Evangeline lowered her gaze and fell silent for a moment. "You’ve treated me with sincerity," she said softly. "I don’t wish to deceive you any longer."

Coral Cetus’s lips trembled. As her gaze met Evangeline’s—charming yet utterly indifferent—she bit her lip, swallowing the cold sneer that had risen to her mouth.

Evangeline of the Oasis Tribe. In the Deep Sea, that name had been woven into the stories they all told.

Coral Cetus’s nails dug deep into her palms.

Danton, the Young Clan Leader of the Mer Clan, had been tormented by Evangeline. She had stripped his tail scales and shattered his Star Pattern, making it impossible for him to ever return to the sea. The news had sent shockwaves through the clans of the Deep Sea.

’Stellan and Danton are best friends. They grew up together, as close as brothers, so of course he despises Evangeline. No wonder... No wonder Stellan, who’s always so gentle, detests someone so intensely.’

’How could I have ever befriended someone like that?!’

Holding the Conch, Evangeline said softly, "I am very sorry for what happened to Danton. I’m the one who wronged him."

Coral Cetus’s hand, gripping Stellan’s, suddenly tightened until her knuckles turned white.

Her eyes, red-rimmed, were fixed on Evangeline as she screamed hoarsely, "And I trusted you!"

A broken sob escaped Coral Cetus’s throat, as fragile as seafoam on a cresting wave. Her long pink hair trembled. She ignored Evangeline completely, grabbing Stellan and turning to leave, unwilling to say another word.

But after only two steps, she stopped dead, whirling around to glare at Evangeline. "Give me back my Conch!"

"A Terrestrial Beastman like you doesn’t deserve to be a friend of the Great Fish Clan!"

As she spoke, Coral Cetus stepped forward, about to snatch the Conch from Evangeline’s hand, but Evangeline had already offered it to her.

When Coral Cetus saw Evangeline’s unhesitating gesture, she let out a laugh of pure fury. She snatched her hand back, refusing to take it.

"Terrestrial Beastmen really are as heartless as everyone says! No wonder you can get stabbed through the heart and act like nothing’s wrong! Danton deserved so much better! A female like you..."

Coral Cetus clenched her fists, her emotions roiling, and her words became reckless.

"Coral Cetus!" Stellan yanked her behind him.

His muscles were tense, and he exuded an air of vigilance as his eyes remained fixed on Evangeline.

’He had seen with his own eyes how formidable this female was at the tribal trade gathering.’

’She’s a Witch—a Great Witch, in fact. Her power is immense. If it came to a fight, Coral Cetus would be no match for her.’

As the thought crossed his mind, Stellan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His voice was low and taut. "What’s done is done, and the damage is caused. There’s no use talking about it. We saved your life. There’s no need for us to stay in contact."

With that, Stellan reached out and snatched the Conch from Evangeline’s hand.

His movements were fast and sharp, and the pink Conch clacked as he took it.

Evangeline slowly lifted her gaze to Coral Cetus, who was biting her lip. "It’s true that you saved me." Her voice was quiet but carried an undeniable weight. "I will remember this."

"If you run into trouble in the future, you can call for me through the Conch. I’ll still be able to hear you."

Evangeline’s lips curved into a slight smile, and her gaze softened as she looked at Coral Cetus.

Stellan jerked his head down to look at the pink Conch in his hand. A faint, fluorescent light was flickering from within its crevices.

With that, Evangeline turned to Stellan and stated plainly, "I need to see Rhea."

Stellan’s eyes narrowed to slits, and scales shimmered into view on his neck. He stared at Evangeline, his sharp canines bared, his voice laced with ice. "The Mer Clan loathes you. No one there wants to see you."

"They want to tear you limb from limb," Stellan said, his words slow and deliberate. The very air seemed to thicken with the scent of blood.

Evangeline didn’t mince words, her gaze chilling. "And what if I told you I can save Danton? That I can restore his Star Pattern and allow him to return to the Deep Sea?"

Stellan’s pupils contracted, and his breath hitched in his throat.

Coral Cetus, standing beside him, snapped her head up to stare at Evangeline, a tempest churning in her beautiful eyes. "Wh-what did you say? How is that possible? Once a Beastman’s Star Pattern shatters, it can’t be restored!"

’She’d never heard of a shattered Star Pattern ever being restored!’

The corner of Evangeline’s lip lifted. "Just because others can’t do it doesn’t mean I can’t."

She gave a lazy shrug, her fingertips brushing over the wound at her heart. "Getting stabbed nearly to death does make my claims a bit hard to believe. I understand your skepticism."

"But the truth is, another of my Beast Husbands also had his Star Pattern shattered. After I restored it, he went from a Five-star pattern to Seven Stars, breaking through two realms. You’ve met him, too."

"We’ve met him?" Coral Cetus cried out, incredulous.

Evangeline nodded. "My Snow Leopard Husband, Lachlan. It’s the truth."

Coral Cetus gasped. She remembered the Snow Leopard they had met—he really was a Beastman with a Seven-star Pattern!

’She glanced at Stellan, wondering if he would believe Evangeline. This concerned his clan, the Mer, after all.’

A shadow flickered across Evangeline’s enchanting features as her red lips parted. "One must always atone for their mistakes. I can’t escape responsibility for what happened to Danton. I made an agreement with him—he was supposed to wait for my return, but he left first. If anyone in this world knows his whereabouts, it would be Rhea."

"I know you don’t trust me, but Danton’s life is on the line. He won’t survive long if his Star Pattern isn’t restored. I hope you’ll think about it carefully." Evangeline inclined her head slightly, her gaze on Stellan.

Having said her piece, she fell silent and walked to the side, her long hair tracing an arc of cold light in the wind.

Evangeline leaned against a bluestone by the mountain stream. Spiritual light swirled at her fingertips, slowly coalescing into a crystalline, glowing bird. She bent her head close to its beak, her red lips parting as she murmured a few words.

A moment later, with a flick of her finger, the Sound Transmission Bird took flight. It streaked toward the distant Blackwater Swamp, leaving a trail like stardust in its wake, and vanished into the woods in the blink of an eye.

Evangeline watched the departing Sound Transmission Bird, her expression placid.

She idly trailed her fingers in the stream, sending ripples across the surface. She raised a hand to wash the blood from her chest. The ghastly, piercing wound had already healed completely, her skin smooth and fair as if she had never been injured at all.

’If Lachlan can’t find any trace of me, he’ll definitely return to Blackwater Swamp. I need to send word ahead of time, just in case that reckless bunch stirs up any real trouble. For now, I have more important things to do.’

’Drake has been rescued by his clansmen, so he should be safe for the time being. I can set that aside for now.’

’This unexpected encounter with Coral Cetus and Stellan... they’re both Tideborn Beastmen, and they’re connected to Danton. Instead of passively waiting and pinning my hopes on the full moon tide, I should take the initiative. After all, a lead just fell right into my lap.’

Gazing at the sparkling surface of the water, Evangeline suddenly recalled Danton’s pale blue eyes.

’Of all my Beast Husbands, he was probably the most good-natured.’

’Back when the Oasis Tribe fell, the other Beast Husbands looked as if they wanted to flay her alive. Only Danton, though he clearly hated her too, was still kind enough at heart to reach out his hand.’

’He should have been the easiest to approach, the easiest to win over. Now, he’s the one who’s hardest to reach.’

Evangeline’s lips twisted wryly, and her slender fingers curled unconsciously.