"Job?"
"We slay the queen wyvern in her lair. Well, not us. We're just hired as part of the force to clear the route to the lair. The wyverns had been getting more aggressive of late, attacking merchant convoys and farmland."
Hikari picks up a dagger and examines it.
Freshly
"You're not disappointed? I thought slaying a wyvern queen might excite you. I can just picture you standing on top of the slain wyvern queen with your boot on its head."
Hikari giggles.
"For you."
"Oh, that would be so hot. But I would rather not lose you. I don't think it's worth risking your life for."
Hikari sat with her legs crossed.
Her arsenal of weapons lay spread out before her.
Ria sat on her leg, using Hikari's thick socks as a cushion.
"Pay?"
"Modest. We'll use it to cover our war expenses. It won't be easy to find the gold to pay your exorbitant academy tuition. Especially because of your size. You eat as much as two infantry platoons at least. The territorial tax revenue is not going to cover it."
Hikari rolled her eyes in embarrassment.
"More importantly, we gain prestige with the Herdial guilds to have access to better missions. Staging points to exotic hunting grounds. Investment funds. Discounts on potions. Workshops to maintain your gear and so much more."
Ria fished a silver badge out of her pocket.
"Look at this. Silver rank. Awarded to the RazenHeir knight Hikari for her supporting role in taking down the cultist flesh titan. Or so the letter says. "
Ria laughs. "Yeah, sure. They were just trying to save face after their prized sky fortress lost. I read the report in detail. The sky fortress's cannons didn't take down the titan. They were burnt by your flames."
"Silver?"
"A useful symbol. Certain investors wouldn't bother speaking with you about raids unless you have at least gold. But silver is good enough for what we need. One or two good raids, and we can cover most of your tuition. Herdial is never short on them."
"Nice."
"This mission is a warm-up for us. Pretty high profile too. It could well get us past into the gold ranks where it will be much easier for me to raise funds."
Hikari's giant fingers caress the back of Ria's hair.
Her lady snuggles and purrs.
Back to studying their gear.
Hikari picks up her bow.
She tugs at the string to test its elasticity.
"It's not strong."
It was the bow she uses to hunt bears.
She had to be careful not to snap it by pulling too hard.
"It's a common ballista without the mount. We can reinforce its body. The material is quite common. And then mount another string. This should make it withstand your strength better and make it usable in a real fight."
Hikari picks up the bolts.
They were as tall as Ria.
Steel-tipped wooden shaft.
"They're light."
"You're right. They won't pierce a wyvern's hide. We can add a steel core then. A ballista bolt is manageable for the estate forge."
She puts down the bolt.
Hikari picked up her handcannon.
Telekinetic and Razenheir runes inside the chamber and barrel.
She points it to the ceiling and channels her mana.
"Still works."
"Phew. That's a really expensive and delicate piece of gear. The shorter barrel and smaller chamber mean you can channel less mana at once. But it still beats the horrendous efficiency from casting through your bare hands."
Hikari picks up a throwing dagger.
She had used up her entire loadout during the battle against the titan.
"Don't worry too much about the daggers or the cannonballs. They are small enough for the estate forge to manage. We'll be shipping more to you even as the raid progresses."
Hikari picks up a piece of her wyvern skin.
Scratches. Its runes were degraded.
The workshop in Moradale did its best to restore them after the titan fight.
They did just enough to make the wyvern skin functional again.
"Wyvern skin armor. Tough and yet elastic. Does not rust like iron. Perfect for your fighting style. We can harden it to make boot soles. The wyverns you had slain of late meant we have stores of them even if you wear some of them out."
Hikari picks up her new sword.
Withdrawn from the estate's reliquary with Lord Razen Heir's express permission.
"This will be your main weapon now. One of the most legendary knights in our house's history used it. It's the only one remotely big enough for you. With your strength and the incredible hardness of its runium core, you can crush the toughest armor. Slay the mightiest of foes as he has and more"
"I will."
Ria claps her hands together.
"That would be all you need. A simple set made of common materials. No fancy legendary- or mythic-tier gear. But deadly in your hands. Rest well. The convoy will leave in a few days. Oh, and one more thing. The shard of the titan's core. Your prize. Perhaps you should decide what we can do with it."
Hikari thinks for a bit.
"I'll consume it."
She spoke without much thought.
"Consume it? Oh, I mean… "
Ria mumbled to herself for a moment.
"Yes, of course, Hikari. It's your kill after all. I will make the necessary arrangements."
Hikari set the stone down and turned to Ria.
"My lady?"
"It's nothing."
"Gold?"
"Yes, we're quite short on gold. The titan core will fetch well. But you let me worry about that. I'm your lady after all; I shouldn't make this your problem."
Hikari thought for a bit.
Ria was pacing around. Something on her mind.
Hikari could sense it.
"Sell my dress."
She was surprised by the suggestion.
"The black dress? Hmm… yes… that dress is rather expensive. The material can be sold, but…"
"The heels."
Ria dropped her head and kept quiet.
"But it's- " I bought it for you- I shouldn't."
Hikari sat down. With one finger, she lifted Ria's chin.
"It's fine."
Ria's eyes lit up.
"Yes. Of course. We should focus on what's important. You are so perfect even without them."
Ria planted a kiss on Hikari's finger.
"I'll put them up for auction right away. In the meantime, I'll prepare the ingredients. Let's see: wheatgrass as the base; any source of distilled protein will do; ivory berries for their mana content"
Hikari caresses her hair gently with the soft tip of her finger.
"My lady likes"
"Yes-. They make you look like a true goddess. Towering over me in those heels. When you step, the ground trembles."
Hikari laughs.
"Hot."
"Yes… It was just so hot… Which is why I'm ashamed as your lady to have to sell it. Once you slay the monsters, I'll get the best prices for the monster parts so I can buy you an even better dress. One that would really make men burst in their pants."
Hikari giggles.
"There really is no need-."
Ria paused.
She sees a change in Hikari's expression.
"Grow."
"Grow? Oh…!"
Ria's face turns red as blood rushes to her head.
"You mean you can use the titan core to grow bigger? I read about it in the records. A strong source of mana and loads of extra food. You've done it several times to grow to your size. But recently, there hasn't been anything that is strong enough to trigger another growth spurt."
Hikari nods.
"I doubt the monsters around the borders of our estate would be any good for you now that they are too easy for you. I see you finally came across an object powerful enough to make you grow. Don't let the gold issues trouble you; we can always make more. You are going to need the power for the challenges ahead."
"Yes, my lady."