Mirabelle had no opportunity to ntally prepare herself for any of it.
Imdiately after breakfast, the Duchess gathered the young females and led them deeper into the estate until they reached a large inner courtyard.
Warm sunlight spilled across pale stone pathways that curved elegantly through the open space.
At the center stood a magnificent fountain carved from white marble, its waters cascading around the statue of an enormous fox with multiple flowing tails curled protectively around its body.
Thin streams of water shimred down the sculpted fur, catching the morning light like liquid silver.
Around the fountain stretched a wide courtyard clearly designed for noble gatherings and celebrations.
Flowerbeds lined the outer edges beneath tall stone arches, overflowing with blooming vines, pale blue lilies, crimson roses, and delicate golden flowers Mirabelle didn’t recognize.
The scent of fresh water and flowers drifted softly through the air while servants moved quietly along the edges of the courtyard preparing tables, banners, and elegant seating areas.
The Beast males were already waiting on the opposite side of the fountain when the females arrived.
They stood behind the marble fox statue, expensive clothing and polished insignias gleaming beneath the morning sun.
There were noticeably fewer males than at the ball the night before.
Mirabelle assud that most attendees were nobles from Zasar alongside several high-ranking houses from surrounding territories. Even so, the courtyard still felt overwhelmingly crowded.
There had to be at least a hundred people present.
The females were guided toward the opposite side of the courtyard while servants began carrying forward elegant silver bowls lined with embroidered cloth.
Mirabelle imdiately distrusted the bowls.
The Duchess stepped gracefully beside the fountain, waiting until the conversations quieted.
"As you all know," she began calmly, "the bonding trials exist to encourage cooperation, compatibility, and familiarity between unmarried nobles."
Mirabelle already hated every single one of those words.
Each female was handed a decorative bowl.
The lynx female had little choice but to accept hers.
"The process is simple," the Duchess continued. "Any male interested in participating in an activity with a particular female may place his na into her bowl."
Around Mirabelle, several females visibly perked up.
So looked excited.
Others looked calculating.
Nessa looked predatory.
"The females," the Duchess added smoothly, "will then draw one na to select their partner for the first activity. Afterward, they may decide whether to draw another na or continue spending ti with the sa male."
Mirabelle looked down at the empty bowl now resting in her hands.
Then she looked across the courtyard toward the hundred Beast males currently staring in their direction.
’Honestly, she would rather throw herself into the fountain.’
While the males were still reorganizing themselves into loose lines, Mirabelle’s gaze drifted across the courtyard toward Lucien and Silas.
...Both of them looked terrible.
Sothing deeply suspicious had clearly happened.
Silas stood with his usual composed posture.
A dark bruise had ford beneath one of his eyes.
He was dressed entirely in black again today, the sleeves of his shirt rolled to his forearms — which unfortunately only made the damage more obvious.
Faint healing scratches and bite marks lined his exposed skin before disappearing beneath the open collar of his shirt where she could glimpse additional marks scattered across his chest.
Along with the very unfair outline of lean muscle.
Mirabelle blinked.
Then imdiately looked away.
Absolutely irrelevant information.
Lucien looked no better.
The fox Beastman had a small split in his lower lip, and every few steps revealed the subtle way he favored one leg.
Even worse, his usually immaculate tail looked slightly disheveled today, several strands of crimson fur sticking out in different directions as though soone had physically grabbed him recently...
...even though soone had clearly attempted to fix it beforehand.
Mirabelle slowly narrowed her eyes.
...These idiots had absolutely fought each other.
She hadn’t expected them to take her statent like a direct order.
Then her gaze drifted farther across the courtyard.
Kaelith stood several rows behind the other males, hands casually tucked into his pockets while watching the entire scene unfold with obvious amusent.
Unlike the others, he didn’t seem tense.
If anything, the hyena Beastman looked like soone attending an especially entertaining theater performance.
When he noticed her staring, one of his ears twitched and a lazy grin appeared on his face.
Sohow...
that expression cald her slightly.
As though he was silently reminding her that the world wouldn’t end just because several testosterone infused Beast males had beco obsessed with her.
Maybe she really should stop trying to control every possible outco and simply see what happened.
At a single clap from the Duchess, movent spread through the courtyard.
The Beast males imdiately began reorganizing themselves, stepping away from their previous formations and moving toward the females they were most interested in.
Very quickly, lines began forming in front of certain won.
So females looked delighted by the attention.
Others looked a little overwheld.
Nessa looked like she had been waiting for this mont her entire life.
Mirabelle, anwhile, stared in horror as several males imdiately started moving toward her.
No.
Absolutely not.
The first to reach her was Lucien.
The fox Beastman moved effortlessly through the crowd, blood-red ears twitching slightly beneath his copper hair while several nearby females openly watched him pass.
Only the slight limp disrupted his elegant appearance.
When he stopped before Mirabelle, a faint flirtatious smile curved his lips.
Without saying a word, he placed his folded parchnt into her bowl.
Then he leaned down slightly, just enough for his voice to reach only her.
"I hope victory tastes as sweet t
as last night did, Duchess."
Mirabelle’s entire face nearly caught fire.
Before she could even process what he ant, Lucien had already turned and walked away.
The second male approaching her was Kaelith.
Unlike Lucien’s elegant composure, the hyena Beastman looked openly entertained by the entire situation.
"Well," he drawled lazily while dropping his parchnt into her bowl, "this is already getting interesting."
Mirabelle narrowed her eyes.
Kaelith only grinned wider before casually stepping aside.
Then ca Silas.
The mont the panther Beastman approached, the atmosphere around her shifted noticeably.
Nearby conversations quieted.
Several males farther back visibly slowed.
Silas walked directly toward her with the calm confidence of soone fully aware of the effect he had on a room.
His dark gaze settled briefly on Mirabelle before he placed his parchnt into her bowl.
Then he turned around.
And looked directly at the males standing behind him.
His expression remained perfectly calm.
"Anyone who dares approach her bowl," he said in a completely emotionless tone, "will have to go through first."
Silence fell across the entire section of the courtyard.
Mirabelle stared at him.
Several Beast males imdiately looked away.
Others appeared offended but didn’t dare protest.
One tiger male actually looked like he was considering the challenge.
anwhile, Silas simply stood there calmly in front of Mirabelle’s bowl like a guard dog personally sent from hell.
And so it happened that, by the ti the females were instructed to draw their first na...
...only three slips rested inside Mirabelle’s bowl.
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