"They just don't want the Beast God to pair them with lower-ranked females and send them off to live on some backwater planet. "Every time the Celestara Gala comes around, a bunch of these males show up on Central Planet to take part in the auctions." Emma finally understood—and the realization stunned her. She frowned slightly. "What if they don't like the females who buy them?" "Then that's just bad luck," Corvin said flatly. "Nothing in this universe comes for free. Once they choose this path, they have to accept the risks that come with it." Corvin had been gifted since birth and could build mechs from scratch. He had never experienced the kind of hardship these males went through, so it was hard for him to feel sympathy. Still, he knew one thing—once they made their choice, they didn't get to regret it. Emma nodded slowly. "I get it." Corvin's gaze swept across the males on display. They were all handsome enough, though their ranks were low—the highest was only Rank 4. He lowered his voice. "Ms. Tibarn, do you see anyone you like? If you do, I can secretly buy him for you. We can keep him somewhere outside the manor—just don't let Prince Lucien or the others find out." If Lucien and Silas discovered that Corvin had taken Emma out once and she came back with a new male competing for her favor, they'd probably kill him on the spot. "No." Emma didn't even hesitate. "I'm not interested in any of them." The moment the words left her mouth, a man with black wings and a black mask stepped toward her, holding a single red rose. He wore an auction tag that read: 'Enchanter Clan Male, Rank 4—Price: 1,000 star coins.' "Honored female," he said, voice deep and magnetic, laced with an almost dangerous charm, "I'm a male from the Enchanter Clan. Would you consider buying me? I'm very affordable." Through the mask, his eyes locked onto Emma—sharp, burning, and impossible to look away from. Though his face was hidden, the intensity in his gaze was like a spark striking tinder. The corners of his eyes lifted slightly, predatory and alluring, as if his glance alone could hook under her skin and drag her closer. Even without seeing his expression, Emma could sense the dangerous smile lurking beneath the mask—a smile that promised both temptation and ruin. What a scent she has, he thought. He hadn't expected that coming to Central Planet for Amara's birthday would lead him to a female this intriguing. Emma studied the winged man. So, this is a male from the Enchanter Clan? She couldn't see his face clearly under the mask, but his eyes alone were enough to catch attention. Yet, she was sure she hadn't seen any Enchanter Clan males among the listings earlier. She remembered what Edric had told her before—if a male approached her with a flower, she had to reject him right away. Otherwise, he might latch on and never leave.Expressionless, she looked him straight in the eye. "Cheap things are rarely good. If you're that cheap, you can't be worth much. I'm not buying." Instead of being offended, the masked man—Merlin—smiled behind the mask, his eyes gleaming with even greater amusement. Not a good thing, huh? He chuckled to himself. She's sharp. I like that. And she wasn't wrong—he really wasn't a good thing. "Honored female, it's fine if you don't want to buy me," he said smoothly. "We could at least get to know each other first." He wasn't about to give up on such an interesting female. His gaze grew hotter, more intense. Emma realized he wasn't going to stop. Without saying a word, she took a step back and gave Corvin a pointed look. Corvin immediately caught her meaning and was about to make a move—but someone else was faster. Marcus didn't even lift a finger. His ability flared, forming an ice hammer out of thin air. It shot forward and slammed into Merlin, sending him flying. The crash echoed across the place as Merlin's body hit the wall hard enough to smash straight through it. Emma and Corvin both froze in shock, then turned toward Marcus. "Marcus!" Corvin exclaimed. "Why did you hit him that hard? What if you killed him?" Marcus looked completely innocent, his voice weak but calm. "I didn't use much strength. He's just too weak." Corvin groaned, "You're Rank 11! He's only Rank 4! Of course he's weak!" He was terrified Marcus would kill someone in front of all these people. A male pursuing a female wasn't a crime—as long as he didn't cross the line. Beating him up a little was fine. But killing him? That would be a problem. "I'll go check on him." Corvin ran over and hauled Merlin up from the floor, the man coughing up blood.He quickly poured two healing potions down his throat. "Hey, are you okay? Do you need a hospital?" Merlin waved him off and adjusted his crooked mask. "No. I'm not dead yet." So—the female had a Rank 11 match. Getting close to her was going to take a different approach. "I won't bother your huntress again," he said, clutching his chest as he staggered to his feet. Then, he turned and limped back into the shop.