Standing outside the door was a young girl.
Steven's eyes widened, not because a girl had come to see him, but because of how unexpectedly she was dressed. Her appearance was far more casual and revealing than he had anticipated; the upper part of her shirt was open, exposing a portion of her upper breast, and a short skirt hanging from her hips, catching him completely off guard.
For a brief moment, his mind went blank.
Then reason returned.
His expression darkened, the surprise draining from his face as his brows lowered and his eyes turned cold, leaving him with a stern, unreadable look.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
Midrin lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes.
"I... I'm not sure what happened between you and my father," she said quietly. "But after your meeting, he told me that you had asked for me in exchange for the information you promised him. So... I came."
Steven froze.
A moment later, realization struck him.
That old man actually took my sarcastic remark seriously?
During their conversation, Steven had jokingly said, "If you want the true name of the being behind that Blasphemy Card, then give me your daughter."
He had never imagined the principal would interpret those words literally.
At first, a surge of anger rose in Steven's chest. His brows drew together sharply, his jaw tightened, and a cold, irritated look spread across his face as if he were barely restraining the urge to lash out.
Then, surprisingly, a faint smile appeared.
So, the principal is probably a high-sequence Beyonder...
If that's true, asking for Beyonder materials would be far more valuable. I might even be able to obtain the ingredients for my Sequence 8 potion... or perhaps even Sequence 7.
While Steven was lost in thought, Midrin misunderstood his smile.
Believing he had accepted her presence, she quietly walked into the room and sat on the edge of his bed.
Steven's expression darkened instantly, the faint trace of amusement vanishing as his gaze turned sharp and icy.
"Who gave you permission to sit there?" he said sharply.
Midrin looked up in confusion.
"I thought... that's what you wanted."
Steven let out a cold sigh.
"No."
He pointed toward the door.
"Go back and tell your father that Steven Green doesn't want his ridiculous offer."
His gaze turned icy.
"What I want is two or three drops of his blood, along with the Beyonder characteristics of the Reader Pathway's Sequence 8 and Sequence 7."
He paused before continuing.
"If he can provide those, then I'll tell him the true name of the being connected to that Blasphemy Card."