The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 277 - Fealty Through Fear... Of Missing Out On Limited Edition Exclusives

Chapter 277: Chapter 277 - Fealty Through Fear... Of Missing Out On Limited Edition Exclusives

Lady Aarengraf did not believe for a moment that suddenly getting something from Elua er Goltbred could only be about the proposed rituals they talked about before. She set the timepiece on her desk beside three others of identical make and luxury. The number of them were also surely some key to puzzle the cipher out.

The other woman glanced at the note.

"Perhaps you are just looking into it more than the girl meant. I think she is pretty amazing, but I’m not sure she is the mastermind you are making her out to be. It is simply a gift."

Leysah had seen a note left by the girl pretty recently herself - in the spot she had expected to meet with the heiress and her pair of age appropriate friends - and it was quite straightforward and terse! However, that suggestion earned a dismissive wave from the noble.

The Lady of the North abruptly rose from her chair. The slate-colored dress of medium weight she wore was tailored to this land’s milder temperatures compared to the rocky peaks of her homeland. No excess layers were needed in this climate, but the fabric’s density and tight weave spoke of the preference for different tailoring traditions.

Light clothes simply felt wrong to a people that are used to being bundled tight.

"That child doesn’t do ’simply’ anything. I’ve seen what hides behind those mint eyes."

The curved blade wielder stepped in closer, drawn by something in the older woman’s tone. It was true that she thought something strange about the Goltbred and how she trusted her.

The pull to help the brunette and to be forgiven was uncomfortable... and so was the desire to deflect the foreign noble away from causing the heiress any kind of trouble. From what she knew, this Aarengraf family was pretty respectable - but it was her experience that all groups had bad actors.

"What did you see?"

The older of the two women sat her hand on her hip as she turned to the rather invested delivery girl. That too, felt like a part of the message.

’I guess I should keep an even closer eye on her.’

The Goltbred young miss and her questions about this very person still felt like invisible lashes on her back - and she was only standing politely nearby while the girl conversed with the curved blade wielder’s sponsor. How her foolish, blind comrades plotted after she left the table was insane to her...

"What did I see? Simple..."

And other than taking part in the talk to keep an eye on matters, she wanted nothing to do with it. If she was picking sides, she would never choose to support the weaker cultivator. Not knowingly. It was how she made the most stable money across all her bets.

"An uncrowned Empress."

⟠ ⟠ ⟠

"So Fusand and I just deliver this one? Then why do you have so many?"

Nohre eyed the small collection of hourglasses lined in the ornate box. Each was identical to the others - brass and glass with reddish sand inside. They were certainly pretty, but the orphan wasn’t sure about the heiress and her way of spending money lately.

’I hope she isn’t trying to bankrupt her father because he did something wrong...’

"The merchant wouldn’t sell me just one."

Elua sighed - with just a hint of dramatic hand movement while shaking her head that showed she was exasperated with it as well. While still not back to normal, the nice girl’s talk she just had was helping her more than she thought. It made her think that next time, she might try just interacting with different people other than Qat after she first calmed down.

’Though staying holed up is good for hobbies.’

She pushed her tools away and carefully wrapped the selected timepiece in protective cloth before tying it off with a spare ribbon and slotting it into the protective pouch she had formed from leather. A custom gift meant to go along with a present, to be conveyed by hand by the disciples whom she wanted to meet the particular pair.

"The stubborn man insisted they were a ’collector’s set’ and refused to break it up."

"What? That doesn’t make any sense."

"Something about the integrity of their artisan contacts. Some merchants like to bring unverifiable things like that up when they want you to spend more. Unfortunately, that time I let it show on my face that I was interested in having one."

The illusionist gestured vaguely toward the remaining hourglasses in the box.

"I only really wanted to get it as a token of appreciation for letting me interrupt their work. The woman’s physicality was impressive. Her moves were fluid and precise. She would be a good dancer."

A halfway ’sweet’ smile came to her face as she remembered the pair of performers she ran into the other day.

"Then of course her partner’s precision with his Sand Aspect told me he could be useful. Which is why I hoped that having you bring this trinket in my name would open an opportunity for Fusand and him to talk."

"Ah... then what about me? Why send us both?"

"As if you would let me send him anywhere without you. You’re practically attached at the hip."

The girl stroked her braid, as green eyes had the audacity to turn away and begin to daydream on her own. She’d been falling into that ever since the Goltbred whispered a few small things she might try with the boy, now that they were at the point of kissing from time to time.

’I really shouldn’t have told her how fun it was to sit on your partner’s lap and chew softly on their lip...’

Elua had to trade herself with an illusion during that talk, because her thoughts were degenerating into Qat, Qat, and Qat. Her beloved had been quiet over their connection for the most part this evening, but was patiently - oh so frustratingly patiently! - sneaking pulses of calm and steady ’love’ her way any time her desire ripped out and through the fragment.

Of course, the swordswoman did not send the all consuming, all engulfing kind the likes of which existed at the center of her wife’s spirit... but the shielding and nurturing kind that the reincarnator so often sought to emulate. The perfection of her ideal that existed so naturally in the person she adored.

’Speaking of...’

"The woman supports her long time friend’s art through her physical energy. She found a way to use her body’s strong side to assist, work, and live with him even at their age. I rather think you might have things to discuss and learn if you are open to trying."

The eyes that widened at her master’s explanation soon hardened and nodded with resolve. Spending time with the Talcres couple since the wedding ceremony had been quite enlightening in numerous ways. If Elua had found them another set of mentors, then she trusted her evaluation almost implicitly!

The teenager received the wrapped package and held it tight, but couldn’t help but look at the many others. Mint eyes caught the shift while the heart-on-her-sleeve spirit displayed her curiosity.

"The rest here will go to the Coiled Serpent Guild’s branch. Timekeepers for the deskbound workers. Dima will appreciate it, I’m sure."

A short and soft ’giggle’ trailed after her comment. The notes she left with the few she sent out to people at the competition grounds had been basically whatever sounded good to her at the time. Yet, the one for the former liaison?

/ Here is a special gift for your hard work. I hope you appreciate this unique treasure! /

The mischievous reincarnator was excited for the Descent to be over with, just so the woman would learn that the item she might have grown to like and be proud of was one of many!

’I wonder if Klaytei will be mad at me... or if she’ll find a way to make use of her being upset?

She picked up one of the spares and turned it over. The sand cascaded down as she turned it about with mild interest. There was not a lot to learn about some phenomena for someone who spent her last life looking for new and interesting things to learn to make illusions of.

"I sent a few to other random people as well. People I met at the grounds here, like that Aleck fellow that attended my short tea party."

"Oh. Why?"

"No particular reason, just excess to distribute."

Nohre accepted the explanation without any disbelief. Though part of her was still processing how something she’d imagined was part of some grand scheme was merely the result of an obstinate merchant. She wondered if the girl needed someone assigned to carefully control her spending after all!

"So other than this one, there really is no... message behind them?"

The brunette wondered why she was so stuck on confirming that. More amusement finally broke through her subdued mood. She found herself holding the girl’s wrist and patting her on the head. The first part reminded her of what the small teen had done to all those thieves, while the second was strangely welcomed...

’Is it weird? To think of someone smaller and younger like an elder sister. She does have a baby sibling, so-’

The orphan was worked over well by the simultaneous carrot and stick.

"Not everything I do has layers of meaning, little water-deer. Sometimes an hourglass is just an hourglass. Thank you for coming to keep me company for a while."

"Yes, of course, Master!"

One mint eye closed in a faux wince at having that shouted in her face.

⟠ ⟠ ⟠

Aleck turned the hourglass over in his hands. The note that accompanied it mentioned something about measuring practice time. He placed it at his bedside, deep in his personal belongings.

The meteor hammer wielder did not quite understand the gift, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Though he was sure it was a bad idea to let others see it and make wild assumptions about how close he was with whoever sent it to him.

Across the competition grounds, the walking pole merchant eyed the opened package with growing confusion. The elegant hourglass seemed wildly disproportionate to the minor assistance he’d provided - especially since he was already well paid for his information that day.

"Perhaps she’s trying to tell you that you’re getting old."

His assistant joked aloud, as she turned the timepiece to read the short note again. She was equally baffled by the Goltbred heiress’s generosity... though she must admit the girl had refined taste!

In the private tent of a certain Coiled Serpent branch manager, Dima stared at the unwrapped hourglass sitting on the ground as if it might suddenly sprout fangs and lunge at her. Eyes darted between the timepiece and the supposedly self explanatory note.

"Unique."

The woman whispered the word. She immediately noted how the word seemed to have been specifically chosen. Almost as if to make the item seem more impressive. More luxurious.

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t at least a little happy about the idea of a one of a kind item being hers. Exclusivity had a certain ring to it. She just hoped that the item wasn’t being given out only so it could be taken away again.

"Maybe I should just avoid thinking about this. Whatever game she is playing this time, it won’t be any different whether I understand it or not."

Despite the resignation in her voice, the woman poked the constellations at the base of the fancy tool with the smallest amount of pleasure she would allow herself for a present from that little snake!