Hana looked at the Elders, then at the shocked crowd.

"That’s quite a lame excuse to be jealous," she said. "And weren’t you the one who entered my space? Did I walk up to you and push you? No. Lira, you come from a warrior tribe—you should know that a pregnant female is at her most defensive when she senses a threat. And yet you still boldly came to my space, believing I was jealous of you. Are you that dumb, or did you plan to walk into a fire pit with your eyes open?"

"What is the meaning of this?" An elder barked. "How can you roughly handle our saint, the one who bears an heir for our future?"

Ah, she can bear a child for the entire world, and I still won’t care if she’s coming to me with venom in her eyes.

Hana tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over the Elders with a chilling lack of remorse. "Your Saint came into my territory with her claws out. What I did was a reflex to save my own life and the life of my unborn child."

​The outrage in the clearing stalled for a second. The air felt like it had been sucked out of a vacuum.

​"I didn’t just push you to be ’mean,’ Lira. I pushed you because you were a threat to me... and the child in my belly."

​The silence that followed was absolute. Even the wind seemed to stop.

Lira’s eyes were blown wide in shock and something horrific.

​"What? Did you think you were the only fertile female? That’s right," Hana said, her voice dropping to a dangerous, low murmur as she touched her belly. "I’m pregnant too. So if you ever come near me with that look in your eyes again, I won’t just push you. I’ll make sure you never stand up again."

> ​[NOTIFICATION: WICKED BONUS TRIGGERED!]

> Reward: +2,500 Karmic Points.

> Reason: High-Efficiency in Social Dominance & Protection of High-Value Genetic Material.

> Current Balance: -1,155,880

​Hana’s mind flickered for a second. A wicked bonus? She thought, stunned. For this? I just pushed a pregnant woman, and I get bonus points. I don’t understand the system sometimes. What part of that was good?

System, Hana thought, her brow furrowed as she stared at the glowing blue notification. Explain. I just shoved a pregnant woman. How is that ’Karmic’ gold?

> ​[SYSTEM ANALYTICS: CALIBRATING MORAL LOGIC]

Clarification: The objective is to be a good person and build a thriving civilization. Lira is a Tier-1 Social Parasite using her status and gender to incite tribal violence. By neutralizing her through dominance, you prevented a riot.

Logic: Protection of your own offspring is the highest priority of a biological leader. Retaliation against a calculated threat is not ’evil’—it is survival.

Conclusion: There is no merit in being a victim. You acted as a Shield.

Well, I guess that sounds reasonable. Hana thought, a cold smirk touching her lips. At least the AI has a spine. She was prepared for a penalty, but it actually worked out in her favor.

​Just then, the sound of massive wings thrashed the air. Two shadows fell over the clearing as Caspian and Kulu touched down, their talons digging into the dirt.

The wind from their wings sent Lira’s entourage stumbling, but Hana stood her ground, the fabric of her dress whipping around her legs.

​Caspian’s nostrils were already smoking, his golden eyes fixed on the Elders with their spears raised and how they had surrounded Hana.

"What’s going on here?" He asked.

Kulu looked at the scene with wide eyes—his former love interest was crying on the ground at Hana’s feet, clutching her belly, and Hana was standing over her like a vengeful goddess.

​Lira saw them and immediately let out a fresh, intentional scream. "Kulu! Kulu, help! She’s crazy! She pushed me!"

​Kulu took a step forward, his face pale. "Hana? What happened? She... she is heavily pregnant, why would you—"

​Hana watched as he intended to walk past her and help his saint, but she grabbed his arm, her grip like iron. She looked him dead in the eye, ignoring Lira’s wailing.

​"Will you go back to the one who threw you away like trash?" Hana asked, her voice a sharp blade. "I have accepted you into my nest. I do not share my property, and I do not let my people go near rot. If you cross this line to go to her, then turn your back on me forever. Because the moment you realize she’s just using you again, it will be too late."

​Kulu froze. He looked at Lira for a while, guilt and pain. He knew Lira might just be using him again, but no one was helping her, and she was pregnant, she...

"She tried to push me first," Hana said. "But before she could, I pushed her. I didn’t do it to be mean; I did it to protect my child. If I had let her push me, the one crying and wailing on the floor, clutching her belly, would’ve been me."

Kulu immediately turned to look at Hana’s belly, his eyes widening as the words sank in. "You... you are... heavy?"

​Caspian let out a low, vibrating growl that shook the very crates that were waiting for them to haul away. He stepped in front of Hana, his wings flaring until they blocked out the sun, and his tail cracking the ground under their feet.

​"Did I hear that right?" Caspian hissed, his eyes burning like molten gold as he glared at Lira. "Did you just try to hurt my mate... and my kid?"

The air in the clearing turned frigid, despite the heat of the red cliffs.

Caspian’s growl acted like a physical force that made the Falcon Elders drop their spears in a panic. He towered over the fallen Lira, his shadow swallowing her whole.

​"I... I didn’t know!" Lira stammered, her voice losing its melodic, victimized edge and replaced by raw, trembling fear.

She scrambled backward on the dirt, her eyes darting to Kulu for protection that wasn’t coming.

"She’s lying! She just wants to steal the treasure! Kulu, tell them! Tell the Fire King I would never—"

​"Shut up, Lira," Kulu finally said.