Interstellar Beast World: All My Husbands Are Powerful and Rich!-Chapter 76: Priceless

Kather felt his chest tighten as realization struck him like a hammer.

I knew it, he thought bitterly. I knew there had to be a catch the moment that damned Jasper started acting so considerate.

"Cheep—cheep!"

The frantic cries burst from the Burnt Dumpling, sharp and panicked.

Little female, I’m not really a bird!

"Cheep—cheep...!"

I’m a therian!

"Cheep—cheep!"

You can’t agree to this. You absolutely can’t!

Jasper’s gaze immediately locked onto the agitated little creature. Amusement flickered across his face as he reached out and gently brushed his fingers over the freshly attached feathers Rory had painstakingly glued onto the wing molds.

With a soft chuckle, he said, "Look at that, Rory. Look how excited he is. He hasn’t stopped chirping since I mentioned finding him a mate."

The Burnt Dumpling froze mid-cry.

Complete silence followed.

Unfortunately, Jasper was far from finished.

"Well," he continued cheerfully, "there’s no reason to delay. I’ll start asking around right away. If things go smoothly, he could be saying goodbye to singlehood as soon as tomorrow."

Before anyone could interrupt, Jasper was already reaching for his light-brain, fingers moving swiftly to contact one of his subordinates.

"Cheep!"

No!

Rory’s gaze darted between Jasper and little Burnt Dumpling, whose entire body was trembling now. She might not understand his words, but she would have had to be blind not to notice the sheer panic radiating from him. This wasn’t excitement—it was outright protest.

Her wariness stirred.

Years of surviving alone had trained Rory to look past surface behavior and question intent. Jasper had never given her reason to doubt his goodwill, but memories of earlier events surfaced unbidden—especially what had happened when she’d gone to change clothes.

Did he figure it out?

The thought made her chest tighten.

He must have realized something. Perhaps he simply didn’t know how to ask her directly. Instead, he was probing—testing her reactions in this indirect, carefully constructed way.

Rory let out a quiet sigh.

By the time Jasper finished his call, she stepped forward decisively and took the still-protesting Burnt Dumpling from his arms. Cradling him protectively, she spoke softly but firmly.

"Jasper, I don’t think he wants a mate. Let’s drop the subject, alright?" She paused, then added honestly, "I’ll be straightforward with you. I can’t tell a therian’s gender by scent."

"Rory, I—"

Jasper’s eyes widened in genuine shock. He hadn’t expected her to see through him so quickly—much less to confess outright.

She didn’t stop there.

"You could’ve just asked," she continued calmly. "I didn’t say anything before because I didn’t know how to bring it up. I wasn’t trying to hide it."

She reached up and gently brushed her fingers against his cheek, her smile faint but sincere.

Guilt flooded Jasper’s expression.

"I’m sorry," he said quickly. "I wasn’t suspicious of you. I just... I thought you didn’t want to tell me. And I got scared. I was worried you might be hurt—or sick. That’s why I came up with that ridiculous plan."

For all his calculations, he’d overlooked one thing—Rory was far sharper than he’d given her credit for.

Taking her hand in both of his, he asked quietly, "Rory... were you injured? Is that why you can’t tell gender by scent?"

She shook her head.

"I—"

Before she could continue, Jasper moved. He shut down both of their light-brains, activated every shield and privacy protocol in the cabin, and unceremoniously ushered both the Burnt Dumpling and Nix straight out of the room.

The sudden intensity made Rory tense instinctively.

"Jasper, I—"

He raised a hand, stopping her gently but firmly.

"It’s alright," he said. "You don’t have to explain everything. Just answer me with a nod or a shake of your head, okay?"

She nodded.

Jasper exhaled shakily. Then, bracing himself, he asked the question he’d been dreading.

"Do you... have a genetic disorder?"

Rory shook her head.

His lips pressed together as his suspicions crystallized. It made sense now. Someone with a genetic defect wouldn’t have been able to absorb beast core energy the way she did—let alone cores five levels above her own rank.

Without another word, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"It’s alright," he murmured urgently. "I understand. Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you. I swear I won’t let anyone discover your secret."

The strain in his voice made Rory’s heart sink.

His reaction told her everything—whatever her true identity meant, it was dangerous enough that exposure could destroy her.

"Jasper," she asked quietly, "will you get into trouble because of me?"

She didn’t know the full consequences yet, but his fear told her they wouldn’t be mild.

Jasper looked straight into her eyes, his expression solemn and unwavering.

"You’re my mate," he said. "We may not have completed the bond, but I’ve already chosen you. That won’t change. I don’t care what the future holds—I’ll stand by you, no matter what."

With the truth finally laid bare between them, he no longer held anything back. He showed her the messages he’d received earlier from the therian. Though the sender had already deleted them, Jasper had taken screenshots beforehand.

Rory’s pupils contracted as she read.

According to the messages, her blood could elevate a therian’s rank—potentially all the way to Rank 13. At present, the strongest beings in the interstellar world barely reached Rank 11. Worse still, the Empire hadn’t seen an Etherian above Rank 12 in over a thousand years.

As a human female, she wasn’t just rare.

She was priceless.

A living Holy Grail.

They would slaughter one another for a single drop of her blood.

Understanding dawned at last. Now she knew why Jasper had gone to such lengths to secure privacy before confronting her.

"Thank goodness," she whispered, shaken, "I never told anyone... and always stayed on my own."

Had she encountered someone as cunning and ruthless as Jasper—without his restraint—she might already be dead.

Jasper pulled her close once more, his grip firm and protective.

"Don’t be afraid," he said with a small, reassuring smile.