Chapter 11 I’ll Take It Seriously
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Though her time with the lion had been brief, Tessa could no longer stand by and ignore its suffering. Whether it was a real lion or a therian, she wanted it to survive and live well.
“If I awaken mental power, I’ll be able to soothe him, right?” she asked Jacob.
Jacob had never been so jealous of Alexander in his life.
He didn’t envy Alexander’s prestigious background, his military rank, or the powerful uncle who held a high position. But he couldn’t stand the fact that Alexander–albeit in lion form–had managed to find a place in Tessa’s heart before he did.
What’s so great about that lion, anyway?
Suppressing the bitterness that threatened to creep into his voice, Jacob forced himself to remain. calm and composed as he replied, “You don’t have to take responsibility. He’s not your mate.”
But Tessa frowned, sensing that he was dodging her question. After a moment of thought, she remembered an important detail–to provide mental comfort to a male, a female’s mental power rank couldn’t be too far below the male’s genetic rank.
“What’s his rank?” she asked.
Females were ranked according to their mental power, from lowest to highest: E Rank, D Rank, C Rank, B Rank, A Rank, and the extremely rare S Rank.
Males, on the other hand, were classified by their genetic rank, which determined their physical and mental capabilities. Their scale mirrored that of females, from E Rank to the legendary S
Rank.
Jacob hesitated, unwilling to answer. But faced with Tessa’s determined gaze, he had no choice but to admit, “S Rank… He’s an S–Rank male.”
Tessa froze, stunned by the revelation. An S Rank male… No wonder
Only females of A–Rank or higher could effectively provide mental comfort to an S–Rank male. Even B–ranked females could barely make a difference.
In truth, the best results came from an S–Rank female. But it had been centuries since the Empire had seen a female awaken to S–Rank mental power. After the last known S Rank female passed away, the highest rank any female could achieve was A Rank. And even then, they were exceedingly rare, making up only 2% of all females.
The odds were so slim that Tessa couldn’t muster much confidence that she would be one of those lucky few.
Jacob sat beside Tessa on the living room couch and handed her a cup of warm tea.
The dejected look on her face tugged at his heartstrings, but he wouldn’t tell her that he, too, was
Chapter 11 11 Take It Seriously
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For him, mental comfort was important but not essential. What mattered was becoming Tessa’s mate. Even if she couldn’t soothe him, he was willing to accept his fate with no regrets.
But that was his choice; he wasn’t sure if that lion felt the same. Most males clung fiercely to life. and would only bond with a female who could provide the comfort they needed. And with at marshal for an uncle, Alexander would undoubtedly be pressured to seek a mate who could save. him from spiraling out of control.
“You don’t have to worry too much about him, Jacob said gently. “His Ferality Index just passed 80. He can still be saved.
Only when it reached 100 was there no hope.
Tessa took a slow breath, pulling herself together. He’s right. A–Rank females may be rare, but they’re not extinct like S–Rank females. If the lion tries hard enough, he should be able to find a female who can provide mental comfort. Besides….
Her thoughts drifted back to the black mist she’d seen clinging to the lion’s body–intangible, yet something she could burn away with focused effort.
If he’s a therian, then maybe that black mist has something to do with his Ferality Index. Could the process of destroying it actually be a form of mental comfort?
Curious, she described the black mist to Jacob and asked if he knew what it was. But to her surprise, Jacob looked genuinely stunned. “Hold on–I’ll check the medical archives.”
Despite his extensive medical knowledge and years of experience, he’d never heard of anything like that before..
It wasn’t surprising that males couldn’t see the mist. But even among females, there had never been any mention of such a phenomenon. Jacob suspected there might be a gap in hist knowledge, so he combed through the available scientific literature, searching for any clues.
Yet no matter how many documents he sifted through, he found nothing. Even the historical records of S Rank females who had passed away contained no references to seeing black mist.
Jacob was stunned.
Tessa was even more so. So other females can’t see the black mist?
Their eyes met, and Tessa couldn’t help pressing on. “Well, how do other females provide mental comfort to males? Can you teach me how it works?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Jacob froze as if struck by lightning.
Right before her eyes, his pale complexion rapidly flushed crimson. His usually composed features crumbled into a mixture of awkwardness and embarrassment, his gaze darting away as if she’d just whispered something scandalous.
For a moment, he seemed utterly speechless. His breath hitched, uneven and audible in the
Chapter 11 Take 1 Seriously
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It took him several seconds to regain enough composure to speak, though his eyes still refused to meet hers. When he did, his voice was carefully controlled, but the tension lingered beneath the
“Females typically only provide mental comfort to their mates.”
Tessa knew that much. She’d always assumed it was because a female’s limited mental power was naturally prioritized for her partner. But something about Jacob’s reaction–and the way he specifically emphasized that line–set off a warning bell in her head.
Sure enough, Jacob’s next words made her heart skip a beat.
“Because the method of providing mental comfort… is mating.”
During the union, the female’s mental power would pulse and overflow, resonating with the male’s mind and easing his feral instincts. That was why females typically only provided mental comfort to their mates.
Tessa’s mind went blank–but that didn’t stop the heat from rising up her neck and flooding her checks.
Apparently, blushing was contagious because now her face was burning just as brightly as Jacob’s. And Jacob, as if determined to make it worse, added softly, “You’ve lost your memories, so I won’t take your invitation seriously this time. But if you ask again… I will.”
Tessa’s face practically burst into flames.
Oh god–why?!
She wanted nothing more than to travel back three minutes in time and strangle her clueless past. self before she could utter such a ridiculous question.
Whimpering in mortification, she buried her face in the couch cushions as if she could somehow disappear into them. And just when she thought she couldn’t possibly feel more flustered, Jacob’s hand rested gently on her shoulder.
The warmth of his palm seeped through her clothes, sending a shiver down her spine–like an electric current that left her entire body tingling.
