IGIWS FIRST DRAFT: Ch.403 It’s Time to Show Them, Johan.

Down in the dining room, the air was thick enough to chew, heavy with unspoken accusations between Queen Rianna Meredydd and Baroness Elizabeth Dule. The latter shooting glares at her old friend because of her reluctance to see what the Dark Elf has done to her family and to Rianna herself. While in contrast, the Queen sat in her chair, a placid smile on her face, as she sipped her tea, her eyes closed, enjoying the morning sun.

They were waiting for the rest of Elizabeth's family to arrive. And Elizabeth couldn't help but look at her friend and notice that the Queen's skin was radiating a healthy glow that put a teenager to shame, and her eyes were brighter than usual. It was like she had found the fountain of youth, and Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

'This is not my Rianna... She's been corrupted by the demon! She's been tricked into thinking that this Dark Elf is her friend, but I know the truth! She's using her dark magic to poison her mind! And now she's going to do the same to my family! I have to stop her! I have to save them!' Elizabeth thought, her hands trembling with a mixture of fear and anger.

"Is something the matter, my dear friend? You look a little... tense," Rianna asked, her voice a low, melodic hum.

"You know exactly what my problem—"

The doors opened to Johnathan Dule. He was about to speak, but when he saw his wife's angry expression and the Queen's calm demeanor, he knew that a storm was brewing.

"Does a Griffin have your tongue, Johnathan!?" Elizabeth snapped, her voice sharp and brittle.

Johnathan sighed as he knew that he was in the cross hairs of his wife's rage. "I apologize for my tardiness, Your Majesty. I was just speaking with my son. He and his wife will be here in the briefest of moments," he said, his voice calm and steady.

Rianna's smile widened as she took another sip of her tea. "No need to apologize, Baron. I'm sure you have a lot on your plate."

Baroness Elizabeth opened her mouth to retort, but she was cut off by the sound of the doors opening again. This time, it was Johan and Tayna, who were walking in hand in hand, their faces beaming with a newfound confidence.

"My apologies, your Majesty. If we knew that you would have been visiting, we would have—" Johan paused as he spotted his mother's glare and decided to cut his formal apology short. "—Been better prepared for your arrival," he finished, his voice a little shaky.

Tayna squeezed his hand, her eyes locked onto his, a silent message of reassurance. 'We will get through this together. We just have to show your mother the truth,' she thought as she looked at her mother-in-law with a determined expression.

Elizabeth clicked her tongue in frustration at the lack of decorum. "You're supposed to be the next heir of this family, Johan! I swear you take after your father's side of the family. With your lack of—"

Johan cut her off, "Mother, please. Not in front of the Queen," he said, his voice a little more assertive than usual.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, she was speechless. She had never heard her son speak to her in such a tone, and it was both shocking and unsettling.

Tayna let out a sly smirk when her husband stood up to his mother, 'That's my man.' She then turned to the Queen and gave a respectful nod, "Your Majesty. It's an honor to see you again," she said, her voice a calm, steady purr.

Rianna's smile widened as she looked at the young couple. She could see the change in them, the newfound confidence and love that radiated from them like a warm, glowing light.

"I don't know, Elizabeth. It seems to me that the next heirs of House Dule are finally living up to their potential. But you seem to think otherwise," Rianna said, her voice a low, teasing whisper.

Elizabeth's face hardened, her eyes narrowing into slits of pure disdain. "You wouldn't understand, Rianna. You've been... bewitched by that demon. You can't see what's right in front of your—"

The doors then opened to Rya who glided in with a grace that silenced all conversation. Her azure eyes, like chips of arctic ice, scanned the room, taking in the tension that crackled in the air like static before a lightning strike.

"My apologies for the intrusion," Rya said, her voice a low, melodic hum. She made her way and sat next to Tayna and the Queen. "I found Amelia. She will be joining us soon."

Elizabeth straightened up her posture and sized up the demon in front of her. Her eyes were cold and unwavering as she looked at the Dark Elf with a mixture of fear and hatred. She didn't say a word, but her posture screamed defiance.

Rianna gave Rya a small nod and a reassuring smile before turning back to Elizabeth. "As I was saying, Ellie. I think you're wrong about the Princess. And I think you're wrong about your own children."

Elizabeth looked at Rianna and was about to respond, but she noticed Johnathan trying to sneak out of the room. "And where do you think you're going, Johnathan!?"

"I was just going to check on the—the... Carriage! Yes! I have a meeting at the West Wing of Parliament and like any good Baron, I should not keep the other Lords waiting," Johnathan stammered, his voice a little shaky.

Rianna looked at the Baron with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Nonsense, Johnathan. You don't have to go to the palace until the afternoon, no? You should stay here and be supportive to your wife. That's what a good husband does," she said, her voice a low, teasing purr.

Johnathan's shoulders slumped in defeat, and he gave his wife a sheepish grin before taking his seat at the head of the table.

Elizabeth looked at her husband in disappointment. He shouldn't have been guilted into staying, but she was glad that he was. She just wished he had more backbone. He should have just sat next to her from the start and not try to flee like a frightened rabbit. She knew the Queen was going to corner her, and now her husband was going to witness her humiliation. She felt a surge of anger towards the Dark Elf, but she tried to keep it under control.

Just as the tension in the room was about to reach its breaking point, the doors opened one last time, and Amelia stepped into the dining room. She was wearing a stunning sapphire-blue dress that hugged her new curves in all the right places, her sandy-blonde hair cascading down her shoulders in soft waves. Her face was flushed with a mixture of excitement and nervousness, her eyes bright with a newfound confidence that seemed to take everyone by surprise. However, Elizabeth's eyes were drawn to how revealing the dress was, especially around the bust. The neckline was daring, showcasing the generous swell of her daughter's breasts, which seemed to be even larger than she remembered.

Amelia's eyes locked with her mother's, and she could feel the disapproval radiating from her like a cold, harsh wind. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest, and walked over to the table, her movements graceful and deliberate. She hesitated for a moment as she looked at the table. On one side sat the Queen, Rya, Tayna, and her brother. On the other side sat her mother who looked ready for a fight, and her father who sat at the head of the table. He looked like he was trying not to take a side in the debate.

"Good morning, everyone. My apologies for keeping you waiting," Amelia said, her voice a calm, steady purr.

Rianna's smile widened as she looked at the young noblewoman. She could see the change in her, the transformation from a timid, insecure girl into a confident, self-assured woman. It was a sight to behold, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in the Dark Elf who was responsible for this change.

"Come now. It was my fault for coming unannounced. Please, Amelia. Take a seat," Rianna said, her voice a low, melodic hum.

Amelia nodded and took a seat next to her brother. She could feel her mother's eyes on her, and she knew that she was in for a lecture once the Queen and the Princess left.

Johnathan looked at his daughter and his eyes widened in surprise. 'Well?... Maybe I can find a proper suiter for her now? I mean, I know she's beautiful, but now... She's... Breathtaking. Maybe Elizabeth needs to reconsider—'

The Baron caught the icy death stare from his wife and he promptly decided to keep his mouth shut.

Rya looked at the Baroness and she could feel the woman's hatred towards her. It was a familiar feeling, one that she had experienced many times before. But this time, it was different. It wasn't just fear of the unknown, it was a deep, personal animosity that went beyond the usual prejudice. Rya couldn't help but wonder what was behind it, what had caused the Baroness to harbor such intense resentment towards her.

Johan gave Rya an apologetic look while Tayna just gave her mother-in-law a look of pity. Amelia, on the other hand, looked determined. She knew what she had to do. She had to show her mother that she was not the same person she was before, that she was no longer the timid, insecure girl who needed her mother's approval.

"Amelia," Elizabeth said, her voice a low, brittle hiss. "What in the gods' names are you wearing? Have you no shame?"

Rya was about to jump in when Rianna clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention. "Elizabeth, my dear. I've always admired your passion. But I think it's time you stopped seeing the boogeyman in every shadow and started seeing the truth."

"And what truth would that be, Rianna?" Elizabeth shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That your dear friend here, this... creature, is not a demon sent to corrupt us all? That she hasn't turned my children into... into monsters?"

Tayna wanted to snap back at Elizabeth, but Johan stopped her by squeezing her hand under the table.

Rianna simply gave Elizabeth a serene smile, "Monsters, Ellie?" The Queen looked at the four young people around her. "Rya, my dear, would you be so kind as to remind our friend Elizabeth about your unique abilities?"

Rya's lips curved into a small, knowing smirk. "Of course, your Majesty."

Rya met eyes with the Baron and Baroness before she decided that it would be better if Johan went first. "Johan? Show your father what you can do."

Johan did a double-take. He thought he misheard her. They were trying to keep his abilities a secret until the time was right. But now he was being ordered to reveal his powers. He took a look at his mother and saw the hateful look on her face, and then looked over at his wife who gave him a confident nod. He then looked over at his father who gave him a confused look, not understanding what was about to happen. Johan looked at Rya one last time.

"Are you sure, Princess Rya?" he asked, his voice a little shaky.

"Go on, Johan. Show your father what his son is truly capable of," Rya said, her voice a low, confident purr.

Johan took a deep breath and stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. He closed his eyes and channeled his Mana to his head. Rya had found an old tome in the Mage's Guild's library that had spells for illusionists. Grand Master Fennic or the other mages didn't know what was inside this book as it was written in ancient demon tongue. Most of the pages had fallen apart due to the age of the book, but one of the pages was intact and had an incantation that made a field around the illusionist that could change the scene around them.

The best way Rya could describe it, to Quinus at least, was like an episode of Star Trek the Next Generation's holodeck. In a small area, Johan could make it seem like they were somewhere else. It wouldn't fool a mage with a heightened sense of the magical energies around them, but to a non-mage, it would be an experience.

But Johan's Illusion Vein was special and it made it seem like it was real. The sun would feel real, the grass under their feet would be real, the water from rain would get you wet, and the wind that blew through their hair would be real. You could run around in this illusion for miles, but in reality, you were in the same place. It was like you were stuck in a hamster wheel. It didn't matter of you were running, jumping, swimming, or flying. You were still in the same spot. But if you were non-mage, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. While a Maja or a Mage could break free if they used a powerful mana attack to disrupt the illusion.

Johan had been practicing this illusion for the past two weeks, and he had gotten quite good at it. He could hold it for a few hours before he started to feel the drain on his mana. He just didn't see the practical use for creating a beach-like environment in his bedchamber or create a view from atop a mountain in the middle of his room. But with Rya's guidance, he was starting to see the potential of this ability. It could be quite dangerous if he created a room with nothing but traps or place with blades or lava or something else that could cause serious harm to his enemies due to his rare ability to make them real. Then Rya also suggested the other reason to learn it. To make romantic illusions for him and Tayna. He wished he could have kept this as a surprise for Tayna. But he was sure she would enjoy it when the time was right.

Johan opened his eyes and his irises glowed with a faint silver light as he channeled his mana, his hands moving in a series of intricate gestures. The air around them shimmered, the familiar dining room blurring at the edges like a watercolor painting left out in the rain.

Johnathan and Elizabeth were panicking as the dining room looked like it was melting away.

"What sorcery is this!?" Elizabeth shrieked, her chair scraping against the floor as she pushed back from the table, her knuckles white where she gripped the wood.

Johnathan, however, was frozen in his seat, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. "Johan?... This can't be him?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Tayna, Amelia, and Rianna were in awe at the surreal sight. The polished mahogany of the furniture, the ornate tapestries on the walls—all of it dissolved into a swirl of color and light. The scent of roses and tea was replaced by the smell of salt and sea air. The sound of birds chirping and waves crashing against the shore filled the room, a natural symphony that was both beautiful and terrifying.

Elizabeth looked like a chicken with it's head cut off as the room was now replaced with a sandy beach with the sun shining bright above them. The water was a brilliant turquoise, the sand a pristine white, and the palm trees swayed gently in the breeze. The sound of seagulls could be heard in the distance, and the warmth of the sun on their skin felt real, too real. Even the sand under their feet felt like it was real, and the water that washed up on the shore was cool and refreshing.

"Where are we!? What's going on!? Did you teleport us!? Answer me this instan—"

Johan cut off the flow of his mana and the incantation stopped. The dining room popped back to normal as Elizabeth head snapped left and right as she saw she was back in her home. She looked at her son with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"You... You did this? How?" Elizabeth stammered, her voice barely a whisper. She took a step forward, her hand reaching out to touch the solid wood of the table, as if to reassure herself that she was back in reality.

Johan just smirked and looked over at his father, who was still in his chair. "I have a confession to make father. Rya lied about me having a common mana vein," he said, his voice calm and steady. "I have an Elite Vein, with an Illusion Mage Vein... and my illusion magic can become quite lifelike. I guess you could say that you have a very capable son, Father," he added, a hint of pride in his voice.

Johnathan looked at his son, his mind struggling to process what he had just seen. He had always loved his son, but a part of him had always been disappointed that he had been born manaless. It was a constant source of worry for him, a dark cloud that hung over their family's future. But then Johan cast his easiest spell, shadow object, and a rock appeared in his hand. He then tossed it to his father. Johnathan caught it and looked at it in his hand. It was a solid, heavy rock, a real rock.

"Th-This is real?" Johnathan asked, his voice a little shaky.

Johan shook his head and the rock vanished into thin air. The look on his father's face was a mixture of shock and awe, and Johan couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in his chest.

"Ha ha!" Johnathan jumped out of his chair and hurried over to his son, slapping him on his back and shaking his son's shoulders in an excited manner. "HA! Ha! This is amazing! I knew you were destined to do great things, Johan! Why didn't you tell us sooner?" he said, his voice a little too loud.

Rya sighed then smirked, "Because someone is aiming to take Johan's title. Tayna was captured during are journey back to Tairal through the Eldermyst Forest. They waited Johan dead, and they used an army of bandits to distract me. We thought it would have been wisher to keep this a secret so whoever is aiming for the Eder Hills title would show themselves with their guard down. But now I see it caused a riff in the family," she explained, her voice a low, confident purr.

Johnathan's face fell, and he looked at his son with a mixture of fear and concern. "Do you know who?" he asked, his voice a little shaky.

Johan grimaced and shook his head, "All we know is someone asked Duke Alaric Revelia to come after me. I still don't know who requested, unless Princess Rya knows something," he said, his voice a little hesitant as he looked over at Rya.

Rya's gaze swept the room, her expression unreadable. "Alaric is good at hiding things. My golems are working around the clock to find out who is helping him, but it's slow going. I have a theory that it's someone from a Minor Noble House. But the few leads that seem logical aren't acting like they want the title, and the ones that do think Johan is unfit to become the next Baron are too many and lower down the totem pole," she said, her voice a low, thoughtful murmur. "I do have a few suspects but there's no proof yet to act."

The room fell silent, the weight of Rya's words hanging in the air like a shroud. Johnathan's face was a mask of fear and anger, while Johan looked like he was ready to take on the world. Tayna just squeezed his hand, her eyes locked onto his, a silent message of support.

Johnathan took a moment before he shook it off and put his arm around his son's shoulders. "It doesn't matter! No one will dare come for my son once I teach him some of our family's secret Maja Skills, right, Johan!"

"Father. I'm a mage—"

"Nonsense, son! You're an Illusionist! You still need to master the art of combat, and I'm going to teach you everything I know! The Dule family has a long and proud history of producing some of the finest warriors in the kingdom, and you're no exception!" Johnathan's voice boomed with a pride that had been absent for years.

Elizabeth, meanwhile, had shrunk into her chair, her face a mask of disbelief. Her eyes darted from Johan to Rya, her mind racing.

'Th-This has to be a trick! Yes! She must have convinced my son to give up something to obtain this power! No one goes from manaless to having an Elite-level Mana Vein without making a pact with a demon! I need to stop her! But how?' Elizabeth thought, her heart pounding in her chest.

She wanted to say something, to expose the Dark Elf for what she truly was, but the words were caught in her throat. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of lies and deception, and she didn't know how to save herself or her family.

"Elizabeth, look at our boy! I told you that everything would work out in the—"

"Shut up! Y-You... You're all in on this! Aren't you!?" Elizabeth's voice was a brittle, high-pitched shriek that cut through the room. She shot to her feet, her knuckles white where she gripped the edge of the table. "You've all made a pact with her! With that... that demon! She's offered you power, youth, beauty! For what!? Sacrificing your souls!? For your loyalty!?"

Johan winced at his mother's accusations, while Tayna bristled, her hand instinctively going to the dagger hidden in her skirts. Amelia looked stricken, her newfound confidence crumbling under the weight of her mother's paranoia.

"Mother, that's not true! I didn't make any pact! Princess Rya just... Healed us, or something. She's not a demon!" Amelia pleaded, her voice trembling.

"Healed!?" Elizabeth laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Is that what she calls it? Look at her!" She pointed a shaking finger at Rianna, her eyes wild. "Look at the Queen! She looks like she's barely out of her girlhood! She's glowing with a light that isn't natural! And you!" Her gaze snapped to Amelia, raking over her daughter's voluptuous form. "She's made you a harlot! And don't you try and deny it! I could smell the sex on you from across the room!"

Amelia's face burned with humiliation, her knuckles white where she gripped the edge of the table. "That's not fair!"

"Fair!? You don't know the meaning of fair! My innocent daughter lost her virginity to goddess knows how many men and you expect us to find you a proper—"

"One!" Rya cut in, her voice quiet but carrying a weight that silenced the room. "She lost it to one man. And he is quite the man at that. Your daughter his good taste, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's head swiveled towards the dark elf, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. "You watched them!? You twisted, depraved—"

"I observed. From a distance," Rya corrected, her tone mild. "And it's a good thing I did. Because I have some more news for you, Lord Johnathan."

She turned to the Baron, ignoring Elizabeth's sputtering indignation. "Do you ignore me! I'm a—"

"Your daughter has attracted a very promising young man, who has a Demi-god Mana Vein. I believe his name is Ben?" Rya asked as she turned toward the embarrassed Amelia. The young woman's blush was so fierce it looked like she might spontaneously combust.

Johnathan's jaw went slack. He blinked once, twice. "Th-The stable hand has a... a Demi-god Mana Vein?" he stammered, his voice a choked whisper. He looked from Rya's calm face to his daughter's mortified one, then back again. A slow, disbelieving grin spread across his face, erasing the years of worry. A booming laugh erupted from his chest, a sound so full of joy and relief that it made the teacups rattle. "That's my girl! Her instincts are second to none!" he roared, clapping his hands together. "A Dule with a Demi-god for a son-in-law! Oh, the stories they'll tell!"

"Johnathan! This is not a time for celebrating!" Elizabeth shrieked, her voice cracking. "They're all insane! They've lost their minds to this... this creature!"

"Ellie! You say that I am blind, but look at you! Your son's a mage, and your daughter has found a partner that every Major Noble House in the Fiafyr Kingdom would kill to be allied with. Do you have any idea what this means for House Dule?" Rianna's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and clear.

Elizabeth flinched as if struck. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for an ally, a sign, anything that would prove she wasn't the one who was mad. But all she saw were the faces of her family, transformed by a magic she couldn't comprehend. Johan, standing tall and confident. Amelia, no longer a shy girl but a woman with a secret power and a forbidden lover. Even Johnathan, her usually placid husband, was practically glowing with pride. And the Queen... Rianna was watching her with an expression that was no longer just placid, but tinged with a profound, weary pity. It was that pity that finally broke her.