Damian was furious—he thought he might explode. And then there's Drake… what's his deal? He's one of the Domain Lords of the Three Domains, isn't he? The male is known for his dominance, for taking whatever he wants without asking. And yet here he is, handing over star coins to win over a female? Where's his arrogance? Where's that instinct to seize, to claim without a second thought? Huh? Drake, completely unbothered by Damian's inner breakdown, finished the last dumpling in his bowl. He dabbed his mouth with calm precision, rose to his feet, and turned to Emma. "Will you be able to soothe me again tonight?" Emma nodded. "Of course." Of course I can. Of course I will.Satisfied with her answer, Drake left without so much as a glance at Damian. "You're really going to soothe him again?" Watching Drake walk away, Damian's composure shattered. He seized Emma's hand, his voice raw with stinging jealousy. "Don't tell me he paid you for that, too?" This is no way! But Emma only nodded seriously. "Yes. 50 million star coins each time." 50 million?! He nearly screamed. What's wrong with Drake? Is he out of his mind? Emma hid her smile, her voice gentle as she comforted him. "I know you don't have star coins. It must feel unfair." His ears drooped as he nodded miserably. "It's my fault for being useless, for not being able to pay. But I… I would really love to try your cooking. I really want you to soothe me, too."Wishful thinking. Better not try that again. Emma rolled her eyes inwardly in exasperation. She suspected he was trying to take advantage without giving anything in return, but with no proof, she could only wait and see. "I understand. Don't be sad. Between you and Drake, of course, I care about you more." That was her three-hit combo of comfort. "It doesn't matter if you don't have star coins now. We can work hard to earn it together. With your Rank 5 strength, earning tens of millions won't be a problem." No one is getting anything for free from me. She patted his shoulder with a gentle smile. "Actually, someone invited me to form a team to hunt beasts in the northern forest. With your strength, you'll be very useful. You should come with me." Damian didn't answer right away. So she won't feed me, yet she wants me to work? Absolutely not. He looked at her pitifully. "But I—" Emma wasn't about to give him the chance to refuse. She cut in smoothly, "I know you don't have the money for equipment. Don't worry, I've already bought everything. It's getting late, and I'm tired. I'll rest now—I still have to soothe Drake later." With that, she turned on her heel and left, moving so fast it was as if she'd taken flight. Damian stood in the kitchen, glaring at the busy smart robot. He was so close to smashing them in his rage. D*mn it—I've been so focused on food that I completely forgot my real purpose. … Up on the third floor, Emma soaked in a hot bath, then changed into fresh clothes. A robot gently dried her hair with warm air. She adored the conveniences of interstellar life—aside from cooking, the machines did everything better than humans. The perfect blessing for the lazy.… At precisely 9:45 p.m., Emma headed downstairs to soothe Drake. But before she even reached him, a pink blur crashed into her. "Ms. Tibarn, you're finally out! I've been waiting forever." Damian's arms wrapped around her tightly, his face buried against her as he inhaled her scent. So good. So comforting! If it weren't for the matter pressing on his mind, he might have stayed there all night. But Emma could barely breathe, her face crushed against his chest. She shoved him away, her heart racing. Irritation and a flash of anger were evident in her eyes. "Don't touch me without permission again." She wasn't being dramatic—she had simply learned caution. She hated it when people with ulterior motives tried to get close to her.Chastised, Damian softened immediately. He tugged at her sleeve with a fawning smile. "I was wrong, Ms. Tibarn. Please don't be angry." Emma pulled her hand free. "Then why are you here?" Remembering his real purpose, he straightened up. "Earlier in the kitchen, you said you were going to hunt beasts. I was worried my level was too low to protect you properly. I wanted to ask—when will the other matched partners arrive? Can we go together?" Getting me to actually pull my weight? Impossible. "I don't know," Emma said. "Besides you and Drake, two dissolved the match. Haven't heard from the rest." Better he understands my situation sooner rather than later—maybe then he'll finally show his true colors. "What? They still haven't contacted you?" Damian's eyes widened in disbelief. I'd assumed they were just delayed, not that they hadn't reached out at all. Emma nodded. "That's right. They haven't contacted me." "What about the two who dissolved the match?"