The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 301 - What’s-Her-Name Gets ‘His’ Advice

The fortress walls loomed against the pre-dusk sky as Sevra approached the guard post. Her Shadow Whisker credentials earned her swift entry, though the guards’ postures stiffened when she mentioned her delivery was for the elder Yecine in their midst.

They’d already had to send away a few scouts looking to take refuge in the same fort as the renowned swordsman. What’s more, there were even two of that warrior family here... and one of the guards was already on thin ice because of another matter entirely!

"Actually, I’ll need to verify your orders again."

The woman in her dusty cloak felt her shoulders tense involuntarily. It wasn’t often that she was suspected of anything after showing her credentials. Guards only checked her orders when they wanted to waste her time!

"These reports require *immediate*-"

"It’s fine. Let her in. I’ll take responsibility for it."

The low voice carried clear authority, despite not being in charge of the gate. Qatrand stood atop the nearest wall section, long dark hair shifting behind her in the breeze. Seeing the ’young man’ made the scout uncomfortable immediately.

’So much for avoiding running into someone related to the Goltbred heiress.’

Despite her wariness, the swordswoman’s pigeon-blue eyes held no trace of their previous hostility - that temporary feeling she felt when it was clear that this woman was taking things too far at their wedding. Qat just viewed the other cultivator with a cool assessment.

’I seem to remember she had also bugged my El about joining their Guild years ago. Amusing how that worked out. My wife has a whole team of her own flying scouts, now.’

The Yecine heir’s movements as she came down the steep steps spoke of someone completely at ease in their role of manning a wall. Sevra had heard about the success the heavy blade wielder accrued in the competition... finding that the other person almost felt like a far cry from the new groom.

’Then again, she did go toe to toe with Ondua er Goltbred... maybe he wasn’t holding back as much as everyone thought?’

"Walk with me for a bit."

It wasn’t quite an order, but Sevra found herself falling into step with the other person regardless. After all, they did just claim to take responsibility for her entry, so it only made sense to be escorted. They moved through the fortress grounds in silence until reaching a relatively private corner of the training yard.

’Clearly not right to the command post.’

The scout figured that Qatrand had some things to say before they got around to that.

"Your last direct interaction with my wife was... poorly considered."

Because it was true, Sevra instantly winced. There was so much that could have gone wrong - and not just for herself - if the Acid Tongued Villain’s reincarnation decided to stop playing nice.

At the time, she just hadn’t been thinking clearly. The opportunity to come to a ’conclusion’ instead of stressing about the bits of evidence she’d collected had proven too great.

"At your wedding, I made a menace of myself. I had just hoped to test-"

"To test what?"

The other woman closed her mouth. Despite the interruption, Qatrand’s voice remained relatively calm and even. In her experience, that usually meant the person knew they were right and knew you knew that you were wrong.

"Her capabilities? Her patience? Both are far greater than you imagine."

The scout’s fingers tightened on her message case. She felt like she was being lectured by an elder and not an individual who had been born when she was first attending Guild training. But more than that...

"You... you *know* don’t you?"

The younger cultivator looked away for a few moments. For a second or two, the older woman thought he might be sulking. But it was gone when he looked back at her.

"I’m willing to believe that I know more about my own wife than you, at least."

Sevra studied the young man and the confident expression. The information she collected about him suggested that he was a more run of the mill warrior in lesser youth. But then and now, the basics of the Yecine were always strong.

The duty to fight and protect... and in this region of the continent, they were historically the most well known family name in cultivator policing forces in between Descents. It was hard for the Shadow Whisker scout to simply let go of her fear. Because she couldn’t tell who was under whose thumb in their marriage.

Yet, there wasn’t much choice either way. She’d already decided it was best to kowtow for mercy if she could. Not to mention, getting advice about what she saw in the Saltfire Storm Alliance’s territory...

"I... freely admit that I may have acted rashly."

"You did. There’s no need to question that."

Qatrand turned away, walking slowly toward where she needed to take the messenger. Her voice raised a little to make up for not facing directly at the woman.

"But my El isn’t as unforgiving as you might think. If you eventually wish to apologize directly."

Stuck there noting how naturally authority sat on those young shoulders, her cloak rose into the air as she dashed to keep up. This person was not just the Yecine heir or Elua’s protective spouse - this was a warrior who had earned their place.

’Even if possibly aided by a reincarnated ancient’s knowledge.’

"I’ll... consider it. I’ve already tried to help once, but I was too scared to place my name on the letter."

"Ah. So that was you."

The unmarked note that El received about her spiritually contaminated material that was collected to be studied had arrived near the same time as Qat’s own letter about feeling something connected to her wife.

"She showed it to you, then? You... saw that thing?"

Her brother’s contacts had strong-armed him about whether he had told anyone where they were bringing it. Considering they’d never told him in the first place, that line of questioning eased quickly. But it did let the scout know that her warning might have led to it being ’retrieved’... by Elua er Goltbred.

"No. We also won’t be talking about it any further."

The Obsidian Mirror might have been shown off to the swordswoman, but the original material had not. Qatrand liked to think it was something like she had seen in their little home, that one time... though perhaps collapsed into a smaller package and with emotions that were not only negative.

’If so, I can see how that might be disturbing.’

"A final piece of advice. She values honesty, you know. Even when it comes wrapped in regret. My wife can tell... if you actually feel both."

The scout’s steps faltered for just a moment before she continued following. Her research had shown that the current Yecine generation had an Empath in their midst, Navuill er Yecine. So to have this person talking to her claim that the heiress could do the same?

’I can’t afford not to believe it. Which means this entire time, she’s noted... everything?’

A horn blast cut through the air from the battlements, resonating deep echoes across the inner fortress walls. Both women straightened immediately and waited for the cultivator on watch to provide more information.

"Alert! Multiple anomalies detected in the sky!"

The shout came from the eastern watchtower. Qatrand began to move immediately and Sevra glanced only once at where she was currently ’ordered’ to go... before moving to the wall. Toward the commotion of cultivators that rushed to their positions.

Signal fires were lit across the opposite battlements. Their flames leapt high in their oil doused bonfires to communicate with neighboring outposts that enemies would be dropping in this direction. These beacons would be visible for miles - the system of early communication of conflict zones that had been established generations ago.

The discipline of drills was suddenly charged with genuine urgency in every one of them. Even those that knew this sign was not of immediate fighting, all of them felt the urge to stand tall and see it. To stand together and face it.

As they reached the top of the eastern wall, Qat’s eyes were drawn skyward. Against the deepening twilight... seen but unseen. Warping perception and reality.

"Void incursion points..."

Sevra murmured, her voice tight with the memory of her first experience eighteen years ago. Then and now, she had ran messages... and been too close to one of the unlucky forts right near-

"Invasion leader."

She heard Qatrand identify quietly. The description from training manuals and the representation inserted in Elua’s illusory training tool marked the inhuman humanoid breaking into their world in her mind. Her hand instinctively moved to her heavy blade’s hilt, even though there was nothing that she could really do from this distance.

Even as strong as she’d become, as she looked at the monstrous being, she wasn’t truly so sure it was enough. Elua had told her she would be fine... but she hadn’t told her not to fear this moment. That seeing this firsthand would shake her resolve.

Because such a first experience itself was very valuable.

Bones, muscles, and so many things grew back even stronger when torn just a little.

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