Arknightcraft Modpack (Steve in Terra) (Minecraft x Arknight) Chapter 110: Are You Sure You’re Not Talking About Yourself?

Steven hadn't even made it back to the village when he spotted a white-haired, antlered girl standing at the entrance—frozen in place, like a statue waiting for her loved one to return.

Judging by the hopeful yet disappointed look on her face, it was clear that s he had been expecting to see more than just him coming back.

"It's not that I didn't want to bring her back. She said she had things to do. If you want to hear about it, I don't mind telling you. After all, I doubt she wants to keep it a secret from you anymore."

Steven quickened his pace toward Alina.

She had just recovered from a serious illness, and her body was still weak.

Yet here she was, waiting at the village entrance for who knows how long.

Even just holding her arm for support, Steven could feel the cold radiating from her.

Without another word, he helped her back inside and started a fire, boiling water like he had done a hundred tis before.

As the flas flickered to life, warmth finally began to seep into the chilly room.

Alina simply smiled softly, watching him move around.

She didn't resist as he gently pushed her back onto the bed.

"So, what exactly is Talulah hiding from us?"

"You saw her?"

Watching Steven busy himself on her behalf, Alina's smile deepened.

It was a rare feeling, having soone take care of her like this.

Aside from Talulah, only Steven had ever made her feel this way.

"If I told you she's planning to make a big scene, that she wants to rebel against Ursus, would you believe ?"

Steven poured two cups of hot water.

Handing one to Alina, he casually glanced around her ho.

This place was practically falling apart.

Cold air leaked in through every crack.

'I should fix this place up for her.'

'No way a frail girl like her could survive in such a freezing ho.'

Once that thought settled into his mind, it was hard to ignore.

Even as he spoke of sothing that would get him arrested on the spot if an Ursus official overheard, his attention was already drifting to how he should remodel Alina's house.

Rebellion.

No matter which country you were in, it was always a dangerous word.

Yet, Alina only hesitated for a mont before nodding her little head.

"I believe you."

"And I believe Talulah."

"If it's her, then this is exactly the kind of decision she would make."

She recalled the things Talulah had once told her.

Her dreams of changing Ursus—

Her determination to fight for the Infected—

Her unyielding ideals.

Alina never doubted that Talulah was soone who followed through on her words.

And more than that, she had the strength to make it happen.

Steven sighed, pulling up her thin, shabby blanket.

But realizing it wouldn't do much to keep her warm, he simply tossed it aside.

Instead, he pulled out a thick wool blanket from his inventory.

With a few quick shakes, he draped it over her.

The mont it wrapped around her, Alina sank into its warmth, looking like a tiny, fluffy ball buried in soft wool.

She blinked in surprise, gently running her fingers over the plush fabric.

This kind of softness and warmth is sothing that she had only ever felt on Talulah's high-end dresses.

'Where do you even get these things...?'

She wondered to herself, watching Steven in quiet amazent.

But she wouldn't ask Steven about these things.

Since he didn't want to say, she wouldn't press him.

"You and I both know that even if we tried to convince her, she wouldn't give up."

"That's just the kind of person she is."

"As for getting caught up in it… Well, that's what being friends is about, isn't it?"

"A true friend should stand by her side when she's fighting for her ideals."

Alina pressed her small face against the soft, pure-white wool.

Steven had brought so much wool that it's enough to make two or three blankets.

Later, she could send one to the two elderly and one for Talulah.

"You're spoiling her, you know that?"

"Forget it, though. Not like I have any right to criticize."

Steven sighed.

Alina was clearly indulging Talulah, letting her do whatever she wanted.

But what could he say?

That's just how Alina was.

And, well… He liked that kind of soft-hearted girl.

"Anyway, I've done everything you asked to."

"She should co back once she's done with her business."

"So, when are you finally going to tell where the nearest mine is?"

Steven stared at Alina's still pale face—

Clearly, she had lost so blood from waiting outside too long.

After thinking for a mont, he reached into his inventory and pulled out an apple and a small knife and began to peel it.

He didn't know why movies always showed people peeling apples when taking care of the sick, but sohow, it just felt like the thing to do.

"If you want, I can take you there right now."

Alina tilted her head slightly before continuing,

"But if you don't mind, I'd like to hear why you want to go."

"Because that place… isn't sowhere you should be."

Hearing Steven ntion the mines, Alina's brows furrowed.

For a mont, an indescribable emotion flashed across her normally gentle face, but it was quickly replaced by concern for him.

Unlike Talulah's plans which she barely understood, she knew all too well what the mines were like.

After all, her parents had been sent to the mines.

And that was how they got infected with Oripathy.

She herself had suffered the sa fate because of it.

If she had to describe what kind of place the mines were, then there was only one phrase that fit:

"A living hell."

For every Ursus citizen, the mines were a place to stay far, far away from.

Because once you entered, there was an overwhelming chance you'd co out as a despised Infected.

"Why else would I go to a mine?"

"To mine, of course."

Steven handed the peeled apple to the girl.

Then, without wasting anything, he started chewing on the apple peels he had carefully collected.

He hadn't forgotten why he ca to Ursus in the first place.

The most important thing was getting his hands on so free, wild Originium ore.

"You?"

"Mining?"

"Do you even know what you're saying?"

Alina's brows knitted even tighter.

It was the first ti she had ever heard soone voluntarily want to go to that hellhole.

And by the look on Steven's face, he wasn't joking.

That was an Ursus mine.

Once you went in, you almost never ca back out.

Even Ursus' regular citizens avoided it like the plague.

And the ones who oversaw the mines were so of the worst kind of people.

Because no one in their right mind would willingly spend their days around a bunch of Infected prisoners who could explode at any ti.

Yet, Steven just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah."

"There's a mine."

"So I'm going to mine."

"It's really that simple."

"What's the problem?"

Steven scratched his head, puzzled by Alina's strong reaction.

To him, mining was the safest thing in the world.

Just dig all the way down to level 11, then start a fishbone branch mine.

As long as you didn't break into a natural cave, there was basically zero danger.

"But that's an Ursus governnt-controlled mine."

"Without permission from the local authorities, individuals aren't allowed to mine there."

Alina looked at Steven helplessly.

This boy's every decision was unexpected.

No wonder Talulah was always wondering what on earth was going through his head

"Sigh~~"

"Who really owns anything on this land?"

"Isn't it just 'whoever digs it up, owns it'?"

Steven scratched his head.

It was buried underground, so who cared?

If those officials were really so capable, they should've dug it up themselves.

Then he'd acknowledge that it belonged to them.

After hearing his logic, Alina stopped arguing.

She simply gave him the directions to the mine.

Then, she started getting up, intending to go with him.

Not because she thought he'd get lost, but because she was worried about what might happen.

Sure, Steven's strength seed far beyond what the mine's guards could handle, but she still couldn't feel at ease.

Unfortunately, the mont she lifted the blanket, Steven pushed her back down with one hand.

"You're not going."

"It's not so fun adventure."

"Instead of worrying about that, answer a question for ."

"It's about Talulah."

Steven's tone was unusually serious.

For once, he wasn't joking around.

Alina, sensing the shift, stopped trying to get up.

Instead, she t his gaze, listening intently.

"That girl…"

"Does she ever talk to herself?"

"Like, as if she's talking to soone else?"

A sudden thought had hit him, that maybe the "Status Ailnt" he got was sothing he caught from Talulah.

So he figured why not ask Alina, who knew Talulah better than anyone?

At the sa ti, Steven carefully examined the girl in front of him.

After confirming that her na display didn't have any strange suffixes, he was fairly certain she hadn't been infected by that "Black Snake" thing.

So this thing was picky about who it latched onto?

Weird.

Steven stroked his chin, but then, he noticed that Alina was looking at him with an indescribable expression.

It was the kind of look that said—

"Are you even hearing yourself right now?"

And then she asked—

"Are you sure… you're not talking about yourself?"