Chapter 6 You're About to Undergo a Second Awakening

Alexander parted his lips, about to refute Felix, but as soon as he uttered a single "No," a sudden commotion sounded from the adjacent room, followed by Jacob's urgent voice. He immediately stood up and strode toward the voice. "What happened?" he demanded as soon as he entered, only to find Tessa curled up on the bed with her eyes shut while Jacob was retrieving a household medical device, carefully running a check-up on her. "Tess took a fall," Jacob explained. "Said she suddenly felt really dizzy." Alexander had no interest in questioning when Jacob had gotten close enough to start calling her "Tess." Instead, he frowned. "Why the sudden dizziness?" Before Jacob could answer, Felix's voice rang out from the still-connected video call. "Intermittent dizziness is a classic symptom of a female awakening her mental power. Could she be experiencing a second awakening?" Though cases were rare—perhaps one in a few centuries—historically, there had been females who failed to awaken their mental power at 18, only to undergo a second awakening later on. Jacob quirked a brow at Alexander, only then did Alexander realize he had forgotten to hang up the call. Without hesitation, he ended it immediately. "Did the Marshal get on your nerves again?" Jacob asked hesitantly. Having known Alexander for years, he was well aware of the uncle and nephew's complicated relationship. They were close but constantly at odds. "He wants to separate me from Tessa," Alexander said icily. Jacob nodded in understanding. "Tess doesn't have mental power, and your Ferality Index is dangerously high. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been reassigned from the front lines. The Marshal is just worried about you." For males, excessive negative emotions could drastically increase their Ferality Index. Soldiers, who were constantly exposed to battlefield stress and violence, were among the most susceptible to losing control. That was precisely why males with high Ferality Indexes were not advised to choose a female without mental power as a mate. Alexander remained silent. Not wanting to press the issue, Jacob shifted his focus back to analyzing the readings on the medical scanner. Once Tessa had fallen asleep, they both stepped out of her room. Jacob then told Alexander, "Marshal Lyon wasn't wrong. Tess might really be experiencing a second awakening. She's already showing signs of mental power fluctuations, and her dizziness is directly related to that." It was already late afternoon when Tessa woke up. Seeing the two males standing just outside her door, she felt a little guilty. "Did I scare you? It was just hypoglycemia. I get dizzy all the time—it's nothing serious." Jacob chuckled. "You're right that it's not serious, but it's not hypoglycemia. You might be undergoing a second awakening." This should have been a joyous occasion. Every female in the Empire dreamed of possessing mental power—the stronger, the better. A high-level mental power meant greater status, more respect, and the ability to attract powerful mates, ensuring a more luxurious life. Jacob and Alexander had already thought about how to celebrate the news with her. But to their surprise, the young female didn't react with excitement. Instead, her expression turned strangely unreadable. Tessa had no idea how Jacob had come to this conclusion, but he was definitely mistaken. I'm human. Where would I get mental power from?! However, seeing how happy Alexander and Jacob were, she didn't have the heart to correct them. She just hoped they wouldn't be too disappointed later on. Jacob adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and reminded her, "From now on, you need to eat regularly and increase your nutrient intake. Standard nutritional supplements won't be enough for you. I've ordered a batch of specially formulated ones." Alexander, on the other hand, recalled how much Tessa seemed to crave real food. This was common among females—they despised the bland taste of nutritional supplements and preferred natural cuisine. As it happened, Alexander—despite his fearsome reputation—had once been a top student in culinary courses. "If you don't want to drink nutrient packs," he offered, "I'll cook for you. What kind of food do you like?" Jacob was startled when he heard Alexander's offer, an immediate sense of crisis welling up inside him. He had completely overlooked the fact that females had preferences for taste—not just nutritional balance. Moreover, since he had once been a staunch advocate of bachelorhood, he had never intended to serve a female. Back in his academy days, he had merely scraped by in culinary courses, just enough to pass. Naturally, his skills were nowhere near Alexander's. He never thought he would see the day when this mattered. Annoyed with himself, Jacob made a mental note to start studying and practicing his cooking immediately. "Oh, but actually, the nutrient packs taste fine," Tessa said hesitantly. She had long since lost faith in interstellar cuisine. But then, an idea struck her. Her eyes lit up, and she changed her mind. "How about I cook dinner instead? As a thank-you for taking care of me these past two days!" Alexander and Jacob were stupefied. She's got to be joking, right? Letting a female cook for us? If the Federation for Female Welfare found out, we'd probably be dragged to court! But before they could stop her, Tessa had already dashed into the kitchen, eager to explore the available ingredients. Potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes… and a whole bunch of unfamiliar produce she had never seen on Earth. The meat, at least, looked similar to what she recognized—though she had no idea what kind of creatures they came from—and the cuts were already neatly categorized. At that, she picked out some ribs and a piece that resembled beef brisket. Surprisingly, the spices and condiments available were quite complete. However, a major problem quickly presented itself—she had no idea how to operate interstellar cooking equipment. Alexander finally saw the chance to intervene. "I'll do the cooking. You can tell me what to do." Though he was certain that this was all just a whimsical idea on her part. A female cooking? That's unheard of. An amnesiac female, no less. Still, he was more than willing to indulge her as long as she was happy. Even if, under her guidance, they ended up with something inedible, he figured he would still eat it with a straight face. His body was strong enough to handle some minor culinary disasters. So, under Tessa's direction, Alexander chopped the ribs into sections, rinsed them thoroughly, and then placed them in a pot of cold water with scallions and ginger. Since there was no cooking wine, she had him substitute it with a different kind of alcohol before blanching the ribs and removing them. Alexander had never learned these methods before. He didn't fully understand them, but he followed her instructions without hesitation. Meanwhile, Jacob assisted by cutting the other ingredients into the exact shapes Tessa requested. She then guided Alexander through the process of caramelizing sugar, stir-frying the ribs, adding seasonings, and simmering everything to perfection. As the rich aroma of braised pork ribs and potatoes filled the air, spreading throughout the kitchen, Tessa was already moving on to the next dish—beef stew with tomatoes. Both were slow-cooked dishes that should have taken a significant amount of time on Earth. Yet, in the interstellar era, they were ready within minutes—without sacrificing the deep, simmered flavors. At Jacob's insistence, the final dish, sauteed asparagus, was prepared by him. However, his meticulous nature got in the way—he took Tessa's vague instructions like "a sprinkle" and "just enough" far too literally, questioning her precise measurements at every step. Tessa nearly lost her mind. Seeing her frustration, Jacob quickly apologized, and in the end, the dish turned out well enough. Three dishes for three people—just the right amount. The main course was a type of dry, bread-like staple that resembled dinner rolls. Having endured two days of interstellar meals, Tessa finally smelled something familiar. For a fleeting moment, it felt like she was back on Earth. But there was nothing left for her there. She smiled lightly, feeling at peace with herself. In the Empire, meals were traditionally structured around the female. The male partners were expected to serve her food throughout the meal. If the female was in a good mood, she might leave them some leftovers. When Tessa had first heard about this rule, she thought it sounded like some bizarre master-and-servant roleplay. Of course, she had no intention of making them eat her leftovers. After sampling a bite of each dish, she gestured for Alexander and Jacob to join her. "Come eat with me." Still, worried that Earth cuisine might not suit therian tastes, she discreetly glanced at the two men, watching their reactions.