"So? Why tell this?" Steven said with a shrug, his tone casual. "I'm not involved in your revolution thing."
He lifted a hand as if brushing the matter aside.
When it ca to the infected and all their ssy problems, he wasn't exactly qualified to pass judgnt.
That sort of thing was far beyond what an outsider like him should ddle with.
Whatever path Talulah ultimately chose, he wouldn't interfere—as long as it didn't involve dragging Alina into trouble.
"I knew you'd just dodge the question," Talulah snorted. "Whatever, then. There's not much more to talk about on our end. The tragedies out here on the snowfields… there are too many to even count. No point in digging through all of them again."
"Oh right," she added after a pause, as if suddenly rembering sothing. "That white rabbit's been looking for you. Keeps lurking around asking if you're back yet, but refuses to contact you directly. What the hell did you do to her to get her so hung up on you?"
Steven blinked. "White rabbit?"
It didn't take long for him to realize she ant Yelena.
Of course. The ice-controlling guerrilla commander had been hovering near Talulah's group like a ghost lately.
Even a fool could tell she was waiting for him.
But why she wouldn't just call… that was anyone's guess.
"What could I have done?" Steven sighed, scratching his head with a wry smile. "Probably just wants to discuss so guerrilla business. I an, I'm friends with you, right? So whatever relationship I have with her… it's probably the sa."
He shrugged again, clearly trying to brush the matter off.
Yelena did have a communication device after all. If it was sothing urgent, why not just call?
Still, Steven's tone wasn't entirely convincing, and Talulah saw right through him.
His attempts to "preserve his image" were already far too late. At least in her eyes, Steven hadn't had a proper "serious" image for a long ti now. Or maybe… he never had one to begin with.
"Well, that's about it from our side," Talulah said, voice returning to a more neutral tone. "You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself though. Off gallivanting in Kazimierz? Sounds like soone's living a real stable life."
She didn't press the matter about Yelena any further.
Who Steven made friends with was his own business—she had no right to interfere.
Her earlier words were just a passing comnt.
Not like she cared or anything.
She was just…. well, mostly asking on Alina's behalf.
Yeah, that's all.
If it were up to her, she'd rather Steven trip up soti soon and get a taste of humble pie.
Steven chuckled. "Of course I'm doing well. Eat good food, rob a few bad guys, stir up so fun here and there—y'know, living the dream."
He waved lazily at the communication device as he spoke.
His life had never been particularly bad—he just didn't carry the burdens or ambitions people like Talulah did.
No grand ideals, no ssiah complex.
Just… freedom.
"But you know," he added with a sudden grin, "I'm not buying that 'nothing's happened' story. Why don't you pass the comm to my little informant over there? I need to ask her a few questions to see if you've been telling the whole truth."
He leaned back with a knowing smile.
Talulah had been trying to steer the conversation away from certain topics the whole ti. And Steven? He noticed. Loud and clear.
Sothing had definitely happened out there on the snowfields—sothing she didn't want him to know about.
Which only made him all the more curious.
Steven knew Talulah all too well.
That dragon girl—stubborn to the bone—was the kind who would never voice her burdens unless absolutely necessary.
She was always putting others before herself, always trying not to trouble her friends.
"I'm here," Alina's gentle voice ca through the line a mont later, her usual warm smile practically audible.
She didn't feel the slightest bit left out by their earlier back-and-forth. In fact, she enjoyed this kind of atmosphere—where everyone could just sit and talk like friends, say whatever they wanted without overthinking things.
Jokes could fly, and no one would take it the wrong way.
She believed Steven and Talulah felt the sa. And to her, that was enough.
"So," Steven's tone took on a teasing edge, "tell the truth—Talulah's definitely caused so kind of trouble, hasn't she?"
With that lofty goal of hers, there was no way she was just peacefully minding her business.
Talulah wasn't the type to sit still—and with her level of determination and absurdly high execution ability, she was basically a walking incident magnet.
But Alina just smiled and gently shook her head, sparing Talulah a glance as she continued to signal her with increasingly desperate eyes.
"Actually, you've got the wrong idea this ti. She's been doing really well. The infected under her leadership are living stable, decent lives. She hasn't gone looking for extra trouble either."
She gave Talulah a quick, encouraging nod before turning back to the communication device.
"And like she said earlier, more and more infected are choosing to follow her—so much so that their numbers are starting to rival the guerrillas. Whether that's a good thing or not… I'm still not sure. But for now, at least, things are heading in a positive direction."
Despite her words, a shadow flickered across Alina's face.
Her tone held less joy and more… concern.
After all, as a bystander, she could clearly see what was happening.
The number of infected gathering around Talulah—people clearly eager to push her into the role of a leader—was growing.
And that, in her eyes, was anything but a good thing.
She was sure Steven would understand what she ant without her having to say it out loud.
"…I see," Steven murmured, lips pressing into a thin line. "Well, let her handle it for now. If it gets too much, she can co to . I'll help out when I can. Anything else I should know?"
He leaned back, a thoughtful frown on his face.
It wasn't good.
Numbers brought power, yes—but they also brought weight.
It wouldn't be long before Talulah found herself backed into a corner, standing on a stage she never asked for.
And by then, stepping down might no longer be an option.
Still… right now, there was nothing he could do.
"Well… one more thing." Alina hesitated, her voice lowering slightly. "Talulah, that thing you told about earlier…. would you want to tell Steven about it….?"
She paused, glancing at Talulah again.
"Or… do you want to say it yourself?"
For a mont, silence hung in the air.
Truth be told, Alina hadn't been all that shaken by what Talulah had told her.
The only thing that concerned her was about the curse that had been given to Talulah, as for her "true identity" or any other secrets… Alina didn't care in the slightest.
And she was pretty sure Steven wouldn't either.
In fact, if they were being honest with Steven about it, he might even surprise them with a solution.
Because if there was anyone in this frozen wasteland who could turn the impossible into reality… it was him.
Steven blinked. "Huh? What is it?"
Steven frowned. The tone in Alina's voice made it pretty clear—this wasn't just so trivial matter.
But if it was really that important… then knowing Talulah, she definitely wouldn't be so quick to open up about it.
And sure enough, her soft, slightly awkward voice ca through the communication device a mont later, just as he'd expected.
"That kind of thing… I was planning to tell you face-to-face, when you got back. It's not that I don't trust you—it's just, I'm not ready to casually talk about it yet."
"Alright then," Steven replied with a shrug she couldn't see. "I'll drop by when I get a chance. If you don't want to talk now, we can leave it till then."
For soone like him, returning wasn't difficult in the slightest.
Thanks to the Waystones, it was simply a matter of finding a free mont. He could be there in a blink.
This ti, Talulah didn't try to argue.
If he was willing to return… maybe it really is okay to share her secret with him.
Like she had said before, Steven and Alina were probably the only two people in the world she truly trusted. She believed—no, knew—that telling him wouldn't change the relationship between them.
After a few more brief words of small talk, the call finally ca to an end.
Talulah, of course, had tried to act indifferent—teasing him about whether he missed them or not—but in the end, it was her who hesitated to hang up, not him.
Still, Steven had promised to visit soon. And even though he liked to joke around, when it ca to important matters… he is soone you could rely on.
Once the call ended, Steven finally looked around—and only then did he realize how much ti had passed.
The once sparsely populated arena seats were now completely filled, packed with eager spectators. And down below, the first knights were already stepping onto the field.
'…Damn, how long was I on that call?'
Without even noticing it, he had spent the entire pre-match period on the phone. But now, finally, the long-awaited Major was about to begin.
His seat, arranged by Centaurea, was nothing short of perfect. VIP section, pri view—not a single random spectator around him.
It was quiet, comfortable, and best of all, gave him a clear, unobstructed look at the arena below and the knights preparing for battle.
Among them, one familiar figure caught his eye—and just as she looked up, their gazes t.
Zofia.
She was adjusting her gear when their eyes t, and Steven gave her a wave followed by a simple thumbs-up.
Good luck
Zofia blinked, then gave a small but unmistakably pleased smile.
She hadn't expected Steven to actually show up—let alone be sitting in the VIP stands.
Where in the world had he gotten that kind of ticket? You couldn't just buy a seat like that, even with a mountain of gold.
After returning the wave, she turned her attention back to the piece of equipnt she'd been carefully inspecting—her whip-blade.
This match was crucial.
She wasn't here to play around; she is going to win.
A free-for-all format ant she didn't have to take everyone out—just rack up enough points however she could.
And as long as she avoided one specific opponent, she should be fine.
Her eyes flicked toward a massive knight nearby, currently adjusting his rusted, battered armor.
That armor wasn't just worn—it was legendary. A clear sign of who he was.
Zofia narrowed her eyes.
'As long as I avoid him… everything will go according to plan.'
< >
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