Back in the ball room, before Amelia's Mana Rush was completely taken care of. Rya, Nieren, Menie, Constance, Jenelle, Serena, Aris, and Julia weaved their way through the crowd of noblewomen towards the corner where the mothers and their babies were.

  As they made their way through the crowd of women Rya did a quick survey of her surroundings to see how her allies were doing. First she spotted her younger sister, Eine, striking up a surprisingly friendly conversation with Lydia Revelia and a bunch of the youngest girls were crowding around the Half-Elf. Eine looked like she was in her element as she handled the girls with the grace of a royal.

  "S-So you a Half-Elf? That's amazing! Are your ears really pointy? Can I touch them?!" Lydia asked.

  "Really? I mean, they aren't that pointy. Not compared to my sisters' or mother's ears. But you can touch them if you'd like," Eine responded, turning her head to the side and leaning over a little to let some of the girls py with her ears.

  The girls began to giggle and py with Eine's ears.

  "They're so soft and pointy! Like an ear of corn!" said one of the girls.

  "Your hair is really pretty. I wish I was part elf," said another.

  "I heard elves have superhuman strength. Is that true?" asked a third.

  Eine chuckled a little and shrugged, "I don't think I am?... But I can hear things better than humans can... Well that's what my mother and sisters say, but I'm not sure."

  "You must be really smart then, if your hearing is better than ours," said a fourth.

  "Do you have magic? Can you use a bow? What kind of magic do you use? How many arrows can you shoot?" asked a fifth.

  Eine giggled again, these girls were either a little younger than her or close to her, 14 years of age or there abouts. She never felt this comfortable about talking about herself to other people before, it was always something she was taught to avoid back in the orphanage. But right now, she felt more rexed than she ever did.

  "Um?... I don't know if my better hearing makes me smarter, but my older sister, Nieren wants to train me to use the bow. However my mother won't let me... Not until I learn the Green Word," Eine replied, trying not to think too hard about the Green Word.

  "Green word? Lydia, she can communicate with pnts!" Cra Revelia said excitedly to her older sister.

  "You're a mage? That is so amazing! Uh! I wish I was a mage... How many spells do you know?" Lydia asked excitedly.

  "I-I... I just recently discovered my magical abilities a few days ago. It still doesn't feel real... But I was able to get a flower to bloom yesterday during my mother's second lesson. I couldn't believe I did it... Actually, my mother almost killed me," Eine grimaced as she recalled what happened during her lesson.

  "Oh, no? Did she yell at you? My mom is always yelling at me. I hate it," Cra replied.

  Lydia and a few girls could rete to her as they gave looked at her with pity.

  It took a moment for Eine to realize that these girls were looking at her with a sympathetic expression. Eine felt a little embarrassed as they were misinterpreting the situation.

  "Oh, no, no, no! My mother was so happy that she hugged me... And, well?..." Eine tailed off and gnced over at her mother in the distance. Yuliana was standing beside the Queen, looking regal as ever, but she had a slight gre when her eyes met the Duchess's. All the other girls followed her gaze.

  "S-She gets a little too excited and forgets to let go. And it's hard to breathe when a woman has a chest as big as my mother's. I had a hard time getting her to release her hold. She's like a golden koa when she's tired or excited," Eine replied.

  The girls' pity turned into a little bit of envy. They wished their parents were more loving and not so distant and cold.

  "Wow, your mother loves you that much? That must be nice. My mother barely even looks at me, and when she does, it's because I made a mistake," Lydia compined.

  "Oh?... I'm sorry to hear that," Eine whispered, as all the girls turned back to look at her.

  "Your mother is really pretty, and she loves you enough to train you to use magic. I bet you'll be a super awesome mage when you get older," a young girl named Katie added.

  "Thank you. But I'm only going to be a vegetation mage. I don't think it's anything that impressive. Not like a fire mage," Eine replied, trying to be humble.

  "Vegetation mages aren't common! And just to be born a mage is a fear in itself... I wish I were a mage... Then maybe my fate would be under my control, and I could get away from my parents," Lydia said with a sigh.

  Eine looked at her a bit surprised, wondering if she was hinting at something. She felt her heart twinge for a moment, and the pit in her stomach returned. She couldn't imagine why this little girl was having such a bad time at home.

  Eine was on the verge of speaking when Dalia, who had been quietly standing nearby and trying hard to maintain an intimidating demeanor for her role in the Good Knight, Bad Knight drama, finally broke her silence.

  "Pfft! Self-pity isn't going to help you take control of your life, half-pint. You're an Alpha, surrounded by a herd of sheep. One would think a pup from an Alpha House would possess at least a sembnce of backbone," Dalia decred, her tone dripping with a smug sense of superiority. "You don’t realize how powerful you are, half-pint... yet here you are, just offering yourself belly up. Honestly, I’m embarrassed for you," she scoffed, her arms crossed defiantly and her tail swaying like a pendulum behind her.

  Eine's eyes widened in arm as she sensed Lydia might dissolve into tears from Dalia's biting remarks. The air thickened with tension as Lydia, along with the other young girls, turned their gaze toward the proud Wolfkin, who seemed to revel in the glory of her own scorn. Eine desperately wanted to jump in and diffuse the situation, but words failed her.

  As Lydia processed Dalia's words, her expression morphed from one of despair to astonishment. She took in Dalia's striking features: the voluminous, fluffy tail that swished with a defiant rhythm, the wolf-like ears perked up in an unmistakable dispy of pride, and the toothy grin that revealed her sharp canines—a testament to her fierce heritage. This transformation sparked something within Lydia, and her apprehensive expression blossomed into a radiant smile, soon echoed by the other girls who joined her in solidarity.

  However, Dalia's self-satisfied grin faltered, repced by confusion. The atmosphere surrounding her was not one of fear and respect, as she was accustomed to, but of awe and admiration. It had been ages since anyone had dared to smile genuinely in her presence, and the warmth of those young faces began to take her by surprise. The 19-year-old Wolfkin, often met with trepidation from both beastkins and humans alike, suddenly found herself enveloped by a wave of infectious enthusiasm radiating from the 8 to 15-year-old girls.

  “Wow… You’re a real Dogkin. Just like in the stories?” a young girl named Linda asked, her voice tinged with wonder.

  “I thought she didn’t like us, but maybe she’s just being a good Dogkin and watching over us,” another girl chimed in, bright-eyed and hopeful.

  Dalia looked like she had been knocked on the back of the head. "D-Dogkin!?" she stammered, struggling to regain her composure. Determined to reassert her dominance in front of the enthralled girls, she decred, "Don’t mistake me for one of those floppy-eared, slobbering-tongued Mongrelkins who would roll over and expose their bellies for a mere piece of Quad-horn meat! I’m a Wolfkin, and I'm fierce! Grrr!"

  With her ears pinned back, she unleashed a low growl, and though the girls were momentarily stunned, it was not fear that gripped them. They instead gazed curiously at her pronounced belly, mistaking it for the oversized result of indulging in too many roasts. Their eyes flicked to the buffet station, particurly the carving station where the quad-horn roast had once been plentiful, now reduced to nothing but a stack of dirty ptes, thanks to the Wolfkin in front of them.

  Realizing the girls' attention had shifted behind her, Dalia turned and caught sight of the servants wheeling away the carving station, empty aside from remnants of what had been. When she looked back, she found all the girls stifling giggles, their smiles widening as they continued to gnce at her belly. A fierce blush crept up Dalia's cheeks as she straightened her posture, avoiding their cheerful gazes.

  "I'm pregnant!" she blurted defensively. "And my pups are hungry!" The admission hung in the air, a tinge of embarrassment cing her voice even as Dalia battled against the warmth of their friendly ughter.

  All the girls' giggles turned into awe or squeals of surprise and joy as they gathered around Dalia. "You're pregnant!?" One girl asked.

  "Oh my gosh! How many puppies do you think you'll have?" Another girl asked.

  "What are they? Are they boys or girls?" Yet another asked.

  "Do you have any names? If you don't, then can we help?" Lydia asked.

  The questions flooded her mind. The girls were talking and asking questions over one another that Dalia couldn't understand. It was just a flood of questions that made Dalia's head spin. There were a few girls who rubbed her belly without even asking. She was surprised by how bold they were.

  Rya and Nieren witnessed the whole thing, and they couldn't help but chuckle. 'Poor Dalia... Who knew that a group of girl kids would be her kryptonite? Rya thought to herself. The dark elf didn't know if she should step in and save her friend from all the children's questions, or let the poor wolfkin demi-human handle it on her own.

  Eine surveyed the situation with a discerning eye, recognizing the Woldkin's plight as the cluster of girls surrounding her were closing in like a mosh pit. With a determined cp of her hands—three sharp sounds that echoed through the clearing—she brought an instant hush to the chatter. Every pair of eyes turned to the teenage Half-Elf, poised and confident in her resolve. “Girls! Girls... Give Dalia, the Dogkin, her space. I'm sure she has plenty to share, but for now, we must allow her some room to breathe,” Eine stated, her voice firm yet gentle, commanding respect effortlessly.

  “Yes, Princess Eine,” the girls chorused, their voices synchronized as they stepped back, creating a wider circle around the Wolfkin.

  Dalia, feeling the sudden shift in energy, snapped her head around in confusion. How had Eine done that? What magic of presence or charisma granted her the ability to instill both fear and respect among the children? Perhaps she would have to inquire ter, but for the moment, Dalia was grateful for the breathing space that had been afforded to her.

  “I’m sorry, Lady Dalia,” murmured Lydia, her tone soft and sincere. "But you're so funny! I thought Wolfkins were meant to be fierce and intimidating. You’re just so nice... and, well, cute! How can you be so cute?” Lydia's wide eyes sparkled with curiosity.

  Dalia stared at Lydia, her expression a mixture of bewilderment and indignation. “Funny!? C-Cute!? I am NOT cute. I am a warrior! My gre has struck fear into the hearts of fierce Shadow Panthers, leaving them trembling in their fur! You small ones have no idea of the true terror a Wolfkin can unleash. Like me!” She decred triumphantly, striking yet another exaggerated power pose for dramatic effect. In her heart, however, she began to realize that perhaps this battle for respect was already lost.

  The air was quickly filled with giggles and ughter, even Eine couldn’t suppress a chuckle at her Warrior friend’s amusing antics, a soft lightness chasing away the earlier tension.

  “Lady Dalia, you’re simply too much,” Eine ughed, her smile bright and infectious.

  “You are just so adorable! How can you be scary when you’re just so cute?” one of the younger girls piped up, her smile wide and genuine.

  “Lady Dalia is nothing like the other noblewomen,” whispered one girl to her companion. “It’s like she has no fear of being scolded for her ck of propriety... I wish my mother were more like her.”

  “Yeah! I wonder if all the other Wolfkins are like her?” the friend responded, eyes wide with newfound fascination.

  “If they are, then I can’t understand why our parents haven’t sought peace with their kind. If Lady Dalia is the standard, it would surely be an easy task! Don’t you think, Audrey?” Linda whispered, a hint of admiration in her voice.

  Audrey nodded vigorously, her face lighting up with excitement. “Yes! If we were to befriend them, they would surely assist us in our times of need, right?”

  “It would be so adorable to see an entire army of them!” Cra Revelia squealed with delight, her imagination bursting with enchanting images of fierce yet lovable Wolfkins charging valiantly into battle.

  “Hey!? I’m not just cute! I’m an apex predator! Many warriors have quaked in fear at the mere sight of me in the battle arenas!” Dalia interjected proudly, her boastful nature shining through as she attempted to recim her reputation.

  Suddenly, Lydia’s eagerness interrupted the banter. “Oh! You were a sve? How did you break free from your master?” Her eyes were wide with fascination, almost shimmering like stars. The delicate bance of innocence and vulnerability was palpable as she looked at Dalia. Though her sisters tried to mask their own pasts, Lydia could sense the harsh realities they had endured, the cruel fates of being married off to men who only sought to benefit her father's ambitions. She found soce in fairy tales, where sves broke free from chains, vanquishing the evils of their past and finding true love. These stories lingered in her heart.

  But as Dalia heard Lydia's question, her confidence faltered slightly. She hesitated, her bravado wavering as she reflected on her own escape. “I–I… It’s not that exciting. It was... complicated. Honestly, it would bore you all,” she said, her tone dipping from pride to a quiet reluctance.

  “Oh, please tell us, Lady Dalia! We want to know! I swear I won’t tell anyone, I promise,” Lydia begged, her voice soft yet insistent, her eyes pleading as she leaned in closer.

  Dalia was taken aback by the earnestness in the girls’ expressions, their collective curiosity drawing them in tighter around her. She could feel the weight of their attention, an unexpected warmth blossoming in her chest despite her initial reluctance.

  The Wolfkin looked over to Eine, who shrugged, "I haven't heard the whole story. It's yours to tell, Lady Dalia."

  The Wolfkin sighed heavily and put her hand on her face, shaking her head in disappointment. "Well... You have to promise me that you won't see me as a Beta Wolf or a weakling. Okay?" She said.

  "Okay, we promise," The four girls responded in unison, with Lydia adding, "We'd never do that to someone so cute and strong like you!"

  "Grr! I'm not cute—Wait? You think I'm strong?" Dalia was surprised at their response. The girls mostly nodded, which helped rebuild Dalia's bruised ego.

  "Alright... Where to begin..." She thought for a moment, her brow furrowed in concentration, and then began, "Well... My pathetic master at the time was trying to avoid the Fiafyrian Guards as it isn't legal to fight in Fiafyr. But there were a few underground rings around the western outskirts of the Fiafyrian territory... He drove his caravan into a horde of goblins and decided to us as decoys for his escape."

  The girls had looks of shock and disgust, but they remained silent, waiting for Dalia to continue.

  "He left us to die as with leaving the sve colrs weakening our strength and mana. We did whatever we could to defend ourselves but we got caught and only us females weren't left alive to become brood maidens..."

  "You were turned into a brood maiden? But how did you escape? How did you survive?" Lydia asked, her voice rising in pitch.

  Dalia pointed her thumb at Rya who was on her way towards the new mothers in the corner of the ballroom.

  "Alpha did the impossible and healed me, while Beta freed me from my colr..." She paused and took a breath, "That's why she's the best Alpha ever!"

  Lydia and the rest of the girls looked back at Dalia with a bit of confusion.

  "So, Princess Rya is Alpha, but who is Beta?" Lydia asked.

  "Gah!? I meant, Prince Quinus," Dalia replied, flustered.

  Lydia and Cra were the most surprised out of the group, "Cousin Quinus, freed you? Really!?" Lydia excimed, while Cra asked, "I thought sve colrs were hard to get rid of?"

  "Well, that's true, but Beta—Uh—the Prince has an ability that destroys them," Dalia responded.

  "He can destroy them, too? Cousin Quinus can do that?... That makes him a good person... Why does mother and father dislike him so much?" Cra asked her sister.

  Lydia had a stary glint in her eyes, "Because he's a hero... And if Cousin is in love with Princess Rya, then she's a hero, too."

  All the girls agreed with Lydia Revelia as they all gazed upon their new hero, Princess Rya.

  Dalia looked surprised that two Revelia's were siding with her Alpha. She then noticed Eine smiling at her.

  "What? Did I do something funny again?"

  "Oh, no. I just like how happy that my sister is a good person and you are a great friend for helping her, Lady Dalia," Eine said.

  Dalia blushed at Eine's compliment. "I don't know what I did—Wait!?"

  'Quiet you fool! You did something right, so take the praise and get the respect of these girls! Hehe! It might not be respect through fear, but I'll take it!'

  Dalia's bravado was back in full force as she struck a pose, "Well, it was nothing. I'm just a great person. And the fact that I'm friends with the best Alpha is just proof."

  "Yeah, you're right!" Lydia agreed.

  'Yesss, it's working! Now they will have to listen to me and side with Alpha no matter what!... Hehe! Alpha is going to reward me with so many sweets for this! Maybe even some seasons beef! I can taste it now... Mmm... Maybe there's something else at the buffet that can tie me over. That's not a bad idea!'

  Dalia stood there triumphantly as all the girls crowded around her.

  ***

  Rya and Nieren heard the whole thing before reaching the corner of the ballroom.

  "Pfft! Dalia's infted ego is amusing, isn't it?" Nieren muttered under her breath. She knew this was only going to make Dalia more troublesome in the future.

  "Let her have her victory, Nier. She's been busting her ass and it's not easy for her to maintain her etiquette. Eine and her have gotten the girls on our side naturally. She'll bug us for extra sweets for a week after this."

  Nieren smiled and nodded her head in agreement, "True."

  The two made it to the mothers with the rest of the group. Rya was going to have to put on her best "Oh, your baby is cute" face when the two got to the women.

  'It's just babies. They aren't disgusting monsters that will devour you and eat your soul... Yeah, you've got this. Besides, I'm gonna have to get used of the idea of having children. It's gonna be fun! Right?... Thank God I won't get pregnant any time~oh?'

  Rya felt a pleasant flutter in her stomach. Her hand went to her belly.

  "Are you alright?" Nieren asked.

  Rya nodded her head, "Yeah, I just feel good right now. Probably because I'm excited or hungry. It's tough to tell. Anyway, let's get to the others."

  Rya still wasn't familiar about the signs of being pregnant, but sooner than ter she was going to find out as her belly slowly fought her corset and clothes.