As the sun began to set in the West, the Royal Carriage was making its return from the Mage's Guild with Rya and Quinus. The Dark Elf couldn't believe that she was able to use time-space magic after finding Rohas' magical grimoire, and she told Quin everything about it as they made their way back to the pace.

  "So, why didn't we just take a portal back to the pace if you can do it?" Quinus asked as he looked at the Dark Elf with a pyful smirk.

  Rya narrowed her eyes at Quin and was trying to act annoyed, but after 15 seconds her lips broke into a smile, and she ughed softly.

  "And ruin the surprise?..." Rya said, and she leaned forward and kissed Quin on the cheek. "I want to keep this as a Trump card if anyone tries anything with us."

  "Yeah, that's probably a wise move. We might be able to get the drop on my uncle if he doesn't know that you are a time mage," Quinus said, and he took the Dark Elf's hand and kissed the back of it.

  "We're here, Sire," The Driver called back, and the Carriage began slowing down as it turned toward the main Pace gates.

  Quin looked through the small front window of the carriage, and he spotted his father's Royal Guards waiting for the carriage.

  "Looks like we are heading straight to the dining hall," Quinus said.

  Rya's stomach rumbled just from Quinus' mention of food, and she chuckled nervously.

  "Good, I'm starving," Rya smiled.

  "Oh? And here I thought it was the Dark Elves who were immortal and didn't need to eat," Quin said in a pyful tone.

  'I mean... I will control my eating habits starting today. I'm not going to get into an eating competition with Dalia. N-No matter how good her cooking is..." Rya said, averted her gaze, and looked out the side window.

  "Well, you are at fault for making me overeat. Your constant need for te-night activities has left me exhausted, and I need extra calories. If I get fat, it will be your fault," Rya said in an accusatory tone, and she pyfully shoved Quin's shoulder before she folded her arms under her massive breasts. Her Victorian-style dress did little to hide the Dark Elf's rge tits as her nipples were poking against the soft fabric.

  Quinus' eyes were glued to her bosom, and he moved in slowly, wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed her tight.

  "Hmm, we'll have to start exercising more during the day to help burn off more calories," Quinus smirked, and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Rya blushed and tried to keep up her serious act, but her face gave away how much she was enjoying Quin's embrace.

  Quinus looked over her shoulder to get a better view of her sexy body, and he cupped her right breast and squeezed it softly, causing her nipple to harden.

  Rya was getting aroused, and she felt her pussy begin to tingle.

  Quinus then leaned into Rya and whispered into her ear, "But it would be a shame if your gorgeous chest were to shrink," he said, and he gave her tit another squeeze.

  A gasp escaped from Rya's lips as Quinus' fingers moved closer to her erect nipple, and her face was burning red. She could feel her panties becoming wet, and her thighs were beginning to quiver.

  'Oh, fuck me... W-Why did he take so long to—'

  Rya's eyes snapped open and she quickly grabbed Quin's hands and moved them away right before the door to the carriage opened up.

  "My Lady, Your High—" The Royal Guard stopped when he noticed Rya's blushing face and the annoyed look on Quinus. "—Is everything alright, sure?"

  "Y-Yes! Everything is fine!" Rya said quickly as she hurried out of the carriage. The guard was confused as Quin sighed and followed Rya.

  "You could have been 5 minutes slowly," Quinus mumbled to the guard, who nodded and gave him an apologetic look.

  "I am sorry, Sire," the guard said, and he led the two nobles toward the castle.

  "You didn't know, and it's fine," Quinus said and gave the man a nod. Rya was a few steps ahead of them, and she was doing her best to keep herself together. Quin lit a fire inside her, and if she wasn't so hungry, then she would have taken him to their room and made love all night.

  "Well, someone is in a hurry?" Quinus said pyfully as he took her hand when he caught up to her. Rya didn't respond and kept walking with Quin by her side.

  The Crown Prince loved teasing her when she was in this state because she would try to get payback, which usually led to a fun night in their bed.

  ***

  As they made it to the foyer of the castle, they noticed Percy and Dalia were back from their day off. The Wolfkin had a pyful smirk on her face, while the young ranger looked like his soul was sucked out of him.

  'Huh?... Why does Percy look like that?' Rya wondered as they made it to the doorway where the other two were waiting for them.

  "Hey, Alpha and Beta! Did you find anything interesting at that boring outbuilding with the moldy-smelling papers? "Dalia asked as she walked toward them. Percy shook his head as if he was fighting to stay awake, and Quinus chuckled at his retainer while Rya gave him a concerned look.

  "I have some news, but I need to keep it to myself for now... But you look like you are full of energy," Rya said as she looked at the eager Wolfkin.

  "Yeah, I think the fresh air was just what I needed, and having an amazing meal helped too! We rented a room and did all sorts of mating things! I have plenty of energy to spare," Dalia said as her tail wagged, and she pced her hands on her hips, making her bloated belly push outward in her short dress.

  'Jeez!... Dalia looks like she is in her second trimester...' Rya thought as her eyes shifted to her friend's belly.

  "Well, that's good?... Hey, Dalia? Let's say that a Wolfkin female was to become pregnant. How long does it take before the baby comes out?"

  Rya asked as Dalia had gone back into denial mode about being pregnant. There was a point where they thought they had made a breakthrough with the young woman, but she started believing that she wasn't after she wasn't getting as tired or nauseous.

  "Hmm?... It takes about 6 to 7 months, why?" Dalia replied, giving her a curious look by tilting her head.

  Rya ughed nervously, "Hah, and when did you start having your cravings again?"

  Dalia sighed and scratched behind her ear as she thought for a moment, "Uh, I don't remember Alpha—"

  "A little over two months, My Lady..." Percy mumbled as he was struggling to stand.

  Rya and Quinus gnced at each other with a concerned and knowing look. Then they both looked back at the young ranger and said, "Percy... Are you sure?"

  "I'm pretty sure, my lord, and my dy... I mean, I remember that her appetite became more voracious a few days after we defeated the Bck Roses," Percy answered with a yawn.

  "Really?... Are you sure, Gamma?" Dalia asked her boyfriend as she was now unsure of her memories.

  "Yeah, my love, I'm sure..."

  Rya and Quinus gave each other a surprised look. Then they nodded to one another, and Rya approached the couple and put her hand on Dalia's head.

  "Um, Dalia?... I know that you think you're not pregnant, but you're going to be a mom."

  Dalia frowned and waved her hand, "No, no, no... You're mistaken, Alpha... I mean, I can understand why everyone thinks I might have been pregnant. Hells! Even I started to believe that I might have been at one point, but I'm not. This annoying belly of mine is nothing more than a ck of discipline on my end, and I'm starting to feel way better than I have ever been in weeks! I can finally outst Gamma again, and I'm more flexible than ever before. My nose is also way stronger and can sniff out anything within 100 meters, so I can't be pregnant."

  Rya grimaced, "And what is it that you can sniff out within 100 meters, Dalia?"

  "Oh, I can smell all the amazing foods that the humans are cooking! The aroma of their delicious dishes and sweets makes me hungry every time!... Normally, I would have to be downwind of the food to really know what it was, but now I can smell all the ingredients they're using. OH! AND THE CHEF IS COOKING WILD BOAR BEACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN IN FRESH BREAD DOUGH! IT'S GOING TO HAVE A HERB-INFUSED BUTTER SPREAD, AND HE'S SPRINKLING ON A SIDE OF CHOPPED WILD ONIONS WITH IT!... I can't wait until he's finished cooking, Alpha. My hunger will be sated then, and I will be able to fight at full strength!"

  Rya stared at Dalia for a moment, 'Ugh... It's worse than I thought. I know that some human women can get more energetic during their second trimester, but Dalia is in full denial. I mean, she can only smell food, and her belly is way too big to be normal, and I'm pretty sure that she's eating for more than two... I just don't understand how she is so blind to the evidence in front of her... How can a woman not realize that she's pregnant? I know that if I was eating for two right now, I would know it, and I wouldn't be in denial when it is obvious that I—'

  *Grown!*

  Rya's stomach rumbled loudly.

  *Growl!*

  Her cheeks reddened slightly as her unknown pregnancy was at the beginning of her first trimester, which was slowly pushing her navel outwards.

  Dalia blinked at Rya with surprise, "What was that, Alpha?"

  "That wasn't anything, Dalia... B-But what would convince you that you're pregnant? If you were pregnant, that is."

  "Huh? Well, if a Wolfkin female was truly pregnant, then she would start ctating in her third or fourth month, and I haven't started ctating, so I am not pregnant."

  "Huh?... You would ctate before you give birth? I thought women ctate after giving birth?" Rya said, confused.

  Quinus chimed in because he read about everything he could when he was a child growing up in the pace.

  "Yeah, most species of women ctate after birth, but most of the Beastkins ctate before they give birth because they have bigger litters than the rest of the species, and their bodies produce a lot of milk. That way, they can feed their offspring until they are strong enough to go off and hunt or scavenge for food," Quinus said matter-of-factly.

  Rya slowly gnced over at Quin with a questioning look on her face.

  "Huh, what? Did I say something weird?"

  "The random stuff you know about Beastkins is kind of strange... Were you pnning on getting a Beastkin girl at some point in the future or something?"

  "What! No! I was just interested in all the other races... You know, for the sake of knowledge," Quinus replied, slightly embarrassed.

  Rya dropped her acting and pyfully ughed, "Ha ha! I'm just teasing, Quin."

  She quickly gnced at Dalia and looked at her chest, which had gotten bigger over the months, and her perky C-cup breasts had become D-cup breasts. She knew she was probably imagining it, but it looked like the material on her bck dress had two wet spots where her erect nipples would be.

  "Huh?" Rya mumbled under her breath as she looked at Dalia's chest. 'It's tough to tell, but... Is Dalia actually ctating?' she wondered.

  Dalia caught Rya's gaze, and her cheeks turned red, "What is it, Alpha?"

  Rya's cheeks flushed, "N-Nothing! I-It's nothing."

  Quinus chuckled as he watched their exchange.

  "So, are we going to stay out here all day, or are we going to get some food?" Quin asked, interrupting the girls.

  Rya looked back at Quinus and rubbed her belly, "Y-Yeah, let's go."

  Dalia smiled happily and grabbed Percy's arm, "I'll lead the way, Beta!"

  "H-Hey, don't pull too hard, Dalia!" Percy excimed as he was too tired to fight back against his girlfriend's strength.

  Rya and Quinus just chuckled as they followed after the two.