The pavilion remained quiet for a while, the only sounds being the steady pressure of Kulu’s hands on Hana’s shoulders and the low, soothing hum of the essential oils filling the space.

True to Caspian’s threat, when the new meal arrived twenty minutes later, it was brought by the trembling head overseer himself.

The four-tailed fox kept his head pressed so low against the wooden tray it was a miracle he didn’t spill the broth.

He set the freshly prepared bowls down, bowed frantically until his forehead cracked against the floor, and backed out as if escaping a den of monsters.

​Hana didn’t lift her head immediately. She simply activated her medical vision from behind her closed eyelids, letting the digital interface scan the steam rising from the table.

> ​[ANALYSIS COMPLETE: NO TOXIC CONSTITUENTS DETECTED]

> Nutritional Value: High.

> Status: Safe for consumption.

​"Eat. It’s not poisoned," Hana said, opening her eyes and pulling her feet back from Caspian and Raiden’s laps.

​She picked up a fresh spoon, completely unbothered by the lingering tension in the room, and began to eat with a slow, focused appetite.

The broth was rich, perfectly utilizing the local mountain herbs that the foxes prided themselves on exploiting. Raiden and Caspian immediately dug into their own portions. Even Kulu stepped down, folding his massive wings tightly against his back as he took his bowl, eating silently but keeping his guard up.

​Once the bowls were cleared, a heavy drowsiness finally pulled at Hana’s eyelids. The intense, radiating heat from her pregnancy was making her body demand recovery time.

​"Raiden," Hana called out flatly, leaning her back against the highest pile of silk cushions.

​"Yes, love?" Raiden moved instantly, his nine pink tails brushing against the floor mats as he settled right beside her hip.

​"Get over here. You’re the softest one," she commanded, not mincing her words. Since she couldn’t stand the smell of their natural sweat, she was glad they still smelled like shampoo models after her rigorous soap trials earlier that week.

She pulled his arm around her, resting her head directly against his chest while her hand remained protectively over the prominent, rounded curve of her white nanofiber dress.

​Raiden gushed instantly, a bright pink flush spreading across his cheeks as his tails wrapped loosely around her legs, providing a plush, warm barrier against the night chill.

He looked over at the other two with a triumphant, smug grin, thoroughly enjoying the fact that he was currently the designated pillow.

​Caspian let out a low, grounding huff through his nose, but he didn’t complain. He stretched his body out across the entrance of the pavilion, his body completely blocking the heavy wooden door.

His golden eyes remained wide open, staring into the shadows of the outer hallway, his claws lightly scraping the stone floor every time a distant patrol passed by.

​Kulu perched himself near the high stone window frame. He sat in total silence, a sentinel tracking the wind and the faint static pressure radiating from the two closed Aegis bunkers in the center of the courtyard below.

​"Don’t let your guard down," Hana muttered into Raiden’s chest, her thumb giving a slow, lazy swipe across her tablet screen to check the New Eden live feed one last time.

The automated grid was quiet. The boars and fox laborers were locked in their pens, and the defense drones were humming in standby mode. "Tomorrow at sunrise, the real audit begins."

​"We’re ready, Hana," Raiden whispered, his fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead as he held her tight. "Let them lay their traps. They don’t know who they’re dealing with."

​Within minutes, Hana’s breathing evened out into a deep, uninterrupted sleep, her body absorbing the rich nutrients of the meal to sustain the growing dragon lineage inside her.

The three peak-tier beastmen kept watch through the dark hours, a silent, lethal perimeter that the Crimson Court wouldn’t dare cross before the sun touched the peaks.

​The first pale rays of dawn finally broke over the eastern ridgeline, cutting through the mountain mist and illuminating the white granite walls of the Crimson Court sanctuary.

​Chime.

​The usual morning login of the system interface made Hana’s eyes open.

> [Daily Login: Day 16]

> Current Balance: -612,880 Karmic Points.

> Current Objective: Proceed to the Crimson Court Courtyard. Initiate terminal sequence for Aegis Bunkers 03 and 04.

> Quest Progress: 55%

> [MISSION TIMER: 00:35:00 REMAINING]

Hana stared flatly at the timer ticking down. Thirty-five minutes. She shifted slightly against the silk cushions, her belly felt even more heavy than the previous day, and it was radiating a sudden, overwhelming surge of internal heat that had absolutely nothing to do with the mountain weather.

Her pussy felt completely tight, a deep, throbbing ache pulsing through her pelvis. Her fingers automatically drifted downward beneath the white dress, her thumb rubbing firmly against her swollen clit. She let out a sharp, ragged breath.

​She was completely, unbearably horny.

​Beside her, Raiden stirred from his sleep. His emerald eyes blinked open, instantly locking onto the sight of her hand moving beneath the white fabric.

He gulped loudly, his nine pink tails instantly flaring out behind him in an excited, erratic wave.

​"Love... what are you doing?" Raiden murmured, his voice thick and husky with morning sleep. "I should be doing that for you."

​Without waiting for a command, he slid his long, slender fingers under her dress, his fingers finding her already dripping wet pussy. He shoved two fingers in, and the way her walls tightened around him made him let out a low, shaky moan.

Almost instantly, a potent, intoxicatingly sweet pheromone scent began to billow off Hana’s skin that was completely unnatural, cutting through the herbal aroma of the essential oils. The scent was thick, heavy, and completely primal.

​"Hana..." Caspian rumbled from his position across the doorway, his golden eyes snapping open as his nostrils flared.

His throat gave a faint, dangerous orange flash as he gulped, his massive frame instantly tightening.

Kulu, who was lying much closer than Caspian, got a sniff of it and his cock under his pants instantly throbbed.

​"You two, get in here as well," Hana ordered, her voice a little breathless as she braced her hands against the cushions.