The pregnant tiger Fecund, Perry, accepted the tiny forkful with polite curiosity, but the moment the cake touched his tongue, his eyes flew wide open.
His ears twitched. His tail stiffened.
Then "Hhhh—!" A soft gasp, almost trembling, escaped his lips as he pressed a hand to his mouth, his cheeks flushing a warm rosy hue. For a moment, he looked as though he might cry.
"Oh… stars above…" he whispered, his voice wobbling. "This… this is divine."
The crowd leaned in.
He took a second, smaller breath, then his shoulders relaxed, and a blissful smile spread across his face.
"My cub just kicked," he said in amazement, placing both hands over his belly. "She likes it too."
He looked up at Lyria with glistening eyes.
"I would like to buy some."
Lyria blinked. "Um, you want to purchase some immediately?"
"Yes!" the Fecund said, almost desperately. "One Starberry cupcake, one chocolate one, and… no, make it two chocolate. And a cup of this Moonbrew coffee."
"Your cost is ₤25. Are you paying by cash or transfer?" Lyria said as she placed them into a bag and handed them to the Fecund.
"Perry, my name. I already scanned the code," the pregnant Fecund said before taking his leave.
The moment the Fecund stepped aside with cupcakes and coffee in hand, the murmuring crowd finally surged forward.
A wolf beastman sniffed the air twice, his ears twitching.
"I'll try the chocolate one," he said, stepping up with cautious pride.
Lyria handed him a sample cube. The wolf took one bite… and his tail immediately began wagging. Not subtly—full, excited wags.
"By the moons," he breathed. "I'll take three."
Lyria quickly packed them up and received ₤21 cash from the wolf beastman.
A group of elderly beastfolk from the morning walking club arrived next. One bought the Moonbrew coffee.
The old mole Fecund froze mid-sip.
"…My bones feel younger," he said.
His companions immediately demanded cups of their own.
Someone from across the park pointed and shouted:
"That's where the good smell is coming from!"
Another voice followed:
"Save some for me!"
People moved between the flowers and the dessert table, the whole area filling with an excited hum. Within minutes, a line stretched across the shop front.
Lyria barely had time to breathe between customers.
"Two Starberry cupcakes, please!"
"Is the Moonbrew bitter?"
"What is this chocolate?"
"Do you have more samples?"
"Can I pre-order?"
She answered each question with a polite smile, accepting payments and handing out treats as fast as she could.
Within one hour:
All Starberry cupcakes: SOLD OUT
All chocolate cupcakes: SOLD OUT
Moonbrew coffee: SOLD OUT
A group of teenagers came running.
"Miss Lyria! We heard from Finn that your cupcakes are better than cafeteria food!"
But upon seeing the empty table, they couldn't help but ask, "You sold out already?"
"Yes, but I will be here tomorrow. Just come quickly so you will not miss out on buying," Lyria assured them.
"Don't worry, I will personally keep you guys one even if you come late," Thorne said before bidding them goodbye.
By noon, a flushed rabbit beastwoman came and was very surprised to see that they had sold out.
"Miss Lyria, can I pre-order?"
"Yes, of course, you can," Lyria answered politely.
The rabbit woman scratched her head, a nervous smile on her face. "I want the chocolate cupcakes. Ten of them."
"Here is the full payment." She handed Lyria ₤70 in cash.
While they were still at it, a lynx beastwoman and a ram Fecund joined them.
"I will also like to pre-order," the lynx beastwoman said.
The ram nodded sagely. "My wife has not stopped talking about them since she tasted them."
"Yes, you can," Lyria said after answering the rabbit beastwoman.
The ram stepped forward first. "I'll take one dozen each of the two flavors. Here's the full payment." He handed her ₤156.
"Please can I get mine early in the morning, as I have to take them to work for my superiors," the lynx woman said before giving her order.
"Yes, you can. I will be in the shop by 8:00 a.m.," Lyria said.
"I will be taking a dozen cups of coffee and one dozen of chocolate cupcakes as well," the lynx beastwoman said.
"Okay, are you paying by cash or will you scan the code?" Lyria asked.
"I already scanned the code," the beastwoman said before leaving.
"Lyria, it's time to have lunch. You have worked hard," Thorne said while handing Lyria a handkerchief to clean her sweat.
"Uhh, I am so exhausted and hungry," Lyria said after entering the shop to eat.
After eating and resting for a while, Lyria decided to go to the market to get more ingredients for tomorrow's sale.
"I will be going home from the market, Daddy Thorne," Lyria said before leaving.
"Bye, and be careful on the way," Thorne said.
After moving around the market for an hour, she finally got what she needed, after which she finally headed home.
As she neared her home, she could already hear Finn's voice, discussing animatedly with someone about how his friends were bewildered by the taste of coffee and cupcakes.
The moment Lyria pushed open the front door, the scent of roasted grains and lingering smell of chicken greeted her nose. She barely had time to step out of her shoes before Finn's excited voice cut through the entryway.
"—and then Carl said he'd pay double if she saves a chocolate one for him tomorrow! I told him she doesn't do bribes—well, not yet—"
"Finn," their father, Rowan's voice groaned from the kitchen, "stop exaggerating. You have been doing that a lot recently."
"I'm not exaggerating! Dad, you didn't see them! People were actually running." Finn threw his hands up dramatically. "Like she was giving out free Elyria!"
Lyria stepped into the warm glow of the living room, bags of ingredients in hand.
"I'm home," she said softly.
Three heads snapped her way immediately Finn, their father Cyris, and…
…someone else.
Sitting on their couch, posture stiff and ears slightly lowered in nervous politeness, was a Fecund with soft round cheeks and a delicate, expectant belly beneath his tunic.
Lyria blinked. Perry?.
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