Inside the villa, Jasper walked in carrying a cup of warm beast milk. The moment he saw Rory’s pale, exhausted face, his brows drew together.

"Rory, go get some rest."

He handed her the cup, his voice soft with concern. "You’ve been watching over him all night. If you keep this up, your body won’t handle it. Go sleep for a while. We’ll stay here."

Rory met his worried gaze, then glanced at Xarion, Wen, and Paros, who all looked just as concerned.

She knew if she kept insisting, it would only make them worry more.

"...Alright."

She nodded, took the cup, and drank a few sips.

"I’ll rest for a bit. Paros and Wen, you should rest too. Come relieve Xarion and Jasper later."

They couldn’t all stay here endlessly.

"Understood, Female Master," Wen said with a nod.

Paros rose as well. "I’ll listen to you, sister."

Rory smiled faintly, then stood and left the room first.

She knew that if she didn’t go, neither of them would.

After leaving Aren’s room, she returned to her own.

Wen headed toward the artificial lake outside.

Paros followed Rory upstairs. When he saw her door close, he quietly shifted into a small dragon and coiled himself around the door handle.

He knew he wasn’t yet in a position to enter her room freely.

So this was the only way he could stay close and guard her.

Rory remained unaware.

Inside her room, she first went to the training chamber and absorbed several beast cores, then took a bath before finally lying down.

When she woke again, it was already afternoon.

The moment she opened her eyes, Aren came to mind.

She quickly washed up, changed into casual clothes, and headed downstairs.

But as soon as she reached the staircase, she froze.

In the living room, Aren was standing there, holding a large fruit, smiling brightly at Xarion.

"Father! I found another one. Try it!"

Xarion leaned against a pillar, his handsome face completely lifeless. His body was rigid, his gaze hollow, as if his soul had already left him.

"Father, what’s wrong? Do you not like me anymore?"

Under Aren’s repeated urging and those hopeful eyes, Xarion took the fruit, like a man accepting his fate.

He opened his mouth mechanically.

"Father, is it good?" Aren looked up at Xarion with bright, expectant eyes.

"...Good... delicious..." Xarion forced the words out through clenched teeth.

Inside, he was already dead.

Why was he trapped in this nightmare again... this endless, cursed cycle of being fed fruit?

At the top of the stairs, Rory stood frozen, staring at the scene.

It felt... familiar.

Her mind blanked for a second. She instinctively glanced at the time on her light-brain.

No mistake.

A full night had passed since they returned from the succubus clan.

So this wasn’t a dream.

And it definitely wasn’t some loop.

Which meant that Aren had... reverted again.

Jasper stepped out of the room and immediately noticed her standing there.

"Rory."

She turned to him at once, pointing downstairs. "What is going on? When did he wake up? Why is he like this again? Did the healer check him?"

The questions came one after another, her voice tight with shock.

Jasper followed her gaze to the living room, where Xarion stood locked in a tragic display of forced "fatherly affection."

He sighed quietly.

"He woke up about an hour ago. The first thing he did was call for his father."

He paused, a trace of helplessness in his tone.

"I had the firebird healer examine him."

"And?" Rory pressed.

"The healer said... he consumed too many high-grade remedies. His body couldn’t handle that level of power. Combined with the aphrodisiac from the succubus clan, the conflicting energies likely caused hallucinations."

Rory’s heart sank. "So his mind... isn’t clear?"

In other words, something was wrong with him.

Her chest tightened painfully.

She looked downstairs again, at Aren smiling so happily at Xarion, and her heart ached.

"...Can it be fixed?"

Her voice was soft, but there was a faint tremor in it.

Jasper spoke gently, "The healer is preparing medicine now. But he can’t guarantee the outcome. We’ll have to observe after treatment."

Before he could say more, Xarion suddenly looked up. The moment he saw Rory, it was like seeing salvation.

"Female Master!"

He shoved Aren aside and rushed toward the stairs, stopping in front of her with visible desperation.

"Please save me. I’m about to be tortured to death by him," Xarion said, his voice full of suppressed despair.

At that moment, Aren spotted Rory on the stairs.

His eyes lit up instantly.

"Female Master!"

He ran toward her, his expression bright, his voice clear and lucid, completely unlike someone who had lost his mind.

Jasper and Xarion both frowned at the same time.

So... he was fine when he saw her?

Aren stopped in front of Rory, but the moment his gaze landed on Xarion leaning close to her, everything changed.

He grabbed Xarion’s arm and yanked him aside.

"Father!"

Aren glared at him angrily.

"This is my female master! How can you lean on her?"

Xarion’s temple throbbed at that word.

Father.

He stared at Aren, whose righteous tone made his blood boil.

His fists clenched with a sharp crack, killing intent surging.

"Xarion!" Rory immediately sensed it and grabbed his hand, afraid he might actually strike.

"Calm down. He’s not in his right mind. Don’t argue with him."

Xarion looked at her, and the memory of those endless fruits flashed through his mind.

His eyes reddened slightly with grievance.

"He’s doing this on purpose. Just let me hit him once. I swear I’ll knock his brain back into place."

If he didn’t beat Aren today, his name wasn’t Xarion.

Rory quickly pulled him into a brief hug. "I know you’ve had a hard time. I’ll deal with him. He won’t make you eat fruit again."

As if sensing Xarion’s anger, Aren suddenly turned and ran back into the kitchen.

Moments later, he came back, holding another round fruit in both hands.

He walked up carefully and held it out.

"Father... don’t be upset."

His voice was soft, almost coaxing.

"I brought you fruit." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Xarion stared at him—and at that fruit—like he was looking at his mortal enemy.

He didn’t want fruit.

He wanted to eat Aren.