Steve blinked several times, making sure he wasn't seeing things. At the doorway stood Gampler, her clothes still messy, her hair disheveled, and her face flushed red. One hand was still holding her waist as she occasionally winced in pain.
Seeing the woman's appearance after she had just come out of the private room of the strongest man… Steve's brain instantly connected all the clues.
The guilt and emotion that had been weighing on Steve suddenly evaporated, replaced by a mischievous smile slowly forming on his face.
"Ohhh…" Steve nodded slowly with a teasing tone. "So… the cold Shiro has a life partner now, huh?"
DEGH!
Shiro's heart felt like it skipped a beat. The clan leader, who was usually calm and deadly in the arena, suddenly blushed bright red all the way to his ears.
Meanwhile, Miss Gampler, who was usually sharp-tongued and confident, completely panicked. Her eyes widened. She quickly fixed her slipping collar and tried to stand straight, even though her legs were still slightly trembling.
The two of them exchanged panicked looks.
Shiro stared at Gampler as if sending a telepathic signal.
(Why did you come out looking like that in front of this kid?!)
Gampler shot back an irritated glare.
(This is your fault for having no restraint all night!)
Both of them were completely flustered. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became extremely awkward… yet very amusing for Steve and the entity inside his head.
(Hah… typical humans.) Unknown scoffed in Steve's mind, though his tone sounded quite entertained.
Trying desperately to save what little pride he had left, Shiro cleared his throat loudly.
"Ahem! W-wait a second, Steve! Don't jump to strange conclusions!" Shiro pointed at Gampler nervously. "Besides, how do you even know this troublemaking girl?!"
Steve smiled casually at his friend's panicked expression.
"Of course I know her. I met Miss Gampler during the Hunter rank promotion qualification exam. She was the one who tested me."
"A-ah! Y-yes, that's right!" Gampler quickly added, trying to sound professional even though her voice was still slightly hoarse. "I tested his durability back then, Shiro!"
Before Steve could tease them any further, the loud ringing of a phone suddenly shattered the awkward atmosphere.
Kringgg! Kringgg!
Shiro quickly reached into the pocket of his yukata like someone who had just been saved from the gallows. He glanced at the screen.
"Ah, it's from the AH central headquarters," he muttered.
He answered the call and listened for a moment. The panic on his face slowly faded, replaced by a serious expression again, though the redness on his cheeks hadn't completely disappeared.
"Alright, I understand. I'll head there immediately," Shiro said before ending the call.
He let out a long sigh and looked at Steve and Gampler alternately.
"The Hunter Association wants me to come right now. I have to handle the documents and the aftermath of the chaos caused by my defeat yesterday." Shiro rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Steve could only grin awkwardly and scratch the back of his head.
Shiro stood up and quickly straightened his clothes.
"You two, if you still want to relax in this clan residence, feel free. Treat it like your own home. I have to go now!"
Without waiting for a reply, the strongest man shot out of the room at full speed, as if he were fleeing from the most terrifying battlefield, leaving Steve and Gampler behind to awkwardly look at each other.
After Shiro left, Steve and Gampler walked outside toward the zen garden. They sat down together and began chatting.
"Miss Gampler, what exactly is your skill? I'm still confused about it," Steve asked.
"Ooh~ this is my skill. Just look at the system panel," Gampler said as she tapped her screen and shared the visual display with Steve.
[Skill: Utsuki Gampler]
Name: Imagination
Description: Allows the user to create things based on their imagination
Grade: Myth
"Ohh, no wonder you can change clothes or styles so quickly," Steve said with admiration.
"Eh~ why are you so impressed, Steve? Pretty cool, right~?" Gampler replied in her usual teasing tone.
"Yeah, it's cool. By the way… how old are you actually? Your height is only around the chest level of me and Shiro."
"Hey! I'm five years older than both of you, you know!!" Gampler shouted with puffed cheeks, clearly annoyed.
"Hehe, alright, alright. Sorry."
Steve spent some time chatting with Gampler until the sky slowly turned reddish, signaling that evening was approaching.
"Bye, Miss Gampler. Take good care of Shiro!" Steve waved his hand before flying away, leaving Gampler behind.