Chapter 389: Welcome Back
As it turned out, Kal'tsit was even faster than Steven had imagined.
He had just arrived at his company's building with the two Abyssal Hunters, hadn't even gotten the chance to introduce them to Centaurea—the sleepy receptionist—when he noticed something roaring through the sky above.
A Rhodes Island aircraft, slicing through the clouds like a silver blade.
Steven wasn't sure whether Kal'tsit was just that concerned about him, or if she was more worried about the two Hunters. Either way, it felt like he'd only just sent her the message—and now the ship was already hovering over his company's rooftop.
Hard not to think she was in a bit of a hurry.
Still, since she'd gone out of her way to come fetch him personally, Steven figured it'd be rude to keep her waiting. After waking up the half-asleep Centaurea and motioning for the others to follow, he made his way up to the rooftop helipad.
On the way, Czarny—the man currently handling the Block Consortium's day-to-day operations—showed up, dutifully reporting on the company's progress. Steven didn't say much, only left him with one simple standard:
"As long as you can face your conscience and say you've done nothing a human shouldn't do, don't worry about the rest. Profit, loss—leave that to me."
Then, after a pause, he added with a faint smile:
"Be a decent merchant. I want the Block Consortium to be known as an ordinary, honest business—not as another band of profiteers. That alone will be enough."
It was, technically, a simple instruction—but anyone who'd been in the trade knew how difficult it really was. Czarny, once a polished spokesman himself, understood all too well what it meant to run a business without crossing moral lines.
Still, the only real risk in doing so was reduced profits.
And considering how absurdly rich his new boss was—practically throwing gold around like it grew on trees—even that didn't seem like a real problem.
To Czarny, it wasn't just a task; it was a challenge worth taking. Making money without betraying one's conscience? He couldn't say no to that.
By the time all that was said and done, Steven finally left Kazimierz and stepped aboard Rhodes Island's familiar aircraft once again.
And there she was—sitting cross-legged, expression unreadable as ever, that perpetually annoyed green lynx: Kal'tsit.
Steven spread his arms wide, grin teasing.
"Well, did you miss me, my not-so-cute Kal'tsit?"
Anyone walking in on the scene might've thought the two were close friends, or at least something similar. The way Steven opened his arms, like expecting a hug, was almost theatrical.
Steven's feelings toward her were… complicated.
Sure, she had her "riddle-speaking" tendencies—that cryptic habit of hers to talk around things instead of saying them outright—but the more he got to know her, the more he realized it wasn't out of malice or mystery.
Sometimes, even Kal'tsit herself didn't have all the answers. So she hid behind vagueness, behind logic, behind carefully measured words.
But for all her coldness, her dedication to healing the infected and maintaining Rhodes Island's fragile order was nothing short of absolute. No shortcuts. No laziness. No compromise.
Steven couldn't say he fully understood her… but at least now, he no longer felt that faint irritation he once did.
Now, he simply found her interesting.
At the very least, whenever Kal'tsit was dealing with him, she seemed to deliberately suppress that infuriating "riddle-talking" side of hers.
That alone made getting along with her far less exhausting than Steven had imagined it would be.
Of course, a bit of sniping and bickering between them was inevitable—but Steven had grown to actually enjoy it.
After all, having someone you could argue with, tease, and trade barbs with… wasn't that kind of "rivalry" a pleasant thing in its own right?
As expected, Kal'tsit's response to his open-armed greeting was nothing more than a well-practiced eye roll. Without even dignifying him with a word, she simply stepped around him—as if he were a particularly annoying piece of furniture—and turned her attention to the two Abyssal Hunters standing behind him.
After spending enough time with Steven, she'd figured out his pattern: the more you engaged with him, the more he'd push his luck.
The most effective tactic was simple—ignore him. Once he realized no one was playing along, he'd get bored and act normal again.
And besides, anything involving this troublesome man was bound to be complicated. Better to handle the more pressing matters first.
Skadi was, as always, calm and dependable. After handing over the items she had been entrusted to deliver, she returned to her usual, straightforward demeanor.
Laurentina, on the other hand, immediately drew Kal'tsit's attention.
This was not the same crazed, chainsaw-wielding berserker Kal'tsit remembered. The violent "Nun of Slaughter" from before had vanished—replaced by a girl whose expression now carried a faint trace of… contemplation.
Actual, genuine thought.
What's more, Kal'tsit's professional instincts as a medic told her something else—something astonishing.
The Originium infection inside Laurentina's body… had changed. Compared to her previous state on Rhodes Island, it was like her entire physiology had been reconstructed from within.
Someone had, quite literally, replaced the "core" of her being.
And there was only one person aboard who could have pulled off something like that.
The very person she'd been trying so hard to ignore.
Kal'tsit's gaze flicked sideways—just for a moment—catching sight of him: the boy who'd failed to hug her and was now draping an arm over Blaze's shoulder, chatting away as if they were old drinking buddies.
She exhaled quietly, deciding to shelve that question for now.
There would be time to interrogate him later—plenty of time.
He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon; every time he claimed he was "just hitching a ride," it always ended with him staying on Rhodes Island for a while anyway.
Not that she really minded.
Having him around wasn't exactly a bad thing. Even if a random Operator's Oripathy flared up unexpectedly, his bizarre powers all but guaranteed a safety net.
And those miraculous abilities of his… well, Kal'tsit had coveted them for longer than she cared to admit.
"...We'll discuss your unauthorized departure later," she finally said after a long pause. "For now—welcome back."
Then, after a heartbeat, she added—almost reluctantly—"…You too."
It took a surprising amount of effort for her to get that second part out, and Steven's reaction made it clear he noticed.
A bright, almost mischievous smile spread across his face.
"Oh? Can I take that as a tsundere moment from a certain someone?"
Kal'tsit's tail flicked once, her tone flat as ever.
"Suit yourself."
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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