Hunched over and with no time to check, Marcus still thanked Corvin out of courtesy. Marcus texted back: 'Thanks.' ... In the middle of a briefing with his subordinates, Lucien projected his lightcore across the conference room. When he noticed the link Corvin had forwarded, he blinked in confusion. Curiosity compelled him to tap one of the links. Considering what he knew about Corvin—somewhat dense, but reliable and serious—Lucien had never expected a message like this. It was a video. The moment it played, the screen assaulted him with an overtly explicit scene, the sounds enough to make anyone flush. The room fell into stunned silence. With a sharp snap, Lucien shut his lightcore, his face burning red. Has Corvin completely lost his mind? Why on earth would he send something like this? Below him, his subordinates kept their heads down, afraid to meet his gaze. No one could have imagined that the usually cold, composed Lucien actually enjoyed watching that sort of thing. Even those subordinates wouldn't dare touch material so explicit, and it was beyond comprehension how Lucien could have found something like that. Despite the shock, Lucien had weathered worse storms. After closing the video, he reopened his lightcore and continued the meeting, expression unreadable. Once this was over, he thought grimly, he would make Corvin pay. And Silas, too—there was no way Corvin had done this on his own. ... Meanwhile, in Aquadome, Drake had just finished a grueling battle against the Chitinid when he saw the link Corvin had sent at the Thalassian Palace. Confusion flickered across his face. Isn't Corvin one of Emma's suitors? What could possibly make him send a link out of nowhere?He had been leading the Four Domains against the Chitinid with no chance to see Emma. She had even deleted his lightcore ID—he couldn't reach her, even if he tried. He'd asked the Second Elder to deliver a few messages on his behalf. Emma had been polite, but she had never mentioned him—not once. Has Emma asked Corvin to contact me? The thought prompted Drake to open one of the links without hesitation. The contents froze him in place. This... How could Emma have Corvin send me something like this? Could it be meant as some kind of bond? Pressing his lips together, Drake realized he needed to defeat the Chitinid quickly and head to Emma immediately. He quickly replied to Corvin. Drake: 'Got it.' Corvin, reclining in a rest pod and trying to figure out how to explain himself, stared at the message in disbelief. "Got it?"What does he even mean by saying he got it? Corvin immediately replied to Drake: 'Dude, what do you understand?' Drake responded: 'I understand everything. Don't worry, I'll act quickly.' Seeing Drake's reply, Corvin felt a headache coming on. How is anyone supposed to make sense of something like that? Is this supposed to show how to bond with Emma? The misunderstanding was huge. He hastily messaged back: 'Drake, I tapped the wrong link. That wasn't meant for you.' Drake: 'Okay.' He thought Emma must have been too shy to send it herself, so she had Corvin do it for her. But then, realizing it might come across as too forward, she had him explain it this way. Drake made it clear that he understood everything. Drake: 'Oh. I understand. You sent it to the wrong person.'Corvin finally relaxed. Corvin: 'Good. As long as you know. Don't overthink it.' Drake: 'Sure, I won't.' With Drake handled, Corvin exhaled. He immediately messaged Lucien again. Corvin: 'Your Highness, that message earlier was a mis-tap. I truly apologize.' Lucien didn't reply. Frustrated, Corvin grabbed Cotton Candy beside him and scrubbed it vigorously. "This is all your fault. You blasted it to everyone. You almost got me into real trouble." It was a good thing he had cleared things up with Drake. As for Malrik, that walking corpse could fend for himself. Cotton Candy, scrubbed senseless, had a tangled pinkish coat and curled up in Corvin's arms, stiff and guilty as a stone. If he had sent it only to himself instead of a few others, Corvin might have suspected him immediately. At least he hadn't sent it randomly—only to Emma's suitors. ... Deep in the forest, Emma approached a strange herb tree, its fruit resembling bright cherries. As she reached for a ripe cluster, a cool touch pressed against her back. Marcus' chest brushed against hers. The chill seeped through her thin clothing, like gliding her hand over smooth jade on a hot summer day, sending a shiver down her spine. His arm slid past her side, the cuff grazing her wrist and carrying a faint scent of crisp pine. "Ms. Tibarn, let me pick these for you," he murmured. His warm breath brushed her ear, a stark contrast to the icy press of his body, making her skin tingle.