Amelia felt trapped like a mouse being toyed with by a cat.

  The other dies who were a part of the party had no clue how to handle the situation. Some looked uncomfortable, and some were trying not to show their feelings.

  Amelia had no idea how to get out of this. She felt that Fiona's words were piercing her heart like a knife. She could feel her confidence shattering. She felt like a failure to her family and herself.

  'Why must I have been dealt such a cruel fate? To be a daughter of a noble house, yet no one would want me because I have no mana vein. Why have I been cursed like this? Father must have already given up on me, why must these girls bully me too?'

  Then she remembered her parents telling her that they would help her find a suitor, but she felt that even her parents were lying to her. Amelia began to think she was cursed with a jinx of no good luck. She felt like a failure.

  She didn't want to hear anything else. She wanted to go back home and bury her head under the covers of her bed, but her cousin wasn't going to let her do that.

  "Look at you. You're nothing but a—"

  "Late bloomer," Rya cut in as she walked up.

  Fiona turned to the Dark Elf with gritted teeth. She was on a roll and was about to put the finishing touches on Amelia. But this elf just wouldn't shut up.

  Rya was looking straight at Fiona with a smirk. It was clear that Fiona didn't like Rya, but it seemed that Rya didn't care at all, while Amelia was feeling dread. Why did the Dark Elf have an interest in her?

  "If you think Amelia has talent, then I have to question your judgment," Fiona questioned Rya.

  "Oh, it's because her older brother is a te bloomer. Plus, she's 22, not 60. She still has plenty of time to find a suitor and get married," Rya countered.

  Amelia was surprised that Rya was the one to come to her aid, but she felt like Rya was scheming something, just like Leandra had earlier that day. Fiona wanted to burst out with ughter, but she held it back this time. 'She surely cannot believe that,' Fiona thought. 'But maybe I can use this to make a fool of this Dark Elf and get some of my reputation back.'

  "Fine, then prove me wrong. Even with all the finest jewelry and clothes can't make her look presentable or give her a mana vein," Fiona said.

  Rya smirked and walked up closer to Amelia, who tried to take a step back but bumped into the wall behind her.

  'W-What is she doing?' Amelia panicked. 'Is she going to make me her puppet like the Duchess was going to do to my mother and I?'

  Rya moved closer as she needed to make physical contact with Amelia in order to remove the curse and heal her just like her brother.

  Amelia was trying to put up a brave front as the Dark Elf grabbed her chin and examined her face.

  'W-Why is she looking at me like that?! Is she going to corrupt me?... No! I need to be—mmmh?'

  Rya began channeling her healing magic through Amelia's body, trying to find the brown particles that surrounded her mana vein. It only took a couple of seconds for Rya to feel the resistance against her magic. She could also feel the brown particles trying to attack her magic, but she was able to hold them off.

  'This one feels worse than Johan... I think I need both my hands on her. Hmm... How do I do that without raising suspicion?' Rya wondered.

  Amelia felt the pleasant sensation flowing through her, but it never reached her spine. It was like there was a barrier halting the foreign magic from entering her mana vein. She was confused as she thought this was going to be another plot by the Dark Elf to try and turn her.

  "Mmh?" Amelia moaned out of surprise. 'S-She's trying to corrupt me with some type of enchantment! B-But why does it feel so nice, and...'

  Something triggered inside her mind as images of the stable boy came fshing in her head. He was a year older than her, and she was always drawn to him. Especially when he was moving around bales of hay with his shirt off in the early morning sun, his muscles would glisten from the sweat as she watched him from the shadows of the stables.

  Her cheeks turned pink as she was getting lost in the fantasy. She was snapped out of it when Rya asked her a question.

  "So?... I heard your father had you sy some monsters. Do you remember how many you fought?"

  Amelia blinked and answered. "I-I don't remember the exact number. I-I lost count after 40, and... Hah?"

  The young noblewoman was caught off guard as the Dark Elf moved to her side and wrapped her right arm around her shoulder while poking her with her left hand. Rya was smiling at everyone and acted like Amelia was her friend while moving her away from the wall.

  "That's impressive. Not everyone has what it takes to sy a monster, and you've lost count of how many you've taken down. How are you not more popur?" Rya complimented the embarrassed Amelia, who didn't think she deserved any praise for killing weakened monsters.

  'Shit... Hopefully, the monsters she's sin weren't that powerful. I mean, her Mana vein was kneecapped thanks to the curse. So, her father probably captured low-level monsters. She shouldn't get Mana Lust... I hope... whatever! Amelia is Johan's sister and she seems like a sweet girl that doesn't deserve this crap. Least get rid of this stupid curse of the blood contract and see what her mana vein is and her mage veins,' Rya thought as she began to channel more of her healing magic into Amelia.

  Rya could hear everyone mumbling about the interaction between her and Amelia, but it wasn't anything negative. They were surprised the Dark Elf was being friendly towards Amelia Dule, who was looking like she was in a daze.

  'F-Fight it, Amelia... F-Fight this invading magic. Y-You can't allow yourself to fall for this trick. I-It has to be a trick!' Amelia mentally screamed as her cheeks became a little rosy, as the pleasant sensation was closing in on her spine. What she thought was her barrier was beginning to crack as Rya was beginning to eradicate the curse. The brown particles were disappearing at a slow rate, but the curse was losing its grip on Amelia's mana veins.

  "It's not that impressive if her father had to do all the work," Fiona chimed in to demean Amelia.

  'This girl needs to know when to cut her losses. It's not working,' Rya thought while trying to focus on erasing the curse.

  "Have you ever sin a monster, Lady Fiona?" Rya asked, making the brunette look at her in anger.

  "Of course, I have. But once I failed the Mage's test, I didn't see a reason to continue doing such an undylike act." Fiona replied while puffing her chest.

  Rya wanted to roll her eyes, but her goal was to help Amelia, who was still stuck in the fantasy nd of her dream lover.

  'T-This isn't the time for fantasies, Amelia! She's doing something to me! Something with her magic. It's too good! Too... wonderful... It has to be a lie. A-A lie created by her foul magic. H-Her Dark Elf magic. It must be corrupting my body!' Amelia thought as she looked straight ahead like a deer lost in the headlights of a speeding carriage. The curse was putting up the st of its resistance before it would crumble completely, and the st particle vanished.

  'Ha! Got the little bastard,' Rya thought triumphantly as she couldn't feel the curse anymore.

  If anyone was looking at Amelia's mana vein with the Seer Stone, they'd see her thin grayish vein begin to grow thicker and glow a pretty blue while her mage veins glowed with a bck core and white outlines like the Dark Saber from Star Wars. Amelia felt a warm tingle spread throughout her body as her mana was finally able to flow normally, and it began to enhance her body.

  Her thin legs, once delicate and spindly, began to fill out as they grew plump and toned, taking on a slightly muscur definition that hinted at newfound strength. As her hips expanded gracefully, they molded into a perfect hourgss figure, but it soon became apparent that her previous underwear could no longer accommodate her fuller shape. The seams strained against her growing curves, ultimately giving way to reveal the transformation of her form, particurly accentuated by the remarkable swell of her voluptuous bubble cheeks. Simultaneously, her breasts experienced a rapid transformation. What began as a modest B-cup quickly blossomed into a confident C-cup within mere moments, the fullness struggling against the confines of her gown. The ribbons and strings seemed to beg for mercy as they fought to keep her newly enhanced curves contained, each movement causing the fabric to groan and squeak in protest.

  A sudden surge of mana coursed through her, overwhelming her senses and drawing a soft moan from her lips. The other girls turned to her in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief at the unexpected sound. Just as abruptly as it had come, the surge subsided, yet not without leaving behind a flicker of longing within her, particurly for Ben, the charming stable boy who had always captured her attention. The lingering effects of the mana urged her fantasies to unfold, intertwining with her body's ongoing transformation.

  As her metamorphosis continued, subtle changes began to grace her features. Her nose shortened slightly, giving her face a delicate and refined appearance, while her lips became fuller and softer, plump and pillowy in a way that invited attention. Her eyeshes lengthened dramatically, framing her mesmerizing eyes, which dazzled in a striking sapphire hue. With each blink, they sparkled with a newfound allure. Her skin smoothed out beautifully, becoming perfectly fwless and silky, so touchable that it seemed to glow with an inner light.

  While her hair remained styled in a graceful bun, the bangs grew longer, cascading down to frame her face in soft waves. Then her bun began to loosen and unravel as her hair thickened and grew rapidly. Her luscious locks tumbling freely down her back, lengthened swiftly, falling to her waist, then past her hips, and finally reaching her perfectly round and pert bottom. Within seconds, the once elegant hairstyle had completely disappeared, repced by an impossibly luxurious mane that shimmered and glistened in the sun's golden rays, drawing even more attention to her enchanting transformation.

  As she stood there, immersed in these sensations, another wave of warmth enveloped her, igniting a tingling pleasure between her legs. Her body responded instinctively; her sensitivity heightened as she felt a gentle shift within her. A rush of mana surged into her womb, intensifying her arousal and causing her to gasp. Her clit throbbed intensely, as a sudden tightness filled her vaginal opening. It pulsated gently, sending ripples of bliss throughout her body, before she felt her pussy begin to dite. She moaned as softly as she could, but when her bia parted and spread, opening up for her partner that wasn't there, making it harder for her to suppress the sensual sounds that came unbidden. She could only hope that her friends wouldn't notice the way her breath had quickened, or how she was pressing her thighs together. Luckily, the skirt of her dress hid her nether region, leaving her secret safe, but that didn't mean she was out of the woods yet.

  Amelia felt a surge of conflicting emotions as she struggled to maintain her composure. "F-Fight it... F-Fight... it," she whispered to herself, her mind racing as she battled the overwhelming sensations. 'I-I must resist. I-I-I can't give in,' she thought, clutching the delicate fabric of her gown. The hem of her gown hugged her figure tightly, accentuating her curves and leaving little to the imagination. As she breathed deeply, her bosoms seemed to push against the confines of the neckline with an almost irresistible force, rising like freshly baked bread from a pan. A flush of warmth spread through her, and she could feel her body responding in ways that made it harder to focus. Her nipples grew increasingly sensitive, swelling slightly as they pressed against the fabric, which felt both thrilling and confining. They seemed to take on a life of their own, becoming as prominent as pencil erasers, straining against the fabric as though eager to escape. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to think about what was happening, but a sudden burst of mana sent a thrill coursing through her body. It was almost too much for her to bear, but she managed to remain silent.

  Amelia felt an overwhelming sensation coursing through her body as her pubic hair faded away, leaving her skin bare and sensitive. Her bia swelled and opened up like a Clitoria ternatea, becoming a vibrant shade of pink, and begging for her lover's attention. Still, the mana enveloped her, enhancing her most intimate areas with an intensity she had never experienced before. Each pulse of energy made her sensitivity skyrocket, transforming her body into a consteltion of pleasure. As she tried to steady her breathing, a storm of conflicting thoughts raced through her mind. She fought desperately to calm her heart, which beat wildly in her chest, but every time the mana surged through her, it left her wanting more.

  She believed it was Rya who was instigating this transformation by corrupting her with dark magic, but the reality of the situation was that she was wrong. It was her own Mana Vein—the reservoir of power that had absorbed the essence of nearly a hundred fallen monsters—that was manifesting this exquisite torment. Despite her efforts to maintain control, the sensations only intensified, wrapping around her like a warm, enticing cocoon. Before long, Amelia found herself unable to resist the urge to rub her thighs together, succumbing to the overwhelming pleasure radiating from her core.

  'It feels so good... I can't resist... GRR! NO! I WILL resist!'

  The battle continued to rage in her mind. Her willpower was strong, but the mana was stronger as the hem of the neckline pulled taut, the ribbons threatening to snap. Her breasts felt heavy and swollen, pressing against the thin fabric as her boobs expanded into DD-cup. Even so, the square neckline refused to budge and held strong against her breasts. It was almost like the magic itself was working to keep her breasts confined, as if they were its prisoner.

  Amelia gasped as a wave of arousal hit her like a brick, her breath catching in her throat as her nipples stiffened, her pussy contracting tightly. The feeling was almost indescribable, the sensation of being stretched beyond capacity and filled to the brim.

  "Ah... ah..." Amelia panted, her breathing becoming bored. 'This feeling is amazing... B-But I shouldn't touch myself—GAH!? NO! I WILL NOT TOUCH MYSELF! No matter how much I want to!' she thought while biting her lower lip.

  She then tried to get the feeling under control by swaying her hips and looking away, but it was already too te. Her nipples were now so sensitive that even the lightest breeze felt like heaven. Mana Lust was upon her, and she would have to relieve herself or it would grow worse.

  "A-AH... I-It's coming..." Amelia whimpered as she felt a rush of warmth spread across her entire body. "No... NO! I-I can't lose control of myself!" she cursed under her breath with clenched her fists. But, even as she tried to resist, the sensations intensified and soon overwhelmed her.

  Rya, who wasn't looking at Amelia, did a double-take when she saw what was happening to the young girl. She saw that Amelia was now rubbing her thighs together. And her hands were clenching the skirt of her dress tightly. Rya could smell the girl's arousal.

  'Oh no... I think Amelia has killed more monsters than I thought... It's Mana Lust!' Rya thought. 'She has been fighting it off so far, but... It looks like the effects are hitting her pretty hard. Her skin is flushed, and her breathing is erratic. Holy shit! She has tits and her nipples are also poking through her dress. Fuck, and her eyes are unfocused... If we don't do something soon, she'll end up humping the floor and begging for sex in front of everyone!'

  Fiona and the rest of the dies thought they were seeing things as they saw the usually composed and shy Amelia looking like a flustered mess, her body transforming into a goddess. Fiona's mouth was agape as her cousin became even more beautiful than her. She couldn't stop staring at her as her jealousy grew.

  Amelia let out a low moan, then a gasp when she realized that Rya was looking at her. 'I-Is she... Is she staring at me? Why is she looking at me like that?!' Amelia wondered as she blushed harder. 'Oh no... I-I'm gonna lose control... Only if Ben were here, then I would ride him like one of his horses—GAH!? I'm not a harlot! I-I can't think about that right now...' she told herself, shaking her head.

  "I-Impossible! What did you do to her!? What have you done!?" Fiona shouted as she saw what was happening to her cousin.

  "Me? I did nothing," Rya responded, not looking at the jealous young woman. "She's just a te bloomer, is all."

  The girls didn't seem convinced as they saw Amelia become a woman before their very eyes. Some of them wanted Rya to do the same thing to them, while others thought having big boobs would be a hassle.

  "That's an utter lie! You had to do—"

  "Nope! I've done nothing to make her look this way," Rya interrupted. "Hey, Tayna? Um, your sister-in-w needs to use the dies' room. I think she needs to go."

  Tayna, who was dumbstruck by Amelia's transformation, snapped out of her stupor when she heard her name. Rya mentioned the code word that they talked about earlier, if they thought Amelia or Elizabeth would experience Mana Lust if Rya lifted their curses. And Amelia was fading fast.

  "How serious?" Tayna asked.

  "Very," Rya answered as she tried to guide Amelia toward Tayna, who quickly made her way to her sister-in-w. "Come on, let's go!" she said, grabbing Amelia's hand.

  "W-Wait... I need to go?" Amelia questioned in a dreamy state. She was in a constant battle between her mind and her body as her body craved the touch of herself, or better yet, Ben. She was slowly losing control.

  Tayna could see how out of it Amelia was as she recalled her time experiencing Mana Lust and knew that she had to get her out of the ballroom before it was too te.

  "Yes, you need to use the restroom. Now come on, let's go!" Tayna told her, guiding her out of the ballroom. Amelia followed along in a dazed state as her boobs bounced with each step.

  Fiona watched as Amelia was whisked away. Her blood was boiling thanks to Amelia's transformation, but her cousin still was talentless, and no amount of beauty could change that.

  "Alright, Princess Rya... You might have made my cousin more presentable to men, but all she is is nothing more than a waitress at a Burlesque house," Fiona said in a condescending tone.

  Rya turned to Fiona, feigning surprise, "Lady Fiona, you've been inside a Burlesque house? That's no dylike for a noblewoman to frequent such a pce."

  Fiona looked like someone had spped the back of her head as she nearly stumbled from Rya's comment.

  "No, I—You know what I meant!" Fiona blurted out.

  "No, I don't... Please educate us dies on what you mean," Rya replied, egging Fiona on.

  Constance Montcir, Menie Ingham, Jenelle Dravenhart, and the other 20-year-old dies had expressions of concern on their faces as they stared at Fiona.

  "Lady Fiona, have you visited a Burlesque house?" Menie asked.

  "Um... Uh... N-no. Of course not!" Fiona tried to lie, but she couldn't help but blush. She frequented one that had a male staff, but she wasn't going to divulge that information.

  "Hmmm... You seem nervous, Lady Fiona... Is there something you'd like to share with the css?" Rya teased.

  "A-All I'm saying is that my cousin has no talents and no amount of beauty can fix that. She can't sing, dance, sow, and she certainly doesn't have a mana vein to give birth to a strong child!" Fiona tried to argue, but her blushing face was doing her no favors.

  Rya smirked as Fiona didn't have a clue that Amelia did have a high-level Mana Vein, and Rya assumed that it must be a Grand Master or Elite Level Vein, but she would confirm that ter when Amelia dealt with her issues.

  'She's not the same girl anymore, Fiona... And you'll be in for a rude awakening when she shows off her real talents. I look forward to the fallout.' Rya thought.

  "If you say so. But I have a sneaky suspicion that you are only insulting your cousin because she's starting to outshine you, my dear," Rya said, calling Fiona out.

  "That's not true!" Fiona denied.

  "I'm sorry, but it seems you are a little jealous of Amelia. Perhaps we should ask your friends to see if they think the same thing," Rya turned her attention to the other dies.

  Menie Ingham, Constance Montcir, and Jenelle Dravenhart didn't care for Minor Ladies' squabbles, and they did think Fiona was just jealous of Amelia.

  "We'll agree with Lady Rya on this one, Fiona. You keep bringing up that she's talentless, but what have you shown us other than you're an arrogant brat?" Menie spoke up.

  "Yes... If anything, whatever Princess Rya did to Amelia has lifted her standing in the Court. But she seems a little oblivious to her newfound charms and beauty," Jenelle Dravenhart said.

  "Princess Rya. Can you do whatever you did to Lady Amelia to me as well?" Constance Montcir asked. Getting the attention of all the dies around here. "F-For my skin, of course! I feel my complexion could be better. I don't desire a chest like hers or yours. It would be too cumbersome, I think..." she crified while straightening her posture. But Rya saw the blush on her cheeks.

  'Oh? So, Constance wants a little more up top? That's cute that she's embarrassed to admit it in front of everyone, but I get it. Having big tits are fun. Sadly, I haven't a clue how to do that without someone having a solid mana vein. I think she had a Master Level Vein? Maybe I'll help her sy some monsters so her mana could enhance her body,' Rya thought.

  "Well? I wasn't lying when I said it wasn't me when Amelia became more beautiful," Rya said, a partial truth. Sure, Rya wasn't the one who made Amelia's body grow in the way that it did, but removing the curse was what helped start the process.

  "Wow... Princess Rya is humbler than I would have thought," Serena von Maus whispered to another Minor Lady, who nodded her head in agreement.

  Fiona had had enough; this Dark Elf was pying everyone for fools with this act of humility. And her friends were falling for it, too.

  'If no one is going to call her out on her farse, then I will! She's obviously lying, but how am I going to prove it?' Fiona thought.

  "Fine! Don't tell us what you did to my cousin. Her beauty wasn't earned, and when she comes back to the ballroom, I will make sure everyone knows what a fraud she truly is!" Fiona decred. Most of the dies look at Fiona with sour gres, not appreciating her words. If she was trying to get on their good sides in order to improve her standing, then it wasn't working. But Fiona was too oblivious to realize that it was a lost cause.

  "Fiona... Stop being rude," Menie Ingham scolded her.

  "Lady Fiona, your cousin didn't do anything wrong," Jenelle Dravenhart said.

  "She didn't have to use her powers on her, though. But she did," Serena von Maus stated, with everyone agreeing.

  'What?! Not you too, Miss Serena!' Fiona thought.

  "F-Fine... I see when I am not wanted. But I will show you all that Amelia isn't talented like the rest of us. She just had the Dark Elf do her a favor!" Fiona shouted and walked away in a huff. Fiona's friends, Linda, Beca, and Jennifer, hesitated at first.

  "Wh-What should we do?" Beca asked. And before Linda or Jennifer could answer, Fiona turned around and yelled at her friends.

  "Well?! Are you guys coming or what?!"

  "R-Right! Let's go, Beca," Jennifer said and ran after Fiona, with Beca and Linda following after.

  And with that, everyone watched as the four went to the other side of the ballroom.