The Last True Female (Lexie) (by Sylvia Vance) novel Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Austin said, “Arthur, didn’t I tell you to take good care of Lex? What is this mess? If I hadn’t had a bad feeling about her and gone out of my way to check on her, that fish would’ve dragged her away just now.

“And look at this so–called bodyguard you found for her. Weak as a kitten, not a shred of beastman grit in him. How’s this little eagle chick supposed to protect Lex?

“Arthur, let me make this crystal clear. Even if Lex is just a female bot, she’s someone I’m determined to protect. If you can’t keep her safe, I’m taking her away with me today. Do you understand?”

Hearing Austin’s furious words, William, who had been slumping on the sand, coughing weakly, shot Arthur a look of utter disbelief.

Austin was Lexie’s current master, and he had no idea she was a real female.

When Arthur had made him swear an oath to protect Lexie and told him that only the two of them knew her true identity, William had doubted it.

After all, Austin was Lexie’s master; it was unlikely for him to be kept in the dark about something this big.

But now that he heard Austin speak, it was obvious he truly had no clue.

Realizing this, William turned to Arthur, his eyes brimming with admiration.

In his eyes, Arthur was a genius. William had no idea how Arthur had pulled it off, but keeping Lexie’s identity hidden even from her own master was nothing short of incredible.

Under William’s awestruck gaze, Arthur stepped forward, patted Austin’s shoulder lightly, and said calmly, “Austin, you still haven’t wrapped up the matter with Ms. Reyes. If you take Lex away now, do you really think you’ll have the time to look after her properly?”

“I… I…” Austin stammered, at a loss for words.

“I know I was careless this time. But Austin, even if you were the one caring for her, you can’t keep her chained to your side forever. She may be a female bot, but she has her own mind, and she deserves some freedom.

“All Lex wanted was to come to the beach and have a little fun. I couldn’t very well say no to that, could I?

“Besides, running into Kaelen was a complete accident. It’s not like everyone who comes to this beach gets ambushed by that brooding fish. You can’t possibly blame me for that, of all things.

“As for all these trinkets Kaelen gave Lex… Hah. The man’s loaded. If he wants to shower her with gifts, let him.

“We might as well accept them. They’re just a bunch of shiny rocks, after all. I could dig up a mountain of them for you if you wanted.

“So, Austin, it’s time for you to leave. Remember, you snuck here today.

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“If the crown prince of the Aetherion Federation catches wind of your visit, if he finds out how much you care about… Well, do you really think he won’t kidnap Lex and use her as leverage against you?”

“How dare you-” Austin sputtered, his face turning crimson with rage.

Arthur said, his tone brooking no argument, “Off you go, Marshal Drake. You’ve seen Lex, and she’s safe and sound. Now it’s time to leave.

“Don’t bring your troubles to her doorstep. And remember, when she’s out in public, her name is Hill. She’s a Mermaid beastman, not an artificial female bot.

“If you linger here any longer and someone spots her, you’ll be putting her in grave danger.”

Austin’s temper flared at Arthur’s unapologetic dismissal. Austin thought, ‘He’s utterly ruthless. Lex was mine. How dare Arthur forbid me from seeing her?‘

But despite his anger, Austin had no retort. For Lexie’s safety, he really couldn’t stay any longer.

Reluctance gnawed at his heart, but he had seen her, and now he had to go. The worst part was that Lexie was asleep. When she woke up, she would have no idea he had come to see her.

With a heavy heart, Austin prepared to depart. Before he left, he brushed a strand of hair off Lexie’s forehead gently, slipped a bracelet onto her wrist, then turned and strode away with Ryker in tow.

As Ryker followed Austin, he handed a data drive to Dr. Cole, his voice thick with reluctance. “Dr. Cole, these are some little things I brought for Lex. When she wakes up, please tell her I came by to see her.

“And I’m begging you. Take good care of her. Even though she’s an artificial female bot, we all think of her as family.

“Once we settle things with Nelson, the crown prince of the Aetherion Federation, we’ll come back for her as soon as we can. Thank you for looking after her in the meantime, Dr. Cole.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Ryker,” Arthur replied. “That Nelson from the Aetherion Federation is ruthless, and he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. You can never be too careful around him.”

He continued, “Austin is powerful, but it’s the hidden arrows that are the deadliest. Be on your guard when you return. Once the matter with Ms. Reyes is resolved, I’ll personally bring Lex back to you.”

“Okay. We’ll be waiting for you both,” Ryker said.

Before leaving, Ryker fixed William with a stern gaze and said in a low voice, “Eagle chick, protect Lex with your life. If you dare lay a single finger on her, I’ll pluck every last feather from your wings.”

With that, he climbed into his mecha and followed Austin into the sky.

Once Austin and Ryker were gone, William finally turned to Arthur and asked, “Dr. Cole, does Marshal Drake really not know Lex’s true identity? He’s spent so much time with her. Has he never suspected anything?”

“Of course he has,” Arthur said. “But the Clyssia Virus changed everything. He can’t bring himself to believe there’s a female in this world who’s immune to it.

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“If I hadn’t run every test on Lex myself, I never would’ve believed she was a real female either.

“Just now, if I hadn’t told you the truth, William, would you have been absolutely certain that Lex is a real female?”

William hesitated for a moment, then shook his head earnestly. To be honest, he never would’ve believed it either. Ever since the Clyssia Virus emerged, every last female in the world had perished because of it.

They had watched countless females die. They had lived through the darkest despair of losing their entire gender. The sudden appearance of a female immune to the virus was nothing short of a miracle, and he never would’ve dared to believe in.

That was why, even though Austin had his suspicions about Lexie’s identity, the cruel reality of the virus had made him too afraid to trust his own instincts. So caught between doubt and hope, all he could do was treat Lexie with kindness.

The thought made William sigh softly. “Dr. Cole, what do we do now?”