Chapter 425: One More Little Thing
What Gladiia gave Steven as a "reward" was far from just that little bit. Especially once she guided his hand deeper beneath the hem of her coat, until his palm rested upon two soft mounds—warm and plush like fresh bread straight from the oven—Steven's mind went completely blank.
By the time he recovered from that fuzzy, dreamlike state, Gladiia was already standing before him, calmly straightening the wrinkles on her coat as if absolutely nothing had happened.
"Since you still need some time, I'll continue gathering intel on the Church of the Deep here. After that, I'll return to Rhodes Island and bring the other two with me."
Despite the faint pink still dusting her cool, stoic cheeks, Gladiia spoke with full seriousness.
Since Steven couldn't immediately rid her of the corruption eating away at her, she would use the time to dig up information on the Church's bishops. She even considered scouting Sal Viento in advance.
"If that's the plan, I can bring them to you instead. That kind of thing isn't hard for me anymore."
Steven hid his hands behind his back, trying to shake off the lingering softness imprinted in his palms. Teleporting people used to be difficult—but with his new Pokéball-style mod, even transporting the entire Rhode Island would be a piece of cake.
"No. At least for this part… we need to do it ourselves."
Gladiia rarely refused anything Steven suggested—yet she shook her head firmly now.
"This is the fate of the Abyssal Hunters. Something Skadi, Laurentina, and I must face. It's not just the matter of defeating the Church of the Deep. It's about the truth behind Laurentina's suffering… and the changes happening to Skadi."
The looming destiny of turning into Seaborn—maybe only Steven could stop that in the end.
But the reasons behind their tragedies?
She wanted to uncover those with her own hands.
"…Alright. Just let me know when you're coming back. I might not be at Rhodes Island at the time, but I'll get there. Even if you don't want me interfering… an extra spectator won't hurt, right?"
Steven sighed helplessly.
"I'm not gonna sit back and watch you get hurt. That would be my problem."
"Then it's settled."
Gladiia looked at him—truly looked at him.
A pure, crystalline smile—like a snow lotus blooming in the deep ocean—graced her usually icy expression, nearly stunning Steven all over again.
Then she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head gently against his shoulder. This time, she didn't silence him by force—just held him quietly.
"Until that day comes… I will be waiting with all my heart."
She whispered softly, breath warm against his ear.
"My hero."
With the same soft tone she'd once used back when she'd lost her memories—gentle, clinging, a little uncertain—Gladiia whispered those words into Steven's ear. Then she closed her eyes, quietly savoring the warmth of his arms around her.
In this moment, she felt like that girl from the past again—childishly sticking to him, refusing to leave his side.
And this feeling… was something she had no intention of letting go.
"Mm… there's actually something I wanted to discuss with you."
After nearly thirty minutes of holding Gladiia close, enjoying the softness and closeness unique to her, Steven finally spoke up before she could get out of his embrace.
"It might ruin the mood just a tiny bit though… so don't be mad?"
"Go ahead."
Without her title, without anyone watching, Gladiia's guard had completely fallen.
"So, uh… could you maybe change your outfit a little in the future?"
Steven tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm not insulting your style or anything. It's just—when you're slaying sea monsters? Fine. But when talking to normal people, wearing… that… is kinda too seductive. I'm not a fan."
"Didn't I prepare perfectly good combat pants for you before?"
He glanced meaningfully at her attire: the elegant jacket was great—exactly his taste—but the lower half?
A design that deliberately exposed tight fabric and flawless thighs? Way too attention-grabbing.
"…This is what people call possessiveness, isn't it?"
Gladiia froze for a beat—then a small, understanding smile curved her lips, equal parts amused and helpless.
"Then have you considered how I feel?"
She leaned closer, eyes narrowing slightly in mischief.
"When I can clearly sense Laurentina's scent lingering on your clothes… and even your face?"
One sentence—and Steven went stiff as a statue.
But Gladiia only chuckled and closed the distance again, bringing her lips near his ear.
"Don't worry. This is my battle uniform. Anyone who gets to see this much of it… is usually already dead."
Her voice dropped to a whisper—sweet and dangerous.
"But if I'm to be considered yours now…"
She stepped back lightly—like a butterfly taking flight—and turned her head with a glance.
"I do have another outfit. One that covers everything. I can wear it… for your eyes only."
A tiny pause—then, with a note of promise:
"And there are… special rewards too."
<+>
Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind spending $5 monthly to see till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1].
Latest Chapter in Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/151617522?collection=55713[2]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/151617522?collection=55713[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/55713?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/55713?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/151617522?collection=55713
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/151617522?collection=55713
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/55713?view=condensed