Beau didn’t dodge, letting the pillow hit him. He simply caught it and hugged it to his chest. "I wasn’t spouting nonsense, was I, Renato?"

Renato was exasperated with the bickering pair. "Stop deliberately making trouble."

Anna shot him a glare but still turned to the Chamberlain and asked, "That Omega from the Federation—is there any recent news about her?"

Because the news about Zoe Pierce’s training regimen had been exposed, she had spent the last few months following a grueling schedule, training for nearly twelve hours a day. When she wasn’t training, she was sleeping, and when she woke up, she went right back to it.

It was a nightmarish memory.

But she had maintained her rank as the top Omega at the academy.

Her hands, once free of calluses, were now covered in them.

It wasn’t that there was no way to get rid of the calluses, but removing them was painful. She could only endure it, all to prove a point.

Anna knew who her rival was on this trip.

That Federation Omega named Zoe Pierce.

The Chamberlain glanced at Miss Anna and said, "The Federation is keeping things tightly under wraps. There’s no new information for now."

Bader finally said, "We’ll be meeting in a few days anyway."

Before the friendly competition between the Federation and the Empire, there would be a banquet where both sides would naturally meet.

As the team leader and a Prince, the moment Bader spoke, everyone else composed their expressions.

"When the time comes, if you want to know, you can test the waters a little." After he finished speaking, everyone’s gaze turned to Anna.

Among them, Anna was, of course, the most suitable person for such a task.

Anna pressed her lips together and said nothing.

That might be so, but she was proud and felt it was beneath her to resort to such methods.

...

「Three days before the official competition.」

「The day of the banquet.」

Zoe Pierce sat in her room while a female Beta, a stylist in charge of her public image, adjusted her dress.

The original plan had been for her to attend the banquet in her Federal Military Academy uniform. But unexpectedly, Director King said this was a great publicity opportunity and wanted Zoe Pierce to wear a formal gown instead.

Director Quinn initially disagreed, but since it was just a matter of changing clothes, no one was willing to defy Director King.

Besides, the Empire had already indicated they would be dressed in formal attire.

No matter how you looked at it, Zoe Pierce’s beauty was top-tier, and they certainly didn’t want to lose out on minor details like this.

When Director Quinn came to hear Zoe Pierce’s thoughts on the matter, she showed no resistance.

To her, it was just a banquet; what she wore was just a piece of clothing.

However, when the dress was actually brought to her, Zoe Pierce had to marvel at its intricate craftsmanship.

It was by no means just some random dress.

It was a sleek, floor-length, form-fitting gown in silver-white with a strapless design. A slit an inch above the knee offered glimpses of her long, elegant legs as she moved.

Her hair was styled in a high updo, and a string of dazzling jewels adorned her neck.

A clamor arose from outside the door, and Zoe Pierce first heard Erin Xavier’s voice. "Zoe, we’re coming in."

Just then, the female Beta fastened the final bracelet onto Zoe Pierce’s wrist and said, "All set."

"From now on, I will remain right behind you."

Director King had already instructed her earnestly and repeatedly; her job tonight was to ensure Zoe Pierce was flawless in every way.

The staff had gone through several internal selection rounds for the gown, finally narrowing it down to three choices.

She helped lift Zoe Pierce’s skirt, waiting for her to stand steadily before letting go.

The clamor outside the room fell silent the moment Zoe Pierce stepped out.

The young woman rarely dressed up. Even on a normal day out, she wore only light makeup and seldom dressed so formally.

So, while everyone knew Zoe Pierce was beautiful, they had no idea just *how* beautiful she could be.

Raven hair, cherry-red lips, and skin as fair as white jade.

Her long, swan-like neck flowed into her delicate collarbones. The dress cinched her waist, making it look incredibly slender, while her exposed skin was so fair it was dazzling.

Her makeup wasn’t extravagant; if anything, it made her look somewhat cold and aloof.

But paired with the low-saturation silver dress, she looked like a noble goddess—sacrosanct and untouchable.

She was beautiful enough to make people stop and stare for a few seconds.

As soon as Zoe Pierce left the room, she saw several figures looking dapper in their uniforms. It wasn’t just Zoe’s attire that had changed; although Miles Sherman and the others were in their formal school uniforms, their chests were now adorned with extra decorations.

They were already the cream of the crop, and now they looked even more eye-catching.

Their specially styled hair was also striking.

Both sides were stunned for a moment. Then, Zoe Pierce tilted her head slightly and smiled. "So handsome."

As if her words had broken the silence, the Adam’s apples of the men present bobbed.

A deeper desire flickered in Erin Xavier’s eyes. He was the first to step forward. "Allow me to be a gentleman."

He extended a hand to her.

With dozens of pairs of eyes fixed on the scene, Zoe Pierce knew Erin Xavier was nothing if not bold.

She didn’t refuse and placed her hand in his.

As expected, the moment her hand rested in his palm, he gripped it tightly.

"Zoe."

Zoe Pierce turned her head. It was Chase Shaw.

His gaze passed darkly over Erin Xavier, and his hand was clenched into a fist. "You look... very beautiful today."

Though it might sound a bit vain to think so, judging by the way everyone was looking at her, Zoe Pierce knew she must look much more beautiful and striking than usual today.

Nathan Lockwood smiled and walked over unhurriedly. "If you don’t mind, allow me to be a gentleman as well."

Erin Xavier’s brow furrowed for a second, then he raised an eyebrow at Nathan Lockwood.

"Nathan, there’s only one doorway. The three of us won’t fit."

The eyes of the onlookers around them lit up, but they kept their mouths tightly shut.

Handsome men, a beautiful woman.

Two of them fighting over her?

They were just a *tiny* bit gossipy, of course. They would absolutely not overthink it.

Zoe Pierce watched as Nathan Lockwood seemed completely unaffected by Erin Xavier’s words. He was still smiling. He simply walked behind Zoe Pierce, half-knelt, and adjusted the hem of her skirt.

"Relax, no one’s fighting you for it."

After speaking, he stood up and said to Zoe Pierce, "Let’s go. The car is waiting downstairs."

This was Erin Xavier’s moment, and Nathan wouldn’t do anything reckless to create a misunderstanding.

Still, his eyes lingered for a few extra moments on her cherry-pink lips.

’She must have put on some kind of lip balm. They seem to be covered in a watery sheen.’

’So beautiful. They make me want to have a taste.’

Zoe Pierce’s hand rested on Erin Xavier’s, and she walked away gracefully, leaving only her slender back in their view.

From behind, one could see her beautiful shoulder blades, the curve of her spine disappearing into her dress, and a suppression patch so transparent it was almost unnoticeable.

He curled his lip into a slight smile and said to Miles Sherman, who had just walked over, "I’m going to the restroom."

Miles Sherman glanced sideways. The man’s pheromones seemed to be on the verge of surging.

Nathan Lockwood used the restroom in the room.

A moment later, he came out, drying his hands with a paper towel. Only his fingertips were still slightly damp.

He walked up beside Miles Sherman. The slightly unsettling scent from before had now completely vanished.

’So, Nathan Lockwood went to take an inhibitor.’