Chapter 388: Knows how to pick them
Vangar’s chest tightened with a bitter ache.
Seated between Wen and Lian, Nix couldn’t help muttering under his breath, his voice thick with envy.
"Aren is way too powerful for a succubus."
The guy didn’t even need to use his charm abilities, yet Rory was already completely captivated by him.
Nix couldn’t even imagine what would happen if Aren actually used his charm magic. Just how hopelessly smitten would Rory become then?
Under everyone’s watchful gazes, Rory felt heat creep into her cheeks.
What were they all staring at?
It wasn’t as if they had never kissed before. What was so fascinating about it?
"Rory, sit here."
Noticing her embarrassment, Jasper immediately pulled out the chair beside him and gestured for her to sit down.
Then he asked gently, "What would you like to eat? I’ll get it for you."
As expected, Jasper was the considerate one.
"Could you get me a bowl of soup?"
Rory said softly.
She wasn’t particularly hungry tonight. In fact, she had very little appetite at all.
"Of course."
Jasper immediately filled a bowl with soup for her. Then, with his usual attentiveness, he asked Xarion to cool it to the perfect temperature.
With his ice-element abilities, Xarion could lower the temperature of hot food in seconds.
By the time Yuel returned from his phone call, everyone had already started eating.
Seeing Aren seated beside Rory, Yuel didn’t move closer. Instead, he naturally took the empty seat beside Vangar.
Wen promptly handed him a set of utensils.
"Thank you."
Yuel accepted them with a smile before turning his attention to Rory.
"Rory, the Starrail will dock at D2 Station in about an hour. We’ll stay there overnight and continue our journey tomorrow morning. After dinner, would you like to go down and look around for a while?"
"Sure!"
Rory nodded immediately, her face brightening with a smile.
After spending several consecutive days aboard the Starrail, she had begun to feel restless. The chance to stretch her legs and get some fresh air sounded wonderful.
The moment she smiled, a trace of warmth softened Yuel’s expression as well.
"Unfortunately, I have something to take care of tonight, so I probably won’t be able to accompany you."
With everyone else staying by Rory’s side, Yuel had no concerns about her safety.
The instant she heard that, Rory set down her spoon and looked at him with concern.
"What do you need to do? Did something happen?"
Yuel shook his head reassuringly.
"Don’t worry. It’s just work. I need to meet someone. There’s no danger involved, and I’ll be back soon."
Ever since Yuel had told her about the schemes, power struggles, and constant dangers he faced in his past, Rory couldn’t help associating the word work with risk.
Whenever he mentioned it, she instinctively worried.
After dinner, the Starrail glided smoothly into D2 Station’s spaceport.
As everyone prepared to disembark, Rory still couldn’t shake her unease.
She walked over to Yuel and lowered her voice.
"There’s really no danger, right? Maybe Vangar should go with you. Or Xarion and Aren. That would work too."
All three of them were Rank Eleven powerhouses. Surely they could protect him if anything happened.
Yuel’s heart warmed at the concern in her voice.
The truth was, what he intended to do tonight wasn’t something he could bring others along for.
Gently cupping Rory’s face, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"You don’t need to trouble them. I promise I’ll come back safely."
Rory looked up at him, worry lingering in her eyes.
"I can’t help feeling like you’re about to do something dangerous."
A faint smile touched Yuel’s lips.
"Trust me. It’s nothing dangerous."
Not long afterward, he turned and left.
Rory stood where she was, watching his retreating figure disappear into the distance. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Are you worried about Yuel, Female Master?"
Xarion walked over and stopped beside her.
When he saw her staring after Yuel with a troubled sigh, he already knew the answer.
Rory nodded.
"Yeah."
Her gaze remained fixed on the direction Yuel had gone.
"He suddenly left, and I can’t stop thinking that something might happen to him."
Xarion nearly laughed.
A cunning vine spirit like Yuel was cleverer than most foxes. If anyone ended up in danger tonight, it would probably be the people unfortunate enough to cross paths with him.
The chances of Yuel himself encountering any real danger were almost nonexistent.
But that wasn’t the point.
If his mistress was worried, then it became a matter worth taking seriously.
"I’ll follow him."
Xarion’s expression remained calm and reassuring.
"Don’t worry. I won’t let Yuel notice me. I’ll stay hidden and keep my distance. As long as he’s not in danger, I won’t interfere."
"Then I’ll leave it to you, Xarion."
Relief washed over Rory’s face.
Without hesitation, she leaned forward and planted a firm kiss on his cheek.
A smile instantly appeared in Xarion’s eyes.
"Then I’m off."
With a final glance at her, he turned and quickly disappeared from the Starrail.
Rory watched him leave, the knot of anxiety in her chest finally loosening.
With Xarion secretly keeping an eye on Yuel, she felt considerably more at ease.
Just as she turned around after seeing both men off, she spotted Jasper walking toward her with an armful of carefully selected clothes.
"Rory, look."
He unfolded the outfits one by one in front of her. Each set had clearly been chosen with care—stylish, flattering, and practical enough for a long night of walking.
"I looked up D2 Station earlier."
Jasper’s eyes lit up with excitement.
"There’s a Grand Festival of Females celebration tonight. The streets will be packed with parade floats, specialty markets, and fireworks displays."
He paused dramatically before adding,
"There’s even an underground auction house and a special auction event."
As he spoke, he guided Rory back toward their room.
"Go change. We’ll attend the festival together."
Everyone in the household knew how much Rory loved lively gatherings. There was no way she would want to miss an event like this.
"That actually sounds like a lot of fun."
By the time Rory finished changing and stepped out of the bedroom, everyone else was already prepared to leave.
What surprised her most was seeing Lian among them.
He wore a simple white casual shirt paired with light-colored trousers. The outfit was understated, but with his striking features, he drew attention effortlessly.
No matter where he went, people couldn’t help looking.
"Lian, you’re coming too?"
Rory asked in surprise.
He nodded.
"There will be a lot of people tonight. I’m worried something unexpected could happen."
A gentle smile touched his lips.
"Having a doctor along makes things safer."
The excuse was so flawless that Rory couldn’t find a single argument against it.
Warmth spread through her chest.
"Then thank you, Lian."
"There’s no need to thank me."
His smile softened further.
"Being able to stay by your side already makes me happy."
Rory fell silent.
Sometimes these men said things so naturally that she had no idea how to respond.
Before long, the group left the Starrail and boarded a hovering shuttle bound for the bustling heart of D2 Station.
From above, the city resembled a sea of stars.
Towering buildings blazed with countless lights, while vibrant fireworks burst across the night sky at regular intervals, painting brilliant colors over the sprawling metropolis below.
Their shuttle soon found a docking spot at a public port near the city center.
The moment Rory and the others stepped off the craft, before they had even reached the festival grounds, someone blocked their path.
It was a stunningly beautiful woman.
She wore a daring, figure-hugging outfit and impeccably applied makeup that highlighted every one of her features.
Rory stared for a second longer than she intended.
Wow.
This woman was ridiculously gorgeous.
Rory had always been a little softer toward attractive people.
Offering a friendly smile, she asked politely,
"Can I help you with something?"
The woman first swept her gaze over Vincent and the men standing beside Rory.
The more she looked, the more obvious her envy became.
Finally, she turned back to Rory with a bright smile.
"Sis, your male partners are incredible."
Her eyes sparkled with undisguised admiration.
"Every single one of them is top-tier."
Then she sighed dramatically.
"How about it? Would you be willing to exchange one of your matches with me?"
She tilted her head.
"A follower would work too."
The woman pointed toward several handsome men standing behind her.
"I can offer two matches in exchange."
Her smile widened.
"What do you think? They’re all quite attractive, and their ranks are impressive. The lowest among them is already Rank Eight."
Rory knew that during the period leading up to the Grand Festival of Females, it wasn’t uncommon for females to exchange matched partners or followers.
As long as no official bond had been formed, such arrangements were perfectly acceptable.
Still, she hadn’t expected to encounter something like this the moment she stepped outside.
"No."
She rejected the offer without the slightest hesitation.
The woman blinked, clearly caught off guard by how quickly Rory answered.
"You don’t want to think about it a little more?"
She immediately raised her offer.
"What if I give you three matches instead?"
Then she pointed directly at one of the men behind Rory.
"I only want the one in the white shirt."
Rory: "..."
The man in the white shirt was Lian.
Of all the people she could have chosen, this woman certainly knew how to pick the most popular one.
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