Marcus glared at Malrik, disgust etched across his face. Every book he had read insisted that this sort of thing was mutually enjoyable. The inherited memories agreed. Marcus felt absolutely nothing pleasurable while holding a rabbit in his hands. Am I doing it wrong? Before he could process it, Malrik bit down on the back of his hand, squeaking. Ah! That stings! I bit Marcus, so why does my own hand throb like it just got smashed with a hammer? Help, Ms. Tibarn. There's a creep here. He won't even spare a rabbit. "Marcus, what are you doing?" Cotton Candy's shrill, panicked cry drew Corvin over. He snatched the rabbit from Marcus' grasp. "Marcus, don't hurt Cotton Candy. That's Emma's pet. If it gets hurt, Emma's going to be furious." Seeing Corvin, Malrik's face lit up as if he had just found his savior.Corvin was the best! A bit slow, maybe, but remarkably soothing to beasts. With the rabbit now safe and no way to follow the book's instructions, Marcus sank back into the crystal coffin. "I didn't hurt it," he muttered to Corvin. He had only pinched it lightly a couple of times. It wasn't like he had broken it. And the rabbit had bitten him first. Marcus held out his hand to show the bite marks. "It bit me," he said. Corvin examined the clear punctures and tapped Malrik lightly on the head. "Cotton Candy, you don't get to bite people. Biting Marcus? He's tough as leather—you won't hurt him. "But if you so much as think about biting Emma, I'll turn you into a pot roast. She mentioned a dish called spicy barbecue ribs a couple of days ago—supposedly incredible. "If you bite Emma, you'll become our dinner." Malrik froze. He hadn't done anything wrong. Marcus was the pervert here, taking advantage of him.Has the Beast God gone mad? How could Ms. Tibarn be paired with someone like Marcus—a man who acts that vile toward another male? No way. I have to make sure Ms. Tibarn sees through his facade, sees the true depravity beneath. After scolding Malrik, Corvin hugged him and went off to find Emma. "Corvin." Marcus abruptly sat up in the crystal coffin, stopping him. "What is it?" Corvin asked. Marcus handed him a Rank 10 insect core. "Get me more books like the one from last night." "I don't have any," Corvin admitted, eyeing the core. Tempting, but he genuinely had none. "Silas only gave me two." Marcus produced another Rank 10 insect core. "Then, go ask him for two more." Corvin realized Marcus must be the wealthiest and most generous person at home. Every request came with a Rank 10 insect core. He accepted it quickly. "I'll try. If I get them, I'll keep this. If Silas can't spare any, I'll return it." Then, Corvin looked at him warily. "Marcus, how do you have so many Rank 10 insect cores?" How many Chitinids has he actually slain? And all at Rank 10? "I stole them," Marcus admitted, sinking back into the coffin, exhaustion evident. Corvin froze. "You didn't... steal from the Chitinids, did you?" This guy is impressive! Marcus smirked. "I took them from the Drakonid." Corvin's jaw nearly dropped. "How? Did Drake give you that many cores?" "He couldn't beat me," Marcus replied simply. Even if he could, he wouldn't. Drake wasn't foolish. He wouldn't have harmed an enemy for so little gain while bleeding himself dry. Only a fool would have fought that way. Corvin felt a sudden, inexplicable twinge of sympathy for Drake and left swiftly, still clutching Cotton Candy.… Meanwhile, Emma and Aria had finished breakfast. Since Edric remained unconscious and it was unsafe to move him, they agreed to spend another two days in the forest gathering herbs and unusual fruit, returning once Edric awoke. Aria went to find her three mates. Corvin approached, Cotton Candy in his arms, and handed the rabbit to Emma. "What's the plan today? Still hunting beasts?" Emma stroked Cotton Candy's fur and smiled. "No beasts today. We're picking fruit and herbs." "Then, I'll prepare everything immediately," Corvin answered, beginning to pack. He efficiently dismantled the camp, following Emma's lead without hesitation. Stopping at Edric's rest pod, he frowned. "What about Edric?" They couldn't use the ship or Gravicar in the forest, and his mech couldn't carry him while he lay down. Packing up the pod with him inside was out of the question, too. Emma walked over and checked Edric's condition. There was no way he was waking up today. "Alright," she said. "Let Edric sleep here. Decide with Marcus—one of you comes with me to gather fruit, the other stays behind to watch over him."