Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 121. Catch-up with You

Aurelia led Zetius to a quiet corner of the corridor, far from prying eyes. He noticed her fingers trembling — underneath all those grand speeches, she was as terrified as anyone would be.

Eventually letting go of Zetius’s hand, Aurelia studied him intently, as though looking at a phantom. Her fiery red eyes shimmered with awe.

Zetius broke eye contact; her gaze was so intense, it became slightly uncomfortable.

“Stop glaring at me like that, would you?” he muttered.

She jolted, glancing away in a panic. “S-Sorry… I just couldn’t believe it. I just wanted to make sure, you know.” Her chest rose and fell, cheeks flushing with heat.

Now it was his turn to glare at her. He reached forward—

—and cupped her round cheeks. A smirk curved Zetius’s lips. She blinked at him in bafflement, lips parting slightly.

“Ouch—! Zeta~!” she groaned as he pinched and tugged at her bouncy cheeks. She tried brushing his hands away, but to no avail — Zetius stood his ground.

“Aurelia, this is for your recklessness! First, you jeopardised the entire mission! We worked hard all week. You were supposed to go straight to Celestius Vivian, but instead, you jumped off the cruiser!”

Her soft cheeks reddened even more as he yanked them.

“Soowwy!” Aurelia cried, a tear slipping down into his hands.

“And also for teasing me when I was Jack! That’s a Gaia-damned thing to do, teasing an old man like that!”

“Ouchhhh~ Sowwwy!” she whimpered, cupping his hands to stop him.

Eventually, Zetius ceased his light torture and watched her rub her cheeks, now flushed and sore.

“You didn’t have to do that, Zeta. You’re so mean!” she huffed, lips puffed in a pout.

Cubie landed on Aurelia’s shoulder, faintly glowing and pulsating. “Meanie!”

Her coherence had deteriorated again after disintegrating with the Armatus’s core processor.

Aurelia blinked. “What is this?!” she asked, startled.

“Cubie!” the floating Rubik's cube answered cheerily.

Zetius reached out, but the cube zipped away. “Mama~!”

“Mama?!” Aurelia gasped, wide-eyed.

“I wouldn’t pay too much attention to that. Umm… she’s a sentient essence?” Zetius tried to explain, though even he wasn’t sure how accurate that was.

“Hey! Come back!” he called out as Cubie zipped circles around them.

“Mama-Mama-Mama!” she repeated joyfully.

Still visibly confused, Aurelia tilted her head. “Wait… is she the phantom that said hello in the garden? I vividly remember that voice.”

“Well, you nailed it. That was the first time Cubie manifested, according to her.”

Aurelia’s eyes widened dramatically. She looked sideways, then gasped. “Are you implying… we’re her parents?” she asked, face burning red.

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“What?! I’m pretty sure Cubie never called me father,” Zetius replied flatly.

“Mama~!” Cubie hummed happily, landing in Aurelia’s palms before slowly dimming like she was falling asleep.

Aurelia chuckled at the adorable sight, while Zetius shook his head.

“Back to the topic, I needed to lecture you, Aurelia. I know Friederich tried his best, but he still treated you since he was under your grace. House Eir Regis swore absolute loyalty to the throne, so I don’t blame them.”

“But you’ve been left unchecked for too long. Your arrogance and recklessness will bring trouble for everyone.”

Aurelia didn’t argue. She nodded, acknowledging his words. Deep down, she agreed — what she did was foolish. Acting purely on instinct without a backup plan had led to her capture by Rhok and nearly endangered those who came to rescue her.

And if Ziyue hadn’t reacted fast enough to partially disarm the disruptor, all of them might have been executed.

“I’m truly sorry, Zeta,” she whispered. Her tone wasn’t strong, but it carried genuine reflection.

Zetius placed a hand on her red head. “Kiddo, you’ve been through so much in so little time. I’m sorry for leaving you alone all those years.”

“But I see how much you’ve grown. This cruiser could’ve been our enemy, one we’d have had to destroy, but you changed that. You proved today that you really are the Suntress.”

Aurelia lowered her head, body trembling. Quiet sobs escaped her lips.

She had carried so much sorrow, hiding it beneath a belief that Zetius hadn’t truly vanished. But in reality, all she had was a faint hope. Not knowing for certain if the man she loved had passed on was agony.

And yet, she never gave up on him, or on the world.

Of course, she was the destined Suntress of Solis Aeternum.

“So, Aurelia. You’ve done your best. Let’s go home, Your father would have been worried sick.” Zetius said gently.

His words hit her like a wave. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face against his chest.

Her muffled cries filled the empty hallway.

Zetius ran his hand through her red locks, silently comforting her. Despite the storm in his heart, he couldn’t share it — not because he didn’t trust her, but because she wouldn’t understand.

Two souls coexisted inside him. One broken. The other resolute.

Jack mourned deeply. Zetius kept going.

This lingering pain, he would bear it alone.

Mine alone. Not hers. She’s been through enough, he thought.

Aurelia’s sobs faded into background noise as his mind drifted. Lupus… what should I do? Frain… where are you now? Once I got Aurelia to safety, I’d do everything to seek you out. I promise.

His jaw clenched at the thought. Unconsciously, he pulled Aurelia closer in his arms.

“Ah?” she yelped softly from the sudden pressure.

He pulled back immediately. “Sorry,” he muttered.

She shook her head, eyes still glossy. “It was just a bit sudden… I~I don’t even know how to process all this.”

Zetius tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… Jack’s family is your family…umm,” Aurelia opened her mouth to speak, but no words came.

After a long pause, Zetius forced a smile. “I’m sure she’d have wanted me to keep going. To save Frain.”

He spoke steadily, always tactical and pragmatic, masking immense pain with purpose.

The mission kept him going.

Aurelia looked away nervously. “Do, um, do you want to talk about Lupus?” she asked, clasping her hands to her chest.

To her, it was a painful truth, both Jack and Zetius had loved Lupus unconditionally. Aurelia shook the poisonous envy from her heart before it took deep root.

Zetius shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Really.”

She fell quiet, lost in thought. “Lupus was like a ray of sunshine — kind-hearted, lighting up the world wherever she went. She was like a happy meal you had once… and never forgot. And on top of that, she was divinely cute, unlike me.”

Her deafening thought wavered slightly. “The world grew darker in the absence of her light.” Aurelia mulled over the memory with quiet sorrow. Though their time together had been brief, Lupus had undeniably left a mark on her life.

Zetius gently tapped her shoulder, snapping her back to reality. “Come on, let’s rest. I’ll take point on the bridge with Systems Director Sandria. You and Friederich should take a break.”

“Ah—” Aurelia began, but Zetius lifted a finger.

Her words caught in her throat. She simply nodded and murmured, “Thank you…”

And so, the two returned to the main bridge.