IGIWS FIRST DRAFT: Ch.401 Rya’s Discovery and Amelia’s Magic 🦴

While Tayna and Johan were getting dressed, a curtain Dark Elf Princess was making her way towards the stables on the Dule Family Estate grounds. Any servant that spotted Rya stiffened up and bowed their heads out of respect. But they also kept a safe distance from the Dark Elf as they believe what their Baroness was saying about her. It wasn't the first time Rya had seen people afraid of her, but it was becoming less and less common in the palace, and it was a little jarring to see it happening again.

'And I was starting to get used to people not being scared of me. What a shame... But it's not like I can blame them. They don't know any better. Once they know the real me, then most of them will come around. Or maybe I should show them a public display of my "good nature" to ease their fears...? No! That's just stupid. It would be like trying to impress my old bosses on Earth with a new business strategy that was still in the early stages of development. They would just see it as a cheap gimmick and I would lose all credibility. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing and let my actions speak for themselves,' Rya thought as she continued her way to the stables.

The moans were getting louder, and Rya was wondering if no one else from the Dule Estate could hear it. Sure, Rya's hearing was far more superior than any human's or dwarves, but these moans were loud enough that she was surprised that someone might have investigated them.

'M-Maybe they're quieter than I think. I mean, I've been a elf for seven months now? I think? Or was it eight? It's hard to keep track of the days after all the crap I've been through. I can't believe how long it's been since I was a human man on Earth. And now I'm a Dark Elf Princess who is about to get married to a Prince and I can use magic... What a strange turn of events... But I wouldn't have it any other way.'

Rya's thoughts drifted off as she was now at the entrance to the stables. The smell of hay and horses filled her nose, and she couldn't help but smile as she saw the beautiful creatures in their stalls. She had always loved horses, and she was glad that similar animals were here on Tertius that looked like the ones from her old world. It made some of the transitions from Earth to Tertius a little easier. She thought about trying to learn how to ride one some day, but with everything that was going on in the world, her priorities were getting stronger, helping her friends, trying to get married to Quinus, and trying to undermine her enemies. Once a few of these things were settled down, then she could have some time to enjoy the little things in life, like horse riding.

But right now, she had to find the "wayward" daughter.

She followed the sounds of passion, her steps soft and silent on the hay-strewn floor. The air grew warmer, thick with the scent of sweat, sex, and something else... something faintly magical, like ozone after a lightning strike. The moans were no longer muffled, thanks to Rya's elven ears; they were a clear, frantic symphony of ecstasy. It was a girl's voice, breathy and high-pitched, and it was accompanied by the low, guttural grunts of a man.

'Wow. They are really going at it. And by the sounds of it, he's giving her a good time. I wonder who Amelia is having fun—'

Rya had made her way through the stables until she made it to a door that went to the servants living quarters in the back of the stables. The door was slightly ajar, and the sounds of passion were coming from inside.

Rya peeked through the crack in the door and saw a two servants standing in the hallway like statues. One was a maid and the other looked like a footman or butler or something similar. They were both just standing there, and the maid looked like she was scratching chin, while the footman looked like he was staring at the with confusion written all over his body language. Like he was approaching her out of caution.

Something wasn't right about what was going on the two of them weren't moving as it was creeping Rya out.

'What the fuck is going on? Those two are just standing there... Somethings off. It's like they're stuck. Is it some kind of magical trap?' Rya thought as she continued to watch them.

She didn't hear any noise from them. They were completely still, but their bodies weren't stiff like a statue, but more like they were suspended in time. Even the footman's arm was still slightly reaching for the maid, as if he was trying to get her attention.

Rya couldn't see any magic emanating from the two servants, but she had a feeling that there was something at play here. She took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open, her hand resting on the hilt of her enchanted sword, Twilight Dancer. Her magical sword crafted by the skilled hands of the dwarven smith Arathar Coldforge, hummed softly against her palm, a silent testament to the immense power she wielded. It normally looked and was the size of a Roman Mainz Gladius, but the sword had a unique ability to act like a whip that Rya could control with her mana. It was her most prized possession, and her most trusted weapon outside of her magic. She hadn't needed to carry it for months since coming to the palace, but after getting reports from her golems that Alaric was acting strange made her start secretly wearing her sword once again. It was more of a precaution, and the main thing about it that made her carry it again was its ability to use anti-magic. If Alaric had an ace up his sleeve then she wanted to have something that could counter his artifact, Sorcerer Slayer. The only annoying thing was carrying such a weapon under her dress was a pain. But during her training session with Lady Nelumbo, Rya was able to shrink her sword down to the size of a dagger. It looked like a big dagger but it was far more easier to conceal. The only down side to shrinking her sword was to runes on the blade became inactive, and it took a few seconds for them to become active again after she returned Twilight Dancer to it's normal size. It doesn't seem like much, but seconds could be the difference between life and death.

She slowly crept down the narrow hallway, her elven eyes scanning for any traps or magical wards. The walls were made of rough-hewn wood, the floorboards creaking under her weight. She could hear the moans getting louder, and she could feel a strange energy in the air. It was faint, but it she knew there was magic at play.

'This is something I haven't seen before. But what is it? Maybe there's something that these two servants know about this... Or maybe they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,' Rya thought as she approached a door at the end of the hall.

The moans were coming from behind the door, and she could hear a bed creaking and the sound of flesh slapping against flesh.

"Oh, Ben! M-Milk me more! My breasts won't stop lactating!" Amelia moaned from behind the door.

Rya's ears perked up. 'Wait, what? Milk? What the hell is she talking about?' she thought, her brow furrowed in confusion. She had to see what was going on as she was only a few feet away from the two frozen servants by the door.

Just as she was about to approach the two trapped souls, she felt a powerful energy coming from the shadows in the corner of her eyes. It looked like a slithering tendril that shot out from under the door, heading towards her at breakneck speeds.

'SHIT!?'

Rya used blink to teleport back ten feet to the first door she passed earlier on her right side. She was able to avoid the shadow tendril, but she was now more on guard as she had a feeling that whatever was behind that door was more powerful than she had anticipated.

The tendril warped into the wall where Rya was standing, and it was slithering around the hallway trying to find the intruder it took a moment then spotted Rya and speed towards her again, but this time Rya sprung Twilight Dancer into its full Gladius form in a flash of black steel and dwarven runes.

The tendril reared back, seeming to recognize the sword's anti-magic properties. But it was more confident as a second tendril shot out from the wall, followed by a third, all of them converging on Rya's position.

'MULTI-WHIP!' Rya roared in her head as her sword's blade shot out into multiple whip blades with the anti-magic barrier glowing around the whip blades.

The whip blades shot out in a wide arc, slicing through the shadow tendrils with a sizzling sound, like bacon hitting a hot pan. The tendrils dissolved into nothing but a fine black mist, leaving behind a faint smell of burnt sugar.

'What the hell was that? Is Amelia's new found magic a lot more powerful than I thought. Huh?'

That's when Rya noticed two tendrils wrapped around the two Servants' shadows on the floor. It must be the reason why they were suspended in time. It wasn't the servants themselves that were being held captive but their shadows. It was a pretty ingenious way to subdue someone without physically harming them. She never knew that such magic excited.

'Okay. If I have my anti-magic barrier up then Amelia's magic shouldn't affect me. But do I free the servants? I don't know what would happen to them if I do cut down those shadows. I better leave them be until I can see what the hell is going on in the room. I don't want to hurt them or Amelia by accident.'

Rya slowly made her way towards the door to Ben's room, her sword still in whip form, the black blades shimmering with a faint red energy. She could hear the moans getting louder, and the creaking of the bed. When she was in the same spot when the two shadow tendrils attacked her she readied herself for another attack. She saw another tendril coming towards her, but it slowed down and acting like it couldn't reach her or her shadow. It aimlessly stretched around the floor and walls, looking for a way to get to her. It looked like it was confused as to why it couldn't find her. Rya realized that it was because her anti-magic barrier was protecting her. It was like a force field that was repelling the magical energy. But the tendrils were still there, waiting for her to lower her guard.

'This is amazing. I never knew that Amelia was this powerful. But is she really in control of her magic? Or is it just reacting to her emotions? I need to get a closer look at what's going on in that room.'

She slowly crept up to the door and looked through the keyhole. What she saw made her jaw drop.

Amelia was bent over on Ben's bed and the stud of a man was milking her massive engorged breasts with his hands while pumping his giant cock into her from behind. The sandy-blonde beauty was moaning with pleasure, her body trembling with each thrust. The bed was creaking loudly, and the room was filled with the sounds of their passion.

"W-We shouldn't be so loud, My Lady. I think I heard Miss Jessica walk by my room not too long ago. If they find us, I don't want you to get in trouble with your mother," Ben said, his voice a low, guttural growl.

Amelia looked back at him, her face flushed with a mixture of pleasure and defiance. "I don't care if my mother finds us. She's been treating me like a child for far too long! And I'm not a child anymore, Ben. I'm a woman, and I'm tired of her telling me what to do," she moaned, her voice a breathy whisper.

Rya's eyes widened as she saw Amelia's breasts. They were huge, easily a DD-cup, but that wasn't what caught her attention. It was the fact that Amelia's breasts were leaking milk was confusing her. She had never seen anything like it before, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if her own breasts were lactating. Sure Dalia was lactating as well, but she was pregnant and at least for humans, women only start to lactate after giving birth. But Amelia wasn't pregnant, so what the hell was going on?

'Wow! Is this because of her Mana Vein? Or is there something else going on with her? Wait a minute... Ben?' Rya's mind was racing as she looked at the stable hand. He was a handsome man, with chiseled features and a muscular build that looked similar to Quinus. He didn't look like some farmhand, he looked like a knight who was destined for greatness. Not only that but this guy had quite the mighty sword between his legs. His cock had to be at least 11 inches long or more and it was almost as thick as her wrist. He was a beast of a man and the sight of him would have made her feel a little hot under the collar if she didn't have Quinus in her life. Even though Rya's fiance was bigger than Ben in every way, she still couldn't help but appreciate the site of another handsome specimen, like Ben. But she wasn't here to drool over a man's cock, she was here to figure out what was going on with Amelia.

'Okay, Rya. Focus. I know this guy is one hell of a man, but he's not to Quin's level of handsome. Now, what about him is so special? Let me just take a quick—oh. Oh my!' Rya pulled out her Seer Stone from her cleavage and quickly used its power to see what Ben had. She had to hold her breath as she was now able to see the man's mana veins. The Seer Stone allowed her to peer through the physical, to the ethereal network of mana that flowed through every living being on this world. Most nobles she had scanned glowed with the faint light of Common or Good level veins. Her own circle of friends shone brighter with Master and Elite veins. The revelations of Johan and Amelia's Elite-level non-elemental Mage Veins had been a surprise, a testament to the hidden depths of the curse Rya had unraveled.

But Ben... Ben was a different story entirely. She's only seen this color Mana Vein in three people before him. Nieren, Hilda, and the 12-year-old orphan boy Sid. Ben had a nice purple mana vein, that wasn't as developed as Amelia's, but if he did try to develop it, then he would caught up to her in no time, for he has a Demi-god Level Mana Vein. The highest level Mana Vein that a being of Tertius was capable of having.

'Another one? This makes four Demi-god Level Mana Veins that I know of... I thought these things were rare?... Well? If I didn't run into Sid he would have still been handicapped and no one would have given him a second glance. While Hilda's Mana Vein is so underdeveloped that her mana can't light up her mage veins. And Nieren had some stupid curse on her vein that masked and weakened her true potential. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there are more people with Demi-god Mana Veins. And if Ben has a Demi-god Mana Vein then maybe this could help ease the tension between Elizabeth and Amelia... Hehe! Oh, Amelia. You found yourself one hell of a man and you have a rare mage vein that is quiet formidable. She definitely doesn't know that she's a shadow mage. But how is she lactating? Hahh! It must be a mana thing that is messing with her body. I mean, I was a man over six months ago and mana fucking made me look like a bombshell so I can't judge her for her weird... side effects. But this is something that I should look into, maybe if I have some free time in the future.'

That's when Rya heard Ben's voice, breaking her concentration. "My Lady... I think... I think I'm going to... To cum! You're just too tight!" he groaned, his voice strained with pleasure.

Amelia moaned, her body trembling with anticipation. "Me too! Fill me up! I don't care if you get me pregnant! I don't want any other man but you, Ben!"

Rya's eyes widened as she heard the confession. 'Oh, shit! She's in love with him! Well, Amelia, you better appreciate the news I'm about to give you about your new man's hidden potential. This will definitely flip Elizabeth's world upside down.'

Rya waited for the two love birds to climax, which didn't take long as the sound of the two lovers moaning in unison echoed through the small room. She had to chuckle as she heard their heavy breathing for a moment, a moment of contentment.

"My Lady... As much as I love hearing you say that, you know that can never happen. Your mother would never approve of us. And I'm just a stable hand," Ben said, his voice a low, melancholic murmur. He pulled out of Amelia, his now-limp cock glistening with their combined fluids.

Amelia turned over and looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of love and sadness. "I don't care what my mother thinks! And you're not just a stable hand! Maybe we can run away or—"

Rya saw her opportunity to get the ball rolling. She was going to pretend to be the Maid that was frozen behind her, Miss Jessica, and see what was going to happen. Rya believed that Amelia would sneak out if Rya acted like she was there to speak to Ben about his duties for the day. This would allow her to get a better reading on Amelia's Shadow Magic when she's in a state of panic and leaves.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Ben? Sir Johnathan wants to know if your ready to take out the stallion for his morning ride? He's going to the palace later in the... Are you alright? It sounds like you are a little... out of breath?" Rya said, making her voice higher pitched, trying to sound like a shy and nervous maid.

The room went silent, and Rya could hear the frantic rustling of sheets and the soft thud of feet hitting the floorboards. She could imagine their panic, their wide eyes, their hearts pounding in their chests.

"Uh, Um!? Just a minute, Miss Jessica! I- I'm just getting dressed!" Ben stammered, his voice tight with alarm. "I'll be out in a few minutes!" he added.

Rya could hear the sound of a drawer being opened and closed, followed by the rustle of clothing. She could almost picture them scrambling around the small room, trying to make themselves presentable.

"Where's my underwear," Amelia whispered under her breath as she frantically looked around the room. She found her dress and quickly put it on, not bothering to wear any of her undergarments. Her face was flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement, her heart still racing from the passionate encounter with Ben.

Ben, on the other hand, was trying to find his shirt, his hands shaking as he searched through the messy pile of clothes. He found his clothes that he wore yesterday and put them on in a hurry. He looked at Amelia, his eyes filled with a mixture of love and fear. He knew that if they were caught, it would be the end of his career, and possibly his life. But he also knew that he couldn't stay away from her. He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, and he was willing to risk everything for a few moments of pleasure in her arms.

Amelia gave him a reassuring smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she hurried to the window that she snuck in from last night. The window was just big enough for her to fit through and it was on the second story of the living quarters. She was about to climb out, but she stopped and turned to Ben. She mouthed, "I love you," and then blew him a kiss.

Ben's heart swelled with emotion, and he couldn't help but smile as he watched her climb out the window and disappear into the morning light.

On the other side of the door, Rya noticed the tendrils of shadows that were trying to get her stopped and slid back under the door. At the same time, the two shadows that had ensnared the servants looked like they were stretching thin and when Amelia left the room the connection to the shadow magic was cut. The shadows that were on the floor snapped back towards Amelia's shadow as if they were rubber bands. The moment they snapped back into her, the maid and the footman shook their heads as they looked around in confusion. Rya used her blink magic to pop back to the door that lead to the stables and observed the two servants from a distance to make sure they were okay.

The footman's name was Michael, who is one of the new footmen for the Dule family. He was confused as he was trying to remember what he was doing. He saw the maid, Jessica, scratching her chin, as she looked as confused as he was. Their memories were hazy as they didn't know why they were standing in the hallway.

"Wh-What happened? Did we fall asleep standing up?" Michael asked, his voice a little shaky.

Jessica looked around and shook her head, "I don't know... but I have this strange taste in my mouth... and my head is pounding. I think I need to go lie down for a minute," she said, as she rubbed her temples.

Michael looked at her with concern, "Y-Yeah... I'll get us some—"

Ben took a deep breath and composed himself, then walked over to the door. He opened it and saw the maid, Miss Jessica, clutching her head, while Michael the footman, was trying to keep her from falling over.

"Are you two alright?" Ben asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Jessica looked up at him, her eyes still a little dazed. "I feel like I was ordered by her ladyship to look for someone... but I can't remember who... or why I was even here," she said, her voice trailing off.

Ben looked at the footman, who just shrugged his shoulders. "I was with her. I think... Maybe? I remember being asked to help her find someone... But I don't remember who either," Michael said, his voice a little confused.

Ben looked perplexed, he swore that Miss Jessica was asking him to get the horses ready for his Lordship. However, he was so caught up with his encounter with Amelia that he might have misheard her. 'I-I still should get the horses ready. But I need to help these two first,' he thought.

"Alright. I believe Mister Grif's room is open. Come with me. I'll get you two something to drink," Ben said, as he led the two confused servants to another room down the hall.

Rya watched with a curious expression as the three disappeared into a nearby room. She was more concerned about the fact that the two servants didn't know why they were in the hallway. 'They really don't remember... Whatever type of magic Amelia has is something far more powerful than I thought. And she doesn't even know that she's doing it. I wonder how she's going to respond to the news that she's a unique mage? Hehe! I guess I should tell her before her meeting with her mother,' Rya thought as she used blink again to teleport to the roof of the stables.

***

The dark elf phased into existence on the weathered cedar shingles of the stable roof. The morning sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, casting long shadows across the estate. She spotted Amelia scurrying along the side of the building, her sandy-blonde hair catching the first light of dawn. The noblewoman was barefoot, her dress slightly disheveled, but she moved with a surprising grace, her heart-shaped ass swaying with each step.

Rya smiled as she watched Amelia try to sneak back into the main house. She was like an amateur cat burglar, her movements fluid and silent, but her inexperience was evident in the way she kept looking over her shoulder, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement. Rya knew that Amelia was just trying to avoid her mother, but she couldn't help but feel a little proud of the young woman for standing up for herself. It was about time that she stopped letting her mother control her life.

Just before Amelia reached the side of the main estate, had a guard coming out of the side entrance. Amelia was hopping on one foot when she stopped her momentum and hurried behind a tree. The guard thought he heard something to his left and looked in Amelia's direction. Luckily for the daughter of the Baron, she was able to conceal herself completely behind the tree, and the guard didn't see her. But he did notice something unusual about the tree's shadow. It looked like it was writhing and twisting, as if it were alive. He shook his head and blinked his eyes, thinking that he was just seeing things. He chalked it up to lack of sleep and continued on his patrol, his footsteps echoing in the quiet morning air as he was walking by the very tree Amelia was hiding behind.

'Please don't see me! Please don't see me!' Amelia thought, her heart pounding in her chest.

Rya watched with a raised eyebrow as Amelia's shadow seemed to stretch and contort, wrapping itself around the guard's shadow and then he froze in his place. Like the two servants from earlier.

'Well, I be damned. She can cast it from afar too. This is... impressive. I wonder if she's aware of what she's doing?' Rya thought as she looked at the frozen guard. He was just standing there, like a statue. Rya had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't seeing things. The guard's shadow was still and lifeless, but the shadow that Amelia was casting was still there, coiled around his own.

Amelia waited for a minute before she peaked around the concern of the tree. She pulled back at first, but then she noticed that the guard's back was turned to her. He was just standing there. 'Ugh! This is like yesterday morning! It's okay. I just need to sneak past him and climb the trellis to the second floor like I always do. Just don't make any sudden movements or loud noises and I will be safe... Right?' Amelia thought as she took a deep breath and prepared to make a run for it.

She took a step forward, and another, her bare feet silent on the dew-kissed grass. She kept an eye on the guard who seemed to not have noticed her at all.

'I-I'm really good at this! Maybe I can be a rogue or something, if Ben and me runaway together?' Amelia thought as she was now at the side of the estate. She put her hands on the cold stone wall and looked up at the trellis that lead to her bedroom window. The trellis looked a little rickety, but it was the only way she could get back into her room without being seen.

'Okay, just climb up and I will be in the clear,' Amelia thought as she started to climb the trellis.

She wasn't the fastest but she was getting there. She didn't have time to appreciate the view, but she couldn't help but feel a little thrill as she climbed higher and higher. She looked back one more time to make sure that guard didn't notice her and his was still looking the other way. 'Heh! Sucker.'

Amelia smiled as she continued to climb, her heart pounding in her chest. She was almost there, just a few more feet, and she would be in the safety of her own room.

But then, a wood board snapped under her foot and she lost her footing. Amelia grimaced and held her mouth shut. If she let out a peep she would be caught. 'F-Find your feet! FIND THEM!' she thought as her feet flailed around trying to find a new footing.

Rya thought she should blink over to Amelia to help her but she stopped when she noticed that Amelia's shadow grabbed the piece of wood that had broke and moved it back into place so she could get her footing back. It then reattached the broken piece to the trellis as it was good as new. 'Her shadows can interact with inanimate objects as well? That's fucking cool! And she's still not aware of what she's doing. I guess it's because her magic is connected to her emotions and her will to not get caught by her mother, or whoever is trying to find her. Johan's magic is similar to how dangerous he can with his illusions, but Amelia seems to be able to wield her magic at will were Johan needs more practice. Regardless of that, I would not want to face both of them at the same time in battle. House Dule looks like they are going to be the most formidable noble house in all of the continent... Or maybe the world I'm starting to wonder what Elizabeth has beneath the curse that's plaguing her Mana Vein. Maybe someone noticed her family line had this potential and tried to cull it... But who? And why? I guess I should find out soon. But first I need to talk to Amelia before her mother does,' Rya thought as she watched Amelia finish her climb to her second-story window. Once she was out of sight the shadow holding the guard captive released him just like what happened to the two servants in the stables.

Rya smirked and vanished in a blink of an eye.