"I want to meet the sister who saved me!" Ren declared.
The seven-year-old boy looked seriously at his father and uncle.
"When I was badly injured, I saw Mother Empress's face. Her warm embrace made me think I was going to follow her…"
The expressions of the two adult men instantly softened.
Ren continued with a gentle smile.
"But that wasn't Mother Empress. It was the older sister. She hugged me and carried me up from the bottom of the ravine."
Julius and Xaviar exchanged a look.
"Fiora Pierce—bring her here! No—invite her to a grand banquet. The one who saved the Empire's crown prince deserves the finest celebration," Emperor Julius commanded.
A servant outside immediately rushed to carry out the order.
This wasn't just about the woman saving Ren. It was also because Ren finally smiled again, for the first time in six months.
After Ren fell back asleep to rest, Emperor Julius and Xaviar stepped out of his room.
"Xaviar, what kind of reward do you think we should give Fiora Pierce?" the Emperor asked as they walked together through the palace corridor.
"I think the reward should match what she did, perhaps a title or additional territory," Xaviar replied.
Though he didn't hold a government position due to being the Emperor's brother, he often became the Emperor's discussion partner.
Emperor Julius looked thoughtful. "A title or territory, hm?"
He then turned toward Xaviar. "As a man, how do you see her? Is she beautiful, and would she suit the role of leading the inner palace?"
Xaviar stiffened, but still answered.
"Princess Fiora Pierce is very beautiful. Her red hair is striking, her blue eyes are captivating, and her fair skin balances the contrast perfectly. She's not a woman who talks much, but when she does, she seems intelligent and elegant…"
"But with all due respect, Your Majesty, making her your concubine may cause Ren to resent her."
Xaviar immediately bowed his head, prepared to receive his brother's anger. Instead, he heard loud, booming laughter.
Xaviar looked up to see Emperor Julius wiping tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes.
"I asked because I want to match her with you. What do you think?"
"Me?" Xaviar pointed at himself, stunned.
He immediately recalled Fiora's calm, graceful face.
Her younger sister, Evelyn, was also beautiful, but she looked overly cheerful—almost forced. Fiora was different, she gave off a naturally elegant aura.
"Making her the Princess Consort of the Astrion Empire would give her a status equal to—or even higher than—her own father, the king of Pelestrian Kingdom. I believe that's the most fitting reward. What do you think, Xaviar?" Emperor Julius asked again.
Xaviar thought for a moment, then nodded. "I believe it's a good idea, Your Majesty."
Truthfully, he was far more drawn to Fiora than to Evelyn. And since she had saved his beloved nephew, marrying her might be a blessing.
He was also certain Fiora Pierce would be delighted.
Who wouldn't be happy to become the Princess Consort of the Astrion Empire—the only human empire, ruling over half of human territory?
Among all human lands, none could rival the Astrion Empire.
Unfortunately, the woman who was the center of their discussion was no longer anywhere within human territory.
Inside a cave lit only by the sunlight passing through a woven curtain, Fiora devoured the berries in a bowl beside the earthen bed.
Since she woke up, the golden-haired man with the strange ears had been nowhere in sight. He must have recovered.
'I need to eat to regain my strength. If they dare try anything, I won't be starving or exhausted when I use my power.'
For now, even though she was annoyed, she could do nothing. She had nowhere else to go.
'At least until I know where this place is and how to survive here… then I'll leave.'
Once the people outside left, Fiora stood up to walk out. Suddenly, pain shot through her lower body and waist.
At that moment, a blurry memory—one she'd thought was just a dream—became painfully clear.
"Berry…" Fiora's eyes widened. She instinctively looked down, only to realize her gown was gone.
"That wasn't a dream?!" she cried out.
Her clothes lay folded neatly in the corner of the cave on a mound of dirt shaped like a table.
She grabbed the dress and… it was torn.
For a moment, Fiora froze in shock.
She had given her purity to a strange man she didn't even know. A man who had used her as bait.
What she couldn't believe the most was that it all happened because she had eaten the man's… nipple?!
"Ugh!" Fiora covered her face, now bright red. Mortification overwhelmed her.
It took a while before she finally managed to convince herself to forget the entire incident.
The pain in her lower body had faded too. Her regeneration must be working well.
She picked up the fur that had served as her blanket and fashioned it into a cloak to cover her bare body.
Then she walked out, pushing aside the straw curtain separating the inner cave from the outer area.
Sunlight hit her face.
This outer section wasn't fully outside. It was still part of the cave, just without a curtain or divider, allowing light to spill in freely.
Unlike the bare inner area—likely stripped by the mother and child who had stolen everything—the outer area was filled with things.
Stacks of firewood, pots, barrels, and various other items.
"Pelestria Kingdom may be a small kingdom, but surely no citizens should still be living in caves—especially not the tribe leader. What kind of kingdom lets its people live like this?" Fiora muttered.
As a princess, she was raised to consider her people in everything she did.
Unfortunately, all her care and effort had held no meaning because of a power she herself didn't understand.
She was about to look around more when loud commotion approached the cave.
"Is the tribe leader back?" Fiora felt heat rise to her cheeks as she remembered her shameless actions.
She moved to greet whoever was coming, only for her eyes to widen at the sight of a group of… well, not exactly humans.
They had strange ears, tails behind them, and distinct markings on their bodies.
In an instant, Fiora understood why the tribe leader had strange, furred ears and why she had felt a long, furry object behind him during… that.
"Beastmen?!"
...