"He has plenty of uses," Jian Rui said, his voice steady but low. "And he’s more than willing to do anything he is asked."
Seraphyne’s lips curled, not in amusent but in warning. "What does he want in return? Don’t tell it’s purpose. Or money."
Jian Rui didn’t answer imdiately. He tapped his communicator and flicked his wrist. A floating screen expanded in the air, displaying surveillance footage from the spacecraft on the day of the raid. Jian Ci was asleep, his breathing soft and even. Yu Xi sat nearby, unmoving, his gaze fixed on Jian Ci with a quiet intensity. Longing shimred in his eyes, unspoken and raw.
Seraphyne’s eyes darkened. "Jian Rui!"
Her voice cracked like thunder. Rage surged through her, old and deep. She had been the victim of an Esper’s obsession once despite being an Esper herself. Her body had been shattered by that beast, her pain etched into every fiber of her soul.
"Mum, don’t be angry," Jian Rui said quickly. "There’s a chance his genetic makeup holds solutions to Ah-Ci’s illness."
Seraphyne’s gaze didn’t soften. "What guarantee is there that he won’t do to Ci-er what that beast did to ? Can you guarantee , as your mother, that nothing will happen to your brother?"
Jian Rui clenched his fist. He couldn’t answer. He had believed bringing Yu Xi would help. That Yu Xi’s loyalty could be shaped, that his power could be contained. Yu Xi was a killing machine, one he wasn’t willing to let fall into enemy hands.
Seraphyne turned back to the screen. "Bring him here for a blood oath. And if he dares lay a finger on Ah-Ci... kill him."
Jian Rui bowed his head. "Yes."
Seraphyne’s expression remained cold, terrifying in its stillness. Her fist trembled, recalling the agony that had once consud her.
***
Jian Rui stepped into the kitchen, the scent of fresh herbs and simring broth lingering in the air. He found Jian Ci pressed close to Yu Xi, guiding his hands over the control panel of the stove.
Though most als were handled by the automated cooker, Seraphyne’s legacy of rich, handmade dishes had spoiled them all. Now, even the simplest breakfast was a ritual.
Jian Ci’s body was nearly plastered to Yu Xi’s, his voice low and instructive. Yu Xi listened intently, eyes focused, but jis gaze lingered on Jian Ci’s face, the affection in those eyes unmistakable.
Jian Rui sighed. "Yu Xi."
Both turned at once, like conjoined twins joined at the hip. Jian Rui gestured for Yu Xi to follow. Jian Ci called after them, "Don’t keep him long. Breakfast is almost done."
They entered the elevator, and as the doors slid shut, Jian Rui’s tone shifted. "Do you rember what you promised ?"
Yu Xi didn’t flinch. His gaze remained forward, expression firm. "I rember. You have nothing to worry about."
Jian Rui nodded. The promise was clear. Yu Xi would never reveal his intentions to Jian Ci, not ever.
"Good," Jian Rui said. "My mother will include that in the blood oath."
Yu Xi’s unreadable mask faltered. A crack appeared, subtle but telling. He had never heard of blood oaths before, but the weight in Jian Rui’s voice made it clear they were binding, and the consequences were grave.
The elevator descended in silence, the air between them thick with unspoken tension.
The doors soon opened with a soft chi, revealing a chamber cloaked in quiet reverence. Jian Rui gestured forward. "Go on. Just be truthful with every question she asks."
Yu Xi nodded, his face composed but his heart thudding. As the doors closed behind him, he stepped into the sanctum, trying not look around.
Seraphyne’s projection stood waiting, radiant and still. "Don’t be afraid, child. Co closer."
Yu Xi pursed his lips and walked forward, each step weighted with uncertainty. His chest felt tight, like sothing unseen was pressing against it. She gestured to the seat across from her, and he sat down stiffly, hands clenched in his lap.
Though her voice remained gentle, Seraphyne’s aura had shifted. She no longer as friendly as before. She felt like a commander, a sovereign presence whose authority was absolute. Yu Xi’s palms began to sweat.
She pointed to the glass pod at the centre of the room and said, "Take a look."
Yu Xi hesitated, then lifted his gaze. Inside the pod, Seraphyne’s real body floated in suspension, serene and untouched by ti. Her expression was peaceful, almost holy. It was a stark contrast to the formidable figure before him.
"I was once the leader of the Crown Blade Vanguard," Seraphyne said. "A S-rank Esper who commanded legions."
She smiled faintly. "I was born and raised on the battlefield. My na was revered and feared in Orion Drift... You might be curious as to how I ended up in this state."
Yu Xi sat frozen, his gaze locked on Seraphyne as she spoke. He had never heard stories like hers. He had never imagined that soone so graceful could carry such an intriguing past. Raised in isolation, his world had been narrow, clinical, and cruel. But Seraphyne’s presence was vast, like a legend made flesh.
"An Esper’s obsession with put in this position," she said, her voice calm but edged with old pain.
Yu Xi’s heart sank, a cold weight dragging it into the depths of his chest.
"You might not know this," she continued, "given your circumstance, but an Esper pairing with another Esper is chaos incarnate. Their auras clash like rival storms, each trying to dominate the other. The stronger the Esper, the more violently their field repels others. And when it cos to intimacy..."
She paused, letting the silence stretch.
"...such collisions can cause migraines, emotional instability, psychic hemorrhage, even death."
Floating screens materialized around them, displaying research papers, dical diagrams, and archived footage. The data was overwhelming, clinical, brutal and undeniable.
Yu Xi looked up, his entire body numb. The implications settled over him like frost. He had never known the outside world, never understood the danger his feelings might carry. Now, faced with the truth, awe turned to dread.
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