Hikari walked through the gate on the outer palisade.
Her muddy flats from her morning run on the paved stone road.
It was sturdy enough to hold her weight spread out by her wide shoes.
A bustling town was growing around the RazenHeir estate.
An outer ring of earthworks was still under construction around the new town.
Her lady Ria sat on her shoulder, holding onto strands of her hair for support.
Ria could vaguely see her reflection on Hikari's sweat coated neck.
"Look Hikari, the town sure had gotten a lot bigger in the last two months we were gone."
To her left was a row of warehouses.
She could glance at the interior through the upper floor window.
A coal warehouse for the trains.
Another one was filled with metal ingots.
There was one that was sealed and heavily guarded.
She could sense a strong mana presence coming from inside.
To her left, a workshop. The men and women inside were assembling muskets by the dozens.
It astonished her.
Just a few months back the area around the estate was nothing but lush countryside.
Since the Carla territory had fallen to the cultists, the survivors had moved to the safety of RazenHeir territory and within a short time, had re-established the livelihoods that they used to have.
"Yeah."
"Oh and look over there."
Hikari looked in the direction Ria was pointing.
It was a forge. A huge central furnace was at the center.
Its four openings were constantly manned, shoveling heated metal and ore in and out of the furnace.
Apprentices scurrying around carrying finished swords and musket parts and loading them onto carts.
"We retrieved some forge parts from Carla territories. The hearthstone house was willing to supply us with some sand that could withstand high temperatures. It's bigger than the estate forge. Not enough to supply all of our army's needs yet though."
Hikari looked on as a special team of smiths were assembling a mould that looked like it was meant for a great sword the size of a man.
"We still can't craft your claymore nor your handcannon within our house. It requires the workshops of the spire city to craft something of that scale which we can't afford right now. But hey, at least we can replenish your throwing daggers."
"Thats good."
"Look over there now."
It was a weavery.
Two weavers held each end of a wool blanket and layered it onto another layer.
They then began channeling a spell that caused the two layers to coalesce together into one.
On another desk, another weaver was working on a worn piece of wool.
"That's how your socks are made. I ordered an extra two layers and more enchantments since you had been wearing your socks more often."
Hikari scratched her cheek. Ria giggles.
"There's no need to be ashamed of your size. It has been more than a boon to everyone."
"I see."
They approached the estate.
A column of soldiers marched past them.
Hikari leaned against a building, making room for them to march past.
The sergeant barked at them to keep them facing front as they passed the sweaty giantess.
Wooden crotch guards strapped tightly to their hips.
"We had to abandon the Carla port due to the red mist emerging from the depths. Reports of the appearance of demons. Low level ones so far. A rifle squad easily deals with it."
"Carla?"
"Yes, it used to be a delving point to the depths below. Popular for a time as delvers loot the lost city that had been consumed by the midst of its wealth. It was sealed for good. Until I guess the cult of Eon messed with the seal when they took over the city."
Hikari stopped at a station just outside the wall around the estate.
There was a clean pair of flats waiting for her.
Her running pair was now muddy as the paved roads had gotten too crowded for her morning run.
Several cultists who were now in common infantry fatigues were there to load them onto a cart.
They robotically went about their work. Their old scars were still visible just above their collar.
"These cultists. They are more obedient than we thought. Not a single incident so far. We put most of them to work in the fields now. Got them to stop bowing down to you in public though, he~. It was starting to get weird."
"Yes."
With her clean pair of flats, she entered the estate grounds.
The well trimmed grass. The blooming flowers. The pristine white walls of the main mansion.
Only the exterior of the estate had changed. A higher wall. A ditch in front of it. More sentries and cannon emplacements. An expanded barracks area.
They reached the estate courtyard.
Ella was drilling under the supervision of the drill master.
"No, no, no. Not like that."
The drill master shook his head.
Ella lifted the wooden sword above her head.
She swung downwards stopping the sword abruptly.
Her whole upper body tilted to the side as she lost her balance from the simple swing.
The drillmaster slaps his face with his palm.
"Ella is it? Ah, I take it the meeting with my father went well? He must be impressed by her exceptional talent."
Ria wasn't able to notice Hikari rolling her eyes to the side from her angle on her shoulder.
"Not with the sword I reckon. I don't discourage recruits from picking up the sword. But this one looks like it's going to take a lot of work."
Ella turned and smiled at Hikari. Resting her hands on her sword with the tip touching the ground.
Her tail briefly shot out from behind her skirt and curled back just as the drillmaster turned his head.
"Good work Ella."
Ella's tailed shot out again.
"Haha. Words of encouragement are always welcomed. But hey, don't I get some too?"
The drill master grumbled.
"Hehe. Of course drillmaster. You have been busy lately. Having to raise another army from scratch." Ria giggled from atop Hikari's shoulder.
"Hahaha! No sweat, my lady. The recruits are coming along. It saddens me to see half of the faces I used to train fallen on the northern orc front. But we all got to move on. You can bet that the ones that survived that hell are whipping the current batch into shape."
"I'm glad to hear that. Back to Ella, how fares her training?"
"She certainly doesn't lack physical strength. The enchantors say her mana ability is exceptional. But something's odd to me. Forget swordsmanship for a moment, it's almost as though she has trouble moving on two legs beyond basic walking."
"Hmm?"
The drillmaster scratches the minor patch of grey hair on his head.
"Right! That reminds me. " He claps his hands together.
"Hahahaha! I must be getting old. Alright Ella. Hold the sword up and just walk."
Ella held the sword in one hand and began walking.
She wobbled as the weight of the sword shifted her center of balance.
Donk. The wooden sword hit the stone ground as she fell to one side.
"Thats it. That'll be your training regime from now on until you can walk properly."
Ria claps.
"Ella should run with us."
"Yeah… speaking of which. Isn't she your squire?" The drillmaster turned and gave Hikari the look.
Hikari rolled her eyes and scratched her cheek.
"Well, the academy inspectors are arriving within the hour. You would have to stand in for her today." Ria laughs.
"Hrmp. Sure thing. Good luck at the academy." The drillmaster bulks his arm muscles.