Are all those matches around Ms. Tibarn raised on beast droppings or what? How could they let her wear something like that? Edric's handsome features tightened for a moment before he asked carefully, "Ms. Tibarn, do you really like this necklace?" My Ms. Tibarn isn't meant to wear something this cheap. She should be wearing the finest necklace there is. "Yeah." Emma nodded, her expression lighting up. She didn't even wait for Edric to ask why she liked the necklace. She went ahead and explained anyway. "Because it's from you. Sure, you had Damian hand it over, but I still love it." Edric was left speechless. That sly fox, Damian, actually tricked me. I really thought of him as a buddy, trusted him more than I should've. D*mn it. "Edric, what's going on with you?" Emma tilted her head, feigning confusion when he kept quiet. From the look on his expression, little Edric already knows Damian played him. "Ms. Tibarn, I'm fine." Edric gave Emma a gentle, almost boyish smile. "Yeah, I asked Damian to pick this necklace for me. But he never showed me the final choice. Looking at it now, I don't think it really suits you." "Huh?" Emma blinked at him, wide-eyed, then glanced down at the necklace resting against her collarbone. Her delicate brows knit together as she echoed softly, "Yeah... maybe it doesn't suit me that well." Edric's smile grew warmer, softer. "Ms. Tibarn, why don't you take it off for now? Once I'm back, I'll make you one myself. Something perfect for you. Would that be alright?" "Edric, that's amazing. You can even make jewelry?" Emma had always known how to flatter without sounding fake. She looked at him with eyes that sparkled in surprise and admiration. Edric held her gaze, caught by the brightness in her eyes. She looked impossibly sweet in that moment. Ms. Tibarn is just too naive. No wonder she ends up getting played by Damian, that sly fox. "I've got plenty more up my sleeve. Once I'm back, I'll show you one thing at a time." "Edric, you're the sweetest." Emma truly believed he was a perfect match. He wasn't just gentle by nature. He also had this way of coaxing her that always made her feel warm inside. They chatted a little longer before Emma began to feel drowsy. She ended the lightcore call and curled up, reminding herself she had to be up early tomorrow to hunt beasts. … On the other side, the moment the call cut, Edric's pleasant smile slipped away. His eyes darkened, heavy with an unreadable expression. He turned to the two men standing behind him. "Look into Damian from the Ashenflame Fox for me." I can play the obedient one in front of Ms. Tibarn, but that sly fox really thinks I'm easy to push around? Trying to screw me over? Just wait and see. … At the crack of dawn the next day, Emma yanked Damian straight out of bed. "I told you yesterday, didn't I? We've got beasts to hunt. We're heading out any minute now, and you're still in bed?" Damian sat there bleary-eyed, squinting at the clock on his holopad. His whole expression was one big complaint. "Ms. Tibarn… It's five in the morning." We're just going after some level 5 beast. Do we really have to be up this early? "I told Laura we'd head out at five-thirty in the morning." Emma gave Damian a look, not at all impressed with his pink pajamas. Do foxes really go for colors this flashy?"Come on, get up and wash up. I'll make us something in the kitchen. We're heading out in twenty-five minutes. We're meeting Laura's family at the villa out front," Emma said. She hated showing up late—it felt rude. She'd rather get there early than keep anyone waiting. "Breakfast?" Damian's eyes lit up the second he heard the word. Sleepiness vanished in an instant. He had dreamed about the pancakes and bacon from the previous day. The taste still lingered in his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking about how good it had been. "Ms. Tibarn, do I get a share too?" "As long as you make it downstairs on time," Emma replied. With that, she headed to the kitchen and didn't bother with him anymore. The promise of food was enough. Damian jumped out of bed, got dressed, and rushed through washing up before running downstairs to find her. Emma had dumplings she'd prepared earlier, left uncooked in storage. That morning, she steamed a batch and made a pot of fruit oatmeal. It was Laura's absolute favorite. The interstellar stove burned with a strange, unholy flame that cooked everything ridiculously fast. In less than ten minutes, breakfast was ready. By the time Damian came down, Emma was just finishing up, sealing the food into lunch boxes. She handed him a neatly packed half-portion. "Here. This one's yours." Another went aside for Drake. The last three she tucked into her storage band. Damian eyed the hefty box she set aside for Drake, his expression scrunching with protest. "Ms. Tibarn, how come his is so much bigger than mine?" Ms. Tibarn is unfair. "Because Drake gave me star coins," Emma shot back, sounding all kinds of justified. "But I'm gonna hunt beasts today too. I can earn you star coins as well," Damian protested, feeling like it was totally unfair.I work today too. It's not like I'm just sitting at home doing nothing. So why is she giving me so little?