I carefully fastened the bright feather earrings Iker had given me, admiring the way they brushed against my neck. I loved accessories—back in my world, I never left the house without some form of jewelry, especially earrings. It was my thing. Even at the office, I’d always had some sort of personal flair, whether it was a delicate pair of studs or bold, colorful pieces that stood out. Today, it was these vibrant feathers, and I had to admit, they suited me.

As I stepped outside, the air felt cooler than usual, a gentle breeze stirring the leaves. The sun was kind, soft, without the harsh rays that had beaten down the last few days. It was the perfect weather for being out and about. I tugged my shawl that Allmer just gave me, a little tighter around me and began to head towards where the other females usually gathered.

However, something felt different today. There were far fewer males around than usual. Normally, the single males would be scattered here and there, patrolling or lingering nearby, but now it seemed almost deserted. I couldn't even spot Ace, who typically kept a watchful eye from a distance.

As I approached the familiar area where the females tended to gather, a loud, heated voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“What happened to your face, Felix!? Can’t you even take care of the one thing that’s decent about you!?” one of the females yelled.

I looked over and spotted Felix, looking more disheveled than usual, with a fresh bruises darkening his cheek and arms. A girl was standing near him, hands on her hips, clearly irritated.

“None of your business!” Felix barked back, his temper flaring like always.

“Well, he’s as brute as ever,” Nea commented with a snicker as I reached the group. The group of females was clustered around, chatting animatedly. As I drew closer, Nea’s eyes lit up, and she let out a low whistle.

“Fuhu~ Look who just got herself a new male~,” she teased, her voice sing-songy.

“Huh?” I blinked, completely caught off guard. “New male? What are you talking about?”

Nea nodded towards my ears, her grin widening. “Aren’t those your male’s feathers?”

I raised a hand to my earrings, confused. “What? No! I just got them as a gift,” I said defensively, not sure where this was coming from.

“Yea, a courting gift for sure,” Nea said with a knowing smirk.

“It’s not like that,” I insisted, feeling a little heat rise to my cheeks. Iker had given me these feathers as a gift, nothing more.

Nea just shrugged, but another female piped up. “Actually, she might be right. There’s no beastman here with feathers like that. Must be just some random bird’s feathers.”

“Hmmm, could be,” Nea replied, but she gave me a sly look, clearly enjoying herself. “But just to let you know, most females who have bird beastmen as their males wear their feathers on their ears. It’s kind of a thing.”

I paused, her words sinking in. I glanced at the feathers hanging from my ears. *Is that really a thing here?* I hadn’t realized there was such a cultural significance attached to wearing feathers, let alone that they could be seen as a symbol of a male’s claim or affection.

“Wow,” I muttered under my breath. *Guess I won’t be wearing earrings here much longer.*

The other girls around me giggled and exchanged amused looks. Nea leaned closer, her eyes twinkling. “It’s romantic though, isn’t it?”

I couldn’t help but laugh a little despite my confusion. “Yeah, it kind of is,” I admitted, though my mind was still spinning with the implications.

“I know, right?” Nea said dreamily, her gaze drifting off as if imagining some romantic fantasy of her own.

As they continued to chat, I found myself lost in thought. *Courting gift? A male’s feathers as a sign of claim?* Was this how things worked in this world?

*What would Allmer think?* I wondered, suddenly aware that if he saw me wearing these, he might have his own thoughts. He wasn’t the jealous type—not in the usual way—but he had a way of being possessive without needing to say it. His presence alone commanded attention. And Iker? He hadn’t said anything overt, but now I wondered if there had been more behind his gift.

I shook the thoughts from my head, forcing myself back into the present. The other girls were laughing now, talking about their own males, sharing stories about who had given them what, and what the signs of courting looked like.

“So, how’s your mind going about? Decided on a new mate yet?” one of the girls asked casually, her tone playful but probing. I had sort of gained a reputation for being the elusive one—the female who wouldn’t accept a mate, not even when others were eagerly pairing up. It worked in my favor most days. At least now, hardly anyone approached me, having accepted that I wasn’t interested.

“I don’t think poor Ace will be able to wait much longer,” another one of them teased, laughter bubbling up from the group. I rolled my eyes. The rumor about Ace and me had been circling for a while now. People seemed to think there was something between us because he spent time around me. Maybe that’s why other males didn’t approach me anymore—everyone probably assumed I was already taken by Ace.

“You know it’s not like that between us,” I replied with a sigh, brushing off the comment. But then, the conversation I had with Allmer last night began to play on my mind again. And Allmer was serious about it. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he was right about one thing: I needed protection while he was gone, and the quickest way to get it in this world was to have a mate.

But how could I even ask Ace? Sure, he’d probably agree just to help me out, but it would damage his reputation, making it harder for him to find his real mate in the future. That wouldn’t be fair to him.

“I’m thinking of taking in a male,” I said quietly, almost under my breath. It felt strange to admit it out loud, like the words didn’t belong to me.

For a moment, the group fell silent, the usual chatter and laughter replaced by a collective shock.

“WHAT!?” someone finally exclaimed, and just like that, they exploded into noise. Questions were thrown at me from all directions, the girls huddling closer with wide eyes.

“You’re really serious?”

“What changed your mind?”

“Do you have someone in mind?”

Their excitement was palpable, as if this was the most exciting news they’d heard in ages. It took a lot of effort to quiet them down enough to explain.

“I don’t have anyone specific in mind,” I said, trying to steer the conversation back on track. “I just... I need someone, but I don’t know who.”

The girls looked at each other, exchanging glances as if they were about to hatch some grand plan.

“You could always ask Ace, you know,” Nea suggested with a grin. “He’s already halfway there.”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t want to ruin things for him.”

“And what If I’m not compatible with whoever I choose, then what?” I echoed, unsure of what the protocol was.

One of the older women shrugged casually. “Then leave them. If you don’t have their mark, it’s no problem.”

Her nonchalance took me aback. In their world, the idea of leaving a mate after a short time didn’t seem to carry the same weight as it might have back on Earth. Here, if there wasn’t a mark involved—a permanent sign of mating—relationships could end just as quickly as they began. It was almost... brutal.

“That’s harsh,” I muttered, but no one seemed to think twice about it.

Still, what I was considering wasn’t exactly fair either. I was basically asking someone to be with me for protection during the winter, knowing full well I might leave them once Allmer returned. It wasn’t a nice thing to do. But then again, what choice did I have? Surviving the winter here wasn’t like surviving back home. There were real dangers, and I couldn’t afford to be vulnerable, especially without Allmer around.

The girls began tossing around names, potential males who might be willing to step in. Some of them were unfamiliar to me, while others were names I recognized from passing conversations. But no one really stood out. No one felt right.

“Maybe I’ll think about it,” I said, trying to put an end to the discussion for now. I wasn’t ready to make a decision, and the whole idea of picking someone just for protection left a sour taste in my mouth.

“Just announce that you need a mate, then watch the line of males that come running, especially with your looks and... assets,” someone teased, causing a fresh wave of laughter. My face flushed, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Yeah, I wasn’t exactly small-chested, thanks to my overall not-so-skinny figure, and apparently, people here valued that a lot.

“That would be so awkward,” I said, shaking my head. “Do you really want me to go around announcing I want a male?”

“Leave that aside, I have the *perfect* plan for how to announce it,” Nea smirked, mischief practically sparkling in her eyes. I had a bad feeling about this. She was definitely in one of her moods today, the kind that always got people into trouble.

“And that is?” I asked, hesitant. I already knew I wasn’t going to like it.

Without missing a beat, Nea cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Felix! Shira’s looking for a mate! Will you be her mate?!”

My heart dropped. *The what now?!*

Before I could even process what had just happened, another girl—the same one who had been talking to Felix earlier—whirled around, looking furious. I guess she had her eye on him. But Nea, of course, just kept laughing, completely unbothered by the chaos she had just unleashed. The other girls joined in, giggling at the absurdity of it all.

“That was uncalled for, Nea!” I managed to stammer out, feeling a hot wave of embarrassment wash over me.

“Relax! You know he’ll just reject it,” Nea said, still snickering. “It’s a good way to announce it though, don’t you think?”

My face heated up even more. Great, this was exactly what I needed—*more* attention. I shot her a glare, but Nea was too busy enjoying herself. Meanwhile, the other girls were chiming in with their agreement, saying how it really was an excellent plan to get the word out, especially since Felix was notorious for rejecting anyone who came near him. Apparently, they all thought this was hilarious.

On the other hand, Felix… well, he looked a little shocked, to say the least. His eyes flicked to me, locking in on mine with an intensity that caught me off guard. For a moment, he stood frozen, just staring at me. Then, after what felt like forever, he glanced around at the other females, who were all watching this unfold with wide eyes.

The laughter died down slightly as Felix began to walk towards us, slowly, purposefully. Nea, still grinning, whispered, “See? He’ll just shout some rude remark and storm off. This is going to be great.”

But something about his expression didn’t match that prediction. As he got closer, my pulse quickened. *What is he doing?* I braced myself for a snarky comment or some typical Felix insult, but instead… he stopped right in front of me, knelt down on one knee, and before I could even react, he took my hand in his.

He kissed it gently, his eyes locked onto mine with surprising sincerity.

“I’ll be honoured to,” he said softly, his voice completely devoid of the usual sarcasm or arrogance I expected from him.

The world seemed to freeze. Every girl around us fell dead silent. I stared down at Felix, completely speechless, my hand still in his. There was no mocking tone, no smirk—just his serious gaze holding mine, and for the first time since I got here, Felix had me utterly, absolutely stunned.

---------- **Here's a extra extra long chapter for you all~~