Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1522: A Connection?

While Delphine and Snowflake remained confused and lost deep within the forest, events unfolded far differently inside the palace laboratory...

”Hm... finally,” Xara muttered under her breath as she slowly lifted the metallic half-piece helmet from the motionless head. Her movements were precise and patient, fingers steady as though even the slightest mistake could undo days of careful work.

Like removing a mask, she separated the front metal plate first. The back section followed, sliding down with a dull clink against the table, revealing what lay beneath.

A human. A smooth, bald head caught under the laboratory lights.

Xara raised an eyebrow. She leaned in closer, studying every detail.

”Oh... you really do look human,” she murmured, ”That is... unexpected.” She nodded slowly, circling the table as her eyes scanned for signs of trauma. Apart from a few shallow scratches scattered across the scalp, there was nothing alarming, nothing fatal.

She hummed thoughtfully as she gently pried open his eyelids and directed a narrow beam of light into his eyes. The pupils reacted immediately, contracting with a clean and natural response that eased some of her tension.

”Good,” Xara said quietly, ”He’s still alive.” She straightened, gathering the dismantled helmet pieces in her hands before turning toward the adjoining room.

Lyirrs stood over a metallic figure laid out on a reinforced table, its body threaded with cables, circuits, and humming power conduits.... Displays blinked behind her in shifting patterns of data, numbers scrolling and graphs pulsing with rhythmic precision.

Xara did not interrupt. She placed the two helmet pieces gently on a nearby table.

”The last ones,” she said.

Lyirrs glanced over from her tablet, fingers pausing mid-motion. Her eyes moved to the perfectly severed helmet pieces, taking in their clean edges before she nodded once.

”So,” Xara continued after a moment, unable to hide the anticipation in her voice. ”Did you find anything?”

Lyirrs remained silent, eyes fixed on the display... Xara waited patiently with arms folded.

When Lyirrs finally set the tablet aside, she turned and said slowly.

”There’s something coming from it,”

”...Pardon?”

”The metallic figure,” Lyirrs explained, rotating the console so Xara could see. ”It has been emitting energy.” A fluctuating graph filled the screen, its frequency rising and falling with deliberate rhythm.

She folded her arms.

”I don’t know exactly what kind of energy it is,” she continued, ”but it’s going somewhere. This isn’t a malfunction or damage. Whatever it is, it’s active. And using that flow, I attempted to synchronise the frequency with our system.”

Lyirrs reached out, pressing several switches in sequence. The display shifted, lines of data collapsing into a single status readout.

”As long as the signal continues,” she said evenly, ”our system will follow it. It will trace it back to its origin.”

The screen flickered.

[Connecting.... 1%....]

Xara frowned deeply, stepping closer to the console.

”And that means...?” she asked. She already suspected the answer, but doubt held her back from fully accepting it.

Lyirrs inhaled slowly, ”If my calculations are correct,” she said, ”then this signal might be tied to the Terra Empire. We can talk to them.”

Xara’s eyes widened, ”You’re saying... we could contact them?”

Lyirrs nodded once.

”Yes. We might be able to speak with them directly. But only if I’m right,” she added, her tone lowering. ”And only if they recognise the signal and respond. If they don’t...” She paused briefly. ”Then this could all lead nowhere.”

Xara fell silent, humming thoughtfully as she stared at the screen... If they truly had a chance to speak instead of fight, everything could change. With Aether awake now, with his communication and understanding skills, diplomacy might finally replace Blood-Metalshed.

”Should we inform the Emperor?” Lyirrs asked, ”This could alter everything we’ve been preparing for.”

Xara hummed softly as she stared at the screen, her eyes lingering on the stagnant reading that still hovered at 1%. The glow reflected faintly across her face as she exhaled and shook her head.

”I don’t think it’s necessary right now,” she said after a moment, ”We can’t even be sure this will work, can we?” She tilted her head slightly, glancing toward Lyirrs.

Lyirrs nodded.

”So let’s wait,” Xara continued, ”Once the reading climbs higher and proves it’s stable, then we inform everyone.” Her gaze returned to the screen, fingers tapping lightly against her arm.

Lyirrs nodded again... Despite her agreement, she was absolutely going to inform the Emperor.

Not entirely because she wanted credit... Well, a little bit? But anyway, the most important reason was that she hadn’t seen Victor in nearly a month. Ever since the incident, he had vanished without explanation. Whenever she asked, the answer was always the same.

Busy!

Xara shifted her attention toward the metallic figure resting on the table.

”Anyway,” she said, her eyes narrowing slightly. ”About the arm I asked for. Was it possible?”

Lyirrs blinked, then sighed in tiredness.

”I’m... not sure,” she admitted carefully. ”From what I can tell, this was never meant to function independently. It’s worn like a garment. A shell. Without living flesh beneath it, movement is impossible.”

Xara’s brow furrowed, shadows creeping into her face... dark and dangerous.

”I am not asking whether you can do it or not,” she said slowly, ”I am asking you to do it.” She stepped closer, her eyes turning cold, sharp as ice.

”Do you understand me, girl?”

Lyirrs flinched, instinctively stepping back.

”B-But it’s impossible—” she began.

”Impossible?” Xara interrupted sharply. ”We didn’t even know things like this existed until recently, did we?”

”And yet here it is.”

Lyirrs fell silent, lips pressed together, unable to argue further.

Xara leaned in close, her voice lowering to a whisper.

”There is nothing impossible, Lyirrs,” she said quietly. ”Somewhere out there, someone is doing better than us. Or worse... someone is doing it perfectly.” Her hand gripped Lyirrs’s shoulder,

”While you hesitate and call it impossible, someone else has already made it possible. That’s who we are. We are finders. We search for the truth.”

Her grip tightened slightly.

”And we never stop,” she continued, her eyes burning with conviction. ”Even when we think we have the answer, we ask again. No! We ask why that answer exists.” Her voice trembled with intensity.

”This hunger must never die. Do you understand?”

Lyirrs nodded rapidly, like a frantic woodpecker.

Xara released her and exhaled. Her expression softened instantly, transforming into something warm and almost gentle.

”All the best,” she said with a faint smile. ”I’ll do my part too.” Her lips curved slightly as she added, ”I’ll wake that bastard up myself.”

With a soft hum, she turned and walked out of the room.

Lyirrs watched the door slide shut. She let out a long, trembling sigh and leaned against the table.

”Never stop... huh?” she muttered under her breath, rubbing her temples. ”Is she interested in that asshole or something?” The thought surfaced, dragging along the memory of an irritating smirk that made her scowl.

She shook her head sharply, forcing the image away.

Her gaze drifted downward, landing on the two helmet pieces resting quietly on the table.

She picked up the front section, turning it over in her hands. ”Maybe it has something,” she murmured to herself.

With a playful huff, she lifted it and pressed it against her face like a mask, exaggerating her expression.

”...There are holes?” she whispered in surprise. Her eyes widened as she realised there were openings for vision.

She was certain there hadn’t been any visible from the outside. She removed it and inspected it again.

Smooth... Solid!

No openings at all.

When she put it back, she could see it outside.

”Interesting...” she muttered, brows knitting together before a sudden laugh escaped her.

”Haha... How dare you look down on me, you lowly human?” she mocked dramatically. ”Just because you’re friends with my Emperor doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you.”

Chuckling to herself, she set the helmet down on the table.

Then—

Spark~

A flicker of light pulsed briefly from within the mask.

Lyirrs stiffened instantly, her amusement vanishing as she leaned in. She lifted the helmet, scanning its surface carefully.

Nothing happened again.

”Hm...” she hummed with a deep frown. ”I’m sure I saw something.”

Suddenly, an image of Xara kicking the Tower’s control when it didn’t work appeared in her mind.

She raised the half helmet and slammed it down onto the table.

Thud!

Spark~

Light flared again, brighter this time.

”Shit,”

****

Back in the Zephyra Empire, morning light filtered softly through the curtains, brushing against silk sheets and warm skin tangled together beneath them.

”Hmmm~”

Maelona groaned softly between her lips as she shifted in her sleep, instinctively snuggling closer to the warmth that had stayed with her throughout the night.

Her face relaxed, tension easing as her cheek pressed against a steady chest. Aether gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face and leaned down to place a tender kiss on her lips.

”Wakey, wakey,” he whispered playfully.

”Hmmm~”

Maelona groaned again, curling even closer, her arms tightening around him as if the world outside the bed no longer existed.

Aether smiled at the sight. He patted her head lightly and kissed the crown of it, lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

”May I leave now, my lady?” he asked softly, half-teasing, half-genuine.

Even in her sleep, Maelona frowned and hugged him tighter, her fingers clutching at his back as if refusing to let him go.

He chuckled quietly, combing his fingers through her hair with care.

”Oh dear...”

He had woken hours ago, yet he hadn’t moved. There were matters waiting, responsibilities demanding his attention, but when she had asked whether he was leaving after their first round, he had seen something fragile in her eyes.

A quiet fear rooted in old scars, whispering that she might no longer be enough... A womanly charm that she refused to accept!

The past had carved wounds deeper than she admitted.

So he stayed. He watched her sleep, memorising her peaceful expression, refusing to disturb her rest until now.

”Maelona~”

”Hm...”

”My sweet Maelona~”

”Hmm...”

”Come on,” he coaxed gently, brushing his thumb along her cheek. ”Wake up~”

”Hmmm...”

Aether’s lips twitched as he fought a smile.

”Does my voice make you sleepy, you naughty woman?” he teased, pinching her nose lightly.

”Hm...”

Maelona groaned again, a small pout forming even in sleep.

Aether sighed theatrically, then smirked as mischief sparked in his eyes.

”Oi, Mother-in-law,” he said loudly, unable to resist. ”Sleeping with your son-in-law feels that good?!”

Maelona’s eyes snapped open instantly, horror flashing across her face as if jolted awake from a terrible nightmare. Her breath hitched, body stiffening in shock.

Aether nearly burst into laughter but managed to hold it back, replacing it with a gentle smile.

”Look at that,” he said lightly. ”You finally woke up... After all those naughty things~”

Maelona flushed deeply and buried her face into his chest, shaking her head.

”S-Stop it! I’m not naughty!” she protested, her voice muffled. Though she tried to hide, her trembling ears betrayed her embarrassment.

Aether chuckled softly and kissed her forehead, ”And yet,” he murmured, ”you begged for more.”

”Hmfff!!”

Maelona groaned into his chest, her face turning an even deeper shade as she squirmed slightly, overwhelmed by shyness.

Aether’s smile softened as he gently combed her hair again.

”Did you sleep well?” he asked quietly.

”Hmmm...”

”I have some work to take care of,” he added carefully.

”Hmm...”

The hum carried a faint sadness this time, subtle but unmistakable. Aether noticed immediately. He lifted her chin gently, meeting her eyes with a reassuring smile.

”This man belongs to you now,” he whispered. ”There’s no need to feel sad... Not anymore.”

Maelona nodded, her expression soft and shy, emotion shimmering in her gaze.

”I... I’m sorry for being clingy—hmm~”

Her words were cut short as Aether kissed her, sealing her lips gently before pulling back just enough to whisper,

”There’s nothing to apologise for. I love it even more when you act clingy.”

Maelona blushed softly, but then stiffened as she felt a change beneath the quilt. Her eyes widened, heat flooding her face.

”Y-You monster!” she exclaimed, flustered beyond words.

Aether laughed, deep and amused, before easing her back onto the bed and sitting up, looking down at her with teasing confidence.

”What monster?” he said casually. ”You rode this monster all night, remember? You even asked for mor—”

”O-Stop it!” Maelona interrupted quickly, covering her ears. ”You said you have work, right? J-Just leave!” She shook her head vigorously, refusing to hear another word, her face burning with embarrassment.

Aether only smiled at her reaction, utterly pleased.

Aether chuckled again and leaned closer, rubbing his nose gently against hers.

”I love you,” he whispered.

”....”

”Huh?”