For females heading to the Celestara Gala, the Empire went all in. Free suites for each female, her mate, and any hopeful suitors—and a steady supply of nutrient fluid on the house. The Empire clearly knew how to make a festival sound like a once-in-a-lifetime affair. Laura's voice came through the lightcore screen, bright and teasing. "Emma, I know you're not on F-268 right now, so we'll have to meet there instead. Over the next two months, the starrail will be packed with travelers. Grab your seats early before you end up standing the whole way." Emma had been so swamped lately that the Celestara Gala had nearly slipped her mind. Good thing Laura reminded her. She laughed. "Got it. Message me when you get there. I'll bring that jam you're addicted to and hunt you down." Laura's grin widened. "You and your jam, I swear. I've got something for you, too. See you on the Central Planet!" When the call ended, Emma felt lighter. The sound of running water drifted from the other room. Moments later, Lucien stepped out of the shower—hair damp while towel slung low around his waist. Emma rose from her little reading nook and crossed the room. Excitement shimmered in her tone. "Lucien, the Celestara Gala's in two months. I promised a friend we'd go to the main event on the Central Planet. After that, how about heading back to A1?" Lucien never argued about where she wanted to go. In his eyes, Emma didn't need his approval to make decisions like that. He met her gaze, voice calm yet full of warmth. "Emma, I might be your first mate, but this home is yours. You don't have to ask me for permission. Just tell us what you want, and we'll follow your lead." Emma had a naturally gentle way of handling things—never harsh, never controlling—but that didn't mean anyone mistook her kindness for weakness. They knew exactly who set the rhythm here. She embraced Lucien around the waist, stood on her toes, and gently kissed his cheek. "Then it's settled." That tiny kiss nearly wrecked his composure. Every muscle in his body tightened in protest. He thought, I swear, if giving Edric my ability would make him level up faster, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Being this close to her and not allowed to taste a d*mn thing… that's the worst kind of punishment. "Emma," he murmured, voice rougher than he intended, "there's something I wanted to bring up too." He led her back to the couch—not for flirting this time, but for an actual conversation. "What's up?" she asked curiously. Lucien sat down, drawing her close. His expression turned sincere. "The day after tomorrow is my mother's birthday. I'd like you to come with me to Aurelia and celebrate with us. Would that be okay?" Did he even need to ask? Of course it was. Emma nodded right away. "Of course. A day that important—you shouldn't go home without me." In their world, a male showing up at his mother's celebration alone would raise every eyebrow in the room. People would whisper that his huntress didn't care, that he'd lost favor. Even his family's reputation could take a hit. Still, meeting Lucien's mother—the queen of Aurelia, no less—made Emma's nerves twinge."I should figure out a proper gift. What does one even give Her Majesty?" she muttered, thinking aloud. Just hearing her agree put a rare smile on Lucien's face. He'd never let his huntress waste time worrying about something that should be his responsibility. He replied, "Don't worry about it. I've already taken care of the gifts. Just having you there will be enough." "That's not going to fly." Emma raised a brow, unimpressed. She could already picture it—Lucien showing up with perfectly arranged gifts his family would recognize as his doing, while she stood there empty-handed. To them, it'd look like she didn't care, like he meant more to her than she did to him. Those kinds of social traps? Emma knew them all too well. Her tone softened, but her stance didn't waver. "I'll handle it. That's how you show genuine respect." She stood, mind already racing. "I'll check the storeroom. We should give Her Majesty something exceptional."Lucien started to rise too. "Then I'll get dressed and come with you." Emma waved him away. "Don't you need to chair a video conference? Go take care of it. I've got it handled." Her thoughts kicked into motion. A simple gift won't do for the queen of Aurelia—it needs to be something truly special, something that leaves an impression. Lucien gently held her wrist before she could leave. "Emma, one more thing—if it's not too much trouble, could you prepare something for her? The steamed crystal sea beast you made last time was amazing." The queen might have loved sea beast, but the palace chefs on Aurelia never got it right. Every dish came out too heavy, the smell overpowering—something she tolerated more than enjoyed. Emma's version was different. Somehow, her touch turned it into something delicate and pure, the kind of flavor that lingered long after the last bite. "Her Majesty likes sea beast?" Emma's eyes lit up immediately. Cooking was her pride, her playground. Now this I can handle."What kind of flavor does she go for? Something clean and mild? Maybe spicy? Or a touch salty?" Lucien looked a little sheepish. He'd never really paid attention to what his mother's tastes even were. Emma smirked. "Alright then, I'll wing it. I'll make a little of everything and let her decide which one wins her over." If it were anyone else, she wouldn't go through all that effort. Yet this was Lucien's mother—the queen herself. For him, she'd pull out every culinary trick she knew.