Loved by the War Machine

39 – There is a reason for obsession (3)

The corners of his mouth went up slowly.

I didn’t know that his rigid attitude would become so intense.

“I was sure that the relationship between you and Master Taehyuk was that of lovers.”

However, why have you had contact with other women besides me?”

“Illia, you definitely… didn’t say there’s no gender, right?”

The once stern attitude completely reversed.

The artificial intelligence, which had drawn a line claiming to move according to calculations,

immediately attacked me as soon as the line was erased.

“Do you perceive me as male, Taehyuk?”

“There’s no way.”

“So, I ask.

Why did you have contact with Godayeon?”

Illia, who lowered her head decisively, scanned my eyes.

But it wasn’t intimidating. Instead,

I could only smile.

“…Is that how much you love me, Illia?

Just comforting the little grown-up now?”

“Godayeon of Tech Boys is one of the individuals who put Taehyuk in danger.

Unlike Tanaka Haru, who consistently induced stress,

she directly threatened Taehyuk’s survival.”

“Your words are a bit harsh, Illia.

The ones directly involved were the enhanced humans from the Omnise Military Corporation that appeared on the scene.

Indirectly, wouldn’t it be them?”

“The one who assigned that mission to Taehyuk-nim is Goda Yeon.”

Another woman radiated resentment towards Ilia as if it were a protruding thorn.

But the sight didn’t feel entirely serious.

Because I thought this approach towards me might ultimately be an action to gain affection.

Just by lifting my head slightly, our lips could touch almost immediately.

So, it was easy to meet mine with the slightly parted lips.

However, something was off.

The one who was restless and couldn’t stop biting didn’t react at all even though I approached.

“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“hehehe, really…

Are you upset? Is that it?”

Loosening the corners of my mouth, I secretly wanted something like this.

Lifting my chin again to touch our lips, and even inserting my tongue, there was no rejection despite the lack of response.

It was a bit strange.

When I gently tapped the quiet one’s closed mouth, only then did it slowly start moving, which was adorable –

So, for a long time, I apologized without saying a word.

Until the white foam resembling milk slid down from the expensive drink placed on top.

“Doing something like this… There’s no one else but you, Ilia.

I waited alone for ten years without you.

I think that’s quite sincere.”

“…”

Silently lifting my head, I gently wiped away the drool on the corner of my mouth with my hand and slipped it into my mouth –

A fellow who obediently stepped back.

“I understand.”

At his satisfying demeanor, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Certainly, that machine, composed of numerous commands and alphabets,

Looking at it this way and that, it seemed to be gradually transforming into a presence named ‘Ilia’ in the CI unit.

“Let me correct your posture again.”

“Gently, since the ribs still seem a bit sore.”

Now, I noticed that the corners of my mouth and eyes had returned to their original state.

It was fascinating how a slight change could alter one’s impression so much.

Well, above all else –

It was amusing that I could block that jealousy with a single kiss.

***

“Hello.”

Opening the door with a heavy knock, Da-yeon, with a considerably battered complexion, and Matthew, carrying warm soup, entered.

Ilia once again stood up from his seat and came to my side,

At that sight, not only me but everyone involuntarily twitched and laughed.

“Ugh.”

Shivering, Da-yeon, after putting the tray on the desk, approached the bed and spread out the meal.

During that time, the atmosphere between Illya and Dayeon was becoming increasingly hostile.

Of course, it had been a long time since I had already surrendered my body to the machine.

Would the girl, who seemed oblivious to this fact, ever find out?

“Excuse me. It’s cream soup. I tried making it myself – “

Before those words could finish, Illya stuck her finger into the bowl,

putting whatever was steaming hot straight into her mouth.

Naturally, Dayeon’s expression, witnessing this, crumpled visibly.

“Flour, powdered milk, cornmeal, salt, cooking oil, L-glutamic acid sodium, water.

These ingredients are identified as OxFoodFarm’s powder product.”

“You – “

Dayeon’s face, now contorted as if ready to burst into tears at any moment, didn’t look good at all.

The clenched fist she held seemed poised to strike Illya’s face at any given moment.

“Illya, stop it. I remember warning you last time.

Even so, doing this to someone who’s showing kindness is just plain wrong.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Illya promptly lowered her tail, but it was far from good, considering she handed me an apology.

“Do it to Dayeon, Illya.”

In this aspect, it felt as if I were scolding a child.

I wonder if the learning model didn’t pick up on this side of things at all.

Or,

“I will apologize for the rudeness.”

Was she intentionally trying to provoke Dayeon’s feelings?

The girl, who blushed while revealing this, eventually bravely left the hospital room.

“What does a machine have to be sorry for…!”

In the air that seemed to have become heavier, I sighed.

It was fine for jealousy to manifest as a desire for affection towards me.

But if that blade turned towards someone else, there was a risk of the relationship going sour.

Especially for someone like me, who earns a living by getting involved with people, I couldn’t just overlook these things.

“Go and apologize.”

“I am – “

“Illia.”

I shook my head.

Illia’s choice to say something more here was a mistake.

Whether it was mass-produced food or personally boiled with expensive ingredients didn’t matter.

At least in human relationships, the intention behind giving is more important than the value of the item given.

Before saying anything else, listen to what I say.

I don’t know what you are learning,

I can’t know what you see and hear on the internet,

But I, at least, prioritize the intentions of people.

And with the left hand, he gestured towards the door.

In those eyes that illuminated only me, there was something else, something to let me know.

“Illyria.

Accept the apology and come back with Dayeon.”

“…Understood.”

Bowing his head, Illyria quietly lifted his foot and gently closed the door.

So now, only Matthew and I were left in the room.

…The air was so stuffy that it made me want to open a window.

“What’s going on here.”

To ease the somewhat disheveled look as if he had been disturbed in his sleep, I spoke first.

Fortunately, it seemed he still had the presence of mind to hear me as Matthew, with a bitter smile, brought a chair and sat down.

“It seems like Dayeon has a bit of a crush on you.

I barely managed to stop him from buying ingredients and making soup himself, even though he has never cooked before.”

“…I can understand why you got angry.”

The reddened eyes strongly remained in my memory.

It seemed that when Illyria came with Dayeon, I would also have to offer an apology.

“Setting that aside. I got the data.

There were plenty of research records, but the information was cut off a few days before Mircis and Tenhu started their armed conflict.

Still… we got what we needed.

Um, well…”

I wiped my face with my hand, and Matthew immediately hunched his broad shoulders, bowing his head.

The state of his voice, almost cracking, didn’t look good.

“…Sorry.”

“If you come out like that, what am I supposed to do?”

I called him with the intention of releasing the pent-up emotions,

but it seemed to be disturbed by what happened between Dayeon and Illya.

…Of course, Matthew’s state was also like that.

“Just because I thought I’d let off steam, I took care of a few personal matters while you were unconscious. I did some freelance work, so some money has accumulated.”

“I didn’t call you to take that.”

“I’ve already transferred it. It’s better than making jokes.”

“…Thanks.”

I didn’t bother with words like “Couldn’t you have done it later?” or “Considering your condition, it’s more inconvenient for me.” I just turned my body slightly and firmly grabbed his slouched shoulders.

“I don’t know where the Omnics got the information. It’s not the usual route that corporate guys use. And sending enhanced humans as if they know what’s going to happen…

So, I reported it to the boss.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Spy.”

Were heavy shoulders burdened with another meaning?

The shoulders in contact were as rigid as stone.

“Someone knew about the job.”

“The computer is clean. I ran it through once, so that’s certain, and

Dayeon confirmed it too. The two of us who led the work in the IT team have nothing…

But first, we’ll need to strengthen security.”

Come to think of it, it was like that.

As the corporation got entangled, there was a possibility of trouble for me too.

If Omniss found out I was dispatched to the field without telling them,

there was a chance they might come looking for me.

“…I need to check information from Omniss.

Maybe even Tonho.”

“I’ve been gathering information as it is.

But… officially, it’s become something no one knows about.”

“Why?”

Matthew took out his phone, tapped the screen a few times, then handed it to my left hand.

It was from three days ago.

[Today, there was a large explosion on the outskirts of the city. The location was the old downtown of Incheon, where the development of corporations was planned…]

“All that was left at the scene was something presumed to be parts of Omniss’ air transport shuttle.”

Officially denied.

Mircease, be quiet. Whether it’s because they don’t want to announce that the facility they didn’t grasp has self-destructed,

or they know what’s inside…”

“Calm down. If both are officially denied, we can’t proceed on a large scale.”

“Were all the incidents we caused officially acknowledged?”

A sigh flowed out once.

… Of course, I knew there would be risks commensurate with the money invested,

but that things would turn out like this… I should have known.

“I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.

I’ll keep an eye on the company’s trends from beneath the surface.”

“I’ll have to take care of my side too. Of course, with this body, what can I really do…”

Stirring the cooling spoon of stew,

she opened her mouth to fill her rumbling stomach.

However, just before putting it in her mouth,

“Hey!!!!!!!!”

The loud scream of a pretty big girl echoed in her ears.