The ’veteran’ made a thoughtful sound that completely hid the ridiculous inner outburst of the illusion’s maker.
"True enough. Skill or luck, those who placed earned it. Though so were muttering about that fancy ssenger bird making a show of things in the ceremony. As if that sohow diminished the achievent."
He shifted his cane and profile. This ti, she intended to test how she’d react to criticism of the connection between Qatrand er Yecine and the ’Goltbred heiress’.
"These people ca for a show. None of us should be under allusions that it is all about our show of readiness. Besides..."
Talva’s stance loosened further as she moved to retrieve her water flask. She didn’t rush to finish her thought, but took the ti to wet her throat.
"If you’re going to have a supporter, might as well be soone like Elua er Goltbred."
"Oh, what do you an?"
"A friend told she was behind a lot of small changes that really added to this cycle’s venue. Those areas that were set up to rest and cool off make the whole event more bearable - especially for the spectators like yourself."
The ancient cultivator’s spirit coiled with interest at the ready defense of her contributions. Not just acceptance of the relationship, but appreciation for its practical benefits to Qat. She had expected to snag the ’favor’ of the mortals, but only really hoped for ’attention’ from cultivators.
’Well now. That’s rather promising.’
"You’re right. The Goltbred girl certainly knows her way around those sigils. Heard so rchants talking about how they offered to buy the plans, but she refused them."
"Oh, did she?"
"The way they told it, she was working out making it public with the Coiled Serpent."
The ’veteran’ watched carefully as Talva took another drink. There had been a strange flitter of intense ’interest’ when sharing those details.
"Practical mind on that one. Soone who thinks about making things better for everyone? The Army could use more allies like that."
Her tone carried a confidence that suggested she’d given this so thought a while before. The ripples in her spirit hinted at more than just casual observation of the young prodigy’s activities. Based on the responses, the illusionist could only think of it in one way.
’You’ve been considering how to approach yourself, haven’t you? Probably to design sothing for the Continental Army. An idea of your own, maybe?’
She wasn’t opposed to working toward sothing useful, but she ca here for Qat first. Anything else, she would just file away for later discussion.
"The Guilds do tend to keep to themselves unless there’s clear benefit. Nice to see so of their mbers thinking beyond their walls."
The ’veteran’s’ gnarled fingers drumd against his cane as he started pacing a bit.
"I suppose having new wealth helps bridge those gaps. Her parents must have taught her well."
Talva’s spirit flickered with sothing again. Faint and then gone. The ancient cultivator could only feel that it had been positive.
"Well, I’ve jabbered at you enough. Your third place showing will probably draw so attention. Congratulations, once again."
’Genuine dedication, clear respect for Qat, and interest in my work rather than my status. You’re making this initial evaluation almost too easy.’
His weathered hands gripped the cane and nodded as if preparing to depart.
"Thank you. I’m more interested in preparing for the Descent. Personal glory doesn’t protect anyone."
"Heard that line before, but not often enough."
The raspy voice carried approval as the ’veteran’ straightened a bit more.
"Have to say, does an old soldier’s heart good to see the next generation keeping the right priorities."
Talva lowered her flask and gave a short salute of acknowledgnt. Her spirit held steady and suggested she truly ant her previous words - they weren’t just lip service to a veteran.
"The Voidlings don’t care about our rankings or reputations. Just whether we can work together to stop them."
’Protection, cooperation, and practical thinking. Is it in the ’blood’ of my fortress, then?’
This prospect excited her. Their future children might have a better chance than she expected to align more with Qatrand’s qualities rather than her own!
"You get back to your practice, then. Fight well in your duels."
The constructed persona began a final retreat, though the ancient cultivator stood still and watched long enough to catch any final shifts in Talva’s emotional state before physically withdrawing.
’Ti to consider exactly how to make proper use of you.’
⟠ ⟠ ⟠
Empty mint eyes watched her still drowsy husband-wife as they stirred awake. Truthfully, she should have woken her sooner. But she decided to have a short rest... while hugging her knees and just staring at her sleeping spouse.
"My love, before the sun rises and you have to pretend I wasn’t here..."
The brunette called out as she repositioned cross-legged on the edge of Qat’s bedding. Her facade was absent in the predawn dark, but it wouldn’t hide the hypocrisy of ’contentnt’ and ’urgency’ for her beloved.
"You really shouldn’t have snuck in again."
The mumbled low voice carried no real reproach. The tall girl’s spiritual tendrils had already wrapped protectively around her wife as she stirred, easily betraying how much she’d enjoyed waking only to realize she was there.
"I know. But there’s sothing I needed to tell you, and I wanted to give you ti to think about it before the duels."
Elua’s fingers reached to trace along her fortress’s jawline. At the sa ti, the swordswoman cupped the side of the cute girl’s head while rubbing the outside of her thumb against her ear.
"Good morning, El."
’Hngg~ Focus.’
"G-good morning. I tracked down and spoke with the third-place winner."
Listening but not fully present, the blonde shifted and gave her wife a gentle kiss on the lips to polish off her greetings. It helped the heiress focus, certainly. On all the wrong things.
"Why?"
"Ah? Oh. I noticed certain similar features, and after checking her spirit..."
Her touch on the ’older’ girl’s neck lingered as she felt the initial flutter of curiosity through their connection. Elua swallowed down the urge to leave a strawberry colored mark on the skin at her fingertips.
"She’s related to you through your mother’s side. Though I don’t know how *directly*."
The fragnt in her chest caught the sputtering of emotions from her fortress before they could settle into anything coherent. The ancient cultivator pressed her other palm flat against her Qat’s cheek.
"I won’t do anything more about this if you don’t want to. Just like with your brothers. Family connections are yours to choose to embrace."
Pigeon blues held steady on the lusterless pools of mint. Her spirit churned with uncertainty over the freedom of choice. Another branch of her family... and the timing was *fortuitous*. It appeared just as she had started making progress with her siblings.
’But her family na... was Ryleon? No, of course. She must have married into another family.’
Qatrand quickly worked through the most confusing point. If it had been her mother’s maiden na, she might not have been so startled. She could have already worked through it so yesterday.
"You spoke with her? As yourself?"
"Mm, no. I wore the guise of an army veteran. I’ll explain more later."
The small cultivator’s spirit a hint of ’mischief’ before growing serious again.
"Anyway, she defended both of us when I brought our identities into the conversation. Her service in the military is genuinely important to her."
Qat’s fingers found the brunette’s wrist and her thumb pressed a bit against it to feel her pulse. The ancient cultivator let her empty expression warm slightly at her fortress’s touch.
"Her spirit... it carries real dedication to those ideals. The sa ones you value."
For a short mont, the swordswoman was uncomfortable with that assessnt from her wife. She had seen the woman on stage - and now that it was pointed out to her, the resemblance was obvious. A person that looked similar to her and had similar things important to her?
’Calm down. Your El isn’t so fickle.’
"Of course you had to investigate her thoroughly first before telling ."
The low voice carried equal parts ’fondness’ and ’resignation’. Qat was used to the idea of her wife’s thods. Especially when it ca to people who might affect the person she loved. The reincarnator’s follow up even reasserted as much.
"I wanted to be sure she wasn’t a threat. Or working with soone else towards a nefarious goal. I wouldn’t have woken my darling early if I’d determined she was a hazard."
It went without saying what she might have done. She would have either reacted then and there in the worst case - or rushed straight to the Yecine camp that evening for instructions. But since it was ’fine’ she instead sat back and plotted.
"More importantly, I wanted you to have ti to decide how to handle it. We could simply leave it alone. Or if you’re curious..."
The brunette trailed off, her free hand settling over the one still gripping her wrist. Her willingness to arrange whatever her fortress preferred transmitted clearly through her spirit. That mildly unpleasant sense of obedience and deference.
The blonde let her tendrils of spirit coil thoughtfully around where they held each other. Light would begin creeping through the tent walls before long - well before she fully ditated on the issues at her usual rate
Instead, she decided to try and defer a little herself.
"What would you suggest?"
"A careful ’accidental’ eting. After your duels. I could arrange it to seem completely natural."
The girl’s monotone had no discernable emphasis, but the exact words used nonetheless suggested that she had already mapped out several scenarios to *arrange* it.
"If you’d rather wait and research more about her first, I can keep watching from different angles. Hire soone to look into her family. Or approach first by myself."
"By yourself?"
The tendrils tightened slightly around her wife. A little restrictive, but clearly protective. Maybe even a little possessive. Elua wanted to hate that her past descriptions of her own way of ’love’ to the girl might have made this sort of reaction more ’likely’.
’But I feel like she is keeping safe and *hers*. How am I supposed to hate this?’
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