IGIWS FIRST DRAFT: Ch.393 Rya’s Stubbornness and Nieren’s Cockiness

A few minutes later, Nieren and Elaine walked into Rya's chambers. They planned to meet up with Rya's new friends and they were planning on going shopping, even though Nieren thought it was stupid.

"Sis, we're ready!" Elaine called out.

They heard an audible yelp from Anna as Rya ran to hide as she pulled the poor maid into her bathroom.

Nieren's eye brow raised while Elaine was more perplexed than anything.

"What now, Rya," Nieren said in annoyance. She loved her younger adopted sister, but ever since Melanie Ingham pointed out her belly, Rya's been weird. She was worrying about her image. But it wasn't like she was ugly, in fact she had a strange glow to her. Nieren thought it had to do with Rya finally winning every challenge that was thrown at her. She was happy for her, but she felt it was silly to worry about her weight.

"It's nothing! I just had a wardrobe malfunction, that's all. Just give me a moment and we can go," Rya called out.

Elaine looked at Nieren, who sighed.

"Just hurry up," Nieren called back.

"Right! Almost done," Rya yelled.

In the bathroom Anna was trying to replace a third set of laces on the back of Rya's dress.

"Anna, can you make it tighter?"

"I'm sorry, milady. But it's like the strings are disintegrating as I pull it. It's like mana is flowing through them until they disappear," Anna said, sounding confused.

Rya grimaced, "I think I been trying to use a Maja Skill to help suck my guy in. Maybe I'm somehow channeling my mana in such a way to destroy the laces? I'll look into getting premium ones later. I know some enchanted armors use them to withstand the high magical output from the armor. But for now, we'll have to make due."

"I can make it tight enough, but it will only pull in your stomach about an inch. Would you like me to try?"

"Yes, thank you. And don't worry, Anna. I will get the best laces in the land," Rya smiled. "Then I will look into creating potion for weight loss. I mean, there has to be some damn potion to help me lose this bloating. Or something that will curb my weird cravings... Are you sure there isn't an alchemist that hasn't created such a potion yet?"

"I'm sorry, milady. But I haven't heard of such a potion. The only potions that will change a person's appearance is the Polymorph potion. But those potions are hard to find and cost an insane amount of money. And I think they only last for a day."

Rya was getting irritated. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. She thought this whole cravings thing would have gone away after three months, but it seems when she tries to control her eating habits she feels like she's starving and she pigs out a day or two later. And it seems to be getting worse.

'Ugh! Is this a Dark Elf thing? Or is Nils fucking with my body again! If she got this idea from Hilda I'm going to ring her damn neck.'

"Milady?" Anna called out.

"Sorry, Anna. What were you saying?"

"I said we are ready. The corset is a little loose, but I think it will help support you."

Rya stood up and checked herself in the mirror. She felt her dress was a little tighter, and she was relieved as it did help to pull in her bloated stomach just enough to hide it. She just wished Anna could have pulled in more.

'Okay. I can do this. I won't eat anything and I'll be fine. I don't need to pig out today. I will beat this stupid thing! I live in a god damn fantasy world now! There has to be some thing to help me.'

Rya nodded confidently as she ran her hands over her stomach.

'I can't have Quinus think I'm getting fat. E-Even if he finds it sexy on me, for some reason. Whatever! This is a battle of wills! And I'm determined to return to my former glory!... But my former self is a human man. And I've only been a woman for like seven? No, six months. Whatever! Time flies when you are having fun... Or kicking ass. But I won't let some stupid bloating ruin my day. I've faced a lot worse and survived. This will be a piece of cake... Cake... Mmmh, I could use a—Damn it! These cravings are going to kill me!'

Rya shook her head and was determined. She would go the whole day and not eat anything but salads or plain chicken. This would be a cakewalk.

*Groan*

Anna glanced down at Rya's stomach. She couldn't help but notice it looked a little bigger than last week. She didn't know how or why, but Anna was a little worried for her mistress. She's heard of curses that cause a person to have an insatiable hunger. But her mistress was a powerful mage and had a healer and Iyomelka's Idol glowed brightly when she performed the Goddess's Ritual for Favor. If this was a curse, it would have been fixed. Maybe it was a dark elven condition and she was really young by elven standards. So, her mistress should eventually get better.

"Do you want me to get, her ladyship's favorite snacks just in case? It would be easier for me to grab them now then have to run out in the middle of the day," Anna offered.

"Thank you, Anna. But I'm fine," Rya stated with a forced smile. Her will was battling her cravings and her mind was winning.

'Just hang in there, stomach! You are my prisoner, and I'm not letting you win. I've had worse. And I can handle this.'

Rya and Anna returned to the bedroom where Elaine and Nieren were waiting.

Nieren noticed the look on Rya's face and couldn't help but chuckle.

"I told you that you shouldn't let Melanie's comments get to you—"

"I know! I just can't help it," Rya huffed as she crossed her arms underneath her ample bosoms, causing her cleavage to press together, almost spilling out of her dress.

"Well, the sooner you stop being so stubborn, the sooner you can enjoy life. I mean, you probably eating so much because you are getting stressed out. And the stress is making your stomach bloat. And if you aren't enjoying yourself, then it's no wonder you can't keep the weight off," Nieren said as she stood up and showed off her flawless body.

Rya's eyebrow was twitching, "I'm not stressed! And you are one to talk. You can eat like a damn horse, and you are still thin. What's your secret?"

Nieren smirked, "You think I eat like a horse? Then you are projecting. I only have a healthy appetite and eat a proper amount. Plus, I've only ever binged when I got into a competition with Dalia. But know I know she's has an edge because she's pregnant. And the reason I'm skinny is because I have a high metabolism and exercise every day."

Rya frowned. She's been more active than her older sister. Been having some private workout sessions with the Queen's best bodyguard, Lady Nelumbo, and has been receiving intel from her golems, while starting to make social gatherings after the Revelia's Party have done nothing but praise her efforts. She was doing everything right, yet her stomach is still getting big.

'I swear that Dalia's cockiness has been rubbing out on Nieren... I'm going to get sister back somehow for this. I don't know how or when, but I will.'

"I wonder if you've been slacking off if you are so fit, Big Sis," Rya smiled innocently.

Nieren became a little nervous, "Uh... I don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh? I mean, maybe you are only so fit because you're still considered a child. By Elven standards of course," Rya was holding back her laugh.

"What are you getting?" Nieren's eye's narrowed.

"Well, I hear that Elves' metabolism changes when they turn 65 years old," Rya continued.

"That's not true! That's just an old wives' tale. A-And I still have a couple of decades before I reach 65. I haven't started to grow hair...down there," Nieren said defensively.

"Oh, is that so? You look older when you get pubic hair? I was wondered why you've been hiding your nether region when we took a bath," Rya teased.

"Shut up! I have not," Nieren turned red.

Elaine was laughing her butt off. Her oldest sister always had an aire of maturity, but she's never seen her this embarrassed before. She was enjoying it the banter between the two sisters.

"I guess we'll see if the story is true or not," Rya teased.

"W-Whatever! We are wasting time. Let's get going," Nieren said as she started walking towards the door.

"Hehehe, right. Let's go, Elaine."

"Okay, Sis," Elaine giggled as she followed.

Anna bowed and closed the door behind the ladies as they left.

"You know you shouldn't be so cruel to your older sister. She looks up to you," Elaine said as she caught up with her sisters.

"Well, she shouldn't poke fun at me first," Rya said in a half serious manner.

"I'm only trying to lead by example. And if my words of wisdom doesn't stick then she can't say anything. But I am curious about one thing," Nieren asked.

"What?" Rya was curious.

"What's is your plan for the Duke and the Duchess? I mean, is it wise to go showing with our new allies when they are still lurking about?" Nieren inquired.

Rya became serious, "I'm turning up the pressure as we speak. I have fifty of my golems surrounding the Divalo Manor, and I'm making it obvious. If they are planning something, I will find it out," Rya explained.

Elaine was confused on why Rya wouldn't just send in her golems to apprehend the Duke and Duchess.

"Is there a reason why you're not sending your golems inside?"

Rya sighed, "I could easily take them. However, we won't know how people will act if I go into a Major Noble's house and arrest them. Sure it could be played off as an order from the King and Queen. But the Major Houses that were warming up to me might think differently and might worry that I would do the same to them, even if most of them don't trust the Revelias. No one likes it went someone wields such power with reckless abandonment. And Marquess Duval Wrightwood might be able to use this against us to keep his position. Alaric, unfortunately, is safe for now, until the majority of the nobility demands that he is dealt with. Then the gloves come off. All I can do is up their paranoia and see if they slip up."

Elaine sighed, she thought it was stupid to let the Duke and Duchess be, but it would be even more stupid to not have the nobles trust Rya.

"So, what do you have planned?" Nieren inquired.

"Well, I'm hoping that Viscount Octavius Blackwood begins to investigate Alaric's money laundering schemes. I secretly gave him the documents with how William and Alaric have been hiding all the gold they've been earning. My original goal was to break up the fragile alliance that Duval had formed. However, it seemed to make Octavius question his allegiance with Duval. It still helped us in the end, but if the Viscount starts telling the other House Lords about the Duke's dark money that was meant for the Kingdom's coffers, then the House Lords will have no choice but to arrest him. I rather this outcome than waiting for Alaric to try and start an uprising. Things are getting a little heated and the less bloodshed the better," Rya explained.

"I doubt the Holy Alliance is going to take this lying down," Nieren commented.

"Yeah, my golems in the southern parts of the Berger Domain have heard murmurs from the merchants that the Divine Three are assembling an army. I'll use my portal to see if it is true sometime later today," Rya said as they walked down the stairs.

"Wait!? W-War is coming!? Shouldn't we do something about this?" Elaine panicked.

Rya sighed, "In due time. Let's enjoy life until we have to deal with the zealots. It is inevitable that they will come after us, now that Hilda is out of the running." She stopped in her tracks and looked at her younger sister with a smirk, "Plus, I've been waiting for a good excuse to get some payback from those pricks. They killed a lot of dark elves..." Rya paused as her memories of almost getting killed by Sir Claudius. Her face hardened for a brief moment. 'Sh-Should I check in on the Sorellian? They seemed to be having trouble with the Paladins...'

She didn't know why, but a part of her was whispering that she should check in on the last Dark Elven Tribe. However, she remembered how they treated her when she first was teleported to Tertius and she was treated like a caged animal. 'Pfft! They don't need me. Sehranya, Sigrid, Joris, Ellianna, and Yoona don't need me or cared about me. I was nothing more than a nuisance to them. Nils probably told them to treat me and Hiro like vermin.'

Rya shook her head to clear these thoughts about helping the Dark Elves. If High Priestess was worth her salt, then she should solve her own problems.

Rya looked at her sisters, "I'll deal with the Divine Three, if they are dumb enough to come after my kingdom, friends, and family. For now, I will enjoy life while I can," she declared with a smile.

Nieren couldn't help but return the smile.

Elaine felt like they should be more proactive, but she knew little when it came to war and politics. She just didn't want to lose her new family to the Holy Alliance after being in an orphanage most of her life.

"Just promise me to keep everyone safe, including you, sis. I only been adopted for a week, and I don't want to lose this feeling."

"You will never lose this feeling, Elaine. I'm not going anywhere," Rya smiled warmly at her sister.

"Neither will I, little sis," Nieren chimed in and ruffled Elaine's perfectly manicured hair.

"Hey, knock it off," Elaine complained.

"Not going to happen, little sis. You have a good hundred years of me messing up your hair. So, you better get used to it," Nieren teased.

"But I like making my hair nice," Elaine huffed.

"Come, my ladies. We have friendships to maintain," Rya giggled.

The three girls laughed and exited the castle. They saw a specially made carriage with their mother's sigil on it. Lady Rachel, Captain of the Queen's knights rode up on her horse with three more female knights.

"Where to, Princess Rya," the Captain inquired.

"Lady Melanie Ingham mentioned that we should meet her and the rest of the ladies in the central plaza of the Upper Ward," Rya stated.

"Alright," Captain Rachel ordered her subordinates, "Lady Rya and her sisters are our priority. Protect them with your lives."

The women knights nodded their heads.

Rya and her sisters were helped into the carriage by a few servant and the hopped on the back.

"Alright, Jill. The Princesses are seated. Let's go," Rachel ordered the driver.

Jill nodded her head and whipped the reins, causing the horses to move forward.

Rachel and the other three knights rode beside the carriage.

Rya smiled at the four women who were wearing black chainmail armor with red tabards that had the Royal crest on it.

"Thank you for your service, Lady Rachel. Just tell me if you want some of my golems to help."

Rachel gave a polite smile, "It's an honor, your highness. And we should be good. The other ladies should have their personal guards with them as well. I doubt anyone with half a brain would dare try anything."

"I hope you are right, Lady Rachel. Because people do dumb things when you least expect it," Rya smiled as the carriage took them away.