Marcus' room was at a normal temperature that day, but there was no bed—only a crystal coffin placed right in the center. The place was so bare it was unsettling, and the coffin made it even gloomier. What kind of underworld aesthetic was this? "Get in the crystal coffin," Emma said, scanning the room. It really needed redecorating. The whole place felt like a haunted crypt. Marcus obediently climbed in. "I'm in, Ms. Tibarn." Emma stepped closer, pressing her fingertip gently to the center of his forehead. Her mental power flowed into Marcus' mental consciousness. Inside, she saw that the patch of ice thorns devoured by the fire snake last time had only slightly regenerated. That alone made her happy. If things kept going this way, she might actually be able to get the fire snake to completely consume all those ice thorns tangled inside Marcus' mind. And if that happened—would his sense of taste and smell finally return? Would he stop drifting through each day like he'd already given up on living? Maybe then he wouldn't want to die anymore. Having done this once before, Emma easily controlled the fire snake this time, letting it slither through Marcus' mental consciousness and devour more of the ice thorns. It consumed even more than before, and this time Emma didn't feel drained afterward. When the fire snake finally exploded into sparks and melted away what it had swallowed, Emma opened her eyes and withdrew her hand. She studied Marcus' face. "Marcus, how do you feel now? Any better?" There were still far too many ice thorns left. The fire snake could only handle a little at a time. Clearing them out completely would be a long, grueling process. Marcus closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment before answering honestly, "I think my mind feels a little clearer." Better than it had that morning. Emma smiled faintly. "Looks like my mental comfort's working, even if the effect's small. Bit by bit, we'll get there. I'll make sure your mental state returns to normal." "Thank you, Ms. Tibarn." Seeing the warmth in Emma's eyes, Marcus couldn't help but smile a little himself. Emma straightened beside the coffin. "You should rest. I'm going back to train." Marcus sat up slightly, watching her leave, then slowly lay back down. Back in her own training room, Emma absorbed two beast cores before releasing her ability. She wanted to see just how far her power had come now that she'd reached Rank 5. After Amara's birthday celebration tomorrow, she planned to head into the Central Planet's forest and test herself against a few level 6 beasts. Two hours later, she emerged from training, showered, changed, and went to find Lucien. … In a secluded castle far away, a subordinate stepped out from the shadows. "Mr. Merlin, everything's ready, just as you ordered. At the right time, the Noctarises will lure Lucien and Marcus away." Merlin nodded in satisfaction. "We can't strike during the queen of Aurelia's banquet—too many high-ranking males will be there. We move after they return. Remember, failure is not an option." He glanced down at his own torn, grimy combat suit with open disdain. He would never understand why Malrik enjoyed scavenging junk so much. The man looked like a walking trash heap every day. Just thinking about it made Merlin queasy. … Over at Aurelia, Emma stepped off the airship, dressed in the gown Lucien had personally chosen for her. Before her floated a breathtaking palace suspended among the clouds—like something out of a dream. White steps cascaded down like a celestial staircase, golden rooftops pierced through drifting mist, and wind chimes of gold shimmered on the eaves, too high for their music to reach the ground. Aurelia truly lived up to its reputation as the most powerful clan on Central Planet. The grandeur was overwhelming. "Emma! Lucien! You're finally here!" Aria, who had been waiting eagerly, rushed toward them. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Emma in her gown. "Emma, you look stunning!" "You too," Emma said warmly. Aria's scarlet dress perfectly matched her fiery, confident beauty, amplifying her commanding presence. Excited, Aria grabbed Emma's hand. "Come on, hurry! I'll take you to see my mother. She's been waiting for you and Lucien since yesterday." Then, leaning closer, she whispered, "Emma, I already scoped out the new arrivals. Some of the young male elites here are ridiculously handsome. Once we're done greeting my mother, I'll take you to see them." She grinned mischievously. "Especially that guy Alaric from the Emberfox Clan—he's so gorgeous it's criminal." Aria sneaked a glance at Lucien and murmured, "Even better-looking than Lucien."That was saying something—Lucien was already the most striking among them. Yet someone was even more beautiful than him?