Intergalactic conquest with an AI
Chapter 82: Illumination.

Rex hesitated at the door, glancing around Cleo's room as he stepped inside. She was already there, looking at him with her mesmerizing golden eyes, an amused glint hidden in their depths.

"Uh, so you're okay with me being here?"

he asked, trying to sound casual but feeling the heat rise to his face.

Cleo tilted her head slightly, her expression calm.

"Yes. I prepared this room for both of us to sleep in."

Rex blinked, caught off guard.

"Both of us? As in, together? Don't you feel, I don't know... a little shy?"

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving in a hint of a smile as she turned to remove her hair accessories.

Why would I feel shy, Rex? You and I share the same essence, the same nucleus. My connection to you is as deep as it is inescapable. Sleeping together is simply a way to reinforce that bond. And besides,"

she added, almost to herself,

"it's not like this is the first time we've..."

Cleo trailed off; her cheeks tinged the faintest shade of pink. Before she could finish, the maid bots entered the room through a hidden door, moving efficiently to help her out of her dress. Rex found himself momentarily entranced, watching as the maids carefully peeled away layers of fabric, revealing more of Cleo's pale, flawless skin.

Catching his gaze, she narrowed her eyes slightly, though the faint flush in her cheeks betrayed her composure.

"Are you planning to sleep in those clothes, or..."

Rex snapped out of it, looking down at his own outfit.

"Uh, right. I'll... go change."

"That won't be necessary,"

Cleo said, her voice a little too casual as she gave him a lingering look.

"The maids will take care of it for you."

Rex blinked in confusion, then noticed the maid bots advancing toward him, clearly intent on "assisting" with his clothing.

"Wait—hold on,"

he protested, trying to fend them off as they began to tug at his jacket.

"I can undress myself, thanks!"

Cleo settled into a nearby chair, watching the struggle with an amused smirk as one of the maids brought her a silk robe, almost transparent, draping elegantly over her curves.

She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed on Rex with a mischievous glint. "

Oh, so I get a little show before bed, but you don't want to return the favor?"

She teased, biting her lip in mock anticipation.

Rex's focus wavered as he met her gaze, and that was all the opportunity the maids needed. With surprising efficiency, they managed to divest him of his clothes, leaving him stark naked. Rex quickly covered himself, glaring at Cleo with a mix of embarrassment and exasperation.

"And where exactly are my pajamas?"

Cleo chuckled, her voice taking on a playful, sultry edge.

"What pajamas? I happen to know you sleep naked."

He frozen, staring at her.

"Wait… how do you know that?"

Without answering, Cleo rose gracefully from the chair, crossing to the bed with deliberate slowness, letting him catch a glimpse of her bare back and the elegant curve of her waist as she slipped under the blankets.

She turned to him, one eyebrow raised, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Are you coming to bed, or do you plan to stand there naked all night?"

Rex hesitated, feeling the weight of her gaze and the unspoken challenge in her words. With a resigned sigh and a smirk of his own, he crossed the room and slid into bed beside her, pulling the covers up as he settled next to her.

The silence stretched for a moment, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension. Rex turned his head slightly, looking at her as she lay beside him, her eyes closed but a small, knowing smile on her lips.

"Goodnight, Rex,"

she murmured, her voice softer than usual.

He swallowed, his heart pounding in his chest as he replied,

"Goodnight, Cleo."

As the lights dimmed, he lay there, trying to calm his racing thoughts, acutely aware of her presence beside him. Tonight, sleep would not come easily.

Just as Rex was drifting off to sleep, he felt something warm and soft curl around him. Blinking his eyes open, he turned slightly to confirm what he already suspected. Find more to read on M-V-L

Cleo had, at some point in the night, shifted closer, wrapping her arms around him in her sleep. Her face was peaceful, her breathing soft against his shoulder.

Rex let out a deep, controlled sigh, closing his eyes and muttering under his breath,

"If there's a god out there... please, give me strength."

He kept whispering that mantra to himself until, eventually, he managed to fall asleep, despite the warmth and presence of Cleo nestled against him.

When morning came, Cleo was the first to wake. She blinked a few times, realizing with some amusement that Rex was lying on his back, hands folded together like he was in prayer, a look of intense serenity on his face. He looked like a monk who'd just reached enlightenment.

Unable to resist, Cleo leaned over and started poking him on the cheek.

"If you're trying to confirm if I've returned to the land of the living... yes, I'm awake,"

Rex mumbled, his eyes still closed, though he was fighting a grin.

"Good,"

she replied with a faint smirk.

"That means you can get up first, change, and head to the dining room. I'll join you after I'm dressed."

Rex cracked one eye open, giving her a playful look.

"Alright, fair enough... but this time, I get something in return."

Before she could ask what he meant, he moved swiftly, shifting so he was leaning over her, his face close to hers. Without a word, he captured her lips in a slow, lingering kiss, savoring the softness of her rosy lips. For a moment, Cleo's eyes widened in surprise, but then she relaxed, almost melting into the kiss.

When he finally pulled back with a smirk on his lips, he left her lying there, stunned, slightly flushed, and speechless. The maids entered to help him dress, and he allowed them to lead him out of the room, casting one last teasing glance at Cleo before he left for the dining room.

Cleo remained in bed for a moment, still processing what had just happened, a faint blush coloring her usually composed face. She touched her lips lightly, almost in disbelief, before giving herself a little shake and rising to get dressed.

A few hours later, Rex and Cleo were in the mansion's central command room. In contrast to the mansion's classic and refined decor, the command room was a hub of high-tech equipment, with sleek metallic walls lined with screens and devices that hummed with quiet energy.

Holographic displays projected data streams into the air, and multiple screens monitored everything from city surveillance to fleet logistics.

Rex looked around, whistling under his breath.

"Alright, now this looks like the lair of a galactic emperor. You sure know how to keep things high-tech."

Cleo didn't respond immediately; her focus was on a set of holographic panels displaying reports. But after a moment, she turned to him, her expression still as neutral as ever, though he could see a faint trace of color on her cheeks.

"Now that you're here, I assume you're ready for today's briefing."

She asked, ignoring his earlier antics with an air of professional calm. But Rex could tell she was still rattled, even if just a little.

"Absolutely,"

he replied, leaning against the control panel, grinning.

"After all, I did manage to get a kiss from the great Lady Cleo this morning. I think I can handle a briefing

."

Cleo shot him a withering look, but there was a tiny, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Don't let it go to your head, Rex."

He chuckled, feeling a rare warmth between them. "

Too late for that, princess."

"Hmph. Serve yourself, then,"

Cleo said, gesturing toward the seat at the head of the long, ridiculously grand table.

"Take a seat, please."

Rex looked at the chair she indicated, then back at her with a raised eyebrow.

"So... who exactly are we waiting for to fill up this comically large table?"

Cleo glanced at her tablet, her expression as neutral as ever.

"We're waiting for Carlos, Emilia, and Y'Ssera to join us. We'll begin planning our next steps once everyone arrives."

"Makes sense, I guess,"

Rex said, sliding into the head seat with a smirk. But then he frowned, looking at her.

"Still, can you explain why I'm sitting in this chair? The boss chair, at the head of the table? Shouldn't that be you

?"

Cleo blinked, momentarily confused by his question.

"Because you're the highest rank here."

Rex raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Wait a minute. I'm the highest rank? How does that work? You're the one who built this place, right? Doesn't that make you the one in charge?"

Cleo tilted her head, her expression serious as she considered his words.

"This is the optimal formation I calculated,"

she replied, as if the answer were obvious.

Rex crossed his arms, giving her an amused look.

"Alright, let me rephrase. What made you decide that putting me in charge was the optimal choice?"

Cleo hesitated for a moment, then looked him directly in the eye.

"You have a charisma that I... lack,"

she admitted, her tone softening slightly.

"Charisma is essential to lead others, to inspire them. That's something my father taught me."

Rex's eyes widened, catching the faint vulnerability in her voice.

"Your father? Wait… that reminds me."

He leaned back, trying to piece together a hazy memory.

"I had this strange dream recently, and in it, there was this figure who—"