Chapter 1

Analise Chamber groaned in pain and mumbled, "I can't believe I survived."

She held her throbbing head and slowly opened her eyes. "Looks like that fortune teller wasn't wrong... I really am hard to kill."

She was supposed to be on a business trip that day. Since she was short on time, she booked the earliest flight available. However, the plane malfunctioned less than 20 minutes after takeoff and started plummeting uncontrollably.

The violent drop knocked her out, and when she finally woke up, she was already here—wherever she was.

Analise shifted slightly, trying to get up. However, she realized there was something soft beneath her. She had just woken up, and her head was still spinning. So, she had not noticed anything earlier.

As she looked down, her eyes widened in shock. "Is that… a tail? Like an actual animal tail? Oh, no! Did I fall out of the sky and land on some endangered animal or something?"

Analise wondered if this would count as an involuntary killing of an endangered species. The wildlife crime podcaster Zayn Lambert did not mention whether one would be jailed for this, and she could not help but scold herself for not tuning into more of Zayn's podcasts.

"Lady, you need to run. I can barely hold myself back," a hoarse voice growled.

Analise instinctively turned around and saw Finlay Knight wearing one of those animal-ear headbands. Moreover, he was injured, too. Then, it hit her—she had passed out during the fall, but somewhere in the middle of it, she briefly regained consciousness.

She remembered being up in the sky, her heart already sinking, thinking she was done for. The wind had been so strong that she could barely keep her eyes open, but just before she hit the ground, she vaguely saw someone sprinting through the forest below. After that, everything went dark again.

She thought to herself, "Did I actually crash-land on him? I had fallen from that high up, and I weighed about 110 pounds! How is he even alive? He must be just as unkillable as I am…"

Analise was relieved that she had not landed on an endangered species. Instead, it was just a random dude running around the woods in a costume with fake wolf ears and a tail.

Analise figured she should probably apologize first and then get Finlay to a hospital, just in case he had internal bleeding or something. She said, "Hey, um—"

But before she could finish, Finlay shoved her forward with surprising gentleness. Then, he suddenly roared and transformed right in front of her.

One second, he was a man. The next, he was a massive, snarling wolf twice the size of any she had seen on nature documentaries.

Analise's eyes widened, her mind going completely blank. "What the actual hell? How did he just turn from a human into a wolf just like that? So, those ears and tail were real?"

Her instincts screamed at her to run, but her body refused to move. She was frozen in place, paralyzed by fear.

Her mind buzzed. "What the hell? What's happening? How does one just randomly shapeshift into a wolf?"

"Lady…" The wolf's growl snapped her back to reality—especially when it locked eyes with her like she was its next meal.

Maybe it was the survival instinct kicking in or the adrenaline flooding her system, but somehow she bolted. If she did not run now, she was as good as dead.

The wolf howled and immediately gave chase, barreling through the trees and knocking them over like twigs. Luckily, Analise was petite and agile. Even with the wolf right on her heels, he could not quite catch her.

Just then, she heard the chime of a bell. "This system has detected a highly compatible host. Dear Analise Chamber, would you like to bind with me? Complete the assigned tasks, and you'll be rewarded handsomely."

Still dodging branches and sprinting as fast as she could, Analise answered without hesitation, "Yes!"

She couldn't care less what the system was. Right now, she would bargain with the devil if it meant survival.

"Wow, you're surprisingly polite for a system! All the ones in novels just bind without asking!" Analise teased while weaving through the forest.

The system said, "Consent confirmed. Initiating binding sequence."

Seconds later, it added, "Binding complete. Hello, Analise. I am Purification System Unit 0612, but you may call me Echo. I'll now be issuing your starter pack. Please stand by."

Analise was gasping for air as she kept running, and the giant wolf behind her was still hot on her trail. It had already crashed into several trees along the way. If she had not been quick enough to dodge, she probably would have been crushed by one of the falling trunks by now.

Suddenly, a transparent screen appeared in front of her in midair, and a gift box wrapped with a big bow was bouncing on the screen.

Without even thinking, Analise reached out and tapped the bouncing box.

[Congratulations, Analise! You've received Level-1 Purification Heart, Level-1 Purification Bow, Purification Potion, Dual Daggers, and F-grade Mind Essence.]

As soon as the box opened, a white orb labeled Purification Heart and a blue orb labeled Mind Essence shot toward her chest and vanished into her body like beams of light.

Analise felt a strange mix of burning heat and icy coldness swirl around her heart. The sensations collided all at once, and the shock made her stumble.

She dropped to her knees, her strength drained by the overwhelming feeling—but that sudden drop just so happened to help her dodge the wolf's next strike.

Echo said, "Analise, you can try using your Purification Power now."

"How do I use it?" Analise asked quickly, twisting halfway around as she looked up at the massive wolf looming over her.

Echo replied, "Simply touch any part of the wolf therian's body. The Purification Heart has fully fused with you, giving you access to your basic purification power."

Seeing her frozen in place, the wolf immediately raised its paw to strike again. But before it could land, Analise lifted her hand and slapped it against the soft pad of the wolf's paw.

Everything froze in that instant, and her hand was pressed firmly against the wolf's paw pad, almost like they were locked together.

Analise could see a stream of black mist slither from the wolf's body into her hand and flow into her chest. That strange burning sensation returned, and her hand began to tremble from the intensity.

As the black mist kept pouring out of him and into her, the wolf slowly began to shift back into his human form. However, its ears and tail were still there. She finally realized that they were actually real.

"Little lady?" Finlay, the wolf therian, blinked down at their interlocked hands, visibly confused as if he had not fully regained consciousness yet.

The moment the last wisp of dark energy vanished, Analise pulled her hand back and finally got a proper look at the guy in front of her. When she first woke up, everything had happened too fast—he pushed her away, then chased her through the woods like a rabid beast. She had not even seen his face.

Now that things had calmed, she could see Finlay was tall, probably around six feet three inches. He also looked slightly mixed-race, with sharp features.

He had normal human ears, but on top of his head sat a pair of animal ears that looked suspiciously like dog ears. Nonetheless, since he was a wolf therian, those had to be wolf ears.

Noticing her stare, his tail gave a sudden twitch, wagging nervously behind him. "Um… Lady, was it you who calmed me down? Are you hurt at all?"

Finlay's gaze darted anxiously over her body, as if making sure she had not broken a bone or something. When he confirmed she was fine, his shoulders relaxed just slightly. If she had gotten hurt, he would have been in serious trouble.

No matter which alliance a female belonged to, if a male caused her harm, he would be severely punished. Females were meant to be protected—no exceptions.

"I'm fine. But what made you lose control like that?" Analise asked carefully, trying to understand the situation.

However, her eyes could not stop drifting toward that wagging tail. It looked so soft, and she kind of wanted to pet it.

When she saw him shift into a full-blown wolf earlier, she already suspected she was not in her original world anymore. But since her body was still her own, she figured she had somehow body-crossed rather than soul-crossed like in those fantasy novels.

"I was attacked by a Vexoth therian. I got infected with its venom," Finlay said bluntly. His tail slowed down as his tone turned serious. "Either way, little lady, we should leave this forest. It's not safe here."

Analise mumbled, "Vexoth?"

Chapter 2

Analise frowned, wondering if Finlay was referring to those Vexoth from those interstellar novels. If so, would that mean she had crossed into an interstellar novel world, or was this just a real interstellar universe?

Either way, it did not really matter, as one thing was for sure—she was not in her original world anymore.

"Lady, which alliance are you from? What were you doing out here alone in the forest? Where's your guardian?" Finlay asked, rattling off his questions without pause.

He remembered being attacked by the Vexoth and running through the woods, trying to make it back to his alliance for medical help. But out of nowhere, something fell from the sky and knocked him unconscious.

When he came to, Analise had been lying on top of him, completely passed out. He had not dared to move, afraid of disturbing her. So, he waited until she woke up.

Nonetheless, Finlay never expected to lose control like that. Fortunately, Analise did not get hurt.

"Me?" Analise was just about to respond when Finlay suddenly tilted his head and said, surprised, "Wait… Are you a pure human?"

"Yeah." Analise nodded a little hesitantly.

She was human, after all. Unlike Finlay, who had wolf ears and a tail, she figured he was referring to her being a normal human, and she was probably what he meant by a pure human.

When she nodded, Finlay's eyes softened with what looked like sympathy. He asked, "Did other females bully you?"

Then, he lowered his gaze, his animal ears twitching a little. "If it were a male who hurt you or upset you, I could just beat him up for you. But if it was a female—"

"What about females?" Analise asked.

"Females are born with a higher status than males—even a pure-human female ranks above any male. Don't you know that?" he asked, surprised by her reaction.

Finlay was weaving through the forest paths as he spoke, making sure she stayed close as they headed toward his alliance. He continued, "It's probably because you're a pure-human female without a male guardian. Maybe no one ever explained the basics to you."

His tone had softened even more, and there was a clear note of pity in it. "I'm guessing you're from Shadowhawk Alliance, right? They're notorious for picking on the weak. But if you're willing, you can come with me to Stormclaw Alliance."

"Mm…" Analise gave a small, uncertain nod.

"You keep saying pure-human like it's such a big deal," she said, trying to probe. "Were you really that shocked to see a pure human female?"

"Pure-human females don't have mind essence like other females, so they can't soothe males," he explained, his pace slowing just slightly. "But because females are so rare, even pure-human women are still treated well by the alliances.

"That's why I asked if another female had bullied you. If a male harmed a female, he'd be punished without question. Pure humans exist on the interstellar continent, but we've never had one in Stormclaw Alliance, so yeah… I was a little shocked."

He slowed even more, making sure she could keep up.

"I see," Analise said with a thoughtful nod.

Finlay glanced sideways at her again, and a look of concern flashed in his eyes. She honestly seemed like she did not know anything. He wondered if she had been bullied so badly that it messed with her memory.

He suddenly stopped walking and looked at Analise again, full of sympathy. He speculated that Shadowhawk Alliance did not want to raise a pure-human girl who did not have mind essence and thought she was useless. So, they secretly dumped her out here in the forest.

Finlay let out a soft sigh. Now that he had found her, she belonged to Stormclaw Alliance. They would protect her from now on. Still, once they got back, he would have to get her checked out by a doctor—both physically and mentally.

"Little lady, do you have a guardian?" Finlay asked again, sounding like he just wanted to confirm it one last time.

He could not be totally sure if she were from Shadowhawk Alliance. She looked kind of dazed—maybe she did not even remember which alliance she belonged to. Moreover, there were at least a dozen alliances out there besides Stormclaw and Shadowhawk, so it was not impossible.

Worried Analise might not understand, Finlay added, "I mean the male who lives with you, takes care of your daily needs, and is assigned to protect you."

"Nope." Analise shook her head.

She had literally just fallen out of the sky and crash-landed in this weird place. There was no way she had a guardian.

Hearing her answer only made Finlay more determined to bring Analise back to Stormclaw Alliance with him.

"By the way, I'm Finlay Knight. What's your name, little lady?" he asked, finally realizing that calling her "lady" nonstop felt kind of impersonal.

"Analise Chamber."

"Analise Chamber…" Finlay repeated softly. "That's a beautiful name."

Then, his expression shifted, and he suddenly blinked like something just occurred to him. "Wait… Pure-human females don't have mind essence. So, how did you calm me down earlier?"

Mind essence? Analise immediately thought of the starter pack from the system earlier, and it seemed to have included something called mind essence.

She focused on the heat that had surged in her chest earlier. As she tapped into it, her hair lifted slightly from the energy, and even the plants around them gave a small, trembling response.

"This?" she asked, glancing at Finlay and giving him a quick blink.

"Y-You actually have mind essence?" Finlay stared at her, eyes wide with shock. "Even if it's just the lowest grade, that's insane! I've never seen a pure-human female with mind essence before!"

"Yeah, I only noticed it just now when you were chasing me, and everything got crazy." Analise made something up on the spot, keeping her voice casual.

"You've never felt it before?" Finlay pressed.

"No, not really. Maybe because everyone always said pure humans didn't have it… And since mine is weak, I never noticed it myself," she replied.

"That could be it," Finlay said thoughtfully. "Still, you're the first pure human I've ever met with actual mind essence."

He flashed a bright grin, and there was something boyish about how he smiled.

Analise glanced at him and tilted her head, wondering, "Are all therian guys this simple? He wasn't even suspicious."

They walked for a while longer, but soon, Analise started to lag behind. Back in her original world, she either drove or caught a ride to get around—she had not walked this long in years.

"Lady—I mean, Ms. Chamber… If you don't mind, I could carry you on my back?" Finlay offered, looking at her hopefully.

A pure-human female, with actual mind essence and none of the arrogant attitude that came with most females—Finlay honestly thought she was adorable.

"Okay." Analise nodded.

After all, she really could not keep going. Her whole body still ached from falling out of the sky, and she had been walking for over half an hour since. She was at her limit.

The second she agreed, Finlay crouched down in front of her without hesitation.

Analise did not waste time, either—she climbed right onto his back. With her weight on him, Finlay picked up the pace and moved much faster through the forest.

At first, Analise just rested her eyes while holding onto his shoulders—but before she knew it, she had drifted off completely. When she woke again, she found herself in a clean, well-lit room that looked much like a private hospital suite.

Just as she sat up, the door opened, and a man with a white lab coat—and animal ears like Finlay—stepped inside. He asked, "You're awake? Are you feeling any discomfort?"

"Where am I?" Analise watched him nervously.

Chapter 3

Thinking back to how excited Finlay had gotten when he found out she was a pure human with mind essence, Analise could not help but suspect she was being treated like some kind of lab rat. She had wondered why he never questioned her, and now, it made a little too much sense.

Nonetheless, since she did not belong to any alliance, and she had already learned from Finlay how rare and valuable females were in this world, she figured going with him to Stormclaw Alliance was better than wandering around alone.

"Ms. Chamber, there's no need to be nervous. You're in Stormclaw Alliance's hospital," the man in the white coat said gently. "I'm a doctor—you're completely safe here. Major Knight brought you in."

He continued, "According to him, you were found alone in the forest. He was worried you might have been hurt, so we're just checking to make sure you don't have any internal injuries.

"Would you mind telling us which alliance you're from? I couldn't find any chip implant or ID records for you, Ms. Chamber."

The male doctor, whose name tag read Kyle Davies, was holding something like a tablet. His long fingers swiped across the screen as if trying to locate something.

Analise stayed silent and just stared at him without answering. Meanwhile, Kyle noticed she was not in the mood to talk, so he did not push. Instead, he walked to the door and called for another male, whispering something to him before sending him off.

Once that was done, Kyle returned to the room and quietly resumed monitoring Analise's vitals, typing notes into his device as he observed the readouts. A little while later, Finlay burst into the room, practically dragging another male behind him.

"Scott, this is the one I told you about—the pure-human girl who actually has mind essence," Finlay said excitedly. "It's just F-grade, the lowest level, but still... Can you believe it?"

"Major Knight, Admiral Hopkins," Kyle greeted both of them with respectful nods.

"How's Ms. Chamber doing?" Scott Hopkins asked casually, his sharp gaze scanning Analise lying on the bed.

"Physically, she's stable. Nothing serious—just seems a little tense, likely from the stress," Kyle said as he handed over her readings. "And as Major Knight mentioned, there is indeed a faint trace of mind essence activity. She's the first pure-human female we've ever recorded with measurable mind essence."

Analise listened from the bed, feeling her anxiety rise again. Scott definitely seemed way smarter than Finlay. Something about the way he observed her made her feel scrutinized.

Right on cue, the monitor next to her let out a series of beeps. Kyle glanced at the numbers and realized her heart rate had spiked again.

He figured maybe she was not used to being around unfamiliar males, and the presence of high-ranking strangers had triggered her discomfort. After all, some females were just naturally more introverted, and fear could easily kick in when they were placed in unfamiliar environments.

"Ms. Chamber, you don't have to be afraid," Kyle said gently, trying to calm her. "He means you no harm. This is Admiral Scott Hopkins, the Commander of Stormclaw Alliance. He's also the only known SS-grade mind essence bearer we've ever had."

Analise was shocked to hear that Scott was the only SS-grade mind essence bearer. She quietly studied him, saying nothing. Nonetheless, it dawned on her that Scott was the top dog around here.

"Yeah, Ms. Chamber! Scott's totally cool—you really don't have to be scared!" Finlay chimed in with a big, goofy smile, his white teeth practically gleaming.

Before they came in, Finlay had already talked to Scott about wanting to become Analise's guardian, and Scott had given the okay. But of course, it still depended on whether Analise agreed.

Even so, Finlay felt pretty confident. After all, she had fallen asleep on his back and let him carry her the whole way here—surely that meant she trusted him and would agree to it.

"Ms. Chamber, there's no need to be afraid," Scott said as he stepped forward slightly, offering a calm smile that barely reached his eyes.

He added, "You're welcome to stay here in Stormclaw Alliance. Since you don't have a guardian, I'll arrange both housing and a suitable guardian for you shortly.

"Here in Stormclaw, females receive the same benefits and privileges as any other citizen, including financial support. We don't just talk the talk—we walk it."

Scott reached into his coat and pulled out a small case containing a pale blue microchip. He continued politely, "However, I believe it would be best for you to have a chip implanted. It's the safest way to record your identity and ensure your protection within Stormclaw Alliance."

Analise stared at his smile, but something about it made her uneasy—it felt too polished and too calculated. She suspected he was skeptical about her background, even if he had not said it aloud.

Still, she did need a place to stay, and based on what Finlay had told her earlier about female status and protection, she had no better option.

So, Analise nodded and pointed to Finlay without saying a word. Moreover, the system had already scanned the chip earlier—it was clean, just standard for this world, so she was not worried about that.

If anything, it only confirmed that while Scott might have doubts about her, he was not planning to hurt her—at least not directly. Plus, Finlay mentioned before that males were not allowed to harm females.

Finlay grinned from ear to ear, beaming with pride. He knew Analise would pick him.

"You'd like Finlay to be your guardian?" Scott asked smoothly, still smiling as he looked at her.

Analise blinked once, then nodded again. She chose Finlay purely because he seemed harmless—simple, easy to read, and, most importantly, easy to deal with.

"In Stormclaw Alliance, each female is allowed up to five guardians," Scott added casually, handing the chip case to Kyle.

Kyle remained expressionless, but inwardly, he was stunned because the chip Scott had just handed him was Stormclaw's highest-grade implant.

After all, only one person had ever received the pale blue chip—Vera Khielson, an SS-grade mind essence bearer. Everyone had assumed Scott would eventually mate with Vera. However, with what had just happened, that did not seem so certain anymore.

"Five?" Analise blurted, her expression finally cracking in shock.

"Yes," Scott said evenly. "Stormclaw has far fewer females than other alliances across the interstellar universe, so we take extra measures to protect the ones we have. You, Ms. Chamber, are unique—a pure human with mind essence. That makes you even more vulnerable and more valuable."

Then, his eyes locked onto hers, calm and composed, as he added, "If you'd allow it, I can be one of your guardians as well."

Both Kyle and Finlay turned to look at him, surprised by the sudden offer. Kyle raised an eyebrow slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched upward in quiet amusement.

Internally, he was buzzing. "Is Admiral Hopkins finally being more interested in more than just war strategy? How exciting!"

And honestly, who could blame him? Scott had always been polite and respectful toward females, but he had never once offered to become a guardian—not even when Vera herself asked him directly.

"Scott? You want to be Ms. Chamber's guardian, too?" Finlay's grin faltered, and he blinked a few times.

There was something weird and uncertain in his eyes now—maybe even a hint of panic. For the first time, Finlay felt an unfamiliar sense of competition stirring in his chest.

Chapter 4

Analise was just as surprised as everyone else, but for a different reason—she was starting to suspect that Scott wanted to monitor her personally. After all, a pure-human female with mind essence was rare enough to raise questions.

Moreover, she had no guardian or chip and randomly appeared in the middle of a forest. Not only that, but she had also somehow ended up calming down one of his people.

If she were in Scott's shoes, Analise knew she would be suspicious, too—even if the person in question was a female. Still, it felt like a little overkill for the top commander of the alliance to do the monitoring himself.

What she did not know, however, was that Scott had an entirely different thought process. To him, the fact that a pure-human female actually possessed mind essence—even if it was the lowest tier, F-grade—was already unheard of.

But the real kicker? Analise had managed to soothe Finlay, a therian with an S-grade mind essence. That meant one thing.

Pure-human females who awakened their mind essence could have a calming effect far stronger than any therian female, and mind essence would not stay stagnant. It could grow.

In other words, Analise could eventually become someone capable of soothing anyone, no matter how powerful. And Scott? He was the strongest in all of Stormclaw. He was on the verge of breaking past SS-grade, aiming to become the world's first SSS-grade mind essence bearer.

Only someone like her would be strong enough to calm him, and only she would be a match worthy of standing by his side. Besides, she was beautiful, too. The moment he laid eyes on her, his heart skipped a beat—something that had never happened before.

So yes, he had already made up his mind. He had to become her guardian. He thought surely, after everything he had said, she would agree.

"Uh… sure," Analise replied with a slight nod.

She was not entirely comfortable with it, but she figured Scott would eventually lose interest once he realized she was not hiding anything. And honestly, having the strongest guy in the alliance as her protector was not the worst idea.

"Then, let's get the chip implanted. After that, get some rest. I'll leave Finlay here with you while I update your information at Hopkins Galaxy Lodge," Scott said with a warm smile.

"Can I just have you and Finlay as my guardians?" Analise asked suddenly, flashing a polite smile of her own.

She could not handle the thought of five people watching her every move, as that would drive her insane, even if Finlay did not exactly scream "spy" material.

"Of course." Scott almost could not hide his smile.

…

The chip implantation process was surprisingly quick, and Analise did not feel any pain. Despite being called an implant, it did not require surgery—Kyle simply placed the chip at the center of her forehead. It felt cold for a moment, and then it vanished.

"Ms. Chamber, the chip will fully sync with your genetic code in about five minutes. After that, everything will be activated. I'll leave you to rest now," Kyle said gently, then turned and left the room.

"It just disappeared…" Analise whispered under her breath.

"Huh?" Finlay, who had been peeling an apple nearby, did not catch what she said.

"Nothing. I'm just a little hungry. But I don't really want an apple. Would you mind grabbing me something else to eat?" Analise smiled sweetly at him.

"Oh… Yeah! Be right back!" Finlay's hand paused mid-peel, and he instantly put the apple down and hustled out of the room. As he left, he made a mental note that Analise did not like apples.

Once the door clicked shut behind him, Analise relaxed a little and spoke inwardly to the system. "Did I land in a novel or something? And what's the mission I'm supposed to do?"

The system responded with a firm denial, "Nope. Analise, you've entered a parallel dimension. There are countless parallel dimensions across the universe, each with its own timeline and history—all developing differently."

The system began explaining the situation to Analise, "Right now, you're in a dimension known as the Interstellar therian world, which has been invaded by a race called the Vexoth.

"It used to be just like any regular human world, but after the invasion, most humans were infected by Vexoth venom and became food or nutrients for the Vexoth.

"A small number of humans, however, had their dormant beastial DNA triggered by the infection and transformed into therians—beings with both human and beast traits.

"Eventually, the therians discovered they could mentally control an invisible force to fight back against the Vexoth. They named this ability 'mind essence.' And yes, these therians are also capable of cross-species reproduction."

Analise was skeptical. "Cross-species reproduction? Do you mean hybrid breeding? But is that even possible? I mean, a horse and a donkey can have a mule, but mules can't reproduce, right?"

Even though she had read about it in fantasy novels, being thrown into the Interstellar therian world made her question everything.

The system answered, "It's possible. The genetic base of these therians is still fundamentally human. The beastial DNA is just previously hidden genes that got activated, so reproduction still works."

"Oh, I see." Analise nodded in understanding. Then, she asked, "So what's my mission here?"

"You only have one mission—to purify the Vexoth venom and collect something called Purification Value. As your Purification Value increases, you'll earn rewards based on your purification level."

"Will I be able to return to my original world?" she asked again.

"Yes. Once you complete all the purification tasks, you can choose to stay in the Interstellar therian world or return home."

"Wait. I thought I only had one mission?" Analise frowned, clearly confused.

"Yes, that's correct. The 'all purification tasks' simply mean you have to purify every last trace of the Vexoth venom in this world."

Analise fell silent at the mention that she needed to purify every last trace of the Vexoth venom. After all, it could only mean that this was going to be a long haul.

About ten minutes later, Finlay returned to the hospital room carrying several shopping bags, each filled with neatly packed meal containers. "Ms. Chamber, I'm back! I wasn't sure what you liked, so I grabbed a little bit of everything, plus some nutrient packs, too!"

"That's a lot of food!" Analise was stunned by the sight of the mountain of bags, half amused and half overwhelmed.

"Yeah, I wasn't sure what you'd want, so I just grabbed a bunch." Finlay scratched his head sheepishly as he opened up the containers and handed her a spoon and a fork.

Just then, Analise had just taken a few bites when she heard a notification sound, and a robotic male voice echoed in the room. "Update complete!"

It did not sound like the usual system voice, so she instinctively looked up, only to see a light-blue transparent panel floating in midair just like her system screen.

[Please confirm the following personal information and authorize access:

Name: Analise Chamber

Gender: Female

Species: Pure-human

Mind Essence: F-grade

Guardians: Scott Hopkins, Finlay Knight

Alliance: Stormclaw Alliance

Alliance ID: 03-999612

Do you confirm and authorize?]

"Whoa, Scott works fast! It's only been half an hour, and he already got this set up," Finlay commented, leaning in to look at the panel hovering in front of Analise.

"But seriously? He put his name before mine in the guardian list?" Finlay grumbled, biting his lip with a dramatic sigh. "That's a total abuse of power!"

"You can see this, too?" Analise asked, a little surprised.

"Yeah, you didn't turn on the privacy setting for your chip, so anyone nearby can see it, too," Finlay chuckled again.

He suddenly remembered this was probably Analise's first time using an embedded chip, so it made sense she did not know. He leaned closer, reached out, and tapped the panel to confirm authorization, saying, "Ms. Chamber, let me show you how to set all this up."

Chapter 5

As soon as Finlay tapped the screen, the panel immediately flipped to the next page.

[Ms. Chamber, please proceed with iris verification.]

Finlay stepped back and motioned for Analise to focus on the red dot in the center of the screen. Once the scan confirmed her identity, Finlay began walking her through everything—how to check her funds, browse the online marketplace, use the social platform, add friends, and more.

With Finlay guiding her step by step, Analise gradually got the hang of the system.

The so-called chip was basically a digital ID—but way more advanced. It was tied to everything she needed—a bank-style account, an online marketplace, social media, and more. It was like someone had fused an ID and a smartphone into one sleek implant.

She glanced at the balance in her account and raised her hand to count the number of zeroes. "I-Is this stipend a one-time payment?"

Analise stared at the screen, a little dizzy from the number—one million Cosmocoins. If she were earning the usual way, it would take her nearly ten years to make that much.

"Nope. That's just your monthly allowance." Finlay gave her a cheeky wink.

"Every month, I get one million Cosmocoins?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"Yep."

"And what exactly does a female have to do?" Analise raised a brow, clearly suspicious.

Finley replied, "Just eat, relax, enjoy life… and when a male gets injured, help comfort him."

"Comfort how?"

"Like how you comforted me back in the forest," Finlay replied patiently.

"That's it?" Analise looked genuinely shocked.

He nodded. "That's it! Males are in charge of fighting, protecting females, and raising the young. Females just need to be there to soothe the males and carry the next generation. Every alliance works the same way."

…

Meanwhile, inside a luxury estate elsewhere in the city.

"What? Scott actually agreed to be the guardian of a pure-human female?" A tall, fair-skinned woman in heels stormed down the hallway, heels clicking sharply as she overheard her mother, Lily Khielson, talking with her father, Jamari Sellers.

It was Vera Khielson. In the Interstellar therian world, children would take their mother's surname.

"That's right. I heard that pure-human girl has mind essence, too, but it's only F-grade," Lily replied with a frown. She looked clearly irritated, and honestly, even more upset than Vera.

"Vera is SS-grade! What the hell is Scott thinking?" she added, her face tight with frustration.

"Mom, come on. If Scott didn't choose me, then he didn't choose me. Why are you getting mad over it?" Vera flipped her hair, pretending she did not care.

But deep down, she did. It stung knowing that, in Scott's eyes, she lost to a pure human girl with the lowest possible mind essence.

Lily snapped, "Vera, this is exactly the problem! You never fight for what's yours. If you had just been a little more assertive, I don't believe Scott would've dared break Interstellar Alliance protocol.

"Now look. He's taken on a pure human. He's obviously making a fool out of you! Everyone in Stormclaw knows you're the only female with an SS-grade mind essence."

Vera rolled her eyes. "What do you want me to do? Force him? I don't do that. Besides, Scott's the type who never backs down once he's made a decision.

"Even if I had pushed him to be my guardian based on mind essence alone, he wouldn't have agreed. He'd probably rather face prison time than be forced into it."

She paused, then added quietly, "Sure, females have higher status than males, but that doesn't mean we get to trample over their free will. Interstellar Law says if a male refuses to become a female's guardian or partner, that choice has to be respected."

With that, Vera turned and walked back toward her own place, her expression faintly bitter. She had only come to Lily's estate to confirm the rumors about Scott.

Now that she knew the truth, which was not the answer she wanted, she saw no reason to stick around. After all, she needed time to sit with her disappointment and process it alone.

…

"I'm feeling fine now. Can I be discharged?" Analise asked the moment Kyle walked into the room.

Earlier, she had already added Scott's contact info with Finlay's help. Scott had told her he had an extra house she could stay in after leaving the hospital and mentioned that someone was already cleaning it up for her. Once she was discharged, she just needed Finlay to drive her over.

Analise figured that as long as she had a place to stay, that would be good enough. Besides, Scott was a commander and was probably too busy to keep tabs on her all the time.

Kyle nodded. "Yeah, everything looks good. You're clear to go. Just make sure your guardian takes proper care of you and come back right away if anything feels off."

Once the paperwork was finished, Finlay drove Analise to the house Scott mentioned.

It was about a ten-minute drive from the city, and the area was surprisingly scenic and peaceful. Analise guessed Scott probably preferred quiet surroundings.

"Alright, Ms. Chamber. We're here," Finlay announced as he stepped out of the car and opened the passenger door for her.

As Analise got out, she noticed Scott walking out of the house at that exact moment.

This time, he was dressed casually in a relaxed outfit, completely different from how he looked back in the hospital. There, he had been wearing a uniform—probably a military suit from this interstellar world that screamed authority, even when he smiled.

But now, the soft tones of his clothes, paired with his messy dark hair falling over his forehead, gave him a totally different air—like the charming guy next door. And that perfectly timed smile on his face? Yeah, it definitely added to the effect.

Well, except for those animal ears, which looked like he was actually role-playing.

Analise absentmindedly wiped at the corner of her mouth even though there was no drool and said to the system in her head, "I don't think he's watching me… I think he's flirting with me."

The system replied, "There's nothing to doubt—he is flirting. In the animal kingdom, the males usually compete for mates. Now that humanity's beastial DNA is activated and people have become therians, male competition is just part of nature again.

"The whole 'female rivalry' thing in human society was a result of thousands of years of conditioning. But once instincts come back into play, females naturally seek out strong, comforting, and protective males to bond with.

"So, males end up evolving—visibly and emotionally—toward what females like, whether it's strength, looks, or personality. Of course, some males are drawn to powerful females, too."

"Scott, didn't you always wear black?" Finlay asked, scratching his head with a confused look.

"Dr. Davies said black feels too harsh. I didn't want to make Ms. Chamber feel uneasy or intimidated, so I bought clothes with softer tones," Scott replied casually, though his eyes never left Analise.

"Is that so? Then, I guess I'll buy some new outfits, too," Finlay said thoughtfully.

Analise noticed that the corner of Scott's mouth was not curled up nearly as much after Finlay said that. She thought, "Well, well... Is this the start of some good old-fashioned male rivalry?"

So, maybe she was wrong—Scott was not watching her like a soldier. Instead, he was watching her like a man interested in her.

She glanced over at Finlay, who was still smiling like a happy golden retriever, and thought that being a little clueless might not be such a bad thing, after all.

"Ms. Chamber, Scott's house is in a great spot. There's a natural lake right at the base of that hill, just a few minutes from the backyard trail," Finlay said excitedly, pointing behind the house.

"It's spring now, so the trees back there are probably in full bloom, too. It's a perfect place to get some fresh air and clear your head. You want to go check it out with me?"

Analise saw Scott's brow twitch slightly at Finlay's enthusiasm, and it somehow made her happy. She replied, "It's getting dark. Let's go tomorrow."

Maybe this really was not about surveillance, after all. She looked at Scott again and wondered if a commander like him would actually lose his cool during male rivalry—she was kind of hoping he would.