Warm light spilled into the hallway.

Voices.

The scent of hundreds of beastmen.

Mirabelle’s group stood near the back.

Instinctively, she wanted to slow down, but the others gently nudged her forward.

The beastmen all visibly tensed the moment the doors opened.

Every single one of them wanted to stand out favorably.

The females entered the ballroom.

Some shy.

Some confident.

As previously instructed, they gathered together in a line so every male would have a clear view of them.

At the front, the High Duchess stopped and calmly surveyed the assembled beastmen.

Mirabelle was the last to appear behind the others before taking her place beside Nymeria.

The quiet murmur spreading through the ballroom instantly died.

Mirabelle stood out for several reasons.

First, there was her unusual dress.

The white and blue snakeskin clung elegantly to her figure before flowing downward like water. With every movement, the fabric shimmered softly beneath the lantern light. Her shoulders were completely exposed, revealeing smooth skin dusted in glowing blue shimmer.

Then there was the faint bluish glow across her face and shoulders.

Combined with the soft firefly shimmer, it gave her something unreal. Something almost divine. As though she didn’t fully belong among them.

And lastly—

Every male in the room could smell another male on her.

Kaelith, who had already noticed the strange shimmer lingering on Silas’ fingers and lips earlier without thinking much of it, clenched his hands tightly.

A dark realization crashed into him.

’That bastard.’

For one terrifying moment, he was genuinely close to throwing himself at the panther.

Female scent was easily overpowered by male scent.

That was why he hadn’t noticed Silas carrying traces of Mirabelle’s before.

But now that she openly smelled like him, a storm raged inside Kaelith.

The other males from Zasar recognized the scent immediately as well.

Interested glances shifted between Silas and the lynx female.

They all knew his former attitude toward females.

The fact that one had managed to stir his desire could only mean she was worth paying attention to.

The weaker males instinctively backed down from the invisible claim.

But those whose cultivation levels approached Silas’ own...

Their interest only deepened.

To dominant beastmen, another male’s claim was not always a warning.

Sometimes... it was a challenge.

The High Duchess noticed the shift in atmosphere immediately.

Wanting to reclaim everyone’s attention, she clapped her hands once.

The sharp sound cut through the tension.

"Welcome."

Her calm voice carried effortlessly through the ballroom.

"Tonight is a celebration of peace between Berghain and Zasar."

Her gaze swept slowly across both groups of males.

"And I expect every beastman present to remember that."

Several of the nobles straightened subtly beneath her pointed tone.

Only then did the Duchess smile again.

"Now... enough politics."

With another graceful motion of her fan, servants immediately began moving through the ballroom carrying silver trays filled with sparkling drinks.

Music slowly rose in the background, drifting between the pillars.

The spell of tension loosened just enough for conversations to cautiously resume.

The females were guided farther into the ballroom and gently separated into smaller groups so they could be approached more easily.

Mirabelle remained with the friendly group she had just gotten to know.

Lysandra lifted one of the sparkling glasses from a nearby servant’s tray and handed it to Mirabelle.

"For courage," the fox female said with a knowing smile.

Mirabelle accepted it immediately.

"Finally. Someone here understands me."

The females lightly clinked their drinks together.

Meanwhile, the males watched them openly now.

Some curious.

Some calculating.

Some already completely captivated.

Mirabelle could physically feel the weight of their attention pressing against her skin.

And somehow...

Silas’ gaze stood out among all of them.

He still hadn’t moved from his place.

Like a panther waiting in tall grass, entirely confident that what he wanted would eventually come closer on its own.

She lifted the glass to her lips.

Attentive eyes could notice the faint trembling of her hand.

A large swallow of sparkling liquid slid down her throat, warmth immediately spreading through her body.

Alcohol didn’t affect beastmen nearly as strongly as humans, but it loosened them up.

Exactly what she needed right now.

Elowen grabbed a glass as well and raised it dramatically.

"To scandalous dresses and emotionally unstable beastmen."

Mirabelle nearly choked on her drink.

Nymeria let out an amused sound:

"That’s oddly specific."

The rabbit female sniffed proudly.

"I observe things."

Caelia hid a small smile behind her glass.

"I thought rabbits were supposed to avoid danger."

"We do," Elowen said seriously. Then she pointed at Mirabelle.

"But she looks like the kind of danger worth approaching."

That made even Nymeria laugh quietly.

Mirabelle stared at them for a moment.

Warmth spread unexpectedly through her chest.

It had been so long since she’d had conversations like this.

Light. Easy. Comfortable.

Maybe... she had actually found a few friends here.

"You’re all acting friendly now. Wait until mating season politics begin."

For some reason, the skunk female had suddenly appeared behind them.

Nymeria slowly turned her head toward her.

Then the owl female blinked once and said in a perfectly calm voice:

"It smells like bullshit."

She pinched her nose shut and waved her hand through the air.

Silence.

Elowen made a strangled noise and nearly inhaled her drink.

Lysandra abruptly looked away, her shoulders trembling suspiciously.

The Nessa’s eye twitched.

"How rude."

Nymeria smiled politely.

"Thank you."

With a sharp flick of her tail, the skunk female turned and disappeared into the crowd again.

The moment she was gone, Elowen burst into hysterical laughter.

The High Duchess had seated herself upon a raised platform carved directly into the tree at the far end of the ballroom.

The throne she sat on had been sculpted straight from the wood of the Ancient Tree itself.

Around her, several beastmen rested in their beast forms.

A silent warning to the guests that they were being watched at all times.

The Duchess gestured toward the musicians seated in one corner of the ballroom.

Immediately, the music grew louder and faster.

"I hereby open the dance floor."

Her voice echoed through the hall.

Immediately a male stepped away from the Berghain group.

Tall.

Calm.

Completely unbothered by the scent clinging to Mirabelle’s skin.

The ballroom grew quieter with every step he took toward her.

And for the first time that evening —

Silas stopped smiling.