System Mission: Seduce the Final Boss [BL]

"What do we do with him now?"

Alexis leaned back so hard in his chair that it creaked beneath him, one leg also bouncing impatiently.

His arms were folded tightly across his chest. The irritation on his face hadn’t faded since Myles had returned.

"In case everyone conveniently forgot, he’s the reason this whole mess happened. We all risked to expose ourselves."

Across the room, Zlatan remained comfortably slouched on the couch.

"I’m honestly not sure what Myles intends to do."

He glanced toward the closed door leading to the adjacent room.

"In any case, he’s made one thing very clear, no one’s allowed inside. So there’s no point wasting energy wondering."

Alexis clicked his tongue.

"As if. The obvious answer is to kill him."

Estelle sighed heavily, waving a lazy hand without even looking at him.

"Alexis."

"What?"

"Shut up, he can hear us, I’ll remind you."

Alexis frowned.

Several more complaints reached the tip of his tongue.

One look toward the closed door was enough for him to swallow them.

"...Tch."

He leaned farther back into his chair instead.

Tania, who had been silently cleaning dried blood from one of her gauntlets, finally spoke.

"Honestly, I think Alexis has a point."

Everyone looked toward her.

She calmly continued polishing the metal.

"It’s extremely concerning."

She finally lifted her eyes.

"Myles cares far too much about that guy."

Her voice remained as emotionless as ever.

"We’re all here for one reason. For one outcome. All these years of hard work and suffering just for one ending. If Myles were to drop it all..."

She set the gauntlet aside.

"...then that’s selfish, no matter if he’s the one who gathered us here to complete our dreams."

Silence settled over the room.

Eventually, Zlatan chuckled, slowly turning his head toward the closed door.

Despite smiling, his eyes remained cold.

"Of course, if Myles truly starts wavering, that changes everything."

His fingers tapped lazily against the armrest.

"But, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. He can care about Blake, he can even love him."

His smile never disappeared.

"And still be willing to kill him."

Estelle raised an eyebrow.

"...That doesn’t make any sense."

Zlatan looked back at her.

"Doesn’t it?"

"You watched him, you saw what he did. He destroyed an entire base and killed three major criminals. He risked exposing himself just to save Blake."

She folded her arms.

"After everything he did, how could he still willingly kill him?"

Zlatan answered without hesitation.

"I would."

The room became quiet again.

Alexis stared at him for several long seconds, then finally threw both hands into the air.

"You’re insane, that’s why."

Zlatan laughed softly.

"You think?"

He rested his chin against his hand.

"But think about it. In the end, the whole world dies, whether it’s our enemies, us, or everyone else."

He spoke so casually it almost sounded comforting.

"If everyone is destined to die, what’s there to hesitate over? You can’t mourn someone if you’re dead too."

No one answered.

Even Alexis.

The room slowly sank into silence.

Not because anyone agreed.

But because...

None of them had an immediate answer.

***

The room next door was almost completely silent.

Only the quiet rhythm of a heart monitor could be heard.

Myles stood beside the bed, motionless, his gaze remaining fixed on Blake.

There wasn’t anger written across his face.

Nor sadness.

It was something much darker.

Something restrained.

As though countless thoughts had been compressed into complete silence.

Slowly...

Blake stirred, his eyelids fluttering.

One eye opened first, and an unfamiliar ceiling came into focus.

’Where... where am I?’

His breathing remained slow.

He turned his head, then froze.

"...Myles."

Relief struck him immediately.

So did fear and worry over what conversation was about to come.

Tears gathered in his eyes almost instantly.

Myles simply stood there,looking down at him.

For a brief moment, Blake almost couldn’t breathe beneath that gaze.

It wasn’t threatening.

Yet, the intensity behind those quiet eyes made his chest tighten.

"..."

How was he supposed to start? How could he explain any of this?

The silence stretched.

Blake’s lips trembled.

Then tears spilled over.

He didn’t hide them, didn’t wipe them away, or turn his face.

He simply cried in front of Myles.

Myles took one step forward.

Without saying a word, he reached down, lifting Blake effortlessly from the bed.

Then wrapped both arms around him tightly, far tighter than usual.

Blake let out a shaky breath.

His own arms immediately found their way around Myles.

He buried his face into the crook of his neck.

His fingers clutched desperately at the back of Myles’ shirt.

He hadn’t realized how terrified he’d been.

Not until now.

His entire body trembled.

"I..."

Another sob interrupted him.

"I..."

He couldn’t finish.

Myles simply held him.

Long enough that time itself seemed to stop.

Neither of them moved.

Neither spoke.

Eventually, Myles loosened his embrace.

Just enough to look at Blake again.

His expression hadn’t softened, not even slightly. His eyes remained unreadable.

"...You knew."

Blake stiffened.

"You knew all along."

Blake lowered his gaze.

"..."

"...Yes."

His throat tightened.

"I... I can’t explain. If I say it directly, I’ll get hurt."

His voice became quieter.

"But... I didn’t accept this to expose you or to kill you."

"It doesn’t matter."

Blake looked up.

"The objective stays the same. No matter how it’s carried out, the result is stopping me from destroying the world."

Blake opened his mouth.

Several arguments rushed forward.

None came out.

Because, he couldn’t deny it, that had been the objective imposed by the system.

No matter how much everything had changed.

Myles looked at him.

Something flickered behind his eyes.

It wasn’t hatred nor disappointment.

Blake lowered his head.

"You knew, didn’t you? Ever since I was kidnapped."

Myles said nothing.

"So..."

Blake swallowed.

"Why did you save me? You could’ve just let me die."

"I was angry."

Blake flinched.

The words weren’t loud, not even close.

Myles hadn’t shouted.

His voice had only risen by the smallest amount.

Yet, compared to his usual calm tone, it felt startling.

Blake instinctively held his breath.

Myles stepped close, his hand settling firm on Blake’s shoulder.

"You were kidnapped, and I was angry."

His fingers tightened ever so slightly.

"Because, I considered you my person."

Blake’s breathing stopped.

"Your person?"

Blake’s anxiety immediately returned.

"Will that change now? You know I knew. You know I lied..."

Myles looked directly into his eyes.

"I don’t feel betrayed."

Blake stared.

"There was always a reason to remain suspicious of you. So, I can’t call this a betrayal."

Blake slowly reached for Myles’ hand.

The movement was hesitant.

Small.

Before their fingers touched, Myles gently pushed his hand away.

He looked down at Blake again.

"Tell me. How were you injured before?"

Blake’s shoulders slumped.

"...I can’t answer. It’ll hurt."

He forced himself to think.

"But, if you list possibilities, I’ll confirm the correct one."

Myles nodded.

"There are two."

He raised one finger.

"One, you were punished for failing to gather enough information about me."

A second finger.

"Two. You receive side missions and you get injured while completing them."

Blake immediately opened his mouth.

"The—"

The words never came.

His face suddenly turned white.

All color drained away.

His stomach lurched violently.

"Ngh—"

He doubled over.

His breathing became ragged.

Without hesitation, Myles grabbed the bucket beside the bed and placed it in front of him.

Blake barely made it. His entire body convulsed.

He gripped the edge of the bucket until his knuckles turned white.

Several painful moments passed before he could breathe properly again.

His face looked almost translucent.

Sweat clung to his forehead.

He panted weakly.

"Myles..."

His voice barely existed.

"...Take my hand."

Myles did.

Blake pressed two fingers against Myles’ palm.

Twice.

Myles understood.

"If you fail..."

He spoke quietly.

"Are you in immediate danger?"

Blake nodded weakly.

"...I... would’ve died if... you hadn’t come. They threatened me. I really could die even now, if they were to search for me."

The message was clear. Whoever was behind him, the were willing to kill him over failure at any moment.

Myles looked at their joined hands, then back at Blake.

"Who’s giving you orders?"

Blake looked away.

"I’m not important among humans or my own kind. So, how did anyone even discover me?"

Blake bit the inside of his cheek.

"AL-TECH is actually really boring."

Myles gave a tiny nod.

"I already knew. You aren’t working for them."

Blake scratched the back of his neck.

"...You won’t understand."

Myles’ gaze darkened.

"...Why?"

"Because it isn’t something you know exists."

The silence that followed felt oppressive.

Blake hurriedly looked back up.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t want to lie. I couldn’t tell you."

His eyes filled again.

"But, I love you now, last time I wasn’t lying."

"I know."

"You did?"

"Most of the time we knew each other, when you said you loved me you didn’t actually mean it."

Blake stared at him in disbelief.

"...How?"

Myles’ answer was simple.

"I know your heart."

Blake’s lips parted.

No words came.

After several seconds, he whispered.

"Then why? Why did you keep being around me? I was a walking warning sign, the obvious choice was to kill me."

Myles lowered his gaze.

His voice became quieter.

"I don’t know now, but at first I simply wanted to observe you. If that time the situation were to get any more suspicious than it already was, I would’ve killed you."

Reaching out, he cupped Blake’s cheek with one hand, looking down at him with his pitch black eyes, squeezing slightly.

"But as time went on, that changed too."

The admission sounded strange.

"I saved you because I didn’t want you to die."

Blake’s throat tightened painfully.

"Will that still be true when you destroy this world?"

For the first time since entering the room, Myles stayed silent.

A long silence followed.

"My resolve wavered when I discovered what you were risking."

He closed his eyes briefly.

"I’ll admit that. But I don’t want to reject it, I can’t."

His hand slowly curled into a fist.

"If I reject the purpose I was created for..."

He looked directly at Blake.

"Then who am I?"