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That was the only cure for us, right? So I played my role as she wished.

I knowingly continued to deceive her.

☾

A month had passed since Bernova’s death, we both turned seventeen. Mina was still numb, unresponsive but at least she still spoke to me. She seemed to have lost faith in the world, yet she kept smiling at me.

Nowadays, only the idea of the guardian robot Remi remained for her. Finally, she had nothing else but me. Only me.

But was this what I truly wanted?

After all, Mina had a deep soul perceived even the ordinary things with amazement. But now it was gone. She was so different now. Bernova’s death had stolen her ability to see beauty. It had ravaged her existential wonder, thrown her into an endless labyrinth of sorrow. She could no longer see beauty in anything, nor spread her love like she once did. Her warmth no longer reached anyone.

I had thought this wouldn’t bother me. It was easier to hold onto someone who was broken and alone. But watching her gradual transformation into a shell was the last thing I wanted. I once experienced that emptiness, and the thought of Mina now feeling it too… was excruciating.

I wished to be useful to her. But how useful could a robot ever be to a human?

Her father, Mr. Olind, had stopped coming home altogether. Her best friend Angelica had died, yet Mina tried to smile. She had told me not to worry, she would drop out of school and start an apprenticeship at a news agency, covering my expenses. I had given her a pat on the head, saying it wasn’t necessary. My Mina always worried about silly things.

“I want to be strong for you, Remi.” she had said. “I told you years ago, I’ll be a master you won’t be ashamed of.”

Strength. I had begun to reconnect with that word. If I wanted the world to stop, I needed that power. If Mina hated humanity and wanted to leave here, I had to give it to her.

Whoever had stolen her light… I wanted them gone. The entire world, if needed. But I was powerless; there were still things I couldn’t control. That’s why I needed more power.

To be able to stop the world, even destroy it.

“Glad to see you here, son.”

I was in the Loxton estate now. Sebastian sat down on the chair next to me. And there was another man in front of us.

The President.

“It’s been a long time, Ray.”

He was one of my mother’s patients, which was how I’d met him. I merely inclined my head in a slight nod.

“I heard Sebastian took you under his wing.”

I remained still, my gaze shifting calmly to Loxton. Then I let out a little sigh.

“Nothing has been made official.”

“Not that I’m surprised; I expected nothing less from you.” He continued without listening me. “Look how far you’ve come, Ray. I was planning to take you in after your parents died. Sebastian got ahead of me.”

The men exchanged a look and laughed, while I arched a brow. “I had no idea I was that valuable.”

“Oh, you are. And when we leave Mars in a few years, you’ll be needed even more.”

My brows lifted higher. Crysaora—also known as Crysa—was a troubled subject that had consumed the people of Mars for the last two decades. The cylindrical habitat floating through the galaxy was an impenetrable refuge built to shelter people in the event of a potential disaster. However, very few knew the truth: it was an escape for only the wealthy. Unless you contributed to society or Martian technology, setting foot in such a flawless space haven was impossible.

“Who knows we’ll be able to go? I heard the atmospheric panels failed the tests again.”

“Minor details, Ray. We’ll just divert the budget we set aside for purifying Mars’ oxygen—problem solved.”

“The budget you cut from the working class’s taxes?”

His amused demeanor vanished, his stern gaze turned to Sebastian as if to say, “Get rid of him,” I stood up. And Sebastian rose alongside me.