"Now presenting! Lady Tayna Dule!"

  Tayna walked down the stairs to the beat of the music, her gown flowing behind her. Many of the mid-20-year-old Minor Noblewomen snickered or looked down at Tayna. They heard the rumors about her father practically sold her to the most pathetic heir to a Major House. They knew Tayna was "damaged goods" when a slime monster scared her left arm and some small parts of her face. They saw her moving up the noble food chain as a weak attempt at climbing the social dder for her family.

  "Tch!... I can't believe she snaked her way into the Queen's entourage. What type of worthless woman uses a soon-to-be-dethroned Baron to raise her family's standing?" One woman whispered.

  "Yeah... She gives Minor Nobles a bad name. Just because that talentless, Johan Dule, couldn't find a suitor for himself, he marries a scared up trash. I bet she uses all her Father-in-w's wealth to buy makeup. Pathetic. At least I don't need to yer on the makeup to hide scars," another woman whispered back.

  "I bet if Lord Johan Dule had a Mana Vein then she'd be an unwanted, low-life, slut," said a third woman.

  "I mean, she's used the Dule family's money well. I can't see the scars on her cheek or her arm," the second woman replied.

  "That's only because we are so far away. I bet you could see them clear as day up close. I'm not going anywhere near her tonight," the third woman said.

  "Neither will I," the first woman replied.

  "You don't want to get away with insulting a Major Lady before she loses her status. Sure her Father in w has to pass away before someone challenges the Johan for the title," the second woman said.

  "Oh? That does sound fun. Do you think anyone would remarry her once she becomes a widow?" The third woman asked.

  "Maybe... If they are blind," the second woman said, chuckling as her two friends covered their faces with their fans.

  Amelia Dule was standing behind the young women who were insulting her Sister-in-w. It wasn't the first time she's heard Minor Houses insulting her family or calling her Sister-in-w a low-born. She wanted to stand up for her family, but it was true. She didn't have a mana vein like her father. They only "respected" him. But the Dule family was in trouble past him and the vultures were already circling her family. She needed to secure an alliance, or the Dules will be forced to give up their status. She couldn't deny that her brother and sister-in-w seemed to be on the right path by Johan befriending Quinus and Layna befriending the Dark Elf.

  But if the Duke or the Marquess win, then everything they have been working for will be for naught. Amelia thought.

  She had no mana veins. She had a pretty face but it wasn't enough to catch a man's eyes. She had a good personality, but what did that matter when there were prettier and nicer dies around her? She was doomed. She could either marry an old man and be his nurse maid for the rest of her life or be a spinster. She felt helpless as the dies started talking about her.

  "Is that the Lady Dule? She is so pin. I've seen cows more beautiful than her," the third woman said.

  "At least cows have a purpose. She has no reason to exist," the second woman replied.

  Amelia looked at the dies, feeling a tear drop down her cheek, but then she noticed Tayna getting closer and realized that she wasn't wearing her usual amount of makeup. It wasn't like Tayna didn't have makeup but it was hard more subtle and the other dies began to notice as well.

  "Huh?... I thought you said that Tayna cakes her face," the first woman asked.

  "She does," the second woman replied.

  "Maybe she found an illusion ring?" The third woman wondered.

  "The Dule family does well financially I believe... But they don't do well enough to find and buy an illusion ring," the second woman argued. "And I think there's only two known on the Continent. I heard that they are priceless. Only the King could afford such a thing."

  "I-I will try to find out her secret. She must have found a maid that has some cosmetic knowledge. We need to get the recipe," the third woman said, her eyes narrowing as she watched the Lady Tayna reach the ball floor and curtsied to Lydia Revelia who curtsied back.

  Most of the dies haven't seen Tayna in a long time and her aura seemed to have gotten more refined and confident. She came off as a noble that could be a Duchess one day.

  Amelia started to understand why her mother was acting paranoid about Tayna. She seemed like a woman you didn't want to cross.

  'Did the Dark Elf do something to her?... I-I need to find out.' Amelia thought as she waved her way through the crowd to shadow Tayna and maybe talk to her.

  Tayna then went over to the refreshments table and grabbed a gss of champagne and stood off to the side, waiting for the others to make their entrance.

  The Herald announced the second dy. "Lady Dalia Nightshade, daughter of Chieftain Raxrune Nightshade of the Southern Twilight tribe and Lady Kali."

  There was a collective gasp among the nobles as a free Wolfkin female began to walk down the with the most graceful and elegant movements Dalia could muster. Dalia through dog and pony show was not something she wanted to put on, but she knew she needed to be the image of what the nobles wanted.

  Dalia was dressed in her short purple dress. The top of the dress wrapped snuggly around her bloated and full breasts. And the loose skirt ended just below her bottom as her tail swayed from side to side and it allowed her pregnant belly to breath.

  The dress showed off her feminine warrior curves well. She was very pretty and attractive with a beautiful face and stunning body. Her bck hair was down with a fancy white headband to keep her bangs out of her eyes, and her wolf ears perked up when she heard the whispers from the crowd.

  She could feel the judgmental eyes from some of the women who were allied with the Duchess, but Dalia didn't give two rats asses. She had more important things to do, like getting to that buffet table.

  It was hard for her to walk around and not look at the food, but she made her way to the ballroom floor and managed to spot Lydia who was curious to see a Wolfkin dressed up in the first pce. Normally they wore crude leather around their private areas if at that. And they were said to be fierce and dangerous without having a sve colr around their necks.

  But here she was. Standing before her was a tall, fit, and beautiful Wolfkin female. She didn't seem all that dangerous, and even looked harmless. Lydia was a bit scared to say anything to her. Dalia bowed to the host of honor, which made the young girl smile and curtsied back.

  While Dalia was still bowing her nose started twitching as the smell of delicious food hit her sensitive nose and it was driving her wild. Without missing a beat the Wolfkin's nose pulled her towards the source as she moved her way past the small girl.

  And like that the wolfkin was off, leaving the little noble dumbfounded and curious about the mysterious beast woman.

  Dalia's nose was in the air as she steam ahead. Her eyes were closed and the only thing that mattered was getting to the food. But she wasn't paying attention and was heading straight for a crowd of women who panicked and started to part out of the way, giving the pregnant woman a path straight towards the buffet table.

  Once Dalia was right next to the table as the source of the delicious scent was at its peak her eyes snapped open as she took in the sight of the most beautiful dispy of food her eyes ever saw. The buffet table was filled with a rge array of finger foods, meats, fish, sweets, and other delicacies. There were a few rger dishes such as roast chicken, pork, and beef, as well as an assortment of cheeses and fruits. And by far the one that interested her the most quardhorn. It was a feast fit for a queen, or a hungry Wolfkin who is eating for four or five pups.

  Normally at the pace. They had a couple choice pieces of meat, some fruits and vegetables. And they only had a dispy like this on rare occasions like when the Queen had her birthday. But the only had chicken, turkey, boar, or beef as their primary choices of meats. Sometimes they had duck or fish, but never did they have quardhorn. Granted it was a creature that doesn't have the to easily become livestock. But it was one of her favorite meats to eat back when she was in her tribe.

  And if human cooking has made boar, quail, pheasant, and cow taste even better, she was eager to try whatever wizardry the humans can do to improve the fvor of a quardhorn.

  Dalia's green eyes looked starry as she took in the heavenly scent and spotted the prized leg of quardhorn at the carving station were the staff member panicked as the Wolfkin was coming his way. The older man with white hair and a full beard started sweating as Dalia's cws popped out and were ready to sink into the meat.

  "I'll take the whole—"

  Dalia stopped herself when she felt the stare of a certain female dwarf coming from the distance, behind her.

  The Wolfkin ears went on alert and her tail stopped wagging as she slowly turned on looked up the stairs to the entryway to the foyer was Lady Fyrel Coldforge, giving Dalia a death stare of the likes she never had seen.

  Dalia's head shrank between her shoulders as she felt the old Dwarf's gaze boring into her soul. The old woman was standing there at the top of the stairs with her cane in hand, dressed in an elegant green dress. The look on her face said everything Dalia needed to know. She wasn't going to get away with stealing the entire leg throwing away all her training in noble etiquette and common sense.

  Dalia turned back to the carver and straightened up her posture. Her craws retracted and she did her best to appear regal and dignified, despite her earlier behavior.

  "Just the slice please," Dalia said, putting on a fake smile.

  "Um... of course! Very good m'dy," the older man said with a bow, and sliced a thin strip from the leg. He pced it on a pte and then added some au jus over the meat.

  "Here you are!"

  "Thank you," Dalia said as she took the pte and pced it down on the same table as the cutting station. She reluctantly took a fork and knife and cut the meat in front of the man. She would add much preferred to just inhale the entire slice of tenderloin with her hands, but if she didn't the alternative was a scolding by her teacher.

  Dalia skillfully sliced a square piece from the loin and put the meat into her mouth. As the savory juice hit her tongue she started chewing and could taste the juiciness and the perfect tenderness. What made quardhorn so delicious was the natural marbling in the muscle and it was a sweeter meat that was very succulent. It was also a lot easier to eat than the bison meat she used to eat in her cn's territory.

  But when it was seasoned and cooked by the humans the meat became like bone marrow and butter. It was so rich in favor as is dissolved in your mouth.

  The Wolfkin let out a groan of pure bliss as the fvors came together and exploded in her mouth. It was even better than she could have imagined!

  As she savored the delicious meat the old carver smirked as few women had the same reaction. He just thought that it was a Wolfkin thing, but then he did a double take when he saw that Dalia's pte was empty. He swore he only blinked a few times and she didn't move an inch, but he could see her pte was now clean.

  Dalia sighed with a bit of satisfaction but it wasn't enough to quench her thirst for more of the delectable meat.

  "Um... Excuse me, sir? But can I have some more please?" Dalia asked while wiping her lips and putting her napkin on the pte. She didn't want to cause a scene, but the way her tail wagged and ears stood straight up betrayed her excitement.

  The Carver was at a loss for words. How did she eat that much food in just a blink? But he could tell she was really eager for more of his delicious quardhorn steak, so he couldn't say no.

  "Sure thing, miss," the man replied, smiling warmly at the girl. He was going to cut another thin slice but Dalia chimed in.

  "Um? Can't I have a more?... Um, more bigger—No... Oh, I remember!? Can I have a more generous portion this time?"

  The old man had a curious look on his face and he moved his knife over which would have given Dalia a inch cut. But the Wolfkin raised her hand and gestured for him to go further.

  The older gentlemen raised his brow and he moved his knife farther away from the steak and gave her a 3-inch cut instead.

  Dalia nodded her head excitedly and he internally shrugged as he took his knife and sliced a three-inch cut.

  The carver put it on a new pte and handed it to her and bowed. Once the old man came up from his bow he nearly did a spit-take when he saw her pte was empty as she pced her knife and fork down on it with a solid cnk.

  "That was... Um? Heavenly?... Yeah! Heavenly! Now, would you be so kind to cut me another piece?" Dalia asked as she cleaned her lips with another napkin and her tail started to wag.

  The carver just looked at her as if he was seeing a ghost. He's never seen a dy who ate a big meal so quickly before.

  "S-Should I just continue to cut up this entire roast for you, midy?" The old carver asked, still a bit shocked at what had just happened.

  Dalia just smiled and nodded, "I think that would be for... Um? The best?... Yes! The best."

  So, the Carver picked up his cleaver and continued to carve into the rge roast, slicing the tender meat and pcing it on her pte. Dalia just continued to quickly eat piece after piece to her hearts content. The Minor Noblewomen who were around Dalia were dumbstruck by how a woman could eat like a monster but this looked dignified in a strange way.

  ***

  As the Wolfkin was eating, Lady Fyrel groaned and she wanted to cover her face in shame while Rya, Nieren, and Eine were impressed by Dalia's restraint.

  'I'm a disgrace! There's no way Princess Rya will ever forgive—'

  "Wow!... Dalia's finally using her napkin correctly... I never thought I see the day," Rya said, as she nodded in approval.

  Fyrel head snapped up and looked at the three Elves staring at the Wolfkin.

  "Yeah... And she hasn't ditched her utensils. She usually gives up when she on her third serving," Nieren said, nodding in approval.

  "And she not trying to lick the pte clean," Eine chimed in.

  Fyrel looked at the three with a dumbstruck expression.

  'These Elves have low standards!...'

  Fyrel was about to say something when the Herald announced Lady Fyrel next.

  "Gah! That's my cue. Wish me luck," Fyrel said, as she stood up and straightened out her dress and fixed her hair a little.

  Rya was going to wish her luck, but Fyrel had already run off before she could say anything.

  "Well, if Dalia can do it then so can I," Rya said, as she waited for the Herald to announce each and every one of them.