After speaking, Bree seized a brief moment when the military doctor wasn’t paying attention and cast Yilan a subtle glance.

Yilan wasn’t completely foolish.

She understood immediately.

"...Alright. I’ll focus on recovering first."

She lay back down inside the medical pod, though her thoughts were anything but calm.

I suffered so much for him... Vincent will have to make it up to me.

She had heard that the Firebird Clan possessed a special bonding ritual—one that could instantly elevate a female’s rank.

If she could become Vincent’s partner... He would have to use that ritual on her.

The thought alone made her heart race.

The more she imagined it, the more impatient she became to see him.

Suddenly, she looked at the doctor. "Where is Prince Vincent? I want to see him."

The doctor froze. How would he know?

He wasn’t Vincent’s aide or adjutant—he didn’t follow the prince around.

"I... I’m not sure," he admitted, shaking his head.

Useless.

Yilan cursed silently. Then, softening her expression, she spoke again—this time pitiful, pleading. "Then could you help me look? I really need to see him."

The doctor hesitated, caught off guard by her tone.

"...I can report it for you," he said finally.

Whether the prince would agree to see her—that was another matter entirely.

"Good. Then hurry," Yilan urged impatiently. "Tell him I want to see him."

The doctor gave her an odd look.

Still, requests from females were not to be ignored. He relayed the message to the adjutant.

After considering it briefly, the adjutant reported it to Vincent.

Vincent was reviewing the inventory list of spoils recovered from the insectoid warship when he heard the report.

Yilan had awakened and wanted to see him.

He didn’t even pause. "No."

His tone was flat, decisive.

Aside from Aren, he had no fondness whatsoever for the succubus clan.

***

At the Medical Bay

When the doctor returned with the answer, Yilan exploded.

"What do you mean he won’t see me?!" Her voice rose sharply. "Did you even tell him who I am? I’m Yilan of the succubus clan—the sister of Aren, the young clan leader!"

The doctor remained calm. "He knows your identity. He still declined."

"That’s impossible!" Yilan snapped. "If he knows who I am, why would he refuse to see me?"

She glared at the doctor. "You must not have explained properly. I’ll go find him myself."

She reached for the pod controls again, but this time, the doctor was faster.

He locked the pod from the outside. "I’m sorry, but you cannot leave yet," he said firmly "Your injuries haven’t healed."

His duty was clear: until both patients had fully recovered, they were not to leave.

Not under any circumstances.

"Yilan, calm down." Bree’s voice cut in—gentle, steady. "Prince Vincent is likely occupied right now. We should focus on healing first."

She smiled faintly. "The journey back to the Central District will take several days. There will be plenty of chances to see him."

Yilan hesitated, then slowly calmed.

Bree turned to the doctor with an apologetic expression. "My friend knew His Highness before, so she’s a bit emotional. You can attend to your other duties. I’ll talk to her."

The doctor nodded. He did need to fetch more medical supplies.

Before leaving, he locked both medical pods from the outside—just in case.

Only after his footsteps faded, Yilan turned anxiously to Bree.

"Bree... If Vincent won’t see me..." Her voice dropped, edged with worry. "How am I supposed to make him take the medicine?"

Bree turned to Yilan, her tone calm but calculating. "Didn’t your mother give you some fruits that restore abilities before you left?"

Yilan nodded.

"Good," Bree continued. "Take them out. Apply the medicine I gave you onto the fruits."

Her eyes flickered with quiet intent.

"Then when the doctor comes back, tell him this—since Vincent doesn’t have time to see you, you’d like him to deliver the fruits on your behalf, as a gesture of gratitude."

She smiled faintly.

"A female’s goodwill... is rarely refused by a male. The doctor won’t turn you down."

"Alright!"

Yilan immediately followed her instructions, carefully coating the fruits with the medicine.

When the doctor returned, Yilan spoke up at once.

"Could you open the medical pod for me?"

She quickly added, as if to reassure him, "I won’t leave. I’ll stay here and continue treatment."

Then she produced the prepared fruits.

"I’d like to trouble you to deliver these to Prince Vincent... as thanks for saving me and Bree."

The doctor hesitated only briefly. He couldn’t reject her like this.

"Alright."

He opened the pod, took the fruits from her, and then—without hesitation—locked it again before leaving.

Yilan grinned.

Would it kill him not to lock it every time?

The doctor didn’t act carelessly.

He scanned the fruits first—confirming there was no detectable poison—before proceeding.

On his way to find Vincent, he instead ran into Xarion, who was in the middle of a video call with Rory.

"Young Master Xarion, have you seen Prince Vincent?" the doctor asked.

"No," Xarion replied lazily. "I was asleep earlier. Only woke up because my Female Master called me."

He had no idea where Vincent was now.

On the other side of the call, Rory’s gaze fell on the fruits in the doctor’s hand.

Her heart lurched.

A sharp, suffocating unease surged through her chest—stronger than anything she had felt before.

At the same time, the mark Vincent had left on her chest began to burn intensely.

Her expression changed instantly.

Those fruits... Are they the trigger? Is that why I’m reacting like this?

Without hesitation, she spoke—her voice urgent, "Xarion, take the fruits from him. Carefully store them—now."

Xarion didn’t question her.

He immediately took the fruits from the doctor, retrieved a crystal container, and sealed them inside.

Rory turned to the doctor, her tone sharp. "Where did those come from?"

The doctor, now visibly tense, answered quickly.

"They were given by Miss Yilan... as a token of gratitude to Prince Vincent. I tested them. There’s no poison."

But seeing Rory’s reaction, his confidence wavered.

Something felt wrong.

Rory already knew that both Bree and Yilan were injured and currently aboard Vincent’s warship.

And from the beginning, that human female, Bree, had felt... off.

As for Yilan... a succubus offering gifts?

Nothing good ever comes from that.

Her voice turned cold and precise. "Go back and tell Yilan and Bree this—say that Vincent has accepted the fruits and appreciates the gesture. Do not say anything else."

"Understood!" The doctor immediately obeyed and left.

Rory turned back to Xarion. "Go find Vincent right now. Have him assign people to monitor Bree and Yilan. And warn him—be cautious around them."

She glanced at the sealed container. "And those fruits—don’t touch them. Keep them secure and bring them back to me."

"Got it, Female Master."

Xarion stored the container carefully and moved at once, striding off to find Vincent.

As soon as the fruits were secured, the suffocating tension in Rory’s chest vanished.

The burning sensation from Vincent’s mark gradually faded, returning to calm.

That alone confirmed it.

Those fruits were dangerous.

Xarion quickly located Vincent in the command room.

The moment Rory saw him through the projection, she was about to speak, when suddenly, the screen flickered.

A notification abruptly appeared.

A message from the Beast Deity Matching System Center.