"Whatever needs to be done, you'll handle it." Lucien was worried about her. She knew that. Emma wasn't someone who would push herself. She treasured her body more than anything else. Lucien studied her pale face and finally nodded, satisfied. He tightened his hold around her and helped her down the stairs. "Huntress, you—" Corvin's voice stopped cold. His eyes went wide the second he caught Lucien's scent. "Huntress, you and Prince Lucien… you bonded?" His stomach dropped. Wasn't Edric supposed to be first? And him second? Right then, the door opened. Edric stepped inside, exhaustion still clinging to him.But the second he heard Corvin's words, his head snapped up. He stared at Emma and Lucien on the stairs. "I…" Emma started to explain, but Lucien's voice cut through softly. "Emma," he said, "let me speak." She met his gaze. The warmth and calm in his eyes made her stop. She nodded once. Lucien helped her to the couch and made sure she was seated before turning toward the others. His eyes swept over them one by one—Edric, Silas, Corvin. The pressure in the room shifted. Power rolled through the air, heavy and sharp. Corvin and Edric stiffened in shock. "You… you're Rank 11?" Corvin choked out. The last anyone knew, Lucien had been stuck at the edge of Rank 10. No one in the Empire thought he'd ever break through. But here he was. Only Silas didn't look surprised. He sat with his arms crossed, calm as ever.Lucien spoke evenly. "I advanced because of Emma. I'll explain that later." He paused, his expression unreadable. "Right now, we're discussing my bond with her." His gaze moved slowly from one man to the next. "The Aurelia family has a unique method of bonding. I'm sure you've heard about it." Then his eyes landed on Edric. "Edric," he said quietly, "you're close to evolving. When that happens, Emma has to help you balance your power. But she was still Rank 4. That would've been dangerous." He looked back at Emma, his tone softening. "I bonded with her to make her stronger." "Why didn't I think of bonding with the huntress another way sooner?" Corvin slapped his own forehead. He felt like a total idiot. Silas sat next to Emma and gave him a slow look. "Because only the Aurelias and the Drakonids can do that. Even if you had thought of it, it wouldn't have helped."That was the Beast God's favor, not something anyone could steal. Corvin groaned quietly. His whole mood soured. He didn't dare meet Lucien's eyes. He leaned closer to Silas and whispered, "So, does that mean we have to do whatever he says now?" Silas smirked. "You could always refuse." Corvin blinked. He wouldn't dare. Lucien didn't bother acknowledging them. He turned to Edric instead. "Edric, did you finish dealing with the Violet Obsidian Clan?" Edric nodded. His tone was calm but tired. "It's handled. Thero and Jimmy went back to their clan. Something urgent came up." He pulled a storage band from his pocket and stepped toward Emma. "Emma, these are the things I brought back for you from the Violet Obsidian Clan. I hope they please you."Emma took the ring and looked at him. The shadows under his eyes made her chest ache. "Thank you, Edric," she said softly. "I don't even need to check. I already know I'll love them." She reached out, pulling him gently to sit beside her. "Rest for a while. I'll soothe you later." Edric leaned against her shoulder without protest. He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent, letting the tension melt away. Corvin watched them and grumbled under his breath. Perfect. Lucien got the top spot, and Edric got all her affection. What was left for him and Silas? Silas glanced at them, then tilted his head and leaned against Emma's other shoulder. "Emma," he said in a low voice, "my wounds still hurt. I'm exhausted." Emma knew he was pretending. But she didn't push him away. She let him stay. Corvin's eyes widened. He wanted to lean in too. Maybe even crawl into the huntress' lap. Before he could move, Lucien's voice broke through. "Corvin." Corvin froze instantly. "Emma's decided to live at the Interstellar Hunter Alliance headquarters," Lucien said, his voice steady. "We'll leave for A1 in ten days. "In the meantime, you'll clear your lab and move everything there." "I'll have the crew start packing," Corvin said quickly. Lucien shook his head. "You'll do it yourself. Others are too slow."He looked straight at him. "You've got ten days. No delays. Can you handle that?" Corvin's face drained of color. Ten days trapped in his lab? He wanted to cry. "Maybe they can do it for me," he said weakly. "It might take a few extra days, but it'll be fine." Lucien smiled politely. "Alright. If you're not in a rush, I'll assign the next batch of warship orders to you. You can finish those first, then move to A1." "No!" Corvin jumped up so fast the chair almost fell over. "I'll start packing right now! I'll finish in ten days, I swear!" He turned to Emma, desperate to switch topics before Lucien found something else for him to do.