to appear as a deep cut. It slowly began closing as she continued speaking.

"Knowing how things are supposed to look when whole... not just outside, but inside. That is the sort of thing that makes a significant difference in how effectively you can guide that process. And why it requires a similar but different angle of teaching."

The projection split into two, one with the old tongue word for Regeneration over it. Her disciples had been told to study it, so this was just a minor little test to gauge their understanding.

"Without assistance, a body must gather and direct physical energy slowly based on natural processes. The instinctual understanding that comes from existing. With the more ’common’ Aspect that everyone thinks you have..."

The glow of energy was brighter around the wound in the second and it closed visibly faster to show the benefit that sort of Physique brought.

"That same understanding is used, but with two effects. More control over bringing your overall inner energy to heel and an amplified effect on what it is doing. This is something you actually still can do for yourself... and I’m sure you’ve noticed that you recover a little faster than others."

The braided haired teen nodded. It was why she never even thought to question the accuracy of the Youth Guild and their assessment. For the years since she became an Enchanter, it did seem like a weak form of the one everyone knew about.

"When it comes to Mend..."

The figure that had healed themself extended a hand and touched the one that was still hurt. The same brighter glow sprouted in that representation and centered around the wound.

"You can do this. But if you don’t understand what’s beneath the surface..."

A partial third image appeared, showing a poorly healed wound with internal complications caused by ’forcing’ rigid and uneven healing.

"A practitioner of this Aspect could do harm by being overzealous. Think of it like Fusand and his... crabs. He can make them move more naturally because he’s studied how they walk."

Using that as her follow up example felt like she was lowering the quality of her explanation. But it always helped to provide a link to the student’s reality.

"The same principle applies to healing - knowing the structure and way of things helps you guide the energy correctly. It prevents you from doing more harm in the long run."

Nohre touched her own arm unconsciously where she’d once ’healed’ a training injury. It had mostly amounted to thinking it hurt and staring at it every now and then throughout the day. The thought that she could have stared too hard and worsened it suddenly made her queasy.

"So how am I supposed to use it to help others?"

"Exactly the question. Knowing this, you should feel more resistant to trying, in case my warnings so far have not been enough."

The illusions faded from existence as the ancient cultivator caught the set of green eyes in hers. Energy links like such a skill could create were often two way. Interestingly enough to the reincarnator, was that her Astralism had a similar effect. Able to help increase or stabilize spiritual energy being employed by another.

’She truly is quite close to having a total alignment. So many would be jealous just knowing a pair of her Aspects had complementary concepts.’

"I told you that your ability was a danger. I meant that personally and politically, foremost. I figure you think you have already come to terms with letting yourself be vulnerable enough to do it with those factors."

Mint eyes grew duller but somehow drew Nohre in further. It wasn’t the first time the girl experienced it during her master’s teachings. The combination of wanting to flee and wanting to submit to something greater. But other than the occasional sense of pressure, Elua had never ’done’ anything to either of them.

"But it’s different now that you understand the danger is more than to you alone. Correct?"

The slightly ’older’ teen nodded mechanically, then blinked rapidly.

"Yes. Of course it is."

The smaller brunette girl closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Her disciple was sincere, for the moment. Elua played with the skirt of her silver dress for a bit, knowing they saw the plain blue she’d been wearing all day.

’We are all so sincere when we start. We think we will not make mistakes and will not push too far.’