Interstellar Beast World: All My Husbands Are Powerful and Rich!-Chapter 88: Soft exterior. Sharp instincts.

Nix tightened his arms around Rory, holding her as though she might slip away if he loosened his grip even a little. His soft, fluffy ears brushed against her cheek as he leaned closer, his warmth seeping into her bones.

"Female Master," he said quietly, his voice careful and almost shy, "since Jasper hasn’t returned yet... could I sleep in your room tonight?"

He hesitated for a breath, then added quickly, as if afraid she might misunderstand, "I promise I won’t overstep. The moment he comes back, I’ll return to my own room and give him your space. I won’t fight him for it."

He knew exactly how to retreat to advance.

Rory looked at him in silence, and in that moment, something crystallized in her mind. Whether it was Nix—who looked obedient and gentle on the surface—or Yuel, who appeared calm, refined, and courteous, both of them shared the same truth beneath the surface.

Soft exterior. Sharp instincts.

Compared to them—those confident, calculating figures who wrapped every word in intention—Jasper, her awkward, earnest little serpent, was the only one who wore his heart openly. No games. No hidden motives. Just sincerity, laid bare and unguarded.

"Female Master...?" When she still didn’t respond, Nix shifted closer. His tail brushed lightly against her waist, tentative and coaxing, as though testing the boundary one careful inch at a time. "I swear," he added quickly, "I’ll only sleep."

That promise carried about as much weight as I’ll behave, I swear—and Rory knew it. Still, she didn’t push him away.

"You can stay," she said at last, relenting with a quiet sigh, "but you need to shift into your beast form." She lifted her hands and gestured, outlining the rough dimensions in the air. "About this size."

Roughly the size he’d been as a cub. Maybe a little bigger—but not much.

Nix blinked, processing. Then his eyes lit up with sudden, unmistakable understanding.

"Oh," he said slowly, lips curving. "So that’s what you like."

"I do not," Rory snapped immediately, heat flaring in her voice. "Don’t go making things up!"

It wasn’t like that at all. It was simply practical. A cat that size was comfortable to hold, warm without being overwhelming, easy to tuck against her side without incident.

And besides, trying to sleep beside a beautiful man she could hug, kiss, and touch freely every single night?

That was exactly how disasters happened.

Rory was genuinely afraid that one night, half-asleep and overwhelmed, she’d do something irreversible.

"Female Master, you don’t need to explain," Nix said earnestly. His voice was soft, sincere, and utterly convinced. "I understand. Truly."

He looked so genuine—so painfully earnest—that it only made Rory more flustered.

She reached for the blanket and wrapped it firmly around him again, tightening it as if the extra layers might somehow restore her composure. "Go put on clothes first," she said quickly. "Then come back."

Nix glanced down at the blanket, then back up at her, clearly reluctant to move. "Female Master," he said carefully, "if I shift, clothes won’t really matter."

He wasn’t wrong. Fur was fur.

But that wasn’t the real reason she was sending him away.

She needed a moment. Just one. A breath of space to collect herself before her thoughts tangled any further.

"Go get dressed," she repeated, her tone firmer this time. "You don’t need to shift tonight."

Nix froze.

Then the meaning caught up to him.

His entire expression lit up in an instant, eyes shining with barely contained delight. "So I can sleep beside you like this?"

Before she could respond—before she could even process the look on his face—he hopped off the bed. His excitement carried him forward so fast that he nearly brushed her cheek as he passed, the air stirring in his wake as he rushed off to comply.

He caught himself just in time. "Ah—sorry! Female Master, I didn’t mean to— I’ll change right away! I’ll be back fast, I promise. Please wait for me!"

And with that, he darted out of the room.

The moment he disappeared, Rory sprang from the bed and hurried to the desk.

The Crescent Vine—Yuel—stood quietly in its pot. The two leaves drooped slightly, their glow dimmer than before.

Her brows knit together.

Had he entered her dream earlier? If so, that kind of manifestation would have drained him badly in his injured state, forcing him to withdraw abruptly and leaving his physical form weakened.

The more she thought about it, the more certain she became.

Without hesitation, she pricked her finger and let several drops of blood fall onto the slender branch.

Almost immediately, the leaves lifted, regaining their vitality.

Rory exhaled softly in relief.

So she’d been right—Yuel must have exhausted his power while appearing in her dream.

She sealed the tiny wound on her finger with healing salve, then placed a Rank-7 beast core into the pot. Jasper had given her all of his reserves, and she had more than enough now.

By the time Nix returned—fully dressed—Rory was already back in bed. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

He approached slowly, deliberately. His clear eyes were gentle, almost melting, and it was impossible to miss the calculation behind his choices.

He wore a sleeveless V-neck shirt, the neckline cut just low enough to expose his collarbones and a tempting stretch of chest. Even then, he looked faintly dissatisfied, as though wishing he could reveal more—perhaps his abs, just enough for her to rest her hand there while sleeping.

"Female Master," he asked softly, "does this look good on me?"

"It looks good," Rory replied immediately. "Very good."

Who taught him how to dress like this? Honestly...

Nix climbed into bed and pulled her close without hesitation, guiding her hand to rest against his chest.

"Touch if you want," he murmured. "And if the shirt’s in the way... I can take it off."

"No," Rory said quickly. "Absolutely not."

That was a test she would lose instantly.

"It’s late," she added, shutting her eyes at once. "We should sleep."

It felt as though she had stumbled into a den of dangerously beautiful men all in one night. And after everything that had happened, she was completely drained.

Sleep claimed her swiftly—deep and unbroken.

She didn’t stir until the following morning, when a series of deafening booms outside—loud enough to sound like explosions—ripped her from her dreams.