Interstellar Beast World: All My Husbands Are Powerful and Rich!-Chapter 49: I don’t take back what I give

"I need to find my match," Rory said, her voice tight with urgency and lingering unease.

As soon as the words left her lips, she lifted her hand and gently pressed her cool fingertip against the center of Paros’s forehead. The contact was light, almost reverent, yet the moment their mental fields touched, a profound stillness spread through the rest pod.

Compared to before, Rory’s mental power had become noticeably purer—clearer, denser, and far more controlled. It flowed into Paros like a calm tide, smoothing out the jagged turbulence within his mind.

This time, the mental comfort session stretched on for a full twenty-five minutes, far longer than usual. Yet when it finally ended, Rory didn’t feel drained or dizzy. Instead, her thoughts remained sharp, her awareness crisp and alert, as though her mental consciousness had quietly strengthened again.

Paros, on the other hand, looked utterly at ease.

He reclined back in his crystal chair, every line of tension erased from his posture. His Dragon Kind tail—sleek and black, edged with faint metallic sheen—was wrapped securely around Rory’s waist, holding her close without pressure. The dark, curved horns on his forehead were fully visible now, no longer concealed, a sign of how completely relaxed he had become.

The moment the session concluded, Rory’s thoughts flew immediately to Jasper and Dax. She wanted to find them as soon as possible. Rising to her feet, she tried to step away—only to realize she couldn’t move.

Paros’s tail remained firmly looped around her.

She tugged at it once. Nothing. Twice. Still nothing.

Left with no other option, Rory turned to look at him helplessly. He was sitting there, calm and unbothered, as if her struggle didn’t exist.

"I’ve already finished," she said, trying to keep her tone polite. "I really need to go now. Could you please stop wrapping your tail around me?"

Paros slowly opened his dark eyes. Instead of answering immediately, he reached into his ring and withdrew a black crystal, extending it toward her.

Rory’s gaze sharpened. She recognized it instantly.

It was the same crystal he had offered her before—one she had refused at the time. But now, it was different. Within the black crystal, threads of golden light swirled endlessly, like trapped lightning, beautiful and ominous all at once.

"Take it," Paros said. "I added something to it. If you encounter another Rank 11 Chitinid or high-tier beast, throw this at it. Even if it doesn’t kill them outright, it will buy you enough time to escape."

Rory studied the crystal in his hand, her expression conflicted.

"This sounds... incredibly powerful," she said slowly. "You’re just giving it to me like that?"

Truthfully, after her encounter with the Rank 11 Chitinid, fear still lingered deep in her bones. She wanted the crystal badly. She just didn’t understand his motive. Aside from calming his mental power, she had nothing left to trade with him.

"What else would I do?" Paros replied evenly. "You still have to help me with mental comfort sessions. I can’t let you die so easily. You need something to protect yourself."

He didn’t bother hiding his disdain for others. He couldn’t rely on those two males to keep her safe.

Paros was leaving soon. He wouldn’t be around to shield her from danger. This crystal was the only way he could ensure she had a chance to survive on her own.

"...Thank you," Rory said at last.

This time, she didn’t hesitate or put on airs. She took the black crystal from him immediately and closed her fingers around it.

"I’ll keep it for now," she added. "If I run into danger and have to use it, then so be it. But if I don’t, I’ll return it to you when our deal ends."

"I don’t take back what I give," Paros replied coolly. "If you don’t want it later, throw it away."

With that, he finally withdrew his tail, releasing her. He straightened his clothes, rose from the chair, and glanced toward the exit.

"It’s time," he said. "I need to go."

Rory followed him out of the rest pod without delay. Outside, the forest was steeped in darkness, the shadows thick and restless. She pulled out her night-vision goggles and slipped them on.

"It’s late," she said. "I’m going to find Jasper and Dax. See you."

She scooped up Kather, who had been hiding near the door, and left quickly without looking back.

Paros stood where he was, watching her retreating figure vanish into the trees. His sharp eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering within them.

She really has no feelings for me at all.

Was I too harsh with her?

A subordinate who had been waiting nearby stepped forward immediately. "Sir, we’ve already contacted Jasper and Dax. They’re on their way to retrieve Female Master Rory." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Hearing that, Paros waved his hand and dismissed the rest pod. Using his mental power, he quietly formed a protective barrier around Rory and guided her path, ensuring she would reach Jasper and Dax safely. Only then did he turn and leave with his men.

Rory had no idea what he had done.

She carried Kather for over an hour before she finally spotted two familiar figures rushing toward her. The massive purple-black serpent lunged forward the instant it saw her, its tail sweeping through the air before wrapping around her gently and pulling her close.

"Rory... I finally found you," Jasper said hoarsely.

Seeing her disheveled, exhausted state made his chest ache. "I’m sorry. This is my fault. I failed to protect you. Let me see if you’re hurt."

"I’m fine now," Rory replied softly.

She could feel how terrified he’d been, how tightly his emotions clung to her, and she hugged him back without hesitation.

"Don’t worry. On my way back, I ran into Paros. He gave me a potion—my injuries are completely healed."

Dax stood off to the side, watching the embrace in silence. Envy flickered unmistakably in his eyes. He wished she would hug him too, but he knew better. He pulled out a bottle of high-grade potion, then quietly put it away after hearing her words.

Forget it. As long as she’s safe, nothing else matters.

Paros actually came? Jasper frowned slightly.

After Rory disappeared, he and Dax had sent people to Paros’s residence for help, only to be told he wasn’t there. Jasper had already suspected Paros knew something and had rushed to the forest ahead of them.

Still...

If Paros found her first, how could he bring himself to leave her alone in the forest again?