Arknightcraft Modpack

“I’ll do it.”

“No, you absolutely can’t. Anyone else, but definitely not you. I’ll notify the operators showing signs of infection and see if any of them are willing to undergo this treatment of yours.”

Kal’tsit and Warfarin simultaneously rejected Amiya’s request. Until there was confirmation that Steven’s so-called treatment was effective, there was no way they’d let her be exposed to such a risky situation.

Moreover, given her unique physical condition, she likely wouldn’t survive Steven’s experimentation.

“Why are you acting like I’m going to eat someone? Relax, I’m not some kind of mad scientist. Modifying bodies and all that doesn’t interest me in the slightest. If anything, I’m all about dietary therapy.”

Steven chuckled at their exaggerated reactions. Treating an illness shouldn’t feel like plotting a murder, right? Sure, Oripathy is a serious disease, but his treatment didn’t even involve surgery—just some simple remedies.

No needles, just medicine, with lots of milk.

Speaking of which, it might be time to make a big batch of milk for Gladiia. This could be a good chance to see if amnesia counts as some sort of debuff.

If so, then it’s time to put that milk to the test.

“Precisely because of that, you seem unreliable.”

Warfarin sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she voiced her doubts. If Oripathy were something that could be cured through healthy living and proper diet, it wouldn’t have become the lingering shadow over this land.

“I believe you can do it. Any resources you require, just ask. If you can cure Oripathy, Rhodes Island is willing to pay any price.”

Unlike Warfarin’s skepticism, Kal’tsit had a deeper understanding of Steven’s peculiarities.

The mysteries surrounding him seemed even more profound than those of the Abyssal Hunters.

“Pay any price?”

Steven’s eyes glinted mischievously as a sly grin spread across his face. At that moment, he resembled a villain about to demand a heavy ransom, like something out of a hentai doujin. One could almost hear him saying, “Kal’tsit, you wouldn’t want X to happen, would you?”

“If you can deliver results.”

Kal’tsit maintained her stoic demeanor, locking eyes with him in a silent challenge.

“Boring. I don’t even know what I want right now.”

Steven waved dismissively, dropping the act. Honestly, he didn’t have any specific desires at the moment. Even if he did, Kal’tsit wouldn’t be able to fulfill them.

Let’s be real—if she could provide a few million points of World Acknowledgement Points or EMC points, Steven would throw himself into developing a cure for Oripathy. But without that? There wasn’t much to discuss. He wasn’t exactly tempted by Kal’tsit’s… charms.

Shifting his gaze to Amiya, who had remained quietly attentive after being rejected, Steven seemed to have a thought.

“By the way, based on what you just said, is this little one also an Infected? A medical company appointing a patient as its leader? That feels… odd.”

Steven scrutinized the bunny-eared girl, finding no signs of suffering or illness. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of experiences led her to lead such a large organization.

Logically, it didn’t make sense. The only explanations he could think of were that she was a crown princess or a puppet leader.

It all seemed to tie back to Kal’tsit somehow.

He almost reached out to ruffle the cute bunny-eared girl’s head but stopped himself. Considering they weren’t particularly close, and the world might have some strange customs, he decided against it.

“Because Dr. Kal’tsit said only I could do it. Honestly, I don’t even know if I can. But I can’t let down the expectations of everyone in Rhodes Island.”

Before Kal’tsit could respond, Amiya spoke up herself.

Her earnest and serious tone was difficult to reconcile with her apparent age—she looked barely twelve or thirteen. Steven could only feel a pang of sorrow for her.

If she lived in a better world, she would probably still be at an age to rely on her parents, enjoying carefree school days and the freedoms of childhood. Instead, she had to bear such an enormous responsibility.

Glancing at Kal’tsit, who remained silent but clearly shared some of that burden, Steven’s suspicions were confirmed. Amiya’s role as leader wasn’t by choice but necessity.

For this dutiful and sensible bunny-eared girl, Steven felt a tinge of goodwill. Unfortunately, goodwill alone wasn’t enough to motivate him to offer free treatment.

Even Gladiia’s case had only been addressed because he’d caused the issue himself. If Amiya’s Oripathy had nothing to do with him, why should he intervene?

Just as Steven decided not to pry further into Amiya’s situation, he noticed a strange glimmer in her blue eyes.

Suddenly, it felt as if something had traveled along her gaze and entered his mind.

Before he could fully register the sensation, Amiya let out a painful cry, clutching her head and crouching down as if in agony.

Her rabbit ears, which had been perked up moments ago, drooped in distress.

Kal’tsit and Warfarin, caught off guard, quickly moved to help her. Their expressions showed their shock at the abrupt turn of events.

“Wait… did she just read my mind?”

It took a moment for Steven to piece together what had happened. Rubbing his temples, he realized that earlier sensation wasn’t a hallucination. Amiya had likely used some kind of mind-reading ability on him.

Whether intentional or not, it wasn’t his fault.

After all, Steven’s mind was crammed with centuries of repetitive, monotonous memories. Even he had nearly gone insane from it multiple times.

In a way, all those who suspected his brain was “a bit off” weren’t wrong.