"Ria, its airy"
Hikari felt the cool caressing of the wind against her nether region.
She stood in her dress. The same set as her lady prepared for her when she reached the fortress.
Intact except for one missing piece in the interior.
The RazenHeir convoy was getting ready to leave.
"Well.. that's.. rather unexpected. But hey, at least we still have a spare pair of socks. As for the stolen part, it will have to wait until the next workshop cycle."
Ria lowered her head, staring into the mane of her horse as Hikari fidgeted with her skirt uncomfortably.
"Don't beat yourself up, meow. Meow got back half of it. Meow thinks da thief is very slippery."
"Thanks, Camilia. You really didn't need to put yourself in danger like that."
"Don't sweat it meow. The least meow can do."
"Oh by the way, what brings you to Escher."
"Escort some people here and buy some food, meow."
The beastkin licks her paws.
"Since Hikari here opened the way through the wyvern passes, business had been good meow."
"Thats good to hear."
"Oh yeah meow, haven't you heard. The spire people want to do the measuring thing soon."
"Oh? Ah.. right, there's that."
"Don't worry so much, I'll be back in a bit. Then you, Zach and I can have some good training together."
"Haha, look forward to it."
"He~."
Camila's nose twitched.
She walked up to a tall figure wrapped in thick caterpillar skin robes.
She circled the being, sniffing her up and down.
"Rurr…. you don't smell like anything."
Camilia darted back, her fur standing on their ends.
The giant woman, only half Hikari's height but towering over normal people, met her eyes.
They stared at each other.
Camilia's tail shook.
Blink. Blink. They blinked their eyes in sync.
The tall woman's robes began moving.
"This is umm.. Ella. She's a wandering mage that Hikari encountered during the wyvern queen raid."
"Oh meow! Haha, so she's Hikari's friend. Okay. I'll remember the smell. Maybe we can play some time, meow!"
"Lady Camili." Her steward beckoned her.
"Oh meow. Have fun Ria. Oh and be careful on the wayback, the slimy red things are crawling around. Men with pointy guns are going around."
"Noted! See you around Camilia."
A cart pulled by two horses dragged a cartful of Hikari's armaments.
Full saddles for the twin blades she recovered from the campaign.
Just as she bent over to pick up the swords, a sudden gash of wind blew between her legs as she stood in a bend over position.
The surviving half of her saddle briefly revealed itself from under her skirt.
"Ohhhh!" Exclamations all around her.
She strapped on her belt that contained several throwing knives freshly hammered from the local forge.
She straightened her back, placing her hand on her behind to push the skirt back down.
On the sides of the streets and rooftops, crowds had gathered to watch her, making her feel rather uncomfortable.
"Ria, the wind"
"I know. I explained it to you already. The tight corridors of the fortress throttles the wind coming in from high altitudes into high velocity bursts into its interior. This is the key to the fortress's ventilation system."
Another burst of wind blew against her skirt. Only lifting the corners as she had it pressed down with her hand.
"Ria, it's airy."
Hikari pushed part of her skirt between her legs and closed them up tight.
"Stop it. The more you mention it. The bigger of a crowd you'll draw."
Hikari stood up straight, hands by her side like a statue.
"I'll go supervise the loading now. We'll load you into the train carriage last. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone."
"Yes, my lady."
Ria rode to the fore of the convoy to supervise the loading of precious wares.
"Hey, get used to it. It's not such a big deal."
"Master sheela"
The sand bender approached her with her entourage.
Along the side of the street, a row of captured assassins tied up by a rope chain was being force marched under the escort of the fortress guards.
"Oooooh!" As the sand bender emerged into the sunlight, more exclamations from the crowd could be heard.
Sheela walked up to Hikari. She was in her usual skimpy outfit with her wrestling briefs.
She stood before the giantess twice her height with legs confidently spread out.
"Cmon. Just spread those legs. A bit of the fortress wind ain't gonna hurt. Look at me, I don't mind the wind at all."
Hikari looked at her for a moment. Slowly, she shuffled her shoes apart, drawing even more exclamations from the crowd.
The wind picked up, but it wasn't so strong as to lift the thick skirt of the giantess to allow the crowd in the elevated positions to see anything.
Nevertheless, she pushed the front of her skirt down with one hand out of reflex.
"Fine, fine. Have it your way." Sheela shrugged.
Hikari turned her eyes down to her and saw Sheela's rectangular brief being blown backwards between her legs.
"Anyways."
Sheela walked closer, pulled out a harvest sack slung behind her and presented it to Hikari.
The crystal within glowed through the seams of the fabric as Hikari held it in her hand.
"I can't accept this?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, just take it. Meditate with it everyday. I heard the blocks of your house are made with our stones. Just place it in there, it'll naturally gather energy."
The sandbender presses her fist against Hikari's knee cap.
"Train up. I lost to you again and you sure had your way with me. Next time you come to Escher, I'll have something ready for you."
"Yes, master. "Hikari nods.
"Hey move it!" Sheela backed at the column of captive assassins.
"Oh, and once I whoop some sense into these perverts, I'll let you know if I found what you lost."
"Thank you master."
As the column of the prisoners were pushed on. A figure in robes and straw hat approached them along with his entourage.
"Ah! Hikari. I congratulate you on your successful raid. You are now the talk of the town and I dare say even your name is whispered even in the palace."
"Slayer master?"
"So you still remember me? I'm touched."
Sheela quickly got in front of him and stood behind him and Hikari.
"Hey? What are you doing here, you sleaze bag? Did you hire those guys? I knew you were a bit shady, but I always believed you had dignity if that's the only thing you have."
The slayer master returned an awkward smile.
"Ah, the honoured sand bender. You sure are a rare sight."
"Don't change the question, answer me. Did you hire them? Where is it? Where is it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
The sand bender towered over the alchemist, leaving her face down in a threatening pose. The guards around him clutched their swords and muskets.
"Don't lie to me. You are definitely a pervert. I bet you're bulging down there at the sight of her. How many portions of Hortifern did you take?"
"You insult me? Why would someone like me take Hortifern? I take a more refined concoction of suppressants using special cultivated ingredients grown only in the gardens of the capital."
"Yeah, my point exactly. Did you hire them? They are looking at you now. They must know you. Spill it. Where did you hide the thing?"
"I still don't know what you're talking about. We are both public figures. Of course the commoner would know who we are."
"You're dodging my question again. You want a good ass whopping right now?"
Sheela flexes her muscles above him.
"In the mid daylight with all those witnesses, your grandfather would surely hear of it."
"Don't mention my grandfather, you piece of dried sandworn. I'll make sure the queen hears of you sending an army after a giant girl's under garments."
"A preposterous claim to which you have no evidence of. Even though you don't show up to court, I see the rumour of you being short tempered still holds true."
As they were bickering, another burst of wind engulfed them.
It lifted Sheela's rectangular wrestling brief, brushing the edge against the slayer master's master as it was pushed away from her, brushing it again on the way down as the wind died down.
An awkward pause.
The pause continues.
A deafening scream.
Obtained : Hearthstone shard