Lucien shot Aria a furious glare. Was she really his sister? She actually tried to talk his huntress into going to see other males—right in front of him. "Emma, Aria's just being her usual reckless self. Don't pay her any mind," Lucien said as he gripped Emma's hand tightly, afraid that his mischievous sister might somehow corrupt his huntress. He ordered his chief guard to escort Edric and the others to the banquet hall, then turned to Emma. "Emma, I'll take you to meet my parents first." Emma nodded and followed Lucien and Aria toward the royal palace where the queen of Aurelia resided. Inside, Amara, the queen of Aurelia, sat gracefully on her throne, radiating the kind of regal beauty that came with absolute confidence. Around her were more than a dozen high-ranking male Etherians, and below them stood two rows of young males. Every one of them was from Aurelia—around their twenties, with the weakest still at Rank 7. They all shared that Aurelian look: broad shoulders, narrow waists, and long, powerful legs. Each one was strikingly handsome. And all of them were bare-chested. The moment Emma and Lucien entered, every head turned toward her. What on earth? With all those eyes on her, Emma suddenly felt like an exhibit at a zoo. Lucien's expression darkened instantly. He'd told his mother this wasn't necessary, yet she'd still arranged this spectacle. "Lucien, you're back," said Amara warmly as soon as she saw them. She rose from her throne in a smooth, elegant motion. Though she was over three hundred years old, she looked no older than a stunning woman in her thirties. Amara approached Emma, her gaze appraising yet approving. "You must be Emma, my son's huntress." Emma smiled politely. "Good evening, Your Majesty. I'm Emma. Happy birthday." Lucien retrieved the gifts Emma had prepared from his storage band."Mom, these are from Emma. The sea beast dishes and the birthday cake—she made everything herself." Amara's eyes lit up. She clasped Emma's hands with genuine delight. "Emma, you're so thoughtful. I love these gifts." It wasn't that Aurelia lacked treasures. What pleased Amara wasn't the presents themselves—it was that Emma had gone to such lengths for her son. "I'm glad you like them," Emma said. Aria, already tempted by the aroma, opened a box of spicy grilled sea beast strips and sneaked a bite. She froze for half a second—then her entire face lit up. "Oh my stars—this is amazing! Mom, you have to try this!" Since they were in the queen's private hall, Aria didn't bother with formalities. Amara tasted a piece and nodded repeatedly. "Delicious. Absolutely delicious." She'd never eaten sea beast meat so tender and clean before. No fishy smell, a touch of sweetness, a hint of spice—it was perfect. "Emma, how did you manage to make something this good? You're extraordinary." The more Amara looked at her, the more satisfied she felt. "Emma, what is this?" Aria asked curiously, pointing at the elegant cake box. "Is that food too?" "It's a birthday cake," Emma explained, describing its meaning and the tradition behind it. Amara and Aria were astonished—not only was the cake beautiful, but the symbolism behind it was equally wonderful. Aria clapped her hands in excitement. "Then, we'll have my mother blow out the candles and make a wish during the banquet. After that, we'll all share the cake together!" Amara's birthday banquet was an annual event, but this was the first time anyone had brought her such a thing. Aria could hardly wait to try it. "Emma," Amara said with a smile, "you've given me such thoughtful gifts. It's only right I give you something in return." She took Emma's hand and gestured toward the two rows of men standing nearby. "These are for you. They're Aurelia's finest young males—strong, gifted, and very easy on the eyes. Pick a few you like to keep by your side for company." Wait—what? Who on earth gives men as gifts? Lucien's expression turned gloomy. He squeezed Emma's hand and glared at Amara in open protest. "Mom, Emma has me. She doesn't need anyone else." Amara's smile vanished. Her voice turned sharp. "Lucien, are you trying to make decisions for your huntress?" Lucien froze. That wasn't what he meant. He could defy his mother's orders, but he couldn't take away Emma's right to choose. One of the nearest young males stepped forward, looking at Lucien. "Lucien, we all know you're Ms. Emma Tibarn's mate. None of us is trying to compete with you. We just wish to become her followers." Several others quickly chimed in."Lucien, you can't have a huntress all to yourself and leave the rest of us to rot!" "Exactly! We don't want to take her from you. We just want to serve under Ms. Emma Tibarn." None of them were fools. The Beast God wouldn't have paired someone like Lucien with just any female. There had to be something extraordinary about Emma. And judging from the aroma of that sea beast dish alone—they were already convinced she was someone worth following.