To step onto the outer battlefield as a scavenger, a person needed to be at least Rank 7—or maybe even higher. Emma hadn't reached that level yet. She had seen the records of Prince Louis and the Empire's First Commander on the Lightcore, their achievements shining like trophies for all to see. But people like them lived in a realm far above her own, so Emma never bothered keeping up with their exploits. She was practical. Instead of staring at those far out of her league, she focused on hunting more beasts, collecting extra star coins, and improving her own life, little by little. They walked for about an hour before Emma noticed a cluster of red berries. They were about the size of blueberries but tasted like strawberries—sweet, tangy, and impossible to resist. The catch was that the branches and leaves were covered in sharp thorns that could numb the nerves on contact, making harvesting them tricky. Emma pulled two pairs of gloves from her storage band and handed one to Damian. "Here, help me get some of these," she said. Noticing how much she enjoyed them, Damian took the gloves without complaint, slipped them on, and started picking berries for her. "The thorns are poisonous," Emma cautioned. "One prick and your fingers go numb. Watch yourself." Damian's grin widened, his eyes shining. "Ms. Tibarn, if it's for fruit you like, a few pricks are nothing." A warmth spread through him at the thought that Emma genuinely cared. Evie grimaced as Emma popped one of the tiny berries into her mouth. "Are you seriously eating them?" she asked in disbelief. Normally, she wouldn't even glance at such minuscule fruit.Laura edged closer, intrigued. "Emma, these berries are tiny. How do you even eat them?" Emma glanced at the bright red fruit in the container. "You can eat them as-is or make them into jam. Mix with water, spread on bread—it's good any way you do it." The mention of "jam" made Laura's eyes light up. "You mean the one you gave me last time?" Earlier that year, Emma had shared a jar of her homemade red jam with Laura—it had left a lasting impression. "Yeah, that's the one," Emma said, nodding. Laura's face lit up. "Then I'm grabbing some too! Can you show me how to make it when we get back?" "Sure thing," Emma replied without hesitation. Watching Laura and her mate jump in, slipping on gloves and plucking berries, Damian quickened his pace.He was irritated. Ms. Tibarn found the berries first, yet they just barged in and started picking. Is she really that oblivious? They're taking her berries, and she doesn't even care. And worse—she's sharing her cooking secrets like they're nothing. There weren't many berries to begin with, and with so many hands, they were soon gone. Emma looked at the small basket Damian had filled and blinked in surprise. "Whoa, Damian, you're efficient. You picked a lot." He might be stingy, but he worked hard. Damian curled his lip. "You call this a lot? Ms. Tibarn, you found them, and everyone else swooped in." Emma was far too easygoing—but Damian certainly wasn't. Laura and her mate exchanged uneasy glances. He wasn't wrong; they had taken more than their fair share. Emma tucked the berries into her Stasis Band, gave Damian's shoulder a reassuring pat, and said gently, "It's fine. This will be plenty for jam. When we get back, I'll make some for you." Since Damian had done most of the picking, he deserved a cut. The thought of fresh jam brightened his mood immediately. "Then I'm learning to make it with you too, Ms. Tibarn." "Of course," Emma replied with a smile. "I'll show you how." Teaching one or two people was no trouble for her. Once everyone finished gathering the berries, they resumed their journey eastward. Laura chuckled and leaned toward Emma. "Your suitor isn't too shabby—he actually knows how to stand up for you." She'd heard everything earlier. Damian's tone had clearly called out her mate for snatching Emma's berries. Emma wouldn't fuss over something so trivial, and Laura knew she'd always share good food anyway. Emma also realized Damian had been defending her, which surprised her. Ever since they'd left home, he'd seemed different somehow. They continued east for several more hours, pausing whenever they spotted edible herbs so Emma and Damian could collect some. By around two or three in the morning, they stopped in a wide clearing to rest briefly. Emma took out two vials of red energy fluid and handed one to Damian. They couldn't afford long breaks—they needed to locate a beast herd soon. The energy fluid would quickly restore their stamina. Damian looked at the vials; even though it wasn't the cheapest kind, it still tasted terrible.