Chapter 65: What Does It Have to Do with Me
Chapter 65: What Does It Have to Do with Me
Kal'tsit hadnât actually been looking for Steven. She never expected that when she opened the door to the trading post, sheâd find him standing there with Closure.
How did this guy even find his way here? Was he trying to trade for something?
With a puzzled mind, Kal'tsitâs small, cute nose twitched, and then her brow furrowed tightly.
"Closure, did you secretly bring in alcohol again? How many times have I told you, Rhodes Islandâs resources are not abundant. Weâre far from having enough to let you squander them like this. Instead of buying these things, you should be purchasing more materials and energy."
She called out to the Sarkaz girl, who was trying to sneak away, and gave her a cold reprimand.
"You should be talking to those guys about this..."
Closure originally wanted to drag the other elite operators down with her, but when she pointed towards where the elite operators had been sleeping like the dead, all she saw was a devastated scene.
Those elite operators, who were usually craftier than monkeys, had long disappeared, leaving only Steven standing there with his arms crossed, looking on with a spectatorâs expression.
"Talk to who? Mr. Steve? Heâs not a Rhodes Island operator, and he probably doesnât have time to buy this kind of low-quality Ursus alcoholic beverage."
Kal'tsit glanced down at the mess on the floor. She had already more or less figured out what had happened. But since only Steven and Closure were left at the scene, naturally, she could only trouble these two.
To be precise, she could only trouble Closure. As for Steven, she really didnât know how to deal with him.
Now that she knew he might hold the key to curing Oripathy, she was just short of worshipping him. How could she dare to criticize him?
As long as Steven didnât commit mass murder, arson, or cross Kal'tsit and the other operators' bottom line, nobody would say a word against whatever he wanted to do on Rhodes Island.
"Exactly, exactly. Iâm innocent. But this Miss Closure here said I should cover the cost of the alcohol and clean up the place. Iâm just a lonely travelerâwhere would I find such a fortune?"
Steven added fuel to the fire, delivering another blow to Closure.Â
Trying to scam him out of money was not that easy.
"Oh, and she also said, âKal'tsit is so petty.â I have to say, of all the things she said, that one made the most sense to me."
Steven had no intention of hiding his mischief, even expressing wholehearted agreement with the statement.
"âI didnât, I never said that! What I said was that Kal'tsit, youâre so kind, and you wouldnât stoop to your subordinates' level, right?"
Closureâs delicate and adorable face, still carrying a bit of baby fat, twisted into an awkward smile as she pitifully tried to explain to Kal'tsit.
"I donât think I match your imagination quite so well. Or rather, I donât think I can easily let off a Rhodes Island member who has made such a serious mistake. Wouldnât you agree, Miss Closure?"
Kal'tsitâs face darkened, her tone slipping back into the cryptic style that Steven despised. However, this time, he didnât find the interpretation difficult at allâinstead, he found it incredibly entertaining.
After all, Kal'tsit wasn't targeting him.
"Uh, my bad."
Closure covered her ears and bolted away from Kal'tsit, running even faster than a rabbit, as if she were terrified Kal'tsit might chase her down.
If Kal'tsit were just going to punish her, that would be one thing. But if she was going to dock her wages, Closure would rather take a beatingâitâd hurt less.
Luckily, Kal'tsit didnât seem like she intended to settle the score with her immediately.
Her gloomy expression softened when she looked at Steven.Â
Knowing he didnât like seeing her with a cold face, Kal'tsit forced a smile, though it looked so awkward that it only emphasized the incongruity.
"Arenât you going to chase her down and properly punish her? At the very least, dock a few months' wages and maybe put her in solitary for a while, right?"
Steven couldnât help but want to laugh at that expression on Kal'tsitâs face. This cold and serious âBBAâ (Big Boss Attitude) showing such a clumsy attempt to please someone was such an amusing contrast.
"I will, but right now I'm more curiousâhow did you get so close with them so quickly? The elite operators of Rhodes Island are generally not very trusting of outsiders."
Kal'tsit calmly pointed out that she was well aware of the elite operatorsâ occasional private gatherings. She had long been aware of their secret drinking parties. But Steven managing to blend into their little circle was beyond her expectations.
With his strange personality, how did he even make friends with anyone?
"You might not believe it, but itâs probably because Iâm too charming. Resisting my charisma is⌠well, quite difficult." Steven, looking a bit smug, adjusted his hair. He certainly couldnât say he had no idea how he became so close with them, could he?
"Of course, if youâd like to experience it yourself, I suggest you sit down and have a drink with me. Who knows, maybe our friendship will improve too."
He pulled out a half-empty bottle of booze from a nearby cardboard box. After wiping the bottle's mouth, he took a large swig and then handed the remaining quarter of the bottle to Kal'tsit.
"No need. Iâm not good with alcohol."
She rejected the bottle with a frosty expression, unable to stop her brow from furrowing.
"See, thatâs why I get along with them better than with you. Itâs all your own choice."
Steven shrugged and finished off the cheap, harsh liquor. Then, he lay back on the cardboard box, looking every bit like he was basking in a life of debauched leisure.
"I just think that if you really consider them friends, maybe you should understand what they're fighting for."
"Do you know why they were throwing a welcome party for Outcast? Itâs because not every elite operator mission ends perfectly. Sometimes, they canât wait for old friends to return."
"This is the curse that hangs over this land. As long as Oripathy is not eradicated, as long as there are infected still out there, these operatorsâwho joined Rhodes Island to save the infectedâwill always be risking their lives."
This time, Kal'tsit wasnât speaking in riddles. But what she said was even harsher than any cryptic message.
Yet, after listening to it all, Steven just remained slumped on the box, drinking the bitter, low-quality liquor with a look of complete indifference.
"And then what? What does that have to do with me? Did I make them do any of this? Or is Oripathy my fault?"
"If neither of those is true, then whatâs the point of telling me all this?"
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