Ria woke up and found herself in Hikari's chambers.
It was morning.
Sunlight lit up the room, giving the stone a light golden color.
She was wrapped in a giant towel piece.
Her body was clean, but it smelled of cheap soap.
She found herself on a soft bouncy surface.
Ba dum! Ba dum! "I slept on Hikari's couch. What happened last night?"
Scanning the room, she saw Hikari's claymore leaning against the wall in her armoury.
Her hand cannon and bow hanging from the wall.
Throwing daggers in their slots.
At the doorway were two pairs of boots. Her old pair and the one she presented just before she leaves on campaign.
Ba dum! Ba dum! So it's true. She is back."
Then, a trio of maids appeared through the curtain.
"Argh. my back is killing me. A giant knight moving to the estate for security is fine and all, but why do we suddenly have to scrub the mud off those enormous boots. Like seriously, they are big enough for me to sleep inside."
Ria could hear the maids from afar. They probably think they couldn't be heard due to the vastness of the chamber.
"I'm lucky it's not my turn yet. Like, what's the point of giving Hikari a pair of shiny boots. She's probably just going to wade through swamps or walk through sewage in them the moment the scout master hands her another mission. Ooof! And the stench emanating from those boots. Just leave them outside the palisade and they'll repel entire armies on their own."
"Didn't you hear? Whenever she walks past those refugee camps that had been popping up, they would kiss her boots and polish them with their tongues, like she's some kind of messiah or something."
"Uuurk, that's so gross. But what does that have to do with our lady making us scrub the mud from her boots?"
"Oh! I just thought of something. Maybe our lady has taken a liking to those huge polished boots like those refugees?"
"Shhh! Are you asking for the cane to your bottoms?"
As the maids quieten down as they approached the couch
"Good morning my lady. We were informed by knight Hikari that you would be training with her. Therefore, we have brought your breakfast and your change of clothes."
Ria was lying flat on the couch fully wrapped in the towel. Slowly, she pushed the top off the towel, sat up right and made a fake yawn.
"Good morning. Yes, I would be training with knight Hikari. I apologize for not informing you ahead of time."
"There is no need. Your breakfast is in the trolley. We will be outside. Please ring for us if you need anything else."
"Sure. Oh, by the way, when did Hikari return to the estate?"
"Forgive me. I do not know either. She comes and goes at a blink of an eye."
"It's fine." The maids bowed and began making their way back to the entrance.
Ria sat in the towel, curled up and shivering. "What do I do now? If this gets out, I'd be a laughing stock. How would I deal with my peers then? How would I get through the academy?"
The room was empty. The maids had disappeared out the curtain door several times their height.
She had the room to herself to sit in quiet contemplation. Her head hurts. But the images of what happened the previous night were coming back to her.
"What had gotten into me? I can't believe myself. How do I fix this now? Maybe if I treat her really well from now on. Though that will look like she'll be dominating me from now on."
Before long, the curtains on the other end of the room swung wide open.
Hikari emerged.
She was in her running outfit, loose tops, shorts, knee socks and flats.
Her shirt was completely drenched in sweat, sticking to her chest.
Glittering beads of sweat on her exposed arms and abdominal muscles.
She had finished her morning run.
She kicked off her soiled flats and switched to the clean pair that Ria had polished.
Ba dum! Ba dum! Ria's heart raced as she watched Hikari's every move.
But Hikari just went about her daily routine.
She grabbed the towel hanging by the door and wiped her sweat.
It was a handkerchief for her but it was better than nothing.
Then, she began her stretching routine.
She bent over and touched her toes. Grab her foot behind her and pull.
Spread out her legs and lowered herself to stretch her gluts.
She walked to the kitchen.
Cranking the lever, she filled her tankard and drank it all in one gulp.
She began offloading her raw breakfast into the cauldron.
It took several tankards to fill the cauldron.
Coal went under the stove.
With the fire started, she took out her ladle and stirred.
She watched for a bit.
The cauldron lid rattled gently.
Steam seeping out from its seams.
She walked to her shower area.
It was right beside the couch where Ria was sitting.
Her tiny lady was engulfed in the stench of her sweat.
But she sat there and watched in silence.
Hikari disassembled her shirt.
The individual sheets telekinetically landing onto a neat stack.
Ria ducked under the towel.
The sound of water splashing onto the ground.
The whirling of water.
She felt the mana in the air stir as Hikari telekinetically wiped herself dry with towel pieces a fraction of her size.
Squish. Squish. The sound of her soaked bare feet walking across the room.
Ria stays under the towel.
Whiss. Whiss. The sound of cloth pieces floating into the air assembling on the giantess's body.
Thud. Thud. Ria could hear her footsteps approaching.
She didn't dare look up.
The giantess sat down beside her.
The couch pillow caved downwards, briefing throwing her tiny lady upwards.
"Good morning, my Lady."
With her finger, she gently peeled off the towel covering Ria's head.
Ria was startled for a brief moment before staring down on the ground again.
"Good.. morning.. Hikari…" Ria's voice was shaking.
She avoided Hikari's gaze.
"How are things at the estate?"
Hikari pressed.
But Ria did not look up.
"Good… thanks to you… "
The couch cousin shifts as Hikari lifts one leg and crosses it over the other.
She lifts her foot into Ria's field of view.
Her long knee socks around her massive calves.
The flat shoes that Ria was polishing the previous night.
"This is good."
Ria's eyes turned to the shoe for a brief moment before darting away.
"Thank … you … "
Hikari stroked her back gently with her finger. Ria flinched whenever their bare skins came into contact.
Then, the tray containing Ria's fresh clothes floated up to her.
"Dress up."
Ria looks at her fresh change of clothes.
"Yes… Hikari… "
Hesitantly, she leaned forward to grab her lingerie. When she tried to button her bra together, her shaking hands dropped the buttons.
"It's ok, take your time."
Hikari begins her meditation.
It was the first time Ria had been this close to Hikari when she did this routine.
The intensity of just a small fraction of her mana felt like needles piercing her skin.
She puts on her clothes. It was just a simple shirt and skirt.
But she fumbles to put them on. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably.
The cauldron lid rattles. Hikari stands up.
The couch cushion below Ria recoils and tosses her up again.
Hikari walks back towards the couch, her cauldron in one hand.
Ria caught a glimpse of her full body.
Loose tops. Black skirt. Knee socks in flats.
Her massive biceps pulling a cauldron heavier than a pair of cannons.
She sat back down on the couch.
Placing the cauldron between her legs.
Her upper body towers over her lady.
Ria's breakfast tray floated up to her.
A tea sandwich, custard pie and a cup of tea.
At the moment, the fine presentation was unable to rouse Ria's appetite.
"Eat"
Ria flinched and then obeyed.
Using her fork, she stuffed one half of the tea sandwich into her mouth, pushing it down with some hot tea, and then stuffed the other half, and then finally the custard pie.
Then Hikari's ladle appeared before her, dropping several chunks of meat and vegetables onto her plate.
"Eat this too. "
"Yes… Hikari… " The chunks were huge.
Ria stabbed her fork into a chunk of meat.
Well cooked, soft enough for her to bite into.
It took her three bites to finish it.
The chunk alone was more filling than her normal breakfast.
She continued, half a carrot skewered to her fork.
She was full. Close to being stuffed.
But she tried to bite. Her face winced.
"You're full?"
"Yes… " She spat out the bite.
"Alright."
Hikari lowers her ladle to her plate.
Ria pours the leftovers into the huge metal spoon
It was not even a full mouthful for the giantess.
The sound of the steel ladle dropping into the empty iron cast cauldron.
With one leg, she pushed the cauldron to one side.
"Mana circulation."
"Yes.. Hikari… "
Hikari began her meditation.
Ria follows her lead.
It was quiet.
Time passed.
Hikari stood up and stretched her arms.
Ria opened her eyes.
She feels better now.
After a warm meal and some meditation, her shivering has stopped.
"About last night.. "
Ria flinched, her heart rate started to go up again.
"Umm… I guess… I… "
"I.. "
"I.."
"My lady?"
Ria still couldn't piece together a full sentence.
She feels a giant finger at the back of her head.
"You kissed my feet?"
A hint of playfulness in Hikari's usual cold voice.
Ria flinched. Her shivering started again.
"Yes.. I…"
"My lady?"
"I… I think you are an amazing Hikari. You are stronger than me, more beautiful than me. You can do things that I never can't."
A mid pitched giggle came from above. Coming from being so close to the giantess, Ria felt the force of that simple sound to her core.
"I like that."
Ria looks up at Hikari.
"Really? Umm… I … It's indecent isn't it?"
She meets the giantess's gaze. There was a smile on her face.
"It stays between us."
Ria paused. She was at a loss for words.
But she could feel the warmth in Hikari's smile.
"Promise?"
"Promise"