Chapter 325: Cute? Do You Even Need to Ask?
"Judging by that tone of yours… are you planning on being a hands-off boss now?"
Once Steven had finished giving out his instructions, Centaurea—who had been napping on the desk this whole time—finally came over. She tugged him into a quiet corner, lowering her voice as she asked.
These past two days had been the most relaxing since she first joined the Armorless Union. Ever since Steven became her direct superior, her life had gotten even more leisurely.
Eat, nap, slack off, repeat… It's a truly blissful life.
Even so, she could tell that Steven was clearly preparing to wash his hands of the whole affair. And as someone who had once entertained that exact same thought herself, she recognized the signs immediately.
What she couldn't figure out was this: after all the trouble he had gone through to become the big boss of all Kazimierz, why would he turn right around and play the absentee leader? What was he even after?
And since she couldn't afford to lose such a long-term meal ticket, of course she had to press him on it.
Unlike with Roy earlier, Steven couldn't just scare her into silence. After a moment's thought, he finally nodded.
"Yeah. Once I tidy things up a bit more here, I'll be heading off again. Didn't I tell you about it already? I'm just a traveler, not some businessman."
Running a business empire? Steven had zero intention of sinking his focus into something so exhausting and thankless. What use did he have for money and power at this point?
No, what he wanted most right now was to tease Talulah, then go cuddle that big fluffy white rabbit for stress relief. That, to him, was worth looking forward to.
"Huh? Then what about here?"
"What about it? Didn't I already set everything in order? If something comes up, just contact me. It's not like it'll take me long to come back."
Steven spread his hands, as if she were saying something completely unreasonable.
If it were anyone else making this claim, the members of the Armorless Union would've laughed them off as delusional—how could someone rush back from another country in time if things went south? By then, the mess would've long since rotted.
But if it was Steven saying it… they actually believed him.
If he declared that he could pluck one of the two moons from the night sky, people would probably nod along and believe him without a shred of doubt. Because he just might actually pull it off.
"…Tch. In that case, I want to take some time off."
Centaurea frowned, hesitated for a long moment, then leaned close to whisper in his ear.
"Seriously? You're barely working as it is, and you still want vacation?"
Steven was genuinely baffled.
He hadn't given her a single task, yet she still pulled in a salary others would kill for just by lazing around every day. What possible reason could she have to ask for leave?
Did she want maternity leave or something—go home to raise kids?
"I don't care! I'm taking a break. If you get to ditch responsibility and run off, then why can't I, your poor employee, take a little vacation too?"
Tilting her chin up stubbornly, Centaurea put on her most willful look.
And she wasn't wrong. He had promised her before. If he tried to take it back now, she'd have the moral high ground.
"Alright, alright. Take as much time as you want. Paid leave too, happy?"
Steven could accept this sort of little tantrum from her. Besides, he really had promised. There's no way out of it.
"Hehe~ that depends on you. After leaving Kazimierz, where do you plan to go for your next journey?"
Seeing the indulgent look on Steven's face, Centaurea finally revealed a faint smile. She reached out, caught his arm, and leaned gently against him as she asked in a low voice.
These past two days of leisure had given her time not only to rest but also to dream a strange dream.
In that dream, no matter how she struggled, she could never escape the binding tower in her heart. Again and again, she would wake, only to find herself still trapped in that same nightmare.
But in the end—just like the fairy tales she once dismissed as childish and naive, tossing them into the forgotten corners of memory—there appeared the figure of a hero.
That figure shattered the nightmares encircling her and pulled her out of the endless cycle.
Though within the dream she couldn't make out who it was, the moment she truly woke, she immediately knew the answer.
Black hair, light blue eyes—who else could it be but Steven?
Now that he was about to leave, it was definitely not good news for Centaurea.
Even if she could still spend her days as leisurely as before, the thought of not seeing him left her with a faint, inexplicable sense of loss and regret.
That was why—despite her usually lazy nature—she ended up making a decision that even she felt was a bit bold. Her mood now could perhaps be compared to when she chose to abandon the path of becoming a titled knight and instead joined the Armorless Union.
Back then, the outcome hadn't turned out as she'd hoped, but this time, Centaurea decided she was willing to gamble again.
"For you to be asking this… don't tell me you want to come with me?"
Steven scratched his head.
With her back-to-back questions, anyone could see what she was really thinking.
He didn't mind, but the problem was—before heading to his next destination, he had to return to Ursus.
And his long-distance teleport couldn't carry anyone else. Dragging her along at this point wouldn't make much sense.
"What? You don't want a beautiful girl tagging along? Don't forget, I still owe you a meal. No matter how you look at it, you'd be getting the better end of the deal."
As Centaurea said this, her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink.
Some things slipped away in an instant if you didn't seize them. She didn't want to look back one day and be left with nothing but sighs and lifelong regret. Since she'd made her choice, she had to be proactive.
"It's not that—I just haven't decided where I'm going yet. And before that, I'll probably be busy for a while. But if you don't mind, I'd definitely enjoy having someone along for the trip."
Steven nodded.
If she didn't mind, then of course he'd welcome it.
He truly did enjoy her company—and besides, there was one thing she wasn't wrong about.
She really was a bona fide, drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Having that kind of "bonus" along the way was definitely a win.
"Alright then, let me plan it! I've always wanted to travel the world anyway. I promise you won't be disappointed."
Like an excited schoolgirl about to head off on a spring outing, Centaurea's face lit up with a smile full of expectation as she locked eyes with Steven.
Traveling across the lands had always been one of her dreams. And with Steven as her companion this time, there was no way the journey would lack for fun or surprises.
As for what Steven said he would be busy with during this time—well, just let him be busy then. After all, as long as he took her along later, it really didn't matter much to her.
"Mhm~ fine then, I'll come call you afterward. I'll be troubling my lovely Miss Centaurea a bit."
Looking at her expression, Steven couldn't help but smile as well.
This Centaurea was far more interesting than the lazy little mare from before, who always carried an air of indifference.
Perhaps, mares like her were always meant to roam beneath a freer sky.
"Hmph, as if I need your compliments. Now off you go, quickly get whatever you need done out of the way first. I'll have to carefully plan where exactly we should travel so that it'll be truly satisfying."
Hearing Steven's praise made Centaurea inexplicably happy, as if she had just swallowed a spoonful of honey. Humming a cheerful tune, she returned to her spot, sprawled over her desk, and began seriously scribbling in her little notebook to plan their trip.
Watching her like this, Steven suddenly felt one of life's so-called top three illusions creep into his heart.
Could it be… that this girl actually liked him?
Squinting his eyes, he shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. Guessing about such things was pointless—better to let things run their course.
When the time came, he would deal with it naturally.
What, was he supposed to go up and bluntly ask her without the slightest bit of tact?
Turning around, Steven left the hospital.
The affairs concerning his foundation had more or less been settled, and it seemed like his tasks here in Kazimierz were nearly done as well.
Next up, it would probably be dealing with a certain individual—someone who thought that just because he was hiding in Columbia, he would be unable to touch him.
The thought of that true power-holder of the K.G.C.C brought a dark, cruel smile to Steven's face. If he had dared to string up those profiteers on the streetlamp, how could he possibly forget about this heavyweight player?
Of course, a man of his stature couldn't just be hanged on any ordinary streetlamp—such a method would hardly be fitting, not even worthy of being compared to those merchants who were already dealt with. Fortunately, when it came to handling people of this sort, Steven was quite confident in his abilities.
As the head of the K.G.C.C, he naturally deserved a "special" treatment. Steven wasn't so cruel as to resort to things that would be used by the likes of Kim Jong Il, but he definitely wasn't going to let this man off lightly.
Even if, at this moment, that person was still hiding away in Columbia with seemingly no intention of ever returning.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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