"Sure."

Lillian gave a short nod. She barely spared Justine a glance before heading straight for the registration desk. Instead of wasting time on pleasantries, she went straight to the point and asked the staff to stamp the documents.

Without delay, a staff member processed everything and placed three separation certificates in her hands. A polite smile stayed on his face as he spoke. "Now that you're registered as a single female, Yggdrasil will match you with new males. You can check your email tomorrow for the results."

After acknowledging him with a nod, she turned back and flicked her wrist, throwing two certificates toward Waylon and Jaycob. "It's done. From this point on, the two of you are Justine's fated mates."

Shock spread across Justine's face as she went stiff for a moment. "Lillian, you actually broke the bonds with them? So that's it? You don't love them anymore?"

A cold laugh slipped from Lillian as she shook her head. "Love? There was never anything like that between us. It was nothing more than an obligation that tied me to them. Since you're willing to pick up what I threw away, go ahead."

Waylon's anger flared at that. "Lillian, watch your mouth! You think you can talk about us like that? We refused to serve you because of Justine. She's the one we truly love."

Lillian didn't even bother responding. Arguing with them wasn't worth her time.

So, she left and made her way home before the sky turned dark.

Earlier, Rosalyn had sent a message to her. She said she had given Samuel an injection that kept him alive, but his condition hadn't improved. His mind was unstable, and he needed a suppressant or a female to soothe him as soon as possible.

The moment Lillian arrived home, she found Samuel in the guest room. His body was hunched over on the carpet as he knelt there, and he was struggling through waves of pain. A strained sound escaped him while one of his hands had already shifted into a claw, about to hurt himself.

Lillian's expression hardened at the sight. She rushed forward without hesitation and caught his wrist to stop him.

At the sight of her, Samuel went still for a second. His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths as his voice came out rough. "You shouldn't get close to me. I might lose control and hurt you."

"I'm not leaving you like this." Carefully, Lillian reached up and held his head between her hands. She tried to soothe him, letting her spiritual power flow through him in an effort to calm the storm inside him.

Even so, the strain on Samuel's face didn't ease. Pain tore through him without pause. It felt like his bones were being forced apart, then crushed back together again. Something unseen seemed to press along his spine, breaking it piece by piece. The agony dragged him closer to the edge with every passing second.

"Thank you for helping me." Samuel realized Lillian's ability wasn't enough to soothe him, gritting his teeth and reaching out to push her away gently. "I'll just face my destruction."

A flicker of anxiety crossed Lillian's face. Regulations made it impossible to use suppressants on someone with a criminal record. Without a female willing to soothe him, there was no way to pull him back from this.

She had already tried soothing him through touch, yet it hadn't been enough. That left only one option—mating.

It was typically reserved for a female's fated mates.

She had never done something like that before. Neither in her previous life nor in this one had she ever given herself to anyone.

Still, watching Samuel struggle right in front of her, Lillian hesitated only for a brief second before making up her mind. She leaned in, steadied his head in her hands, and pressed her lips against his in a firm gesture.

A flicker of shock crossed Samuel's eyes the moment her lips met his. Something within him shifted in a way he couldn't explain. He had never felt anything like this before.

For the first time, he experienced what it felt like to be soothed by a female.

Tension drained from his body without warning. The violent strain in his muscles eased, and the sharp pain tearing through his bones faded as if it had been pulled away by an unseen force. A tremor ran through him as relief settled in. Driven by instinct, his arms moved on their own. He circled Lillian's waist and pulled her closer, holding her tightly against him. The need for comfort from her took over as he deepened the kiss instinctively.

Caught off guard, Lillian lost her balance and ended up seated on his lap. Her tongue was entwined with Samuel's, continuously licked and sucked, occasionally grazed by his sharp teeth, causing her to shiver.

A strange sensation spread through her, leaving her mind unsteady. Not only was there a physical change in her, but spiritually, she also felt something unusual.

Her previously depleted spiritual power suddenly swelled like a sponge absorbing water, pulling in everything that poured from him. The wild energy surrounding him flowed into her, and she turned it into her spiritual power, using it to soothe him.

Time slipped by without her noticing. By the time the kiss finally broke, her spiritual power had been completely drained. Her body gave in, and she slumped against Samuel, her consciousness fading as exhaustion took over.

For Samuel, the torment hadn't fully disappeared, but the storm inside him had calmed enough for him to think clearly again.

Carefully, he carried Lillian and laid her down on the bed. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he chose not to lie beside her. Instead, he lowered himself to the floor and stayed there, watching her quietly. Complex emotions lingered in his eyes.

He couldn't understand why someone like her would go so far just to save him.

Nor could he figure out what he had ever done to deserve her help.

In his eyes, she was perfect.

When Lillian finally woke, a full day and night had already passed. Warmth surrounded her, and she noticed her hand was still being held firmly.

A slight turn of her head revealed Samuel lying on the cold floor beside the bed, fast asleep.

The small movement didn't go unnoticed. He stirred almost at once, pushing himself upright as his blue eyes locked onto her.

There was something intense in the way he looked at her. His gaze didn't pull back, and combined with his rugged yet striking features, it made her heart skip a beat.

Lillian paused for a moment before reaching out. Her fingers brushed through his messy hair, then touched his ear. "Samuel, why did you sleep on the floor?" she asked in a soft voice.

A low sound slipped from Samuel at the touch. Since he was a werewolf, his ears and tail were highly sensitive. "I'm used to it. And... thank you for saving me and letting me stay here."

That answer wasn't the truth. He hadn't grown used to sleeping on the floor. But he had watched too many others like him get taken away by females who treated them like passing interests. They would leave with females smiling, only to return later with wounds covering their bodies.

Some of those females, backed by their status, didn't hesitate to cross the line and treat their slaves as nothing more than tools for their own desires.

After seeing enough of that, Samuel had come to understand one thing. If he wanted to survive, he had to endure whatever came his way and be compliant.

But...

"Don't say things like that. You should be sleeping on the bed."

Lillian pushed the covers aside and got out of bed, reaching for him as she pulled him to his feet. Only then did she realize just how tall he was. Standing close to him, she barely reached his chest, which forced her to tilt her head up to meet his eyes.

A trace of shyness slipped into her expression before she spoke again. "After what happened last night... are you feeling better now?"

Samuel was stunned for a moment before answering, "I am. You got me through the rut safely."

The memory of that kiss lingered in his mind, and his gaze drifted to her lips without him realizing it. He swallowed instinctively.

He realized that the rumors on Rogue Planet were true. Once a male experienced a deep level of soothing from a female, the feeling would stay with him, pulling him back toward it again and again. He could already feel that pull.

"Wait... you really made it through because of me?" Excitement lit up Lillian's face. "So what I did actually worked?"

When Samuel confirmed it, everything clicked for her. The way her spiritual power worked wasn't the same as that of other females.

Beast cores had never improved her spiritual power, no matter how many she had used. All those years of fighting aberrant beasts hadn't changed anything. Now, she finally understood why. Her spiritual power didn't grow that way at all.

And what had happened last night went beyond simple contact. It was a deeper connection that had allowed her to draw in far more energy than before, upgrading her spiritual power.

Without thinking, Lillian wrapped her arms around Samuel, unable to hide her joy. "Thank you, Samuel!"

The sudden embrace caught Samuel off guard. A faint heat crept across his face, and he didn't know how to react. Every instinct told him to stay wary of her, yet he was unable to do that.

He forced himself to pull away, steadying his thoughts before speaking. "You shouldn't treat me this well. I'm not someone worth your kindness. I've got a criminal record, and I'm marked as a slave from Rogue Planet. If people find out what you did for me, they'll laugh at you."

"No," Lillian responded as she held his hand, her smile unwavering. "Bringing you home was the best choice I've ever made. You're my lucky charm!"

She looked at him. "Stay with me, Samuel. Maybe you're the only one who will."

Samuel stood still as shock took hold of him, and his heartbeat slammed against his chest. He never thought he would hear something like that.

Instead of being used or mistreated by Lillian, he found himself in a position he couldn't even begin to process. She didn't treat him like an object. She regarded him as the only male for her.

Did that really mean he was the only one she chose?

That moved him more than anything else ever had. It sounded almost too good to be real. Still, doubt lingered in his mind, because he knew better than to trust a female easily.

However, at this moment, all he could do was comply.

"I understand," he replied as he lowered himself and pressed a soft kiss against her hand.

Without wasting time, Lillian ordered a set of clothes for Samuel online. After that, she told him to head into the bathroom and wash up. She planned to deal with his injuries once he was done.

While he stayed in the shower, she moved around the kitchen, putting together something to eat while also checking her emails.

She received a list showing the new males assigned to her. This time, the number caught her off guard. There were three.

"Name: Erik Harvey. Species: Succubine. Level: Unknown."

"Name: Nikolas Dixon. Species: Merman. Level: Unknown."

"Name: Darren Lloyd. Species: Vampire. Level: Unknown."

Lillian's brows pulled together as she read through it again. Something didn't add up. Based on what she knew, each bonded male should have a visible level. Yet none of these entries showed one. On top of that, their species were far from ordinary.

She studied the names more closely, and one of them made her pause.

Nikolas Dixon. That name wasn't unfamiliar. It was the name of the heir to B32 Planet, the son of Leviathan.

Lillian's eyes widened as the realization hit, though she quickly tried to dismiss it. The male probably just had the same name as Leviathan's son.

No matter how she looked at it, the situation made no sense to her. With her weak spiritual power and her barely useful F-level esper ability, she had always depended on raw strength to kill aberrant beasts. Someone like her shouldn't even be considered for a bond with Leviathan's son.

There was no way the Yggdrasil assigned someone like that as her fated mate, right?

A heavy weight settled over Lillian as the thought sank in. If "unknown" meant their level had already surpassed S-level and the system had locked it, then dealing with any of the three males would be far beyond what she could handle.

After thinking about the matter for a while, she finally reached out to the bonding center. She explained her situation clearly, stating that her weak ability and F-level spiritual power made it impossible for her to properly soothe any male. She requested that the bonds this time be canceled.

However, her request was denied.

"Yggdrasil's decisions are final when it comes to bond assignments, and there is no reversing them. You have already canceled your bonds once. If you wish to apply again, you'll have to wait three months. Until then, you are expected to get along with any males assigned to you. Who knows, things might work in your favor."

Letting out a quiet sigh, Lillian tried to steady herself and look at the situation from a different angle. If those men truly came from such powerful backgrounds, then they probably wouldn't take any interest in her at all.

There was a chance they would request to cancel the bonds themselves, and that would solve everything for her.

At that same time, the system's allocation reached the males.

In the depths of Ember Planet, an endless stretch of darkness swallowed everything within Rapture City. Chaos ruled the underground as Succubine factions clashed, leaving the streets soaked in blood.

Seated on his throne, Erik, the King of Succubine, found himself surrounded as the uprising unfolded. The rebellion had been set in motion long before, leaving him with no chance to arrange his guards to fight back. Before he could react, Alice Campbell's attack struck, driving a weapon straight into his heart.

With his guards holding the line behind him, Erik forced open a tear in space and threw himself through it, escaping into the vast emptiness beyond.

He eventually landed in the Aberrant Thicket on Azure Planet. Blood soaked through his body, and his silver hair clung to him in tangled strands, streaked with dirt. It took effort just to move, and he had to brace himself against a tree to stay upright while he struggled to steady his breathing. His strength had been drained, and his body reacted by slipping into rut. At that exact moment, Yggdrasil's bond assignment reached him.

He opened his communicator and glanced at the screen, and the haze in his eyes cleared at once.

"Bond with a domina?"

Being the King of Succubine, he had never once needed anyone to soothe him, so this sudden arrangement made no sense to him.

A cough tore from his throat as he tried to gather his power, yet nothing responded the way it should. No matter how he pushed, he couldn't control his own energy.

The attack he had taken earlier wasn't ordinary. Alice had struck him with a Soulreaper Bolt, a weapon meant to drain life force, and it was designed to work against the Succubine bloodline. The wound wouldn't kill him outright, but it would continue to consume his life force, just like a slow and steady bleed.

At this rate, he wouldn't last longer than three months, unless he found a way to replenish his strength with a strong external source.

His eyes dropped back to the communicator as he read the details again. "Bonded Domina: Lillian Clark. Spiritual Power Level: F. Esper Ability Level: F. Residence: No. 17 Rosary Lane, District 3, Azure Planet."

F-level?

Erik went still for a moment before a harsh laugh broke out of him. The sound came low and dry, edged with anger.

"Yggdrasil," he called out, lifting his gaze toward the broken canopy above, "are you trying to help me, or is this some kind of joke?"

He was the King of Succubine. His kind excelled at wielding the power of enticement and using it to bend wills. He could command an army with his spiritual power, but now, he had to rely on an F-level female to soothe him?

Could she even manage that?

No matter how he looked at it, the situation sounded ridiculous.

Even so, the truth remained unchanged. He didn't have the option to refuse. If he wanted to survive, he would have to go find Lillian.

Far away, in Leviathan's Deep on B32 Planet.

Nikolas sat on a throne carved from crystal. A rare diamond spun between his fingers as his eyes drifted toward the figure kneeling before him.

"A domina? I'm being assigned to a domina?" he said.

Kneeling with one knee pressed to the floor, his subordinate could feel the surface beneath him cracking under the pressure in the air. Even so, he forced himself to respond.

"Yes. Yggdrasil has paired you with a domina from Azure Planet."

At the mention of that place, something in Nikolas shifted. His gaze sharpened, and a name slipped from his lips without thought. "Is it Justine Clark?"

If it turned out to be that S-level female, then the matter would be somewhat acceptable.

The subordinate hesitated for a moment before answering, his unease growing, "No, that's not the case. Based on what we found, your domina only has an F-level spiritual power. She's Ms. Justine Clark's older sister. Her name is Lillian Clark."

Nikolas tightened his grip ever so slightly at that. The pink diamond between his fingers shattered into dust in an instant.

"How could that be? Yggdrasil is giving me a useless domina?" Anger flashed across Nikolas' face as his expression darkened.

Silence spread through the hall, thick and suffocating. No one dared to respond. They all understood Nikolas' temper, especially when it came to females. Over the years, the only one he had ever tolerated near him was Justine.

Lucas Hampton, Nikolas' advisor, was the only one who stepped forward, breaking the silence. "Mr. Dixon, I know your preference lies with Ms. Justine Clark, but Yggdrasil's decisions aren't something we can ignore. You'll have to make a trip to Azure Planet and meet the domina assigned to you."

A cold edge crept into Nikolas' voice as he responded, "And if I choose not to?"

Carefully choosing his words, Lucas replied, "Your esper ability has just advanced, and that has pushed you into rut. You need someone to soothe you. An F-level female won't be able to handle that. You could approach Justine directly. Offer Lillian a sufficient amount of beast cores and convince her to give up the bond on her own. That would settle everything."

Nikolas fell quiet for a brief moment before speaking again. "You think she'd actually agree to sever the bond with me?"

From his perspective, females at that level usually reacted the same way. Once they learned who he was, they would cling to the bond Yggdrasil had given them and refuse to let go.

Confidence showed in Lucas' tone. "I've already looked into her situation. Lillian doesn't hold any real standing in her family. Even as a female, she lives under poor conditions. If you present the right offer, she won't hesitate to accept."

If possible, he would prefer to simply bring Lillian here for negotiation. But in this era, females were too rare, and Yggdrasil ensured their protection. No male had the authority to force anything on them. Their status stood above all.

A faint chill settled in Nikolas' tone as he made his decision. "Then she'd better accept. If she refuses, I'll find another way around Yggdrasil and force her to sever the bond."

He wasn't planning to kill her or anything. Instead, he would push her further into hardship, tightening the pressure until she had no choice but to give in and end the bond.

When Lillian set the dishes on the table, Samuel stepped out of the bathroom after his shower.

The black shirt Lillian had ordered for him clung to his frame the moment he put it on. Even though she had picked the largest size available, it was still a bit small for him. The fabric stretched across his chest and arms, tracing the shape of his muscles.

Lillian's eyes paused on him for a brief second before she pulled her attention away. She motioned toward the table and spoke. "I made a steak salad. Do you want to try it, or would you rather have nutri-fluid?"

"Steak salad?" Curiosity showed on Samuel's face as he walked closer and looked at the meal in front of him. His gaze fixed on the delicious food. He swallowed before continuing, "I don't usually see anyone around me eating something like this."

Most people he knew relied on simple substitutes like nutri-fluid or tablets. Cooking felt unnecessary when food could be replaced so easily.

A faint smile appeared on Lillian's lips. "It's just something I'm used to. Go ahead and try it if you want."

Taking a seat, Samuel picked up the utensils with a bit of hesitation. He cut a small piece of steak and brought it to his mouth. The moment he tasted it, his expression shifted, and a low sound came from his stomach without warning.

He didn't stop after that. Within moments, the entire plate was gone, and he clearly wanted more.

"I've never had anything so delicious before," he remarked, turning toward Lillian with admiration in his eyes.

Under the soft light, his sapphire-blue eyes caught a faint glow. They no longer carried the wild, blood-stained intensity she had seen back in the underground arena.

No one had ever looked at her like that before. In his gaze, Lillian saw something she wasn't used to, like he truly saw her as someone worth noticing.

A quiet warmth colored her voice as she spoke. "If it suits your taste, I can prepare it for you again next time."

"You're being too good to me. Tell me what you need from me," Samuel said, his tone low and steady, as gratitude showed in his eyes while he reached for her hand and held it carefully. "Whatever it is, I'll do it."

Lillian understood her own intentions clearly, yet putting them into words would ruin the moment and break the fragile connection they had.

After taking a moment, she finally answered, "I feel lonely in this world. If you stay by my side, I'd be content. Still, if you ever decide to leave me, I won't stop you."

"That won't happen. I'm not going anywhere. I promise with my life that I will not leave you, my lady," Samuel replied without hesitation, his eyes fixed on hers as he stepped closer and put her hand on his chest.

"My name is Lillian Clark." A faint smile touched Lillian's lips as she spoke. "You can call me Lily. From now on, we'll rely on each other."

For someone in his position, being allowed to call a female her nickname was unthinkable. It was something only a bonded male would be granted. The weight of it left Samuel frozen, unsure how to respond for a moment. Part of him couldn't help but wonder if everything he had endured before led to this. Had fate finally pitied him, placing someone like Lillian in his path?

Yet that thought didn't fully ease his mind. Maybe Lillian was just putting on an act.

Something about this felt too perfect, and he couldn't decide whether to accept it or keep his guard up.

After the meal, Lillian applied the ointment she had prepared to the wounds on Samuel's body that hadn't been treated yet. When it came to his broken bones, he reassured her without hesitation, explaining that his werewolf recovery far exceeded that of others. After he took the medicine from her, the healing wouldn't take long, so there was no need for concern.

Hearing that allowed Lillian to relax a little. She gathered the herbs she had collected from the Aberrant Thicket and put them away. Her plan was simple. She would trade them at a nearby apothecary for more medical supplies.

When everything was in order, she headed out with Samuel toward the shop.

The moment they stepped out, she picked up on his discomfort.

Every movement around him seemed to set him on edge. His body stayed tense, and his expression remained hostile as people passed by. The way he carried himself gave off a sharp, unwelcoming presence, and it didn't go unnoticed. A child who happened to look his way broke into tears, frightened by the sight of him.

With no other option, Lillian crouched down and handed the child a piece of candy to comfort him. After that, she reached for Samuel's hand and held it firmly, trying to steady him as she spoke. "Have you ever been to a place like this before?"

Samuel shook his head. "Slaves weren't allowed to go anywhere. I've only known life underground."

Everything around him felt unfamiliar, and the conditions he had endured before made it difficult for him to loosen up.

Lillian unwrapped another piece of candy and brought it close to his lips. "Samuel, this area is safe. No one's going to hurt you here. If it starts to feel like too much, just let me know. I'll soothe you."

Back in the underground arena, Samuel had seen more than enough of arrogant females.

They would sit high above the fights in private boxes, holding glasses of wine, dressed in fine clothes with perfect makeup.

Whenever they looked at him, their eyes held the same cold indifference. To them, he was no different from an aberrant beast being torn apart for entertainment.

But none of that ever appeared in Lillian's gaze. When she looked at him, her eyes were gentle. It seemed like she didn't look down on him at all.

He couldn't tell if she was playing some kind of game or if she truly meant it when she treated him like this.

Lowering himself slightly, Samuel let his eyes meet hers, steady and searching. "How about soothing me right now?" he asked without warning.

Lillian's breath hitched as his presence drew closer. There was something about him that pulled at her, but she snapped back from her daze quickly. They were still in public.

"I'm sorry," Samuel said when he noticed her reaction. "I didn't mean to—"

Before he could finish speaking, Lillian reached up and looped her arms around his neck. A quick kiss landed on his cheek.

A faint flush spread across her face as she spoke in a low voice. "I don't want to lose my composure out here. Can you wait until we're home?"

She knew if she went any further, she might not be able to hold herself together.

Samuel's heartbeat sped up. His gaze stayed on Lillian's face, and his breathing grew uneven.

He caught her finger gently between his teeth and took the candy from her with his mouth. "Alright."

At that same moment, Waylon and Jaycob passed by and caught sight of them. The scene stopped them where they stood. Anger crept in, followed closely by jealousy.

Only then did they realize how striking Lillian was. And neither of them had ever seen her act like that before. She had never shown them that kind of closeness. So why did she give it so easily to this male? Was it because he was taller and stronger than them?

Inside the shop, Declan Carter, the owner, examined the herbs Lillian had brought. After checking their quality, he handed her the correct amount of medical supplies based on the current value of the herbs.

He and Lillian were already quite familiar with each other, so when he saw a new male standing beside her, he asked with curiosity, "So, is he your new fated mate?"