Ria was making her way to Hikari's chambers. She was carrying a bagful of fan mail for her. Her
It was right down the hill from the RazenHeir mansion and comparable in size.
Along the way, she overhears the maids.
"Did you hear about the ball? Looks like our lady had no luck again."
"Really? That's a shame, I spent an entire day preparing her dress and her make up. But on that day, she was in Hikari's chambers until well after lunch. And then I had to rush to bathe her. And then I did some last minute paint over. Gosh. I don't think Lady Ria has smelled so bad before. "
"Oh my, what in the five realms are they doing in there. Yeah, I imagine she'll smell bad. Hikari's socks smell so strong that I swear I could smell them from the mansion balconies. I pray she did not smell like that when she showed up to the ball?"
"I hope not either. I dropped three bars of soap into her tub and scrubbed her thoroughly twice. Though, I imagine some beastkin with their hypersensitive noses could still pick up some traces."
"I don't imagine Lady Ria getting in bed with a beastkin. But what of the other young men? Lady Ria is actually not bad looking. I wish I had that pretty skin, those blue eyes and lush red hair. What might have been the cause of her chronic lack of success?"
"Well, hush now. You might get the cane if she hears you. "
"Oh? Is it some kind of illness?"
"Not so. It's not really a secret even. You can quite literally observe it for yourself."
"Do stop speaking in riddles."
"Well, she's too flat."
"Flat?"
"Yes. (Tapping sounds)"
"Ah! I get it. Poor Lady Ria. I feel sorry for her. I guess even those well educated men are nothing but pigs after all."
"There you go. I said nothing. You heard nothing."
"Aye got it. By the way, did you hear about Hikari going to the ball?"
"I did. It's her first time leaving the estate and not returning with an entire convoy of her dirty laundry. Quite the literal breath of fresh air. She caused quite the scene, didn't she? All those men crawling at her feet and showering it with kisses"
"Yeah, I kind of saw that coming. Even the men around the estate couldn't stop shaking their thing to her. I have strangely gotten used to it."
"Me too. She looked absolutely stunning. Oh my, those muscular bare feet in those sandal heels. The way men would rather look at her feet. It must be quite humiliating for Lady Ria to stand beside them."
"Hush. The cane is waiting."
Ria reached Hikari's chambers. There was a cut at the bottom of the curtain door which makes it easier for normal sized people to squeeze through. Ria did so without too much difficulty.
Hikari was practicing her sword strokes. Swings with her short sword with her hand cannon in her other hand. She steps forward, landing a swing, and backs off to guard and then aims her handcannon to simulate firing.
Ba dum! Ba dum! Ria's heart pounded in her chest.
"Greetings, my lady." Hikari returned to a relaxed stance to greet her.
Ria slapped both of her cheeks.
"Greetings, Hikari. I hope I'm not disturbing your training."
"Not at all."
Hikari leaned her sword against the wall and picked up her tankard. Her shirt was completely drenched.
"Here's some mail from your, I suppose, fans."
"Fans?"
"Oh you know, those men at the ball. Looks like you have gained quite a bit of popularity."
Hikari gulps down the water in her tankard and fills it up.
"Shall I lay out the letters for you to read?"
"Uh. Sure."
Hikari was wiping her sweat with a towel. In a single stride, she reached the drain, squeezing her towel over it. Then she removed her shoe, pulled of her knee sock and began squeezing that as well.
"There!" Ria began opened the letters and laying them out on the ground neatly.
"Hmm.." Hikari looked down on the piece of paper from two strides away.
"... I want to worship you… grovel at your feet ... Step on me, so that I can't breathe... Cover me in your sweat … Smother me under your feet … Drown me in the milk from your life giving blossoms … "
"Eeeekkk… ! I should have checked the letters beforehand." Ria scrambled to keep the letters back into her backpack. "I'll handle the replies. They are still young men of status, we can't just burn the letters."
Hikari took another gulp at her tankard.
"Interesting. Are they for real?"
"Obviously not. When a man hounds after you just for his pleasure. You should always turn him away."
"I see. "
"Oh, there's a special assignment for you. We'll be going into town after lunch."
"Oh?"
"That's all, have a good rest."
Ria begins making her way to the door.
"Where are you going, My lady?"
Ria flinched. "Umm… I need to get back to writing.. umm… the replies to all of these men… "
"Crawl"
"Yes.. Hikari!"
Ria put down her backpack and crawled to Hikari.
After a brief training session and then lunch, they set off to town.
Ria looked on at the marching troops with apprehension. They marched in their grey uniforms, their musket resting on one shoulder, their grenade hanging by their side carrying a field pack.
"Scout master. You mentioned that there are these flesh abominations that the cultists create that are impervious to both musket fire, shrapnel and flame. How might these good men combat that?"
"They don't. They were just told to run. The abominations can't move very well with their unbalanced bodies, and they eventually run out of mana."
"What if they surround a town?"
"Then the town is lost. All we could bank on is that such a maneuver is difficult for the enemy to pull off without being noticed. Hopefully then, our boys can shoot the shaman as they plant the abominations. Though I must add they are extremely cunning with using such an unwieldy weapon. Namely, traps along the road. They just emerge from below the ground, catch one or two men and then smash a cart. The attrition really adds up."
"A formidable foe indeed."
"Indeed, one of our scouts main roles in the coming campaign is to clear these traps."
"What of the casualties?"
"None now, we figured out the trap. Though we lost some good men initially."
Ria stayed silent.
"Don't worry about it. Just do your job to the best of your conscience."
They arrived in town. It had turned into more of a military outpost than a trading town. Three separate outer compounds, protected by wooden palisades emerged, The forest around the town had been cleared and boogie trapped.
As Hikari stopped infront of the town gate. The sentries stared at her dazed.
"Can we come in?"
A pause.
"Ah! Yes! Open the gates!" It was the old town guard who is familiar with Hikari.
They made it into town. The inside of the town was also turned into a base. Shops that are not essential to the war effort were closed down. The fancy restaurants, tailors and jewel crafts were all gone, the space inside used for stores or rooms for the officers.
The forges, the tannery, the runesmith were still in business. They reached the center of town. Just beyond was the church of light which had turned into a makeshift hospital.
The sick and wounded being shuttled in and out of the church of Silora, the goddess of light. Men in crutches and bandages sat on the sit walks. Hikari could sense bursts of light coming from inside the church.
Ria and her escort dismounted. They approached the ground of officers marked by a silver badge pinned to the front of their uniforms.
"Greetings, I'm Ria RazenHeir."
"Greetings to -" The pipe dropped from the officer's mouth as he turned around. His eyes widen and his jaws remain dropped.
"Oh forgive me. The giantess Knight Hikari that we were told about. I guess it's more like 'forewarned' " He quipped.
"I am"
"Ah! I couldn't believe the reports when I heard that a single knight caused the surrender of an entire holdout. I sure glad you're on our side."
"So? Where is the cultist stronghold?" The officer jumped, he hadn't noticed Ria until now.
"Ah! That's why we called Hikari here. You see, there is this abbot who was sort of the commanding officer of that cultist stockade. We tried to interrogate him but he's as silent as a dummy. In fact, he has been refusing to even eat. You know these cultist types. However, he did mention that he would spill everything if he gets to meet the giantess knight whom he surrendered his troops to."
"You think this is alright? What if he corrupts her?"
"We have him chained down. Sliced those runes on his body and drain him of his mana."
"But he can still speak, can he not?"
"Of course. And we need him to."
"I'll go"
"But Hikari? I'm afraid of what he might tell you."
"If a man hounds after you, you turn him down right?"
"I should go with you."
"Your defense is too low"
Ria paused.
"Alright. Be careful."