Chapter 390: What's Wrong With Liking Beautiful Things?
The back-and-forth between Steven and Kal'tsit was nothing new—in fact, it had become a bit of a spectacle on Rhodes Island. Neither of the two Abyssal Hunters even batted an eye anymore; Skadi just looked as calm as ever, while Specter leaned lazily against the wall with a smirk, watching the show. Blaze, on the other hand, looked like she was settling in with popcorn, fully prepared to enjoy the drama.
Only Centaurea, the newcomer, seemed genuinely puzzled.
It was her first time aboard the Rhodes Island airship, and she couldn't help but stare curiously at the green-furred feline who was so casually sparring with Steven.
Just who was this woman, that she could talk to him like that—and somehow get away with it?
Steven was easygoing, sure, but this level of banter clearly meant the two had a close relationship.
Kal'tsit, meanwhile, clearly had no interest in humoring his nonsense any longer. "Let's skip the meaningless chatter," she said coolly. "Shouldn't you be introducing this Kuranta lady from Kazimierz? Don't tell me she's another amnesiac stray you picked up—or worse, another one of your 'daughter'?"
Her tone was sharp, but the glint in her eyes betrayed curiosity.
Steven's reputation on Rhodes Island was, shall we say, colorful. His knack for getting along with people—especially women—was well-known. It wasn't just his easy charm; there was something about his humor, his effortless warmth, that drew people in.
The last time he'd brought someone back, it had been a captain-level Abyssal Hunter. And now he'd returned with a bright-eyed white Kuranta who was definitely not ordinary.
Kal'tsit narrowed her eyes slightly as she studied Centaurea. As Rhodes Island's de facto leader, she had every right to ask.
Steven scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Uh… let's just say she's a friend. A travel companion I promised to bring along."
He couldn't quite put it any other way. Calling her a subordinate made it sound like he was taking his secretary on a "business trip," which carried… implications. But calling her something else was even harder to explain.
So he went with the safest answer he could think of.
Unfortunately, Centaurea didn't seem interested in "safe answers."
The moment she heard Steven's halfhearted explanation, her drowsiness evaporated. With a bright smile, she stepped closer—looping her arm around his without hesitation, her tone cheerful and confident.
"Well, technically speaking, he's my boss," she said smoothly. "But if you want to be precise, I'd say he's my boyfriend in training. Whether he gets promoted to full status or not depends on how he performs in the next little while."
Not a hint of embarrassment in her voice—only calm, bold self-assurance.
Her frankness, in contrast to Steven's vague fumbling, made him seem almost bashful by comparison.
Centaurea knew exactly what kind of person Steven was—charming, magnetic, and far too popular for his own good. Which was exactly why she wasn't about to play it passive. If she liked him, she'd make it known.
Otherwise, someone else might get there first.
After all, wasn't that the whole point of asking him to "travel" together? The job might've been an excuse—the real trip was the company.
The reactions that followed were, to put it mildly, entertaining.
Skadi, as usual, was blissfully oblivious—leaning against her massive sword and quietly dozing in the corner. Everyone else, though, perked up instantly, their expressions taking on a variety of amused shades.
Specter was the first to move, grinning wide as she gave Steven a playful shove on the shoulder, then raised a hand and rubbed her fingers together in the universal "so, how much to keep quiet?" gesture.
Blaze, on the other hand, was just standing there with amusement clear on her face. The gleam in her eyes said it all—this was prime gossip material, the kind she'd be sharing with the other elite Operators later over coffee.
"I didn't expect that kind of person to be your type," Kal'tsit commented after a brief pause. Her tone was neutral, but her eyes glimmered with faint amusement as she gave Centaurea another once-over before turning her cool gaze back to Steven.
To be fair, Centaurea's looks were exceptional. Even on Terra—a world overflowing with beautiful people—she stood out easily enough to be invited into the idol industry.
Her long, shapely legs, her graceful yet strong build, the smooth curve of her waist—all those details came together to form a figure that could effortlessly capture a man's attention.
But still… Kal'tsit hadn't thought Steven would be this shallow.
Surely, she thought, there had to be more to his taste than just appearances.
…Right?
Steven coughed lightly, sensing that judgmental stare. "Don't look at me like that. I just happen to like good-looking people, that's all. You're not seriously telling me you thought I was talking nicely to you all this time out of pure respect, are you?"
He flashed her a grin—half teasing, half sincere. "You're beautiful too, you know. Maybe not exactly a 'young girl' anymore…" He caught himself just in time, clearing his throat. "…But the term beauty still fits."
He spread his hands. "What's wrong with liking beautiful things? Admiring perfection isn't a sin, last I checked."
He said it with such casual honesty that it was hard to tell whether he was joking or not.
Kal'tsit's expression didn't change—but her ears twitched. Slightly.
Steven, of course, didn't miss that detail.
Then, with all the confidence in the world, he slipped an arm around Centaurea's slender waist, pulling her just a little closer. "Anyway, whatever you think, she's my friend for now. Rhodes Island doesn't discriminate, does it? As long as she means no harm to you or to the infected, there shouldn't be any problem."
Centaurea didn't resist in the slightest—in fact, she leaned into the gesture, her lips curving into a subtle, satisfied smile.
Across from them, Blaze gave a low whistle and shot Steven a thumbs-up, Steven chuckled, utterly unashamed.
Kal'tsit let out the faintest sigh before finally pulling her gaze away from Centaurea. "Naturally. Rhodes Island welcomes anyone without hostility toward the infected—or us. If she's your guest, then she's welcome."
Her tone softened ever so slightly, though her mind was already shifting gears.
Instead of worrying about that, it was better to think about how to get Steven to explain the things he had done and the commotion he had caused in Kazimierz recently.
And if she played it right… Maybe she can have him give a few new benefits for Rhodes Island.
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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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