The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 93 - ...And Enlightening The Cicada On The Volume Of Its Song

Chapter 93: Chapter 93 - ...And Enlightening The Cicada On The Volume Of Its Song

The blonde’s shoulders sagged with a smile. If everyone made plans and mischief like her wife, then all conversations truly would be a battlefield. It wasn’t that she didn’t still have questions, but she was willing to accept that ’for now’ her El was back to being ’fine’. Her fingers reached up and brushed at the girl’s brown bangs.

’She’s so cute with her hair like this. I feel like I should miss her old style more than I do...’

"With you on my side, I think I can manage to talk to anyone."

When they reached the Feast area, their gaze swept over the large gathering. Tables loaded with local delicacies stretched before them and the mountain vista overlooking the nearby sea provided a breathtaking backdrop. The idea that all of these people were here to celebrate her and El’s matrimonial ceremony still fluttered portions of gratitude and trepidation through the Yecine’s spirit.

Meanwhile the Goltbred quickly noted Nohre and Fusand, looking slightly out of place in the environment near a table laden with gifts meant as blessings. The Talcres couple stood off to one side near them, their expressions showing a rather restrained joy.

’Well, after all I’m not exactly related to them.’

The heiress thought as she adjusted her sight to someone she now technically was. Anper er Yecine’s face was an outward mask of neutrality, but his eyes followed his ’son’ and new daughter-in-law with an intensity that might have sent a shiver down Elua’s spine, were she some normal girl.

"Qat, darling. I believe your father might be in need of some attention from us with a stare that hard. Shall we greet him properly?"

The sugary tone contrasted the ’obstinate’ emotion underneath it all... and the taller girl at her hip tensed at the thought of confronting him in front of all these people. But she also didn’t want to go back on her words from just before!

’I wonder if these emotions through her fragment have a more literal effect on my own than I thought. It hadn’t *seemed* that way since first reading the letter she wrote.’

The blonde poised herself and nodded.

"Of course. Lead the way."

Like her wife had said - this feast was more than a celebration... it was a battlefield of a different sort. And she would protect the one that intended to emerge victorious, no matter the cost.

The pair approached the Yecine elder and his stern features ’softened’ marginally as they drew near. The illusionist’s facade was in full effect - her smile radiating the same level of innocence as so many years before.

"Father... thank you for attending. I hope the ceremony was to your liking."

Qatrand started quickly, her speech steady despite the knot of tension in her spirit. The dark haired man’s steel gray eyes shifted between them before lingering on their joined hands.

"It was... adequate. Though I must say, some of the choices and displays were rather unexpected of our ’heir’."

The brunette’s grip on her beloved’s hand tightened.

"Oh? I thought everything went splendidly. If you have some suggestions for improvement, please do tell me. After all, your family’s... old traditions are now ours as well."

Her words dripped with far too much sweetness to hide the challenge beneath. He had tangled in thinly veiled arguments with the girl enough to know she wasn’t simple or kind. Anper’s jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed.

"I’m sure we can discuss such matters at a more appropriate time."

A commotion near the gift table drew everyone’s attention. Something had accidentally knocked over a precariously balanced tower of presents, sending packages scattering across the terrace. The closest figure was frozen in surprise.

Nohre’s face flushed with embarrassment as she scrambled to rectify the mistake - knowing that everyone would think she was the culprit! In truth, Elua had seen an opportunity and seized it. A little application of her Element to slap and cause an ’avalanche’ was simple.

She could always apologize to her disciple later.

"Oh dear, it seems my friend could use some assistance. Qat, darling, why don’t you help them?"

Her husband-wife hesitated, her spirit roiling with concern as it poked and prodded at her. The cute wife only gave her a reassuring nod.

"Go on. I’ll be fine. I’m sure your father and I don’t have much to discuss."

After the older teenager marched away, the reincarnator turned back to one of the few objects of her hatred in this life. Her mint eyes hardened and she spoke in a cool tone a few steps chillier than she used with the Wing & Talon elder to conduct business.

"Now then, shall we dispense with the inane pleasantries? I believe it’s time we had a real conversation about the future."

Anper’s eyebrows rose at the instant change.... surprise marking his face and wariness coiling in his spirit.

"And what exactly did you have in mind, little girl?"

"Oh, I have so many ideas. But what I’m thinking isn’t important. Let’s talk about your plans for Qat. I’m particularly interested in hearing how you intended to support *her* growth as a cultivator and your family’s heir."

The emphasis on the pronoun was as subtle as it was unmistakable. The man’s face paled, then flushed with anger. He snarled at her!

"You dare-"

His indignation cut out not by her voiced interruption, but by the lack of sound from his lips as she wrapped her Vacuum Layer tight around his face - for *just* long enough for it to sink in and cause him to hold his tongue. He realized that he hadn’t been hearing the sound around him ever since... at some point before she said ’her’!

"Yes, I dare many things, father-in-law. I dared to marry Qat knowing full well that she was deceiving my parents. Knowing that whatever the purpose, it would be worse for you than me if it got out. The question is, are you prepared for what comes next?"

She herself was busily calculating every possible outcome of this sudden confrontation. She was conducting this moment carefully, each word a deliberate move in the game of chess that had been spanning over seven years. Her spirit studied his sharply searching for any crack in his armor of pride and tradition.

Because she didn’t like chess very much - and was rather fond of the sometimes ’sudden’ results of reversi, instead.

She expected it would end not in capitulation, but escalation. She didn’t mind his rage, or threats to herself. She almost hoped it would happen and draw his focus closer to her. Each later misstep would only strengthen her position, setting her up to turn his black tiled board completely white.

Seeing empires rise and fall... she knew that true victory lay not in destruction, but in transformation. If she could bend this rigid man - make him see the value in Qatrand as she truly did... would secure a future far brighter than mere revenge could offer.

But sometimes that transformation came after periods of war. The brunette’s energies coiled tightly, ready to strike or shield as needed.

’Come, Anper er Yecine. Show me if you’re worthy of the future my precious gem would want to build - or if your ideals crumble under the weight of hers that I will support with my life.’

The raven-haired badger sat cornered by the silver-clad snake. They squared off as the festivities continued around them. The fate of the two families seemed to balance on the edge of a sword, with a scheming cultivator brandishing the blade rather carelessly.