Chapter 210: This Isn't What I Wanted to Hear
Chapter 210: This Isn't What I Wanted to Hear
Steven had no intention of stopping Amiya.
In fact, her appearance actually helped ease the awkwardness of the situation a little.
After all, thanks to his sudden burst of speed, there were barely any participants left to even hold the competition anymore.
Under normal circumstances, they probably would've had to restart the entire race.
So now that someone had stepped up to finish it?
He was nothing but grateful.
Even better, the champion turned out to be Amiya—the beloved bunny of Rhodes Island.
That made things a lot easier to handle.
It was way better for someone like her to win, rather than him—the guy who had wiped out the entire competition before anyone could even cross the finish line.
If Steven wasn't the main sponsor of the event, the other operators he had launched off the track would’ve probably torn him limb from limb by now.
Even so, the way they were looking at him carried a mixture of resentment… and reluctant admiration.
Of course, there was frustration too.
But in this world, strength was everything.
And Steven's strength had been made painfully clear to everyone present.
With Amiya’s victory, the third—rather childish and chaotic—Rhodes Island Office Swivel Chair Championship finally came to a close.
"Despite the numerous accidents and the unpredictable course of events, the Third Rhodes Island Office Swivel Chair Championship has officially concluded~!"
"And now~ let's all give a big congratulations to our leader, Amiya, for taking first place!"
Closure’s voice echoed over the speakers.
But if she had a choice, she really wouldn't have wanted to be the one announcing this.
Seriously.
How was she even supposed to explain what had just happened?!
Fortunately, the audience had witnessed everything firsthand.
They had no objections to the results, because in the end, no one actually cared about who won.
It wasn’t like there were bets riding on this.
For them, the real highlight of the event had been all the food and drinks being served.
Everything else was just entertainment.
"As soon as the engineering team has finished repairs, the Rhodes Island Exclusive Ball will be held on the deck. We welcome everyone to showcase their most elegant dance moves!"
With that final announcement, Closure finally set down the microphone.
Then she turned to glare at the black-haired boy casually strolling toward her from the track.
"How do you still have the nerve to smile?"
"You turned what was supposed to be a race into a desktop-cleaning simulator! What are we gonna do about all the damage to the deck?! The Engineering Department is probably ready to skin us alive right now."
She shot Steven a pointed look before launching into a discussion about repair costs.
Closure wasn’t particularly interested in who won the race.
But the price of Steven’s fun was way too steep.
And she definitely wasn’t paying for it.
If anyone was dealing with the Engineering Department’s complaints, it was him.
"Ahh, don’t worry about it~ It’s no big deal. Just some minor repair costs, right?"
Steven grinned, completely unconcerned.
"Besides, look who you're talking to. Do you really think I have a problem with money?"
Whether it was the potatoes soon to be exported from Iberia or the massive Originium mines under his control, money was nothing more than a meaningless number to him now.
Of course, Closure had done great work organizing the event.
If not for her efforts, the tournament wouldn’t have even happened in the first place.
And while things hadn’t exactly gone smoothly, at least they had managed to start and finish the race, which was already more than Steven had expected.
"Alright then, how about this—you help me sort out the total compensation costs, and I’ll cover everything. Plus, if there’s anything you need to source from me, I can give you a friendly discount."
The moment a shrewd merchant ends up on your side, they’re no longer a "shrewd merchant"—they become a strategic financial expert, a talent worth nurturing.
Steven understood this principle well, so he had no intention of shortchanging Closure.
And just like that, the frustration in Closure’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by the eager enthusiasm of a devoted follower.
A boss who not only took full responsibility for damages but also offered business benefits?
She couldn’t have found a better deal even if she searched with a lantern!
If she didn’t take full advantage of this, she’d be failing her instincts as a businesswoman.
With that issue settled, a thoroughly confused Amiya was led over by Kal'tsit.
The little rabbit clearly had no idea how she had won the race.
She’d been late—very late.
And she’d crossed the finish line at the slowest possible speed.
The fact that she still somehow ended up champion made it impossible for her to even guess what had happened.
Fortunately, the overall atmosphere on deck remained cheerful, meaning there had been no major disasters.
Meanwhile, Kal'tsit whispered something in Amiya’s ear, likely reminding her to make good use of the promise Steven had made.
Even though she wasn’t the original winner, Amiya was still an ideal choice—at least, she was someone who could understand Kal'tsit’s concerns.
"Well, well, well—looks like our little champion has come to claim her prize! But first, you gotta give us an acceptance speech."
Ignoring Kal'tsit entirely, Steven greeted Amiya with a playful grin, as if it were only the two of them there.
"Mr. Steve, please don’t tease me… Everyone knows I just happened to stumble into this win. An acceptance speech? Please spare me from that embarrassment…"
The already-shy girl lowered her head even further, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Luck is part of strength, you know."
Steven shot a glance at Kal'tsit.
If certain people wanted to get their hands on this so-called "luck," he wouldn’t even consider giving it to them.
He understood that everything Kal'tsit did was for Rhodes Island.
But understanding and forgiving were two very different things.
He wasn’t some saint who would turn the other cheek just because he understood her reasoning.
Kal'tsit, for her part, simply coughed lightly and looked away, pretending she wasn’t there.
"Alright, alright—let’s not drag this out. First things first, let’s get your prize sorted. I’m not the kind of person to go back on my word. If I make a promise, I keep it."
Steven ruffled the hair of the still-confused girl, smiling at her gently.
Even though she had once unknowingly read his memories and put him in a tough spot, he didn’t blame her for it.
It had never been her intention to do so, and he wasn’t the kind of person to hold a grudge over something she had no control over.
If he knew she hadn’t meant to harm him, then resenting her for it would just be petty.
He always preferred to reason with people rather than resorting to violence.
So, without hesitation, he reached into his pocket and pulled out three bottles of glowing pink healing potion, handing them over to Kal'tsit—whose eyes had practically glazed over in astonishment.
Originally, these potions were meant as rewards for the top three contestants.
But since Amiya was the only one who actually crossed the finish line, all three bottles naturally went to her.
Of course, giving them to Amiya essentially meant handing them over to Kal'tsit—the potions would undoubtedly end up being used for medical research.
He had no objections to that.
Whether or not they were actually effective was another question entirely, but even if they were, it wouldn’t negatively impact him in any way.
After all, "bad money drives out good" only applies if he were depending on these potions to make a living.
On the contrary, he hoped that Rhodes Island’s medical personnel could extract something useful from them.
If they could develop new treatments, then maybe—just maybe—this bleak world would become a slightly better place.
"Here, I’ve handed over the potions now. Don’t say I go back on my word."
Steven grinned as he turned his attention back to Amiya.
"As for the other request… My dear little Amiya, do you want to tell me now, or would you rather wait and ask me later?"
He leaned down slightly so he could meet the small rabbit’s sky-blue eyes, smiling as he gently inquired.
"……"
Amiya froze for a moment before glancing uncertainly at Kal'tsit.
After exchanging looks with her, it was as if she suddenly remembered something.
Turning back to Steven, she hesitantly spoke up.
"I… I hope that Mr. Steve, you could consider joining Rhodes Island as an operator—even if it's just on a contract basis…"
As she reached the middle of her sentence, Amiya seemed to realize that her request might be a bit too much.
Her voice gradually weakened, and she lowered her head, unable to meet Steven’s gaze.
"Hmm… That’s not entirely unreasonable."
Steven stroked his chin, casting a sidelong glance at a certain green-haired feline who was now pretending to be invisible.
It was obvious that this request hadn’t come from Amiya herself.
Most likely, someone had put her up to it.
"But," he continued, "this isn’t the answer I was hoping to hear. At the very least, it’s not your own wish."
Steven gently patted Amiya on the head before shaking his own.
"I specifically said I would grant a request from the winner. That means your request, not something forced onto you by someone else."
"But—"
"No ‘buts’."
Steven tapped his chest over his heart, signaling to the young Rhodes Island leader.
"I want your answer, Amiya—not Kal'tsit’s. You don’t need to explain anything—I can tell whether you mean it or not."
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