Intergalactic conquest with an AI

Lilla sighed softly; her gray eyes remained closed as she answered. "I will say this only once. Try not to make rude remarks while you're here. The machines aboard this ship are fiercely loyal to their leader, and they won't forgive you for insulting him, even unintentionally. Be careful of your tongues."

The maid nodded quickly, her face pale as she straightened her posture.

The group continued in silence; the soft hum of Cleopatra's systems was the only sound as the bot maid led them through gleaming halls and automated doors.

When they finally arrived at the gym, the doors slid open to reveal the vast space dominated by the massive pool. The water shimmered under the soft lighting, casting faint reflections onto the walls. But at first glance, the pool seemed empty.

"Are you sure he's here?" one of the maids asked hesitantly while glancing around the room.

The bot maid didn't answer with words. Instead, it raised a metallic finger and pointed toward the pool's metallic stairs, where small ripples could be seen disturbing the water.

Everyone turned their gaze toward the stairs with curiosity mixed with unease.

Moments later, a figure began to emerge from the water. At first, they couldn't make out much from the broad outline of someone rising slowly while the water cascaded down the figure's body as they stepped closer to the edge.

The first detail they noticed was his height since he was tall, easily over 2 meters, and his imposing presence was amplified by his silence. His long black hair clung to his face and shoulders, obscuring his features but giving him an almost ethereal, otherworldly appearance.

Then there were his muscles, chiseled and gleaming under the pool's lights. Every movement emphasized his physical power, his skin marked with faint golden scars that looked like glowing circuitry etched into his body.

These marks were remnants of both his battles and his enhancements that added a strange but undeniable allure to his already commanding presence.

As the last water dripped off him, Rex reached up with one hand and pushed his wet hair back, revealing his face at last. His golden eyes burned like embers, sharp and piercing as they scanned the group that had just arrived.

The scene was something out of a storybook, a commanding figure emerging from the depths like a mythological sexy god.

The effect on the room was immediate.

The maid's faces flushed bright red, their nervous whispers dying in their throats. Even the Templars, disciplined as they were, couldn't help but glance at each other awkwardly, clearly affected by Rex's overwhelming presence.

And then there was Lilla.

Despite all her training in composure and grace, she felt her breath hitch as Rex's piercing gaze locked onto her. Her gray eyes widened slightly, and she couldn't stop herself from gulping, the sound painfully loud in her ears.

She quickly straightened her posture, trying to regain her usual calm demeanor, but the faint pink tint on her cheeks betrayed her.

Rex raised an eyebrow slightly as he looked over the group while a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Welcome aboard the Cleopatra," he said, his deep voice resonating through the room. "I hope the trip wasn't too tiring." Enjoy new tales from empire

Lilla opened her mouth to respond, but for once, the words didn't come immediately. It wasn't just his appearance or the sheer physicality of him; it was the way he carried himself and the quiet confidence that seemed to radiate from him effortlessly.

"No, it wasn't," she finally managed, her voice calm but slightly breathless. "Thank you for inviting us."

Rex nodded, his golden eyes lingering on her for a moment longer before he turned and walked toward the edge of the pool. "Good. I thought it was about time we met properly."

The sound of his footsteps echoed softly as he picked up a towel, slinging it over his shoulder casually.

For Lilla and her entourage, this meeting was already shaping up to be far more overwhelming than they had expected.

Rex placed the dumbbell back on the floor with a quiet thud, his golden eyes briefly glancing at Lilla as she made her way to a nearby seat.

The dim light of the gym reflected off the faint golden markings across his body, adding an almost ethereal glow to his muscular frame. He reached for a nearby towel, dabbing away the faint sheen of sweat on his brow before speaking again.

"Do forgive me, little Lilla," Rex said, his voice calm but carrying the undertone of strain from his workout.

"Receiving you like this is far from ideal... but after waking up, there have been... complications with my body. This is part of my rehabilitation. You'd be amazed at how much sleeping for months can wreck your muscles, even if it does wonders for fat loss."

He chuckled softly, though his voice still sounded slightly fatigued.

Lilla tilted her head slightly, observing him in silence for a moment. Then, with a subtle wave of her hand, she signaled for her entourage to leave.

The maids, always quick to obey, bowed deeply and exited the gym without hesitation. The guards, however, lingered for a moment, their eyes darting between Lilla and Rex.

Their instincts screamed against leaving the Saintess alone, even with a supposed ally. But after seeing Lilla's unyielding expression, they reluctantly bowed and followed the maids out.

Now alone with Rex, Lilla walked forward, her graceful steps betraying a slight uncertainty. Her gray eyes, though blind to the physical world, locked onto Rex's glowing figure.

She could "see" him, but the rest of the room remained a hazy void to her unless Rex interacted with something directly. For example, the dumbbell he had just set down had briefly become visible to her, as had the machine he was using.

Lilla reached the seat and sat down slowly, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "There's nothing to forgive, Rex," she said with her voice being gentle but curious. "We were the ones who decided to come, after all. I'm more curious about why you wanted to speak with me like this."

Rex let out a faint sigh as he adjusted himself on the machine, his golden eyes locking onto hers. "Well," he began, "truthfully, I didn't ask to speak with you. My wife did."

Lilila's eyebrows arched slightly. "Cleo?" she asked with her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Rex confirmed with a small nod. "But she's busy right now with the twins. They've caused quite the chaos on the ship today. So, it was left to me to deliver the message she wanted to share with you."

Lilla couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, imagining the twins running circles around Cleo. "I see," she said. "And what message does Cleo have for me?"

Rex leaned back slightly, his golden eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Well," he began, "she said this, You should take better care of the little mice inside your house.'"

Lilla tilted her head slightly with confusion flickering across her face. "Mice?"

Rex continued with his tone, even and calm. "She said, There are some mice that are trying to get food from a neighbor in a different house. But this neighbor will only feed them if they bring valuable stuff with them.'"

He stopped speaking and simply stared at her, letting the weight of Cleo's words settle.

Lilla's expression darkened slightly, her graceful composure shifting as her mind worked quickly to decipher the metaphor. "You're saying," she began, her voice calm but edged with steel, "that there's someone selling information about the human empire to a third party?"

"Well," Rex replied while shrugging slightly, "that's what she said. Not that I know much about these sorts of things myself." He leaned forward, his golden eyes meeting hers. "But there's one more thing she told me to tell you."

Lilla's heart sank slightly, though her expression remained neutral. "What is it?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

Rex paused as though choosing his words carefully before speaking in a soft, almost casual tone. "She said that theres an old human saying in ancient texts: A dog that bites the hand that feeds him is better off dead.'"

Though Rex's voice carried no malice, the words hit Lilla like hammers. She stiffened slightly, her serene mask cracking for a brief moment.

To anyone else, it would have seemed like an insignificant metaphor, but to Lilla, the meaning was painfully clear: Cleo was fully aware of humanity's true stance toward the Kaelzars and, worse, toward Rex himself.

The silence that followed was deafening. Lilla's mind raced her thoughts in a tangled web of concern and calculation. If Cleo truly knew the extent of the human council's distrust of the Kaelzars, then it meant they were being watched far more closely than they realized.

Lilla forced a smile onto her face, though it felt hollow. "I will keep that in mind," she said with her voice soft but slightly strained.

Rex tilted his head slightly, his sharp golden eyes studying her for a moment before nodding. "Good," he said simply. He then stood, picking up the dumbbell again and resuming his workout without another word, as though the conversation hadn't shaken the very foundation of Lilla's resolve.

But for Lilla, the words echoed in her mind like a storm.

After sitting in silence for a few more minutes, Lilla finally stood and excused herself, her voice steady despite the turmoil brewing within her. As she exited the gym, her maids and guards fell into step behind her, but none of them dared to ask about what had transpired inside.

Once alone in her quarters aboard the Cleopatra, Lilla sat down heavily on a cushioned chair, her elegant hands trembling slightly as she replayed Rex's words in her mind.

"A dog that bites the hand that feeds him is better off dead...."