A Chemist's Interstellar Saga
Chapter 187: Fixing Po

Chapter 187: Fixing Po

PO seemed unsure how to respond. He shook his head and replied, "It’s nothing, Master. They’ve already been punished."

The insectoids that attacked them had been blasted to pieces by the super electromagnetic cannon, so they had indeed faced consequences.

Frustrated that PO wouldn’t elaborate, Arix lightly knocked on his head. Then she took his hand and headed toward the mecha room.

"Master, where are we going?" PO asked curiously, following Arix without resistance.

"Of course, to fix you up! Look at you; you’re in such a state. We can’t leave you like this," Arix said, quickening her pace as she looked at all the damage on PO. The cuts and scrapes were too glaring to ignore; they needed to be addressed immediately.

PO’s fingers trembled as he looked at Arix in surprise. He lowered his head, touched by her concern.

No one had ever treated him with such care before. Most people saw him just as a weapon, keeping their distance and hiding their fear behind a mask of respect.

No one ever thought that a level-eight mecha could have thoughts, a soul, or feel loneliness.

"Thank you, Master," PO thought, watching Arix quietly, the corners of his mouth on the screen lifting slightly.

In the mecha room, Arix had PO lie on the repair table and brought a basin of water. She wet a towel and gently cleaned PO’s body.

After finishing, she looked up at PO and asked, "I’m going to start repairing your body now, PO. Do you want to stay awake, or should I put you in standby mode?"

"Can I stay awake?" PO asked carefully. He wanted to remember this moment because it felt special, like a moment of true happiness.

"Sure," Arix replied, patting PO’s head affectionately. She then took out the mecha repair kit from her Space Button and began checking and dismantling the damaged parts.

As Arix opened PO’s outer shell, her eyes flickered for a moment. Though she didn’t show any signs of surprise and continued with the repairs, a question lingered in her mind: Is PO really just an ordinary robot?

The components and materials inside were of Supergiant-Class quality, and some of the materials were even unfamiliar to her. Moreover, PO’s internal structure seemed to follow the standards for a mecha.

Though she felt curious, Arix didn’t want to pry into PO’s secrets, even if he was just a robot.

Time passed as Arix worked diligently, and after screwing in the last piece, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. She straightened her back and rubbed her slightly numb wrists.

"PO, get up and see if there’s anything else wrong," Arix said, a smile in her voice.

"Okay, Master." The newly fixed PO stood up obediently, moving its limbs to check everything was working right.

With a look of surprise, PO glanced at Arix and smiled, "Master, I’m all good now."

"That’s great, really great," Arix replied, her smile masking the fact she felt like crying inside. She hadn’t planned on using nearly all her mecha materials from her Space Button just to fix a butler robot.

Arix couldn’t help but wonder if PO was actually a prototype for a Supergiant-Class mecha created by some grandmaster. It seemed like a cost-saving move to put PO in as a school butler; otherwise, why would a butler bot need weapons and high-end materials for his joints?

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. Although her Space Button stash was pretty much drained, there was a silver lining. Even if PO was only a half-completed project, it still held some impressive mecha tech.

While Arix didn’t quite get the mechanics of it all yet, she’d noted down the key parts. Given time, she figured she could learn a lot about mecha manufacturing.

So, she told herself the materials she used were like paying tuition for a valuable lesson.

"Thank you, Master! You’ve really worked hard," PO said sweetly, looking up at her. Seeing PO so cute and obedient, Arix felt like it was all worth it.

"It’s okay, thank you for looking after me," Arix responded warmly, patting PO’s head.

"Taking care of you is my duty. But Master, there’s a class at 2 PM. You should get some rest before then," PO suggested, noticing she seemed tired.

Arix yawned, feeling the exhaustion set in. "Alright, I’ll take a nap now. PO, please make some lunch for me. I’ll eat when I wake up."

"Yes, Master." PO nodded and watched as Arix headed to her room. Then it took an apron from its storage compartment and put it on, ready to start cooking.

While preparing the meal, PO received a video call from Gunder, the president of Hecaris Military Academy.

PO set down the knife and pressed a button on his arm, bringing up a screen.

As soon as Gunder appeared, he saw the level-eight mecha wearing an apron. His eyebrow twitched in confusion, and he asked with a complicated expression, "Shadow Blade, are you cooking?"

"What’s up?" PO responded calmly, a slight irritation in his tone. He didn’t like being interrupted while preparing food for his master.

Gunder, sensing PO wasn’t in the mood for small talk, shrugged and said, "The Fifth Legion asked me to help you with repairs. When can you come to my office?"

"No need, Arix already took care of it," PO replied, his eyes softening at the mention of Arix.

"Really?" Gunder was taken aback. "You’re saying that girl from the Kering family fixed you?"

"Yes, my master," PO said proudly, holding his head a little higher.

"That’s impressive, I didn’t expect her to be so skilled. But the materials provided by the military are even better. Do you want to come and replace them?" Gunder asked, holding up a silver Space Button and looking at PO on the screen.

PO hesitated briefly before shaking his head. "No need, the materials my master used are also very good."

"Alright, I’ll keep them for you. If you ever want to switch, just let me know," Gunder said, not pressing further. A level-eight mecha rarely gets into combat situations, so as long as it functions properly, there’s no urgent need for upgrades.

"Okay," PO nodded, his tone indifferent. Then, after a pause, he asked, "Is Drexel the official heir of the Kering family?"

Gunder, a bit surprised by the question, nodded truthfully, "Yes, he is."

PO was silent for a moment, then asked, "Can the heir be changed?" He knew he was being unreasonable, but he hoped Arix could be the heiress. That way, she would officially be the master of the level-eight mecha and his true master.

Gunder, puzzled by the line of questioning, shook his head firmly. "No, it can’t be changed. In the five families, only one person per generation can have a Psychic Incarnation, and Drexel is the only one in the Kering family this generation."

"But..." PO wanted to say more but stopped himself. He knew Arix had a Psychic Incarnation, but outsiders didn’t know, and Arix preferred to keep it that way.

Finally, PO said, "Thank you, I understand."

Gunder had a sense of what might be going on. There had been similar situations before where a family’s level-eight mecha didn’t want to partner with the designated heir.

In those cases, the Administration Bureau would sometimes intervene, forcibly pairing the mecha with the heir for the safety of the Alliance.

Gunder disliked such forced arrangements, knowing it was a tough pill for the mechas and their creators to swallow.

If there ever came a day when everyone could have a Psychic Incarnation, perhaps level-eight mechas could choose partners they truly wanted within their families. But that dream seemed far off.

Gunder sighed deeply and tried to console PO, "Drexel is actually quite excellent and kind. He would make a good partner."

PO, feeling both disdain and sadness, replied, "I know, he’s excellent. But there’s someone even better."

Thinking of Arix, who was gentle, kind, and strong, PO felt a wave of sadness. It wasn’t that Drexel wasn’t good; it’s just that PO already had someone special in mind.

"Well, there’s no point in dwelling on it. Your partner can only be the heir of the Kering family," Gunder said bluntly, hoping to set realistic expectations to avoid greater disappointment later.

After a moment of silence, PO seemed to come to terms with the situation. "I understand, thank you, Master Gunder. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now."

After ending the call, PO returned to chopping vegetables, his expression solemn. The occasional sigh revealed his true feelings: he was far from happy.