IGIWS FIRST DRAFT: Vol.7 Ch.398 Devulging Family Dule Secrets

Yuliana wore a goofy, open-mouth smile that lit up her face, but she found herself rendered speechless for a long, awkward three minutes. As the silence stretched on, the atmosphere grew thick with curiosity, each guest exchanging perplexed glances, save for Rianna, who seemed to be relishing the moment. The Royal Elf's sudden quiet left everyone, except for her friend, bewildered about what was happening.

'By the Spirits! I didn't come up with something fast enough! Dirt! Dirt! Splinters! Dirt!' Yuliana’s mind raced in a frenzy, scrambling to concoct a plausible explanation or relevant remark to extricate herself from the mess she had inadvertently landed in.

Rianna, however, wore a sly smirk that betrayed her amusement; the Queen had never experienced such unguarded joy. Throughout her reign, she had shielded her heart behind formidable walls, but ever since Rya had stepped into her life, those barriers began to crumble, allowing for genuine friendships to blossom. She cherished every moment of this newfound connection.

"I—I..." Yuliana stammered, desperately grasping for words that would anchor her in reality.

All eyes were fixed on her, and with the pressure mounting, she floundered. Sensing her distress, the Queen stepped in to rescue her friend. "I believe Yuliana wanted to present you with a gift, or something for your wedding, Rya. What was it again, Yuliana? I seem to have misplaced the name," Rianna teased, her tone playful yet encouraging.

Yuliana looked momentarily dazed, processing what Rianna was hinting at. "A gift?" she echoed, her mind struggling to connect the dots.

With a growing smile, Rianna noted how flustered her friend appeared. "Yes! I believe you intended to give her a… a ‘Green Sprout,’ if I’m not mistaken?"

Rya raised an eyebrow, casting a questioning glance at her mother. It took Yuliana a precarious double-take before realization dawned upon her. "Uh? Oh? Ooh! Yes, that!" she exclaimed, relief washing over her.

The wood elf gathered herself, a spark of excitement shimmering in her eyes. "I was planning to keep this a secret, but I’m far too… thrilled! Yes! I wanted to devise a special gift for you and Quinus’s wedding. But it comes with a significant responsibility—you only get one chance to plant it in a place to thrive." Yuliana wiggled her finger playfully at Rya, emphasizing the weight of her words.

"So, you’re giving me one of the Elder Tree saplings? Have you determined the best spot for planting?" Rya queried, her intrigue evident.

Yuliana chuckled nervously. "No… not yet, but that decision is entirely up to you. All I know is that for the sapling to thrive, it needs a strong connection to the land. If the spirits of the forest are vibrant, then there should be a Spiritual Spout nearby to nourish its growth. How our ancestors discovered these Spirit Spouts remains a mystery… J-Just please, don’t plant it in an area lacking a forest, Ry. An Elder Tree sapling requires a land rich with life to grow strong."

Rya thoughtfully tapped her chin, mulling over the implications for the Elder Tree. 'Hmm? So, Mom hasn’t figured out the ancient Wood Elven technique for successfully planting a new Elder Tree. It truly needs a robust connection to both the land and the spirits; otherwise, the sapling might merely develop into an ordinary tree. Where on earth am I going to find a suitable place like that—'

Suddenly, an image seized her thoughts—a strange Spiritual Spring nestled in the central royal garden on the northern palace grounds. From that high vantage point overlooking the city of Tairal, the spring emitted a breathtaking flame of ether that captivated her every time she gazed upon it during quiet evenings. Only she could perceive it due to her unique Omni-eyes, a gift from Nils upon being summoned to Tertius.

What intrigued her even more was what she had discovered when utilizing her Seer Stone during her first encounter with the spring. Beneath the surface, she had seen an intricate network of glowing roots converging nine feet down, forming a mass of ethereal particles resembling the essence of an adult being. Unlike the eerie green glow of the particles from the Tomb of the Horde, this spectacle radiated a warm, light green hue.

'I wonder?... But that place is situated in the middle of a bustling city. Could it really be a Spirit Spout, or is it something entirely different? Maybe I should—'

"I know that look. Lady Rya might just know where to plant one of your sacred trees. You truly are remarkable... Cyndre!?" Rianna interjected, nudging her husband Cyndre gently.

Cyndre blinked, snapping out of his daydream to focus on his wife. "Huh? What is it, my dear?"

"When can we cease these tedious political charades and finally marry our son to her? We wouldn’t have faced half of this trouble if she were human," the Queen expressed with palpable irritation.

The King sighed heavily, "I’m trying my best to make it happen, my love. But we still have pressing matters at hand, including our obligations to the House of Lords—"

"Who cares about them! They’re nothing but a bunch of fools! If they can’t see that she is the perfect match for our son and the key to this Kingdom’s future! She's a healer this world has never seen or known before; that alone should have been enough! The temple acknowledges it, the Ladies of the Court recognize it, and I see it! So why can’t they!?" Rianna lamented passionately.

"It’s not all of them, Rianna—"

"Of course, I understand it’s not the entire lot. However, Octavius, Thaddeus, Eamon, and Caldorian are the primary holdouts. What is their stance now after Princess Rya’s outstanding performance?" she cut him off, fervently defending their cause.

Cyndre inhaled deeply, casting a glance around the table before responding.

"Thaddeus and Eamon are on board. However, Octavius and Caldorian still wish to have Princess Hilda as the Crown Princess. Luckily, they no longer have any reservations about Lady Ray marrying Quinus. I think I can convince the Viscount to change his position on letting Rya become the next Queen, but he's persistent on having Hilda marry Quinus as well. He and Caldorian still believe that the peace treaty with the Alliance of the Divine Three could be honored if we make Hilda the second Crown Princess. They still fear the Alliance's power."

A few of the knights and guards, including Sir George, balked at the absurdity of Octavius's and Caldorian's belief that the Alliance would honor such a treaty if it were amended.

"Those two seriously can't believe that the Prophet is going to make peace with us. They are human supremacist, aren't they, Uncle?" Sara chimed in.

"I'm afraid so, my dear. Hope can be a dangerous thing when it blinds people from the truth," King Cyndre answered.

"A fool's hope is what it is," Nieren said under her breath. But Rya heard her and gave her a small nod.

Rianna was pondering, 'Ugh! If only Rya could see the damn signs that she's carrying Quin's child! Those old fools would change their tune quickly, and I'm tired of waiting. But if Yuliana is right about the spirits of the forest getting displeased when others know about the baby before the mother, then I will need to be patient. I know all too well what it is like to miscarriage and I don't want to be the cause of something like that happening another woman, but she must figure it out soon,' the Queen thought as she looked at the oblivious dark elf.

Rianna had a determined look on her face, and looked back at Cyndre, "Is there any others opposed to the marriage? Or is it just those two?"

Cyndre looked exasperated as he didn't want to bring up the next person that was now against the marriage of Rya, but he knew that he couldn't keep this knowledge from Rianna or she might punish him. He took a sip of his wine and then said, "Johnathan Dule is against the marriage now."

"What!? But he's your friend! Oh, I'm going to ring that coward's neck! Why has he changed his tune?" Rianna demanded.

The King looked to his son to see how he was handling the news, and Quinus looked at his mother and held Rya's hand a little tighter, but he kept his composure.

"It's complicated—"

"Then, simplify it for me," the Queen commanded.

"Well?... It's Elizabeth..." Cyndre braced himself as he knew what was coming.

"WHAT!? ELIZABETH!?... Why that good-for-nothing—What is that spineless excuse of a woman's problem!?" Rianna bellowed.

The King held up his hands trying to calm his wife down. "My love. Please, calm down. She has reasons, and I don't want you to go and yell at her before you hear them out," he said in a calm voice.

"I don't care what her reasons are! She can't just turn your friend against you like this! And to think I thought of her as my friend! I'll show her tomorrow when I get her in my clutches I'll... Oh, she'll pay," the Queen said as her eyes were starting to glow as she channeled her mana by mistake.

"Rianna!? Calm down. You're channeling your mana through your body and it might go into the table," the King warned.

Rianna took a deep breath and looked at her hands as she saw a faint glow from inside them. She closed her hands into a fist and took another deep breath to calm herself. After a moment the glow faded.

"I am calm... So what is her excuse," she said as she looked at her husband.

Cyndre winced and glanced at Rya who looked confused, "Elizabeth believes that Princess Rya has used dark magic on her children and daughter in law. She thinks that Rya is taking advantage of the Dule's weak bloodline to take over the Eder Hills Domain. I tried to tell the Baron that she's wrong, but Johnathan said that his sweet daughter has secretly has snuck out these past three nights to do something. And he mentioned how her body has changed into something like a seductress? Do you know what the Baron is talking about, Lady Rya?" The King asked. He knew that the Baron wasn't a very religious man, but he always trusted his wife's opinions. And if Elizabeth had convinced her husband that Rya was a monster, then there must be a reason why.

Rya was stunned into silence. 'Oh, shit... I-I just healed Amelia of that curse, just like Johan. How was I supposed to know that she had backlogged so much mana from slaying monsters!? Ugh... Well? Johan did mention that his father had both of them kill a large number of weaker monsters when they were younger. But the curse kept their Mana Veins from developing, even though they were collecting the mana from each kill.' She was lost in thought when Rianna's voice broke her out of her stupor.

"That's absurd! Rya didn't do anything of the—well?"

Rianna trailed off as she recalled Lydia's coming-of-age party that happened three days ago, and so much happened during that party that it slipped past her that Amelia looked stunning as her body matured to a point that she rivaled her own. But the thing was, Amelia didn't show up at the party like that. She was an average-looking young lady with a pretty face. She never stood out from the crowd, and no one ever paid any attention to her unless she tried to speak up. But even then, most of the men and women would ignore her due to her being a "manaless" noble.

Now, the 24-year-old looked like a sex symbol, and the Queen couldn't help but feel a like an idiot for not realizing that Amelia had changed during the party, and she was busy enjoying in the downfall of Leandra. Rianna was so focused on getting the Ladies of the Court under her control that she ignored Elizabeth and her daughter.

Then it hit her as she looked at Rya with her eyes wide in shock. "I-I completely forgot that Amelia changed... She was a cute girl before, but now... she's a... Oh my... Y-You... you did this? What did you do to her?" Rianna asked, her voice a mixture of awe and concern.

Rya grimaced and she wanted to keep the secret about Johan's and Amelia's curse hidden as they wanted to see who was trying to take the Title from the Dule family. Rya's Golems were searching for who might be the benefactor behind the attempted assassination of Johan Dule during the attack in the Eldermyst Forest. But all they knew was Alaric was offered a deal to get rid of Johan. But the Duke was keeping this one hidden really well from Rya. They needed to know who would have taken the title if Johan was killed. Her golems had a few suspects but they were Minor Noble Houses that were seeking a way to rise in rank. But she had no solid evidence. So, she had to keep the information about Johan's and Amelia's curse a secret for now. But it was proving to be more difficult than she anticipated.

"I-I just helped her release her dormant mana. That's all," Rya said with a hint of hesitation.

"And why would you do that? It's making Elizabeth question you at the most important—"

"Mother!" Quinus cut in. Rianna stopped and looked at her son. He sighed and squeezed Rya's hand from underneath the table. "I think the cat has been let out of the bag, babe," Quinus whispered to Rya.

Rya closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them she scanned the room and stopped on the King and Queen. "I can tell you what happened, but this secret doesn't leave this room."

The room grew silent as they were all intrigued. The King could see that this was of the most importance and he clicked his fingers twice to get the servants, guards, and knights attention.

"Give us some privacy," the King commanded.

The entire staff bowed and quickly left the dining hall, while the knights and guards stood outside the doors and closed them, but they were still tasked with guarding the King and his family from a distance.

Sara, Jemma, Eleanora, Lydia, and Clara felt like they were special when the King motioned for them to stay put as he was about to hear a secret that the King didn't even trust his most loyal knights to hear.

Once the doors were closed, the King looked at Rya and nodded, "We are all ears, my dear."

Rya looked at Quinus and Nieren, as they were the only two present that knew about Johan's and Amelia's secret, George, Dalia, and Percy also knew but the Wolfkin and the Ranger were having a date night and Sir George, was doing his part to keep the servants from listening in on their conversation. It's not often that the King clears the entire hall so he had to make sure no one was listening in on the Royal Family.

"What do you know about Blood Contracts?" Rya asked the King and Queen.

Cyndre and Rianna looked at each other with confusion.

"They were more prevalent in the olden days and we have quick a few of them inside the vault. But they are hard to get someone willing to sign it as it is considered a one-way street to death or serving a master for the rest of their lives. These blood contracts have become obsolete, thanks to the slave collars," Cyndre answered.

"Do you know that the more potent contract curses can pass through generations of a family line? As long as it is made to do so," Rya asked again.

The King and Queen were intrigued.

"I-I didn't know that... What are you getting, my Lady? Are you telling me that someone put a curse on Dule's?" Cyndre inquired.

"I don't know exactly, but when we made a few untrustworthy people sign one of the Blood Contracts I was able to watch as how it works and with the aid of my Seer Stone I saw these brown particles floating around their Mana Veins. Granted my conditions only would weaken their Vein if they try to betray me. What is... was going on with Johan, Amelia, and Elizabeth is something different yet similar," Rya explained.

"What's different about it, dear?" Rianna asked.

"That their Mana Veins refused to grow, even when slaying monsters. I don't think a blood contract has the power to do that without killing the person," Rya answered.

"Then what is it?" Cyndre asked.

Rya paused for a moment, "I think it is witchcraft. I need to get a look at Elizabeth again to be one-hundred percent sure, but I think the curse was stronger in Amelia and Johan. Like, someone in Elizabeth's ancestry was inflicted with this curse but were unaware that they were giving their children the same curse. Over time the curse grew in potency, making the victim's Mana Vein completely inert." Rya paused and looked at Rianna. "When I healed both Amelia and Johan of there curses their bodies changed as the mana was falling released into their bodies. And now they are two capable Elite-level Mages of non-elemental magic," Rya added.

Everyone in the room who didn't know this perked up. Sara was in awe, Jemma and Eleanora were stunned, and little Lydia was just confused, while Clara didn't have a clue what was so special about what Rya said. Yuliana, and Elaine were intrigued but both of them didn't know what Rya was talking about.

"So... Amelia... and Johan have actual mana vein?" Sara asked, as she always remembered her mother and father mocking the Dule family for their heirs being "manaless".

"Yes. They both have Elite Mana Veins and they are both mages," Rya answered. She would like to know what type of mage Amelia was, but that wasn't important to disclose at this point.

Sara's jaw dropped. She was so happy for them, as she couldn't help but relate to them due to their parents thinking that they were talentless in the art of magic. Yet, here she was in rare company, as her and her sisters were all Elite level Mages. Her father was turning out to be far more wrong with each day she's been staying with her Aunt and Uncle...and it's only been three days.

"W-Wait... So, Elizabeth thought that you used dark magic on her children because she didn't know that she had a curse? That... that would make sense why she thought you did something to them, but her concerns are unfounded," Rianna said as she was trying to understand the situation. She could see why Elizabeth would think that Rya used dark magic on her daughter. However, it was infuriating that Elizabeth jumped to conclusions before asking Rya what happened. And to make matters worse, she turned her husband against her friend's son and his future wife. The Queen was getting annoyed, but then an idea popped in her head and a devious smile crept up her face.

"How about this... tomorrow, why don't you and I go over to the Dule's Estate and have a chat with Elizabeth? We will explain to her that this is all... a misunderstanding," Rianna said, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Rya wasn't sure if this was a good idea, but she couldn't think of a better way to handle the situation. She didn't want to start a war with the Dule's over a misunderstanding, and she wanted to get married at all cost.

"O-Okay? But I have some prior engagements with some friends around noon, and I meeting with the House Of Lords in the afternoon, correct?" Rya stated and looked at Quinus and Cyndre to be sure.

"That's correct. We'll be meeting up with my coalition around 3:00 pm," Cyndre answered.

"And that's why will visit my dear friend bright and early in the morning. We need her to Johnathan to approve of your marriage before the meeting, no? And don't worry about your little... get-together. We will be back before you know it," Rianna said with a sly grin.

Rya had a bad feeling about this but she didn't have any other options, "Okay. I'll go with you... But why do I feel like we are trying to ambush Elizabeth?" Rya asked, her tone a little wary.

Rianna's sly grin widened, "I'm not going to lie. I'm a little upset with her, but you said she has this curse on her and you haven't removed it yet, correct?" the Queen probed.

"W-Well, yeah—"

"Then it's settled. You get another look at this curse to see if it truly is getting stronger than her children's and then we remove it from her to reassure her that you haven't done anything wrong. As an added bonus, she will have a new found respect and gratitude for you... And if she's not grateful for our... your generosity, then I will make sure she is," the Queen said as her smile turned into a mischievous smirk.

Rya didn't like the sound of that, but she couldn't deny the Queen's logic. It was the only way to get the older Dule's on their side and it was the only way to figure out the curse was given to Elizabeth or someone higher up her ancestral bloodline.

'Well? She's not wrong... But I hope we don't make things worse with Elizabeth! I don't need this type of bullshit in my life! I have enough as is!' Rya thought, but she could only nod in agreement.

"Good! Then it's settled! I'll have my maid prepare my carriage for first thing tomorrow morning and we will be having breakfast with House Dule," Rianna said as she clapped her hands together.

Rya looked to Yuliana for help. The green-haired elf just gave her a shrug and a weak smile. "Welcome to noble life, Ry," Yuliana whispered to her daughter.

'Ugh... Politics... Is there ever a day when it doesn't effect my life?... Who am I kidding, it always did back on Earth. Just not as much, though,' Rya grumbled to herself.

After the rest of the dinner went by without any more drama, the Royal Family got ready for the next day at hand. Things were moving faster, and they need to get their ducks lined up in a row.