Interstellar Beast World: All My Husbands Are Powerful and Rich!-Chapter 71: A bully

"I’m already standing at the very edge of level nine," Jasper said quietly. His voice remained steady, controlled, yet the gravity beneath his words was impossible to miss. "My mental power is unstable—dangerously so." He drew in a slow breath. "And you’re only level four."

He fell silent for a moment, fingers curling in on themselves at his side, as if the thought alone caused him physical pain. The tension in his posture spoke louder than any raised voice ever could.

"I never dared ask you to perform mental comfort for me," he went on, his tone low and deliberate. "If I lost control—even for a single heartbeat—I could have drained your powers completely." His jaw tightened. "I couldn’t take that risk. Not with you."

He lifted his gaze to Rory then, dark eyes holding back a storm of restrained emotion—fear, devotion, and something far deeper than either.

"I would rather endure pain every single day," he said softly, unwavering, "than allow even the smallest chance of you being harmed."

That, finally, was the truth he’d been hiding.

Rory’s heart softened instantly. If she hadn’t already been falling for Jasper, that confession would have pushed her over the edge. No matter the situation, no matter the cost, he always placed her safety above his own well-being. Her needs came first—always.

And that kind of devotion was impossible to resist.

She smiled gently and squeezed his hands.

"Don’t worry. If I could give mental comfort to Paros, I can do it for you too."

Only now did Rory truly understand. The hollow, exhausted feeling she’d experienced after helping Paros hadn’t been accidental—it was because he had unconsciously drawn out nearly all her mental strength. Earning star coins from powerful men wasn’t nearly as simple—or as safe—as it appeared.

Jasper frowned slightly, realizing she still didn’t fully grasp the danger.

"Rory," he said patiently, "when a male’s mental power destabilizes, the higher his level, the harder it is for anyone else to help. But there’s something even more dangerous than that."

He hesitated before continuing.

"When a male’s mental power is right on the verge of losing control—like mine is—it becomes unpredictable. One mistake could seriously injure you."

Or worse.

None of this information existed on the light-brain network. Rory had no family, no elders, no one who could have explained these rules to her before now. She’d been walking blindly into danger without ever knowing it.

The realization made Jasper’s chest ache.

Slowly and carefully, he explained everything—how male mental power functioned, how instability worsened with higher levels, and why mental comfort was both vital and perilous.

"I was planning to delay my advancement," he admitted at last. "I wanted to wait until you reached level five before letting you try to help me."

He hadn’t expected one peaceful night to lower his guard so completely. He certainly hadn’t expected Rory to stabilize him without him even realizing it.

After hearing everything, Rory finally understood.

So that was why it was considered so dangerous for a low-tier female to assist a high-tier male. If something went wrong, the consequences could be devastating—mental damage, permanent injury, even death.

By comparison, she’d been incredibly lucky when helping Paros. Aside from exhaustion, she’d suffered no lasting harm.

"I get it now," Rory said softly, wrapping her arms around Jasper. "I’ll be more careful next time."

Her voice grew firm with resolve.

"From today on, I’ll work hard to level up. I’ll reach level five as soon as I can—and when I do, I’ll help you reach level ten safely."

Jasper held her tightly, his chest swelling with emotion.

"Thank you," he said hoarsely.

Whether or not he ever reached level ten no longer mattered to him. As long as Rory was safe, he would give up anything. Even his life, without hesitation.

His gaze drifted to her lips, soft and faintly pink. He swallowed.

"Rory... may I kiss you?"

She was struck speechless for half a second.

Instead of answering, she acted.

Rory looped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips firmly against his.

Jasper stiffened in shock, then melted into the kiss. His arms tightened instinctively around her waist, holding her close as if afraid she might disappear. Though inexperienced, he responded with care and restrained intensity, clearly affected by the boldness of the woman in his arms. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

His Dragon Kind instincts stirred, and his tail brushed teasingly against the hem of her lavender nightdress.

Rory’s fingers traced the line of his throat, sliding from his Adam’s apple down to his collarbone and chest.

"Awooo—!"

The sudden, pitiful howl from beneath the bed made Rory jump. She gasped and instinctively shoved Jasper back.

"What was that?!"

Her heart raced as she leaned over the side of the bed, panic flashing across her face. She was certain it had only been the two of them in the room.

Jasper, meanwhile, looked murderous.

He’d let his guard down for one second—and that was enough.

"Awooo!"

After being trapped on the floor all night, Nix finally wriggled free and leapt onto the bed, burying himself shamelessly in Rory’s arms. He whined loudly at Jasper, full of accusation and misery.

Jasper grabbed him by the scruff and tossed him aside without mercy.

"Rory, don’t feel bad for him," he said flatly. "He bullied Burnt Dumpling last night. Tied him up. Dragged him all over the room. Burnt Dumpling nearly died."

"All I did was give him a tiny punishment," Jasper added coolly. "I froze him with my mental power and made him sleep on the floor."

"Awooo! Awooo!"

Nix barked furiously in protest. Though his intelligence was still toddler-level, he wasn’t stupid. He could tell Jasper was slandering him and desperately tried to explain.

Unfortunately, Rory only heard barking.

Jasper listened to the protests and smirked inwardly.

This shameless mutt really thinks he can outplay me?

Dream on. Come back after another two hundred years of training.

"Rory, he’s making excuses," Jasper said calmly.

Unaware that Rory couldn’t understand a word Nix was saying, Jasper bent down and dragged Burnt Dumpling—still tied up—from beneath the bed.

"Look," he said seriously. "See what he did."