Before the battle in Alaska resumed, He Kui, after a lively dinner, boarded his shuttlecraft and arrived at the port of April City.
He arrived just in time. As soon as he stepped out of the high-security military port, he encountered Lacus, who had just disembarked from the Silver Wind Transport Ship.
"Miss Lacus, traveling on such a transport ship is far too dangerous."
The pure white hull with its sleek design was indeed beautiful, but also perilous. After all, it was a civilian spacecraft with no armaments whatsoever.
However, it suited Lacus's status.
"Is Councilor He worried about Lacus~?"
Lacus, who had just stepped off the ship, showed no signs of fatigue from her long journey. Instead, she smiled gracefully.
"Yes."
Hearing He Kui's straightforward reply, Lacus's beautiful eyes sparkled.
"Since He Kui has come to greet me, shall we take a walk together?"
"Of course."
As they spoke, the two arrived at a deserted corridor in the port.
In the zero-gravity zone, they both grabbed onto the conveyor belt.
"Why didn't He Kui bring a battleship?"
Lacus, floating ahead like a fairy, laughed.
"You're the one who said Lacus wasn't paying attention to safety."
"Driving that would make me too big a target, which isn't safe either."
He Kui paused, then couldn't help but laugh.
They seemed to be on the same wavelength. Without lingering on the topic, He Kui smoothly changed the subject.
"How was the trip to Orb?"
"Quite fruitful. We should be able to reach an agreement."
Since He Kui had also become a councilor, there was no need for secrecy. Lacus didn't hide much information this time.
"However, I did encounter something strange."
"What strange thing?"
He Kui asked with a calm expression.
"I met a child who reminded me a lot of your friend."
Her tone was light, as if she were merely making casual conversation rather than probing.
"Which friend?"
"Aegis."
"That's impossible. How could Aegis be a child?"
"That's true. Perhaps I was overthinking it."
Lacus's eyes remained calm, and she even flashed a sweet smile upon hearing He Kui's response.
As they spoke, they unknowingly arrived at a VIP lounge near the port.
In the lounge, with only the two of them present, He Kui smoothly embraced Lacus. In the zero-gravity space, their bodies pressed tightly together as they spun.
Lacus didn't resist. Her soft, sweet body leaned against He Kui's sturdy frame, and her delicate, boneless hands wrapped around his waist.
"Lacus, you've worked hard."
Hearing this, Lacus, who was holding He Kui, showed a rare tenderness on her face, though it quickly turned into a playful smile.
"Is this all the gratitude I get?"
He Kui didn't respond. Instead, he continued to hold Lacus, then released one hand to press a button on his wristband.
"The Mark Knife is almost ready."
"Hmm~"
Lacus also released her hands from around He Kui, resting her delicate chin on his arm as she received the data he sent to her wristband with satisfaction.
"He Kui, aren't you going to ask what I plan to do with this machine?"
"Probably to maintain world peace."
Even if Lacus had many schemes, at least their values and goals aligned on a broad level.
This was the foundation of their deep cooperation.
"Then Lacus thanks you for your trust."
Lacus smiled.
There were still many unresolved matters regarding He Kui and Aegis.
But her intuition told her that He Kui was far from simple.
Of course, even on the surface, he wasn't simple.
While the young girl was still lost in thought, He Kui kissed her lips.
But unlike usual, He Kui's broad hands, with their slightly rough calluses, quietly reached her waist and began to gently caress her, as if teasing her.
Lacus didn't stop him. Instead, she awkwardly tried to mimic He Kui's actions and began to counterattack.
However, no matter how skilled Lacus was, she was still lacking in experience.
Soon, she was breathless and had to retreat.
But she wasn't discouraged. Beneath her pink hair, her bright eyes still sparkled as she looked at him. Though her gaze was innocent, it seemed to be enticing him to do something.
"Quite experienced, Councilor He."
"Not bad."
"Hmph~"
Lacus let out a soft hum, forcing herself to relax and let go of He Kui.
"Though I can't go into specifics, the Mark Knife you gave me will definitely be used for the right purposes."
Lacus spoke earnestly.
"Mm, I understand."
He Kui had a rough idea of what Lacus might do with armed forces—likely defensive measures or espionage activities. That was about it.
Moreover, though the Mark Knife was unremarkable in appearance, it was extremely lightweight and could maintain high-speed cruising even within the atmosphere, making it perfect for the covert operations of the Clyne Faction.
"But He Kui, have you really not considered joining the Clyne Faction?"
Lacus's voice was melodious, like a song.
"If you join, perhaps you could take over my father's mantle, and we~"
Lacus's words carried a hint of sincerity. If He Kui joined, she could indeed grow closer to him, and over time, she was confident she could make him forget about them.
"There are still things I want to accomplish."
He Kui whispered, then kissed Lacus's lips again.
Even if he joined the Clyne Faction now and accepted their resources, others might not necessarily respect him.
In the end, he would have to start over and risk losing Patrick's support.
It wasn't worth it, and it wouldn't help him achieve his goal of becoming the council chairman.
"Alright then. If He Kui changes his mind, you can always come to Lacus. You're always welcome."
After saying this, Lacus turned her head and kissed He Kui again, lip to lip.
She still liked this man. Though he was a bit mysterious, he was strong and warm, making her feel secure whether as a partner or a companion.
Moreover, he had been tugging at her heartstrings a lot lately.
Not long after bidding farewell to He Kui and receiving his gift, Lacus returned home.
"Father, here's the briefing from this trip. Orb's stance has softened."
"However, they still won't engage in overly deep cooperation and won't sign a mutual defense treaty."
Lacus's voice echoed in the spacious study.
"That's to be expected."
Siegel wasn't too surprised.
Since they claimed neutrality, they wouldn't sign such a treaty. Doing so would turn cooperation into an alliance.
They definitely wouldn't do that, but overall, it was still a good thing.
(End of Chapter)