What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
—Ecclesiastes, Solomon.
Bronya's deep affection, hidden for many years, finally received its deserved reciprocation. In this evolving relationship, Zeke took a significant step forward, shifting his perspective. To him now, this girl appeared entirely different.
They sat on a viewing platform seemingly suspended between heaven and earth. Bronya leaned against Zeke's shoulder as they browsed through the Book of Ecclesiastes, which she had casually unearthed earlier.
The surrounding sunlight felt exceptionally bright.
"Zeke, you have a strange expression. What's on your mind?"
"I was thinking about how many others might share your cunning, daring to exploit my trust—after all, there's nothing truly new under the sun. It's best to stay vigilant."
Gently squeezing her smooth, warm hand, Zeke opened his lifeless eyes, expressing profound contemplation.
Bronya lifted her head, puffing out her cheeks, her flawless porcelain face showing clear discontentment.
"Bronya hasn't done anything wrong."
"Says who?" Zeke replied mildly, pinching Bronya's smooth, delicate cheeks.
The tall, handsome young man leaned slightly forward, gazing at the petite girl.
Pouting, Bronya playfully punched Zeke's shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Bronya is not happy!"
"Well, how about some cake?"
"I'm not Kiana, you know!"
"Then no cake for you."
Zeke's lips curved into a smile.
Feeling indignant, Bronya noticed the amused twinkle in Zeke's grin—she should have known; he always enjoyed pulling pranks and teasing others. But couldn't he cut her some slack right after confessing his feelings? Resisting the urge to pout further, Bronya suddenly tilted her head and pressed her soft, rosy lips against his.
In that passionate embrace, the taste was undeniably sweet.
"This is Bronya claiming her own compensation. Now, I'm not angry anymore."
After nearly half a minute, Bronya pulled away slightly panting, her expression stern but unable to hide the tenderness in her eyes.
Zeke raised an eyebrow and gently pressed Bronya against his chest, holding her slender waist with one arm while continuing to flip through the book with the other, casually scanning its contents.
In that moment, time seemed particularly peaceful and serene.
It was quite remarkable—just days ago, their relationship had been strictly professional between superior and subordinate. Yet now, they found themselves drawing incredible warmth from each other's presence.
Despite their sweet moment, there was still work to be done.
After some time together, Zeke held Bronya's hand and led her towards the weapon testing floor.
Along the way, they occasionally encountered Cecilia Clones on routine patrols who greeted them both warmly.
Bronya suddenly furrowed her brow.
"The surveillance cameras along this path will record our interactions. Moreover, Kiana has good relations with all the Cecilia Clones. Won't she easily find out about us like this?"
"I'll find the right time to talk with her."
Zeke gently squeezed the small hand enveloped within his own, responding calmly.
Bronya flashed a sly smile.
"Kiana will definitely throw a fit."
"Don't remind me; I can already picture her rolling around in tantrum mode, then tearfully accusing me with all sorts of eloquent sarcasm and honeyed words." Zeke covered his face, exhaling wearily just from imagining the scene.
However, Bronya hesitated for a moment before slowly saying:
"Actually, Bronya could accept keeping our relationship secret... if it makes things easier for Zeke."
"No need," Zeke replied succinctly.
In this relationship, Bronya had already taken ninety-nine steps for Zeke, doing everything—both within and beyond what a girl typically would.
This final step was one only Zeke himself could take.
Naturally, he was prepared to face and resolve any ensuing issues head-on.
Bronya turned to glance at Zeke's profile. A gentle, affectionate smile gradually graced her delicate yet cool features.
"All right, I'll follow your lead, Zeke."
They arrived at the spacious and robust weapons experimentation floor, where Bronya's diverse heavy armaments filled display walls stretching over a hundred meters long.
"The firepower setup is decent, but there's significant room for improvement in output efficiency and automation levels. Combining these with your Rabbit series drones, achieving the power of an army single-handedly should be no issue—that's likely your approach, correct?"
Picking up a mighty Gatling Buddha, Zeke gently caressed one sturdy barrel and asked.
Bronya nodded.
"Additionally, Bronya wishes to increase the proportion of laser weapons and control-oriented equipment to reduce the load and enhance tactical flexibility."
"And with you donning black armor, you'll specialize in controlling high-powered, heavy ballistic weaponry for targeted breakthroughs?"
"Yes, that's broadly the idea. However, the overall configuration requires your expertise, Zeke, to maximize efficiency. Also, given the extensive workload for the upgrades, I've requested swarm assistance."
"Agreed. Once completed, your battlefield dominance will be truly unleashed. In our next large-scale operation, we might even achieve strategic-level effects." Zeke gently patted Bronya's head as encouragement.
With that, they began their work.
Zeke spent several hours devising a comprehensive upgrade plan for Bronya before leaving the room.
The remaining tasks required Bronya's personal involvement, aided by the swarm. With limited scope for his direct intervention, Zeke decided it was best to attend to other matters first.
After completing some experimental work, Zeke returned to the floor only to be greeted by a swift punch from Bronya.
"Boom!"
Zeke effortlessly caught her fist with one hand, his hair whipping in the gusty wind, causing him to raise an eyebrow.
"Hand-to-hand combat training?"
"Yes, it's been a while since Bronya made any breakthroughs in martial arts skills. This should help clear her mind."
Clad in form-fitting black armor, Bronya's slender figure and graceful curves were fully on display before Zeke's eyes.
A warmth stirred in his abdomen.
Shaking off those stray thoughts, he acknowledged his lapse in focus—Bronya was engaged in serious practice, yet here he was getting distracted. He mentally shook his head and composed himself, saying firmly:
"I understand. Keep attacking."
"Hah!"
Whip kicks, straight punches—the agile black-clad girl danced around Zeke, each precise strike slicing through the air as she relentlessly targeted him.
With his extraordinary physical prowess and superior knowledge of techniques, Zeke effortlessly defended against all attacks while providing feedback:
"Decent power, good speed, and precise control. However, your fluidity could use improvement; facing skilled close-quarters opponents might easily disrupt your rhythm. Focus on refining your transitions."
"Compared to your punches, your kicking proficiency is notably weaker, making them potential weaknesses. Pay extra attention to enhancing these moves."
"Your strategic acumen is commendable, demonstrating a deep understanding of ruthlessness. Unfortunately, you're still somewhat impulsive, likely due to your reliance on overwhelming firepower... If ever forced into close-quarters combat, remember to conserve energy."
"Hold on... Why specifically targeting low strikes?"
Zeke raised his hand, grasping the delicate foot aimed at his lower abdomen, visibly annoyed.
Bronya removed her facial black armor, blinking innocently.
"Just a standard tactical choice."
"...More like mischief, right?"
"Busted."
"And you admit it?"
Still holding Bronya's foot, Zeke gently pulled her closer and flicked her forehead with a curved finger as she neared.
Maintaining an expressionless demeanor, Bronya stuck out her tongue playfully.
"Sassy girl."
Smiling, Zeke pinched Bronya's nose affectionately.
In response, Bronya swiftly jumped up, wrapped her arms around Zeke's neck, leaned close to his ear, and whispered softly, her breath warm against him:
"Zeke, Bronya missed you dearly. Even just waiting for a moment was unbearable."
Zeke remained silent.
Unlike Kiana, who relied solely on naive boldness to flirt with Zeke, Bronya operated on another level when controlling her emotions. Her expressions of affection carried a distinct potency.
Zeke had to admit that Bronya's tender and affectionate demeanor was indeed endearing and captivating.
However, he suddenly felt that Bronya, clad in her form-fitting black armor, should not be seen by anyone other than himself—a possessiveness emerged clearly after their relationship evolved.
The next day, Zeke modified Bronya's black armor.
He finally compromised on his extreme demand for flexibility, adding elements like drapes and additional protective layers to obscure Bronya's body contours from outsiders—of course, it didn't matter when they were alone together. This modification did not weaken the armor either; any slight reduction in agility could be offset by enhanced defense provided by the external components and improved firepower, maintaining overall performance.
Subsequently, Zeke synchronized these redesigns with the other sets of black armor outside, altering the appearance for girls like Kiana, Sin, Wendy, Raiden Mei, and more. It wasn't as if all these girls were already claimed by him, but predicting the future is tricky. At least this way, he preemptively avoided potential future discomforts!