Interstellar Beast World: All My Husbands Are Powerful and Rich!-Chapter 94: Steam
Rory recounted the moment again, her hands moving as if she were sketching the memory into the air, her voice bright with certainty and lingering adrenaline.
"It was nothing but fire," she said emphatically. "Pure, overwhelming flames. The Infernal Firebird descended, and in less than a heartbeat, Nae Mandian, a Rank Ten, was reduced to ash. Jasper... don’t you think that could’ve been Kather?"
From the instant she had seen that blazing figure streak across the sky, the thought had taken root in her mind and refused to leave.
"I wanted to speak to him once everything was over," she continued, brow furrowing, "but he vanished before I could even react. And Yuel told me he was brought here by Kather, which means Kather had to have been nearby all along."
Her confusion deepened the longer she spoke. It was too overwhelming.
"But if he was here... why hasn’t he ever shown himself to me? Why only appear when I was in danger, save me, and then disappear again like smoke?"
She sighed, genuinely baffled.
"Jasper, do you think it’s possible..." She hesitated for a moment, then asked seriously, "that he is... extremely ugly?"
The idea seemed absurd even as she voiced it, yet it was the only explanation her tired mind could assemble.
"Maybe he doesn’t dare show himself because he’s afraid I won’t like him. I don’t think he’s avoiding bonding with me—if that were the case, he wouldn’t have risked himself today. So the only thing that makes sense is... he doesn’t dare face me."
She nodded, as if convincing herself.
"And the only reason I can think of for that is—he must be terrifyingly unattractive."
Jasper stared at her for half a second before a startled laugh escaped him, sharp and genuine. The heavy knot of guilt and tension that had been weighing on him finally loosened.
"Rory," he said, shaking his head, amusement softening his voice, "Prince Vincent is absolutely not ugly. Anyone who’s seen him says he’s flawless. Even I don’t compare."
She froze.
"...You don’t compare?" she echoed slowly.
Then she looked him over from head to toe, openly incredulous.
"But you’re already unfairly handsome. You’re telling me he’s even better looking than you?"
Her eyes widened.
"How beautiful does someone have to be to surpass that?"
A strange spark of excitement lit in her chest.
"I think," she declared with sudden resolve, "that I absolutely need to meet him one day."
Jasper chuckled, relief finally settling into his shoulders. Seeing his tension melt, Rory took his hand and tugged him gently toward the bathroom.
"Look at you," she scolded softly. "You’re exhausted. When was the last time you even bathed? I was about to shower anyway—come with me."
Jasper stopped short.
"Rory, I—"
She lifted her hand, cupping his cheek, her thumb brushing lightly over the dark shadows beneath his eyes.
"Relax," she said with a small smile. "I’m not going to bully you."
That somehow made it worse.
Jasper fell silent, utterly unprepared for how easily she disarmed him.
Across the room, Yuel, still resting quietly upon the table in his plant form, was just as stunned.
...She still hasn’t realized I can hear everything.
Perhaps relocating tomorrow would be wise. Watching her be affectionate with another male was rapidly testing the limits of his patience. He had the sudden, vivid urge to tie Jasper into a decorative knot and throw him outside.
In the hallway, Nix stood holding a freshly bathed Burnt Dumpling, listening to Rory’s voice drift faintly through the closed door. He glanced down at the disgruntled bird, pressed his lips together, and sighed.
"Come on," he murmured. "Female Master doesn’t need us tonight."
...
Steam curled lazily through the bathroom.
Jasper leaned back against the edge of the tub, his long serpent tail draped over the rim, its smooth coils providing Rory with a comfortable place to rest. Warm water lapped quietly around them. His slender fingers worked carefully at her shoulders, easing away the tension she hadn’t even realized she was holding.
"Rory," he said after a moment, voice low and hesitant, "there’s something I need to tell you."
She hummed softly, eyes closed, absently wrapping his tail around her fingers and playing with it as if it were nothing more than a ribbon.
"What is it?"
Jasper inhaled.
"It’s about Sylas Ruan. I ran into him earlier. He wouldn’t stop asking about you. I... used an agent on him. He no longer remembers you at all."
Her hands stilled.
"The Suncrest Lineage is too unstable," he continued carefully. "Their history with human females is dangerous. I was afraid that if he kept pursuing you, he might expose your identity."
He waited, braced for anger or disappointment.
Instead, Rory considered it briefly—then nodded.
"That actually saves us a lot of trouble."
She was being sincere.
Truthfully, she had nearly forgotten Sylas Ruan existed.
What interested her far more at the moment was Jasper’s tail.
As her fingers traced along the scales, she noticed a section that felt different—firmer, layered in a way she hadn’t noticed before. Curious, she gently slid her fingers beneath one of the lifted edges.
Jasper hissed sharply.
"Rory—don’t—"
Too late.
She glimpsed something beginning to shift beneath the scales and yelped, instantly dropping his tail as she tried to scramble out of the tub.
But she didn’t get far.
The curve of her leg was caught.
His tail wrapped around her ankle, slow but inescapable, drawing her back with unyielding strength until she landed squarely in his lap. Beneath the water, the purple-black coils faded, replaced by strong human legs.
"Rory," Jasper murmured. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
His voice was low, rough, and warm—like dark wine poured slowly into her ear, intoxicating enough to make her head spin.
"Don’t go," he whispered. "I feel... terrible."
His calloused fingertips traced the narrow curve of her waist, leaving warmth in their wake. Her skin flushed beneath his touch, breath hitching despite herself.
The steam thickened.
And neither of them moved.
