Childlike excitement suddenly stirred inside Mirabelle.

Warmth spread through her chest as she remembered the carefully folded cloak waiting on the bench earlier.

Kaelith had planned all of this.

Simply in the hope there might be an opportunity to bring her here.

The warmth climbed into her face and the most beautiful smile bloomed across her lips.

Several nearby Beastmen outright forgot what they had been doing and found themselves staring at the lynx female almost helplessly.

"This is the best surprise ever."

The words hit Kaelith like a physical blow.

The genuine praise struck so unexpectedly hard that for one brief moment he forgot how breathing worked.

Mirabelle looked like she was glowing from within while staring up at him with so much open happiness that it genuinely felt like the sun had risen directly in front of him.

’Should I ask if it’s better than what Silas did?’

The thought crossed his mind briefly.

But he wisely kept it to himself.

He had already realized something important:

If he wanted Mirabelle to choose him, then he needed to show her his own strengths.

That he could be attentive.

Thoughtful.

Protective without suffocating her.

A direct competition between future husbands would only poison things long-term.

It was better if each male possessed qualities that made him worth choosing individually.

The only real question was which qualities Mirabelle valued most.

(Yes, dear reader, this question is directed at YOU. Please vote in Chapter 58 for who you think should become Mirabelle’s first mate. )

Around them, lively music drifted through the festival together with the mouthwatering scent of food.

Affection softened Kaelith’s gaze as he looked down at the female beside him whose attention was already everywhere at once again.

He bent slightly closer so she wouldn’t miss his words over the noise.

"Where do you want to go first?"

His voice carried something so soft and quietly devoted that Mirabelle’s core twitched traitorously.

’Oh no. Absolutely not. Be quiet!’

She pointed quickly toward the merchant stalls.

"Let’s go there."

Mirabelle desperately wanted to examine actual goods from the Beastworld more closely.

As a noble female, the inherited memories contained almost no practical marketplace experience.

The original Mirabelle had never wandered through crowded merchant streets.

Kaelith instinctively pulled her closer against his side and rested one protective hand around her waist.

"Stay close," he murmured quietly. "It’s crowded."

Meanwhile the tips of his ears had started burning faintly.

Her sweetly spiced scent surrounded him completely.

Hyenas possessed exceptionally strong senses of smell.

And now that the sun and excitement had warmed Mirabelle’s skin, Kaelith could finally properly distinguish the intoxicating scent he always noticed around her.

Sweet vanilla.

Cinnamon.

A subtle trace of cardamom.

And deep amber warmth beneath it all.

Kaelith inhaled slowly and tried to carve the scent directly into his memory forever.

’How does a female from Bergheim smell like this?’

For the first time, Kaelith found himself wondering seriously about Mirabelle’s father.

Her mother smelled like rain and wildflowers.

Even her husbands carried the cool woodland scents typical for Bergheim Beastfolk.

But Mirabelle...

Mirabelle smelled like she belonged among this southern merchant caravan from Bregenz.

Warm.

Luxurious.

Golden. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Like incenses, spice markets, and sunlight.

At some point he absolutely needed answers to that mystery.

The crowd parted before them as they approached the first merchant stand.

Beautiful pottery lined the wooden displays, glazed in deep blue and green tones that shimmered almost like riverstones beneath sunlight.

’Mother would love those.’

The thought came automatically.

Then Mirabelle froze slightly.

Because somehow...

between inheriting the old Mirabelle’s memories, losing her own mother early in life, and the events inside the study...

she had unconsciously accepted the Duchess as her mother far faster than expected.

Mirabelle briefly debated whether that was emotionally healthy.

Then immediately decided Leontis needed to come here later to buy pottery for her mother.

The flamingo Beastman behind the stall observed the beautiful female approaching his stand with clear interest.

With practiced confidence, he flicked long pink hair forward over one shoulder.

Females from Bergheim usually adored his unusual coloring.

He had just opened his mouth to speak—

when suddenly he felt a gaze so cold it nearly stopped his heart.

It felt like death itself had looked directly into his soul.

Goosebumps spread violently across his skin.

The flamingo Beastman hastily stepped backward and pretended to search through a crate instead.

Mirabelle noticed absolutely nothing.

She had already moved toward the next stand.

Rare pelts covered long display tables there.

Far too exotic for Bergheim.

Several other females already stood nearby examining them while their males lingered protectively behind them.

Still, they politely made room once Mirabelle approached.

Her fingers brushed softly over the furs.

The incredible softness instantly pulled a pleased smile onto her face.

"If you want, I’ll buy some for you."

Kaelith’s warm voice brushed her ear.

Mirabelle turned too quickly and accidentally bumped her nose against his chin.

Laughing softly, she rubbed it.

"It’s okay. I already own an entire chest full of furs. Buying more would just be wasteful."

Kaelith wasn’t offended by the rejection.

If anything, he looked impressed.

Most noble females he knew would have demanded he purchase the entire stand.

His sisters certainly would have.

"Come on."

Mirabelle had already grabbed his hand again and was now dragging him toward the next stall.

Kaelith stared downward at their intertwined fingers in stunned silence.

If he died right now, he genuinely wouldn’t regret anything.

How could one tiny gesture affect him this much?

He followed her from stall to stall like a dog happily attached to a leash.

And honestly?

He was perfectly content simply being allowed beside her.

The cocky arrogance he normally wore like armor had quietly disappeared.

Beneath it remained a surprisingly openhearted young man who could be hurt and delighted far more easily than most people realized.

Anyone looking closely now could see actual light shimmering inside Kaelith’s eyes.

Mirabelle meanwhile remained entirely focused on the merchant stands.

Particularly the cultivation materials.

She still didn’t fully understand how cultivation worked.

Especially why it seemed to primarily affect Beast males rather than females.

She mentally promised herself to research that properly later.

The enormous table before her overflowed with strange materials.

Feral cores rested inside velvet-lined containers, glowing faintly in shades of red, blue, violet, and gold.

Small crystal bottles held shimmering liquids that slowly swirled even while untouched.

Dark minerals shot through with glowing veins lay beside dried magical herbs tied into careful bundles.

Sharp claws larger than daggers had been displayed beside polished monster teeth and fragments of scales that reflected light strangely.

One section contained strange black stones pulsing faintly like distant heartbeats.

Another displayed translucent flowers trapped inside glass containers filled with glowing liquid.

The entire stand radiated dangerous energy.

And Mirabelle immediately wanted to touch absolutely everything.

She lifted her finger to touch one of the pulsing black stones.

Before Kaelith could react, long elegant fingers closed around Mirabelle’s wrist.

A/N: OH MY GOD (╥﹏╥)

Thank you all so much!!! ⬇️