Arknightcraft Modpack (Steve in Terra) (Minecraft x Arknight)

Noticing Steven's somewhat scholarly, gentleman-like gaze, Gavial raised her hand to cover her neckline. Normally, she wasn't too concerned about others looking at her, but she couldn't handle how invasive his eyes felt.

"Be serious. I just want to discuss something with you, purely business. No more jokes, okay?"

Gavial was genuinely a bit worried this strange, powerful boy might actually make a move on her. She had verified it herself: when it came to strength, even ten of her probably wouldn't stand a chance against this seemingly unimpressive boy.

What kind of monster was he to possess such overwhelming strength? It defied the common sense she knew.

"Well, go ahead then. But you can't blame me for misunderstanding when you pulled me onto the bed like that," Steven shrugged. His gaze returned to normal as he saw Gavial soften her stance. Since he had already teased this little crocodile girl enough, he decided to stop pushing her buttons.

As for the misunderstanding, it wasn't really his fault, was it?

"Uh… who knew you'd be so inconsistent? Sometimes you're like an immovable rock, and other times you're as light as a feather, falling over at the slightest push."

A bit embarrassed, Gavial scratched her cheek, but she quickly adjusted her expression.

"Anyway, let's set aside those irrelevant things for now. I'm here because I need your help with something."

With her hands clasped together, she made a pleading gesture toward Steven. It was rare to see such a proud and capable girl show a hint of supplication on her face.

"Go ahead and explain, but let me make one thing clear first—don't even mention anything about that milk. I'm not handing it over. Even Kal'tsit gave up on that idea. While I do get along well with you, I won't compromise on this matter."

Sitting on the bed, which still carried Gavial's faint fragrance, Steven rested his head on one hand, calmly laying down his condition.

He wasn't going to explain himself again. No meant no.

"Ah, I can understand why you'd say that. Don't worry; that's not why I came here."

Gavial hadn't expected Kal'tsit to have approached Steven about the milk, but luckily, she hadn't intended to ask for it either. After all, she wouldn't have expected him to agree to such a request anyway.

If the roles were reversed, she wouldn't have handed over something so important either.

"So, what do you want?"

Steven furrowed his brow. Other than the milk, what else could she want from him? Since they'd ruled out his handsome body earlier, could it be she had fallen for his heart?

Without saying a word, Gavial opened a nearby drawer, took out a green frog-shaped wallet, and pulled out a thick stack of Lungmen dollars.

Even without counting, Steven could tell it was a hefty sum, probably around fifty to sixty thousand. It wasn't a small amount.

But the more serious she got, the more suspicious Steven became. Offering money out of the blue? Was this some kind of loyalty test?

"This is all my savings from working at Rhodes Island over the years. Based on what you said earlier, you charge a fee for helping, right?"

It was clear that giving up so much money made Gavial feel a bit of pain, but she still handed it over with determination.

Unfortunately for her, Steven didn't accept it.

He couldn't just take the money without knowing what it was for. What if she was trying to buy his... services?

"Tell me what you need first. I'll assess the situation and set a fair price. I'm very reasonable—no overcharging, but don't expect me to give you a big discount either."

With a calm expression, Steven scrutinized the green-haired girl. Since money was involved, he figured he should get serious.

"It's nothing complicated, really. You mentioned before that you needed volunteers from Rhodes Island to help test your medicine on Infected patients, right? I can be one. Don't let the fact that I'm a doctor fool you—I'm also an Infected. Plus, I can use my medical knowledge to assist you."

"So, all I'm asking is for you to talk to Kal'tsit and have her approve me as a volunteer."

Clearly, Gavial wasn't great at asking for favors, but even so, she hesitantly explained her request.

Rather than merely offering assistance in his research, she was outright volunteering to be a guinea pig. Steven found it hard to believe.

But the more outrageous the request, the less inclined Steven was to agree so easily.

"What's in it for you? You know as well as I do that drinking my stuff isn't just about curing Oripathy. Without the right conditions, it could kill you."

Steven laid out the harsh reality. While the milk did have miraculous healing properties, without proper precautions, most Infected wouldn't survive the process.

"I want to take this opportunity to study your medicine and try to understand it."

True to her straightforward nature, Gavial didn't hide anything and directly explained her reasoning.

"In my homeland, many people suffer from this disease. And across this land, there are countless more like them. After seeing what your medicine can do, I just can't turn away and ignore the potential it holds."

Gavial's tone was calm, but she was well aware of the implications of her words.

She had personally witnessed how dangerous the milk could be. Even the Aegir Abyssal Hunter nearly went mad from the agony it inflicted. Given her own physical condition, there was no guarantee she could endure it either.

This was precisely why both Kal'tsit and Warfarin had rejected her offer to volunteer—they didn't want to see her put herself in such danger.

But giving up went against Gavial's principles. As she had said, she simply couldn't walk away from researching a potential cure for Oripathy.

"Hmm..."

Steven fell silent for a long time after listening to Gavial's explanation. His gaze met hers directly, as if trying to discern any hidden motives behind her words.

Yet, all he saw in her golden eyes was sincerity.

"You self-sacrificing types confuse me."

With a sigh, Steven muttered, more to himself than to her.

Whether it was Gavial now or the elite operators of Rhodes Island he had encountered earlier, he didn't know how to feel about them.

Living like this… wasn't it exhausting?

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