Damian: 'Buddy, no matter what, don't mention this to the lady. When the gift arrives tomorrow, just say it was your idea. If she discovers I helped you choose it, she'll think it's not genuine. That'll only upset her more.' Edric: 'Understood, got it! Thanks, buddy!' He truly believed that Damian was a good therian. Once I get closer to the lady, I'll make sure to show my gratitude properly. After having led Edric along, Damian checked the clock. By this time, Emma should have settled Drake down. He sent another message to Edric. Damian: 'I've already praised you in front of our lady, and I was able to ease the situation. She should be reaching out to you for a video call any moment now.' As soon as Edric read that Emma would be contacting him first, he felt a surge of nerves. His snake tail curled so tightly around the pillar nearby that he almost broke the black-gold ore in half. He thought, No, no, no—she can't see my tail! What if it frightens her? Come on, tail! Retract already! He swiftly pulled it back and then checked his attire. It was freshly dressed, tidy, and spotless—everything seemed fine. Just as he finished checking his outfit, the call from Emma came in. She had just exited Drake's room when she noticed Edric's previous messages in the group chat. She also saw his missed video call, though she hadn't been able to answer while calming Drake. After a brief pause, she went back to her own room and decided to call him back. The holo-monitor display flickered to life.The male standing in front of Emma was a tall, striking man dressed in a black-and-purple combat outfit. Edric was inside a dilapidated building, easily measuring six-foot-two, with his uniform fitting snugly on long legs and a lean waist. Emma didn't even need to guess that his abs were likely well-defined. Edric's dark, violet-hued eyes focused on her through the feed, tense with nerves. Both hands were rigidly pressed against his sides, standing as if he were on guard, not daring to shift even slightly. Emma's expression slightly tightened at how tense he appeared. "Edric?" Her tone was gentle and cautious, as if she feared startling him. "I-It's me, my lady!" Edric exclaimed nervously. This was the first time he had laid eyes on her. He thought, She was cuter and more stunning than I thought.My lady's voice is so soft. He silently expressed his gratitude to the Beast God for giving him such a sweet, compassionate mate. "Edric, you don't have to be so anxious." She couldn't figure out why he seemed so tense. His gaze was downcast, long eyelashes casting shadows over his striking dark violet eyes. His handsome face carried a brooding demeanor, the sort that warned others to back off. "Was there something you wanted to discuss?" she inquired. Recently, she braced herself, half-expecting them to request a cancellation whenever a match reached out to her first. But the softness of her voice gradually eased the tension within his body. He fixed his gaze solely on her image in the hologram and offered a sincere apology. "I'm sorry, my lady. When the system matched us, I was on Duskora. There was no signal there, so I couldn't get in touch with you immediately." "I saw your explanation in the group. I didn't hold it against you," she replied honestly. She thought, I truly didn't. Edric doesn't anticipate being matched so abruptly, either. As soon as he receives the notification, he turns around and hurries back. In comparison to the others, he's already showing far more sincerity. Finally, Emma thought she had encountered one normal match. It felt almost miraculous. When she assured him, Edric let out a substantial sigh of relief. "My lady, I was initially supposed to take at least a month to return. But I was fortunate—on my way back, I encountered a high-tier Chitinid. Due to certain events, I was able to return to S-1233 much sooner," he explained. Edric's face lit up as he said this. He conveniently omitted the part where he had nearly perished and instead thanked the Beast God for allowing him to come back so soon. The mention of a high-tier Chitinid caused Emma's heart to constrict. "You faced a Chitinid? You weren't injured, were you?" she asked. And a high-tier one at that—such a perilous situation could have easily resulted in his death. He shook his head. "No. That hideous creature was no match for me. I took its core, and I'll bring it back as a present for you." Inside, he was nearly spinning with excitement. Ahhh… my lady cares about me! The Beast God provides me with the perfect mate. "My lady, I'll arrive at F-268 in two days. Just wait a little longer for me, and we can bond," he declared. Bonding meant transferring every single asset he possessed to his female.Edric had already instructed his subordinates to begin liquidating his assets. However, there was much to organize, so it would require some time. Emma thought, He's the first match to be this honest and sincere about wanting to bond with me.