Interstellar Beast World: All My Husbands Are Powerful and Rich!-Chapter 148: At last

Nix hadn’t even finished asking to call her "Riri" when Rory suddenly remembered something.

She grabbed one of his fluffy ears without warning.

"I haven’t even settled the score with you three for sneaking around in the flowerbeds and spying on me!"

Jasper and Xarion instantly straightened. They had simply assumed she was letting it go for the sake of... the celebration.

It was all Nix’s fault—bringing it up at the worst possible moment.

The banquet had already ended, though. Rory released Nix and went to bid farewell to the Empress Matriarch.

The Empress had just learned about Wen’s disappearance and was in the middle of questioning officials. When she saw Rory approaching with her mates, she dismissed the others and spoke to her privately.

"Rory, I entrust Vincent to you. You must treat him well. Firebird Clan will always stand behind you both—no matter what. As long as you live in harmony."

"Thank you, Empress Matriarch."

Rory understood the worry in a mother’s heart.

"I promise I will treat Vincent well. I will never betray him. And I’ll bring him back often to see you."

The Empress Matriarch nodded in satisfaction.

"With the situation in the clan as it is, I won’t see you off. Travel safely."

After leaving the grand hall with Jasper and the others, Rory received a message from Vincent.

Vincent: Rory, things here aren’t resolved yet. I’ll be late. Let Xarion and the others accompany you home first.

Rory: Focus on your work. Xarion will protect me. We’ll wait for you at home.

She had just closed her communicator when Lola Brandon came running over, clutching a crystal fish tank.

"Big Sister! This is for you!"

Inside the square crystal tank swam several small pink fish, their scales gleaming softly.

"Since we couldn’t see Wen this time, I felt a little regretful. So I had someone prepare these pink fish for you."

Pink merfolk were rare—but ordinary pink fish were not.

"They’re beautiful." Rory smiled, accepting the fish tank. "I’ll take good care of them."

After promising Lola that she would go hunting Rank Six beasts in the forest together in a few days, Rory boarded the ship with Xarion and the others and soon left Firebird Clan territory.

***

Meanwhile, concealed near the manor, Aren watched messages flash rapidly across his communicator. His expression darkened.

"Useless trash. They can’t even find a sick, injured fish."

He turned to his subordinate. "What about Vincent?"

"Rest assured, Second Young Master. Our people have successfully delayed him. He’ll return at least ten minutes after Female Rory."

Only then did Aren nod.

"Remember—under no circumstances is the Female Master to be harmed."

At that moment, Rory’s ship appeared above the manor.

Aren quickly adjusted his ragged combat uniform. As the manor’s protective shield opened to allow entry, he raised his hand.

"Move."

A thunderous explosion erupted.

The ship shuddered violently midair.

[Enemy attack... Enemy attack...]

The warship’s alarm system blared.

Rory looked out to see numerous beastmen charging forward—among them, even a Rank Ten powerhouse.

Were Rank Ten fighters suddenly on sale? Why did they seem to appear everywhere?

The manor’s guards were already clashing with the attackers.

"Xarion, that Rank Ten is yours," Rory said immediately.

Only he could handle that level.

Xarion nodded and vanished from the ship in a flash.

Jasper and Nix stood firmly at Rory’s side.

The attackers were numerous—an unknown organization—but they weren’t strong enough to overpower Jasper and Nix. Still, they forced the two to divide their attention.

In that split second, a streak of black light shot toward Rory’s forehead.

She had just formed a defensive barrier when a figure lunged in front of her.

"Female Master, careful!"

The black light pierced into his body.

Blood sprayed from his lips as he fell from the sky.

Rory reacted instantly, summoning a stream of water that wrapped around him midair and drew him safely back.

Within two minutes, Jasper and Nix had eliminated the enemies near the ship. Xarion had already killed the Rank Ten attacker.

The ship landed inside the manor.

Rory gently lowered the injured man to the ground as the water dispersed.

Jasper’s eyes widened when he saw the man’s face.

"Aren."

Rory stared at him.

Long black hair hung loosely over half his face, revealing only a sharply defined jaw and blood-stained lips that moved faintly, as if murmuring something inaudible.

His combat uniform was worn, faded, and torn—clearly old.

"This is Aren?" Rory immediately urged Jasper and Nix to help.

She had wondered earlier when this missing mate would appear. She hadn’t expected it to be like this.

She fed him one of Yuel’s leaves, while Jasper administered two healing injections.

"I’ve met him twice before," Jasper explained quietly. "I recognize him."

They weren’t close. Just two brief encounters in the Outer Regions—enough to know he scavenged there and rarely returned to the demon clan.

After administering the treatments, they waited.

He didn’t wake.

"Should we take him to a hospital?" Rory asked, worried.

He had been injured protecting her—even though, truthfully, she hadn’t needed saving. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"I’ll take him," Jasper said.

He bent down—

"Cough... cough..." The man suddenly opened his eyes. Dark pupils clouded with confusion.

But the moment they landed on Rory, they lit up. "Female Master... I finally met you."

Aren weakly reached for her hand, his voice shaking. "I’m sorry... it took me so long to come..."

He coughed violently.

"You’re badly injured. We can talk later," Rory said quickly, taking his hand. "How do you feel? Should we go to the hospital?"

Hospital? Impossible.

If he left now, he might lose this chance.

Aren shook his head weakly. "I’m fine. I finally found you... I want to stay... with you..."

Everything had happened too fast. And he had taken the blow meant for her.

Rory didn’t think too deeply.

"I won’t send you away," she assured him gently. "But you’re seriously hurt. We should still have you examined."

He held her hand tighter, his gaze soft—and calculating beneath the weakness.