Kill two birds with one stone. Lucien didn't disagree. "I can't leave right now, and given my condition, it's not the best idea for me to meet Emma. You should take her to the Frostveil first. Once I've recovered, I'll come find both of you." He wanted to spare Emma from seeing the injuries that marred his body—or from worrying about him. He had become a Coalball; it had been a necessity; he hadn't had a choice. Silas understood his implication. "I understand. I'll let Emy know you're preoccupied for now and that you'll join us as soon as things settle down." He nodded and, in the lull, pulled up his lightcore. He was about to message Emma—but once the screen lit up, he noticed Corvin's recent posts in their group chat: a few pictures of Emma busy with a puppet, and a message stating she was creating a gift for him. He guessed the gift was intended for Corvin. A faint smile appeared on his face as he turned to Silas. "Did you catch what Corvin posted? He mentioned that Emma's making him a gift—a puppet, what is it?"Silas had seen it earlier while heading to find him. A hint of envy colored his tone. "Looks like Corvin hit the jackpot. He gets to be close to Emma and receives a custom gift from her." He had once requested a gift from Emma too. But after all this time, she had never made him one—she probably forgot all about it. "Meanwhile, the rest of us can't even be around her or get anything she's crafted. We just keep throwing ourselves into combat." He let out a sigh. "If I had realized being a commander would involve this, I would have declined." Lucien nearly rolled his eyes. "Your life isn't that miserable. Remember, Emma's first cubs were yours?" He thought, Not like me—I haven't even had the chance to officially become Emma's partner yet. Who can I even vent to? The moment Silas heard the mention of the cubs, his expression darkened. "Don't even go there. You have no idea what it took for me to have those cubs. I'll make you this offer—keep these cubs with you for three years, and during that time, you won't be able to be close to Emma. Do you still want it?" Silas could definitely do without that kind of fortune.… On the starrail, Emma set her carving knife aside and smiled proudly at the puppet she had just completed. She and Silas were leaning against each other, with a deep blue vine curling around Silas' head, and sitting atop that vine was a delicate seven-petaled flower made of clear crystal—crafted by Emma herself. The small creature resting on the little flower was Remy, the chubby white creature from her dreams, exactly the same in every detail. Even Remy sported a matching bloom on its head. As she admired the little creature perched on the flower, she reached up to touch her own head. Since she had used Silas' flower sap, the annoying itch on her scalp had finally disappeared. But as her fingers brushed the spot that used to itch, she felt something soft. Startled, she set the puppet down and hurried to a mirror. What she saw made her eyes widen—a tiny, deep blue shoot was sprouting from her head, no larger than a bean.Thrilled, she yelled toward the doorway, "Corvin! Everyone, come quickly! I'm sprouting!" Corvin, Edric, Marcus, and Kieran quickly rushed inside upon hearing her call and asked, "Emma, what's sprouting?" "Look! Here!" She pointed to her head. "I have a sprout!" The four of them stared at the tiny blue shoot on her head, their expressions caught between amazement and confusion. None of them knew what to say. Edric immediately inquired, concerned, "Emma, are you feeling alright? Any pain? Dizziness?" Although Silas had reassured them that her body would return to normal once the vine started growing, Edric still felt uneasy. Corvin, Marcus, and Kieran exchanged worried glances and focused on Emma, clearly more concerned about her than the peculiar new sprout. "I'm fine," she replied. "Honestly, if I hadn't touched it, I wouldn't have even realized. It just… appeared quietly." She reached up and gently touched the vine once more."Silas mentioned that once the vine starts to grow, it will bloom within seven days," Edric explained. Emma frowned slightly. But who knows how long it's been growing? Judging by its size, it looks fresh—probably just a day or two. Then she turned to Corvin. "How much longer until we arrive?" "By tomorrow noon," Corvin answered quickly. That calmed her worries. She snapped a quick photo of her reflection and sent it to Silas through her lightcore. 'Emma: Silas, I've sprouted!' 'Emma: We'll reach our destination by noon tomorrow. I miss you so much.' When Silas received the message, he felt both joy and the urge to cry. The Legendary First Commander—master of strategy, politics, and all forms of manipulation—gazed at the picture of the tiny blue sprout on Emma's head… and for the first time in his life, he found himself unsure of how to prevent something from occurring.'Silas: Emma, I miss you too. Considering its size, the vine must've only just started growing. How are you feeling? No pain or discomfort at all?'