Rory tapped the notification open.

Beast Deity Matching System:

"Esteemed female Roanna, greetings.

Congratulations! You have been selected by the system and granted a special matching opportunity.

You may voluntarily proceed to the Matching Center before 5:00 PM today to complete the match.

Upon successful matching, you will receive the following rewards:

— Two Beast God Fruits

— One Rank 12 beast core

— One set of sacred medicine

If you decline, no rewards will be granted.

Do you accept this match?"

Rory froze.

So... I hit the jackpot?

Beast God Fruit. Rank 12 beast core. Sacred medicine.

Any one of those treasures would make anyone’s eyes burn with greed.

Was there even a reason to hesitate?

She made her choice instantly.

Accept!

The male didn’t matter.

The rewards did.

They were simply too valuable to refuse.

Beast Deity Matching System:

"Your choice has been received. Please proceed to the Matching Center before 5:00 PM today."

"What is it, Rory?" Vincent noticed her staring at her communicator and spoke first.

Rory looked up at him. "I just received a notification from the Beast Deity Matching System..."

She turned the screen so Vincent and Xarion could see.

Xarion frowned, his expression darkening. "Since when does the system have events like this? I’ve never heard of it."

Vincent studied the message carefully before replying, "The Beast Deity system has never offered something like this to males. No wonder you’ve never heard of it."

He paused, then added thoughtfully, "I have heard some females from the Firebird Clan mention receiving similar notifications before... but never with rewards this generous."

Two Beast God Fruits. A Rank 12 core. Sacred medicine. Any one of those was a priceless treasure.

Vincent narrowed his eyes slightly.

This looks less like a reward... and more like bait.

Almost as if... The system feared Rory might refuse.

Which raised a more troubling question:

What kind of male... requires this level of incentive?

Another situation like Xarion?

"Female Master... did you accept it?" Xarion suddenly asked.

Rory nodded without hesitation. "I did."

She smiled faintly. "With rewards like that, how could I not?"

Xarion sighed internally.

Of course...

Vincent, however, chuckled softly. "You made the right choice. With treasures like these, they’re worth taking. As for the matched male, keep him if you like him. If not, you can always dissolve the match."

It wasn’t a binding contract. Just like any standard pairing—it could be undone.

Rory nodded.

Then her expression turned serious again. "Vincent, about those fruits Yilan sent earlier..."

She gestured for Xarion, and he immediately took out the sealed container. Inside, the crimson fruits rested quietly.

Rory’s voice grew steady and firm. "The moment I saw them, I felt a strong sense of dread. My bond mark started burning. But as soon as Xarion sealed them away, everything stopped."

She met Vincent’s gaze directly. "I’m certain there’s something wrong with these. And Yilan... and Bree—something isn’t right about them either."

She paused briefly. "Especially Bree. There’s something very off about her. You need to be careful."

Vincent looked at the fruits inside the container, his expression turning cold.

Then he nodded. "I understand. I’ll have them monitored—and I’ll be cautious."

Rory fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. Then she spoke again, even more seriously this time. "Vincent... I’m starting to doubt something."

Her eyes sharpened. "Is Bree really... a human female?"

If the fruits were indeed tampered with, then everything pointed to one thing: they weren’t random. They were deliberate. Targeted, even.

Targeted at Vincent.

Rory took a few more moments to think, then looked back at Vincent. "Vincent... how about we do this..."

***

Meanwhile, Medical Bay

Yilan waited. And waited.

Several hours passed, yet Vincent still hadn’t come.

Her patience finally snapped. She turned anxiously to Bree. "So, Bree, why hasn’t Vincent come to see me yet?"

A flicker of doubt crept into her voice. "Could it be... the medicine you gave me doesn’t work at all?"

"Impossible." Bree rejected the idea instantly, her tone firm. "I’ve tested that medicine countless times. There’s no way it’s ineffective."

"Then why hasn’t he come?" Yilan pressed.

Bree’s gaze darkened slightly as she thought it through. "There’s only one explanation...Vincent didn’t eat the fruits."

The drug had been refined through repeated trials. Any male beastman who consumed it, would begin to lose clarity of mind within an hour. Then, driven by instinct, he would seek out the one who administered it. And at that moment, all it would take was a drop of blood onto the bone stone.

Its power would bind his spiritual core completely. From then on, he would obey without resistance.

If not for one limitation...

Bree’s eyes flickered coldly.

The bone stone could not control Rank 11 beings. Otherwise, she would have taken Vincent for herself.

There would be no need to waste him on someone like Yilan.

"What do we do now?" Yilan was visibly flustered. "If Vincent doesn’t eat the fruit, how am I supposed to bond with him?"

Bree looked at her, barely concealing her irritation.

Fool.

Suppressing the urge to lash out, she said calmly, "If he didn’t eat it, it means he doesn’t trust you. Then we change the approach. We gain his trust first."

Her voice turned measured, controlled. "Once he trusts you... getting him to take the medicine will be easy."

Before Yilan could respond, the door to the medical bay slid open.

The doctor walked in.

Bree shot Yilan a quick warning glance.

Not a word.

Yilan immediately fell silent.

The doctor approached and unlocked the medical pods.

"With your injuries mostly healed," he said politely, "you may come out and move around a little."

Yilan didn’t wait. She stepped out immediately. "Can I go anywhere now?"

Her eyes shone with expectation. She only wanted one thing—to see Vincent.

The doctor shook his head. "I’m afraid not. Your condition is still unstable. For now, you can only remain within the medical bay area."

Yilan’s expression darkened instantly. "But I want to see Vincent."

Her voice carried a hint of frustration. She needed to meet him. Needed to gain his trust and then complete the bond.

The doctor remained patient. "Prince Vincent is currently in a meeting. He doesn’t have time right now."

He paused, then added reassuringly, "But he said he will come to see you both once he’s finished."

Yilan froze. Then her face lit up with pure excitement. "Really?!"

"Those were his exact words," the doctor confirmed.

"I see..." Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

Vincent was coming. To see her.

The doctor turned to Bree. "Please rest for now. I’ll be right outside—call if you need anything."

With that, he left.

The moment he was gone, Yilan grabbed Bree’s hands, almost trembling with excitement.

"Bree, this is wonderful! Vincent is coming to see me!"

She immediately pulled out several outfits from her spatial ring, spreading them across the room.

"I need to look perfect when I meet him!"

Her voice was full of anticipation. "Quick—help me choose! Which one looks the best?"