When Noah returned, he led Pani to a small, tidy room.

Though the room wasn’t large, it was fully equipped with all the basic necessities.

Noah crossed his arms, his expression impassive yet holding an undeniable authority as he spoke.

"From today on, you will live here. Your duties are simple. You will be responsible for my sister’s three daily meals, and you must ensure every dish is to her liking. You don’t need to concern yourself with any other chores in the castle."

Pani gave a slight bow, his voice filled with humility. "Thank you for your recognition and care, Lord Noah. I will do my utmost."

Only after Noah turned and left the room did he let out a sigh of relief.

He gazed out the window at the night sky. Now, all he had to do was wait for the dead of night.

「In the dead of night.」

Dressed for stealth, Pani hid in the shadows outside the castle. He moved with light feet, placing each step with extreme care as his ears swiveled alertly, catching every sound and movement around him.

His body was pressed tightly against the cold wall, and the moonlight stretched his shadow long and thin.

Just as he was racking his brain over how to find Su Yaoyao’s room in the labyrinthine castle, he happened to glance up and spot an open window.

It was pitch-black inside; the lights were out. Yet this unknown darkness seemed to hold infinite hope.

’Could Yaoyao have left it open for me on purpose?’ The thought flashed through his mind, a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

He hesitated no longer. Taking a deep breath, he drew on the unique agility and incredible jumping power of a rabbit Beastman. His legs coiled and sprang, launching him toward the high windowsill like a black bolt of lightning.

His movements were light and nimble, tracing a graceful arc through the air before he landed silently on the windowsill. A moment later, he vaulted into the room.

A faint, pleasant fragrance permeated the room. Pani’s gaze swept eagerly through the darkness, finally landing on the soft bed.

On the bed, Su Yaoyao was lying on her side, fast asleep.

The mere sight of her back made Pani’s eyes well up. ’That’s the little female I’ve missed day and night!’ His steps slowed instinctively, afraid of disturbing the peaceful scene.

In her sleep, Su Yaoyao suddenly felt a warm presence gently embrace her. She jolted awake, her eyes flying open in terror.

Before she could make a sound, a hand swiftly covered her mouth.

"Yaoyao, it’s me," Pani whispered, his familiar voice sounding in her ear.

A light sparked in Su Yaoyao’s eyes, which began to well with tears. She nodded vigorously.

In truth, she had known Pani would come. That’s why she had left the window open and waited, but she had grown too sleepy in the middle of the night and hadn’t been able to stop herself from dozing off.

Su Yaoyao slowly turned over. In the faint moonlight, she studied the man before her.

She then noticed that his hair and skin color had changed. If it weren’t for his familiar features, she almost wouldn’t have recognized him.

"I used some potions as a disguise," Pani explained softly, seeing her confusion.

Su Yaoyao raised a trembling hand, her fingertips gently tracing Pani’s features, overwhelmed with emotion.

Seeing this, Pani could no longer restrain his longing and kissed her.

The kiss was incredibly gentle, filled with the tender caution of a long-awaited reunion.

Su Yaoyao closed her eyes, savoring this long-missed tenderness as her hands unconsciously clutched at his clothes.

After a long moment, Pani reluctantly pulled away.

He lowered his head slightly, letting his two rabbit ears pop out. He took Su Yaoyao’s hand and placed it gently on one ear, as if silently soothing her.

"I was so afraid you were all dead. I’m so glad you’re alive," Su Yaoyao said, her voice choked with emotion as all her worry and lingering fear poured out.

"When the Flying Ship crashed, we sent a distress signal to the Empire. His Majesty sent a search party that rescued us," Pani said gently, his eyes filled with the relief of a survivor.

"Yaoyao, I’ve missed you so much. We’re all waiting for you to come home."

During their time apart, he had thought of her constantly. Every restless night, his mind was filled with her image.

"But this isn’t the time to catch up. We need to leave the city under the cover of darkness. The Admirals are lying in wait outside the gates to cover our escape."

Pani’s tone grew firm. They had to race against time to escape this dangerous place. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Leon and Reg are here, too?" Su Yaoyao was taken aback for a moment. A flash of happy surprise crossed her face, tinged with a hint of worry.

A warm feeling spread through her at the thought of seeing her Beast Husbands again, but she couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about the situation they were about to face.

"It’s not just them. There are also soldiers from the base and the Empire’s Holy Knight Order. The moment you’re safe, they’ll raze this place to the ground."

The Empire’s army was already assembled and on standby. They were just waiting for Su Yaoyao’s safe escape to launch a thunderous assault and utterly destroy Snake Scale City.

Su Yaoyao was startled, a flicker of panic on her face as she said urgently, "But there are so many ordinary Beastmen in this city! What will happen to them? They’re citizens of the Empire, too."

Her eyes filled with anxiety. The faces of the ordinary Beastmen flashed through her mind—she had seen their lives, their helplessness, and she couldn’t bear the thought of them being caught in the fires of war.

"But by joining Snake Scale City, they’ve become traitors to the Empire," Pani said, his brow furrowed with a hint of resignation.

"They don’t know anything about being traitors! They just weren’t protected by the Empire’s laws. They just want to survive."

Su Yaoyao was agitated, her voice trembling slightly.

She knew the plight of these ordinary Beastmen all too well. They had suffered endlessly and had only come to Snake Scale City because they had nowhere else to turn. They didn’t deserve to be treated as traitors.

Pani’s brow furrowed. He understood what Su Yaoyao meant, and he was somewhat swayed, but the situation was too urgent to allow for much deliberation.

He opened his mouth but didn’t know how to respond, and could only let out a soft sigh.

"Let’s not talk about this. Yaoyao, you need to leave the city with me first." Pani tried to change the subject. His main concern was Su Yaoyao’s safety. Only if she escaped safely could anything change for the better.

"The moment I leave the city, the army will attack. I can’t go," Su Yaoyao said, her tone firm and a stubborn light in her eyes.

"Yaoyao, how can you gamble with your own life like this?"

Pani’s voice was laced with anxiety. He reached for Su Yaoyao, but she gently evaded his grasp.