"Say...is did you notice something strange with DK?" Dr.Alissa asked as she scanned my helmet

"Nothing, why do you ask?" I replied with a question

"I scanned DK with this makeshift scanner I found inside this ship and noticed strange fluctuations on DK's energy"

"Ask Lilith" it is her task to monitor DK and me so she probably knows something

"Lilith, please share some info" Dr.Alissa asked out

Lilith connected to Dr.Alissa via a wireless connection and started having a private conversation.

After a while, Lilith and Dr.Alissa seems to have finished their discussion

"Do you know the history of DK?" Dr.Alissa asked

"All I heard was that DK was made out of the materials that I found on planet 656 a.k.a 'Hell'" planet hell, it was a planet that is too close to the sun so the land was barren and dead, the living organisms there have evolved to be able to withstand the heat.

I once went there on a hunt for information about a bug technology called 'Star collapse' but all I found was bones and a corpse of a gigantic lizard. I didn't have Lilith back then so I took it after discovering its hide that was tough enough to withstand a slash from Azazel

"Yeah, according to the info. That monster was the now extinct 'evolution demon', these 'evolution demons' were known to have been able to mutate and evolve to be able to survive in the land that they're living in. Due to this, they've always been hunted down to develop a new kind of armor, an armor that evolves but in the end, there was too little information and they were unable to produce the evolving armor that they dreamed of"

"If that's so then how was DK developed? "

"DK was easily made because the 'evolution demon' you sent was already dead, the scientists that wanted to develop the evolving armor wanted to create it out of an 'evolution demon' that was alive to create the actual living armor"

"Oh..." I didn't know

"But...these fluctuations are weird..." Dr.Alissa turned her head to the monitor

"*sigh* with lack of equipment we can't really discover the problem..." Dr.Alissa gave up and looked at me

"Then there's the bug infestation on this planet to boot..." I helplessly sighed.

"Hey Zeno, for as long as I remembered you were always looking forward...always eager to kill those bugs, all I can see was your back" Dr.Alissa sat at the table, I was still lying down on the examination bed.

"The day that I took you in for my own research's sake I always thought that after turning you into a cyborg, you would go off and die like the rest so I always wanted to create a wall between us" Dr.Alissa continued.

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I could only stay silent and listen to Dr.Alissa.

"How did it get this way? Before I knew it I was in love with you...Zeno, I love you" Dr.Alissa had her back facing me so I couldn't really see her face but I was sure that she had tears rolling down her face judging from the stifled cries from time to time.

I couldn't really answer I mean, I love Dr.Alissa, this is something I realized from the moment before I was sent to this world but there's still the bug infestation that I need to face, I want to eradicate them before I start living my life with Dr.Alissa so that I could have a peace of mind. Alright, I will apologize and explain it to Dr.Alissa...sorry but I can't love you...not yet

I was about to reach out my hand but I started second guessing my decision.

It's not just Dr.Alissa, I too created a wall between us...I was too hung up on exterminating the bugs for the people that I lost that I started forgetting about the people I still have, I love Dr.Alissa, that's a fact. I won't make the same mistakes again, it will be hard but only if I do it with a half-baked conviction.

"Dr.Alissa...I too love you, it will be hard but I want to try" this is my answer

Dr.Alissa turned around and looked at me with a surprised face as tears rolled down her face, she wasn't expecting my answer it seems...

"Zeno...I-I..." Dr.Alissa kept stuttering so I just pulled her in and hugged her

We stayed like that for a while before she moved in to kiss me but out of nowhere...

"Intruder! A female has been caught hiding in the bushes near the ship, requesting officer Zeno to give the decision whether to execute her or not" Guardian 3 barged in

The moment was ruined and Dr.Alissa could only blush before burying her face deep in my chest

"Is it Cynthia? " I asked, they should know about Cynthia by now

"Negative, she is a female who calls herself 'Liliana'" Guardian 3 instantly replied

Oh God why?! My heart sank

"Where is she?" I asked again.

"She is currently outside the ship, kneeling"

I put on the mask and the robes I used to cover DK before going out

"I knew it!!" I was greeted by Liliana's shouts of joy

"What are you doing?" I helplessly asked

"Finding out the truth! And it all paid off!" She had a satisfied smile

"Ever heard of the saying 'curiosity kills the cat'?" I asked as I unsheathed Azazel and pointed it at her neck, she had her hands and feet tied by the Guardians so she can't move an inch

"You won't kill me" she had that confident face

"Wanna bet on it?"

"Zeno! What are you doing?!" Dr.Alissa came out of the ship and asked

"Dr.Alissa, I just wanted to scare her before making her promise to not talk about it" Seriously I was, I can't kill a civilian

"First, call me by my name, we're lovers now

Second, why would you scare a young and beautiful lady?!" She knocked on my helm

"I'm sorry, Guardian 2!" I called out and Guardian 2 undid the rope on Liliana's hands and feet

"Are you alright? I apologize for the way you've been welcomed" Alissa quickly apologized

"Are all of you here artificial life forms?!" Liliana held both of Alissa's hands and asked

"Artificial lifeforms?" Alissa had a different understanding of the words

"You, and Zeno, release only half the life force aura that regular humans exude while those 'Guardians' have none at all" Liliana quickly explained

"Oh? Yes, yes, we are these artificial lifeforms" Lilith quickly shared her info with Alissa which helped her gain a better understanding

"Haah...haah...I've found it...my paradise!" Liliana kept breathing hard

"Don't touch the Guardians" I quickly spoke, each Guardian has a role to fulfill so I can't have one dismantled

"You're no fun" Liliana quickly lost ger excitement

"Come on in" Alissa beckoned Liliana inside the ship, they entered and I was left outside

"Guardian 3" I called out

"Officer Zeno" Guardian 3 quickly arrived in front of me

"Which among you Guardians is the best at scouting or stalking?" I asked

"Guardian 4, officer, Guardian 4 has a high tracking ability and even had an invisibility mode installed

Each Guardian team was composed of 5 Guardian, each has a specific job that they excel in. So if I'm not wrong, there should still be a medic, a and a mechanic, I'm not sure about the others but having a mechanic and medic Guardians are a must in every Guardian team.

I walked back to the ship and saw Liliana marveling at all the stuff inside.