"Of course I know we need to do sothing, but once the Originium inside a body has fully activated, there's no way to suppress it anymore."
Although Kal'tsit spoke with certainty, her gaze remained locked onto Steven, her golden eyes eting his.
Not only that, but Amiya, who stood beside her, suddenly grabbed onto Steven's hand.
She didn't even care about the risk of passing out again from her subconscious mind-reading tendencies.
Her water-blue eyes stared desperately into Steven's, her lips parting with hope.
"But, Mr. Steve, you definitely—"
"Definitely what? That I'll definitely step in? No way. I'm just here watching, okay?"
Steven cut her off before she could finish.
"I don't even know who's inside that room. I don't know if it's a man or a woman, a human or a ghost. You seriously expect to risk my life for soone completely unrelated to ?"
"Sorry, but I'm not exactly overflowing with saintly compassion."
From Amiya's expression alone, Steven could already guess what she was going to ask.
But just as he said—this had nothing to do with him.
Why the hell would he stick his neck out and invite trouble for himself?
Besides—just yesterday, he had barely hinted at the possibility of curing Oripathy, and today, suddenly soone was on the verge of dying from it?
It was hard not to suspect that Kal'tsit was testing him.
"Don't look at like that. I'm not so far gone that I'd use my own patients' lives to pull sothing like this."
Noticing Steven's doubtful look, Kal'tsit imdiately shook her head and denied any involvent in orchestrating the situation.
Using an infected life to morally trap him?
She would never do such a thing, to the infected or not.
Besides, the only person that the patient inside had any real connection with was the one who perford her regular dical check-ups—Warfarin.
If Kal'tsit had set this up, Warfarin would be the first to object.
And as Kal'tsit was thinking this, a crimson light suddenly flashed before them—
Warfarin herself had just appeared.
"How's that little Vulpo holding up?"
Her usual playful charm was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, Warfarin's face carried a seriousness that Steven had never witnessed before.
She didn't even glance at him, completely focused on Kal'tsit as she asked her question.
"She locked herself in. Judging by the Originium energy leaking out, her infection has likely spread and fully activated throughout her body."
Kal'tsit shook her head as she delivered her cruel verdict—one that was practically a death sentence.
"Her neighbors said she had been secretly practicing Originium Arts in private, which triggered it."
Warfarin's hands clenched into tight fists.
But rather than anger, her expression was filled with guilt.
"I've told her countless tis that she doesn't have to fight anymore!"
"She's not a Columbia soldier anymore. She's not so tool for Rhodes Island. Why couldn't she just live peacefully as a patient?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
And then—
As if she suddenly rembered sothing, Warfarin's head snapped toward Steven, who was trying to quietly slip away.
"If it's you, there's definitely a way to save her, right?"
Without caring about the others around them, Warfarin completely dropped her usual act and threw herself at Steven, clutching his leg tightly, her voice filled with certainty.
"Not here, people are watching. It's not a good look."
Steven's mouth twitched as he glanced around.
Luckily, the elite operators had already cleared the area of bystanders.
If the patients saw their normally cool and composed Warfarin clinging to soone's leg like this, their reactions would be... interesting.
Well, probably sothing similar to Amiya's current expression.
Seeing Amiya's jaw drop in shock, Steven couldn't help but ntally chuckle in amusent.
"Co on, save her. You're probably the only one who can do it now. That kid's really pitiful—please?"
"Look, I already told you—I don't even know her. You guys do, but I don't. Isn't it a bit much to ask to get involved?"
Steven stared at the girl who was practically glued to his leg, refusing to let go.
For a mont, he didn't even know where to begin roasting her.
Like, could she at least try to maintain her dignified vampire lady image?
She had white hair, red eyes, and was a natural counter to a certain group of people, yet here she was—pulling at his pant leg like so street beggar.
But—Steven wasn't soft-hearted enough to agree just because of this.
Her desperation alone wasn't enough to make him take on this trouble.
Sure, he was curious about what happened to Originium-infected people before they died, but that didn't an he was willing to expose his ability to completely cure Oripathy for it.
If there was one thing the world wasn't lacking, it was infected people dying from Oripathy.
"I'll pay you. I'll do a lot of useful things for you. Just show so kindness and save her, okay?"
With pleading eyes, Warfarin tugged at his pants again.
She was one step away from rubbing snot and tears all over him.
"Nope. Not enough. Still a bad deal for ."
Steven shook his head again.
Money? Didn't need it.
Compassion? He wasn't against it, but too much of it was a liability.
If he went soft too often, he could kiss his stress-free life goodbye.
And Steven had no intention of losing his entertainnt-focused lifestyle.
Seeing his firm refusal, Warfarin gritted her teeth and quickly ran over to Kal'tsit.
She leaned in and whispered sothing in her ear.
Kal'tsit's expression shifted.
First shock, then confusion, then...
A look of complex emotions that even Steven couldn't quite decipher.
Finally, as if so deal had been made, Kal'tsit sighed and stepped toward Steven.
"If you can prevent the patient's condition from worsening… I'll let you borrow Mon3tr for research—for half a day."
Almost as if it had been summoned, Mon3tr peeked its bizarre head out from behind Kal'tsit.
Its twisted face was practically covered in question marks.
If it could talk, it'd probably be said—
"What the hell, bro? Your preferences are seriously ssed up."
But—this was exactly what Steven had been waiting for.
With zero hesitation, he gave Kal'tsit a thumbs-up.
His expression instantly switched to one of enthusiasm.
"Why didn't you say so earlier? I would've agreed imdiately!"
"Then it's a deal, there would be no take-backs."
< >
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