Chapter 424: This Is Just an Advance Payment
"…Alright."
After silently trading glances and hints with Steven for what felt like a long time, Gladiia finally nodded, letting out a quiet "alright".
As an Abyssal Hunter—and one of Aegir's Company Captains—placing trust in others should have been something extremely rare for her. Yet, for reasons she couldn't fully grasp, whenever she faced the black-haired boy before her, a sense of unconditional trust always rose within her.
Maybe it was because Steven had seen the weakest side of her—something even she herself had never faced before. Or perhaps it was because, when she had been helpless and vulnerable, he accepted her without hesitation and pampered her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
To put it more bluntly… maybe she had already fallen for him.
She couldn't say for sure. Maybe none of those reasons were right… or maybe every one of them was a piece of the truth.
Regardless, she chose to entrust her fate to the young man before her.
"I'll head back later and look into it. I'm guessing you want more than just your own situation fixed, right? You're worried about Specter and Skadi too?"
Steven had no idea about the thoughts swirling in Gladiia's mind. Earning her trust had him already thinking about digging through the massive mod library he could barely keep track of, hoping to find the tools he needed.
And it wasn't just Gladiia. Specter's assimilation wasn't too deep yet… but Skadi—who knew absolutely nothing, that naïve little orca—her situation was far more complicated.
Just the word "Seaborn Firstborn" was enough to show how dangerous the thing lodged inside her was.
"How much do you know about Skadi's condition?"
Just from Steven's earlier remark, Gladiia sensed trouble. Her brows furrowed as she questioned him seriously.
"How do I put it… I might know more than you do. But I think it's better if I don't tell you for now. It's her personal matter, after all. And even if I did tell you, you wouldn't be able to do anything except worry."
Steven rubbed his chin. He had a pretty good guess that Gladiia had no idea what the entity inside Skadi truly was. At best, she probably thought it was just some elite Seaborn.
If she realized it was something on the level of a Firstborn, she would've already made the hard call.
And just like he said—she didn't have a way to solve it.
If she did, she wouldn't have said things like "my time is running short".
Instead of making her hopelessly anxious… He would just fix everything. Pretend it never happened.
Simple.
"You're really poking at my curiosity… but I believe you."
If anyone else had said that to her, Gladiia's weapon would already be pressed against their throat. But because it was Steven… she chose to trust him once more.
"So, will you come back to Rhodes Island with me? Those two pitiful teammates of yours miss you like crazy. Especially that little shark—ever since I cured her illness, she hasn't shut up about you."
Steven glanced at the abandoned ship sinking slowly beneath the waves. Whatever intel or clues Gladiia had come for must already be secured.
In that case… maybe going back to Rhodes Island with him to spend some time with the girls wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Of course, if she wanted to return later to continue her investigation, he now had the means to bring her back anytime.
"About Laurentina… thank you."
The moment Steven mentioned Specter, Gladiia's expression softened. Gratitude, deep and unmistakable, filled her eyes.
She knew well about the concentrated Originium fluid inside Specter's body—that was the entire reason she had come here, and yet Steven had managed to remove the source of that torment from her comrade.
Just imagining that pain made her chest tighten. Yet this boy—this boy—had freed Specter from it.
By all logic, a simple thank you was nowhere near enough.
But Gladiia was also painfully aware… that she already owed Steven far more than she could properly repay. Her debt to him had grown so tangled that she could no longer see the end of it.
If she needed to rely on him again this time… How could she possibly repay such kindness?
She absolutely refused the absurd answer she had once considered in her private thoughts—to simply surrender to him entirely… to become his.
Her pride as an Abyssal Hunter, as an Aegir, would never allow it.
Yet she could think of no other answer.
After all… what truly belonged to her… was so very little.
"Hey hey, what's with the thanks? Between the two of us, that's unnecessary. If you really feel you owe me something, you could always give me another kiss. Or maybe some other kind of reward? That'd make me feel a lot better than just words, don't you think?"
Steven waved his hand casually, teasing her with a light grin. He never helped others expecting gratitude anyway. He simply did what he wanted to do—nothing more.
But Gladiia… took his joke seriously.
In one smooth motion she pushed him down onto the tilted deck of the sunken ship, silencing him completely once more.
Her hands—cool and slightly trembling—closed around his, guiding them upward. She tugged at the hem of her coat, allowing his touch through the soft layers beneath.
Her cheeks were faintly flushed, yet her gaze stayed firm.
"Let this be… a small advance payment."
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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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