Arknightcraft Modpack

Steven couldn’t understand why, but after he answered Talulah’s final question, her attitude toward him instantly softened.

Not only her, even Alina, who had always seemed gentle and kind, now looked at him with even more warmth in her eyes.

What was going on? Did these two finally realize his charm and succumb to his handsomeness?

“Setting aside the issue of whether we trade or not, at the very least, Mr. Steve, I’d be willing to be on good terms with you as a neighbor. But I do have one thing to ask of you.”

Withdrawing her appreciative gaze, Talulah blinked and returned to her usual demeanor before making a request to Steven.

“Not to reveal that you’re Infected, right? Of course, I understand. A doctor’s ethics are a must, after all. Besides, if your infection flares up or worsens, feel free to come find me. I’m pretty skilled in that regard, though I can’t offer a discount on treatment fees.”

Before Talulah could finish, Steven already knew what she wanted and assured her that he wouldn’t disclose their secret. He also took the opportunity to promote himself a little.

Even though he was just a fake barefoot doctor, Steven believed he had more medical ethics than some heartless practitioners. After all, when he claimed he could cure Oripathy, he really could.

“Thank you for understanding, Mr. Steve. It’s truly a relief. If our identities as Infected were exposed, it would inevitably cause a lot of trouble in our lives.”

The smile on Talulah’s face hadn’t faded since the start of their conversation. She trusted that Steven wouldn’t do such a thing—his words and actions already proved he wasn’t someone who would break promises lightly.

“Stop calling me ‘Mr. Steve’ all the time. It makes me sound so stiff and old-fashioned. Just call me Steve—it’s not that hard to pronounce, is it?”

“Well then, Steve… Why don’t you go into the village and talk to the residents yourself about what you need to trade? I think your potatoes will be very popular. As for what you can get in exchange, that’s up to you to decide.”

Without standing on ceremony, Talulah quickly adjusted her address for him and offered a suggestion.

If not for this conversation helping her understand Steven’s nature better, Talulah wouldn’t have easily allowed a stranger like him to enter the village. Who could guarantee his motives, after all?

But now, Talulah was willing to trust him—just as he trusted the Infected.

“Perfect timing. Are you two heading back? There’s no point in me staying cooped up at home, so I’ll go trade some things now. Oh, and since the snow’s pretty heavy outside, how about I walk you back? It’s on the way.”

As he spoke, Steven went to the corner and pretended to fetch a backpack. After slinging it over his shoulder and putting on his signature Jack o’Lantern headgear, he glanced at the two slender young girls.

While Talulah didn’t seem like a frail girl—especially with her ability to effortlessly wield that massive black sword—his desire to act gentlemanly had little to do with her strength.

Besides, he’d planned to go into the village anyway, so it wasn’t really out of his way.

Talulah nodded, downed the cold tea that had been sitting on the table for too long, and stood up with Alina to follow Steven out the door.

The snowstorm outside was still raging, and Steven couldn’t help but wonder how the two of them had managed to come to him so early in such harsh conditions.

When he turned back to look, he noticed that Talulah seemed to have an invisible layer of heat surrounding her. The snowflakes evaporated into mist before they could even touch her.

Not only that, she even had the energy to extend this protective warmth to Alina as well. To her, this snowstorm might as well have been a casual autumn stroll.

No wonder she could dress so lightly and gracefully in such weather. With an ability like that, who needed heaters in winter?

“Just a small application of Originium Arts,” Talulah explained with a smile, as if sensing Steven’s gaze, answering the question he had earlier.

Steven couldn’t help but feel envious of her ability. Originium Arts didn’t seem as useless as he had imagined—at least they were quite handy for everyday tasks.

Unlike him, who couldn’t do anything about the snowflakes falling on his head or the biting wind blowing in his face. While neither actually affected him, he still felt like he’d lost a bit of coolness compared to Talulah.

“Actually, now that you mention it, I’m curious about one thing.”

Steven pursed his lips as if he had just thought of something. The envy in his eyes suddenly diminished.

“Hmm?”

“Well, this is really convenient in winter, sure. But don’t you get hot in summer? This thing doesn’t come with a temperature control system, does it? Don’t you worry about heatstroke?”

“Ha?”

Talulah’s smile froze at the corners of her lips. She truly couldn’t comprehend what on earth went through Steven’s mind to come up with such a question. Was this something a normal person would ask?

“Pfft— Talulah really isn’t great at dealing with summer,” Alina said, unable to stifle a giggle. Covering her mouth, she shared a small secret about her friend with Steven.

The more she interacted with him, the more Alina found this young man amusing. Unlike the boys in the village, Steven seemed more vibrant and imaginative. In this respect, he reminded her a little of Talulah, who was also an outsider.

“Ah, that explains it. I knew something this convenient couldn’t possibly come without some drawbacks,” Steven said, nodding with approval. The Jack o’Lantern head on his shoulders made the gesture even more absurd, prompting a fresh wave of amusement.

“What’s so funny? Isn’t that a perfectly reasonable observation? At least we don’t have to march through the snowstorm, unlike a certain someone who’s braving the cold. If he’s willing to say something nice to me, I might consider expanding the area of effect and letting him enjoy this warmth too,” Talulah said, smirking.

Talulah wasn’t a particularly serious person by nature. Having had limited interaction with peers her age, she actually enjoyed the playful banter and teasing—it felt like what real friends might do.

“Ahem, Miss Talulah, you are so kind, charming, and beautiful. A generous soul like you would never hold a grudge against someone as insignificant as me, right? Surely, you wouldn’t let a weak and pitiable boy like me suffer the biting wind and snow. Such cruelty doesn’t suit you, does it?”

Steven shamelessly played the sycophant, his tone exaggerated as he flattered Talulah without restraint.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Doesn’t your conscience hurt saying things like that?”

Talulah was at a loss for words. The man before her had initially seemed like some kind of reclusive expert, with an aura that didn’t lose to the old man who trained her. But now, his unpredictable antics left her utterly baffled.

“Why would it hurt? I’m just stating the truth, aren’t I? Now, hurry up and extend your shield. Let me experience what it’s like to have portable heating,” Steven said, completely unabashed, eagerly pressing Talulah.

This sort of ability fascinated him—it was bound to be a novel experience. In fact, Steven hadn’t seen many people use Originium Arts up close. The Iberian Inquisitors relied mostly on their lamps, and the Rhodes Island operators never clashed with him directly. Frostleaf’s dramatic freezing of a building was the most he’d witnessed, and even that had been an emergency.

Compared to Talulah’s polished control, that had been nothing.

“Ugh, you really don’t hold back, do you?”

With a helpless sigh, Talulah didn’t bother arguing. She wasn’t about to retract the offer now that he’d buttered her up.

Without any obvious gesture, she shifted slightly closer to Steven. The warmth surrounding her extended to envelop him, shielding him from the biting wind and swirling snow.

Feeling a comforting heat spread over his body, Steven scratched his head through the pumpkin mask. He couldn’t deny that this ability was ridiculously convenient—and it definitely looked cool.

“Hey, can you teach me this? How long would it take to learn?” Steven asked earnestly, adopting an attitude of if someone else can have it, why can’t I?

Costs and effort didn’t matter to him; he genuinely wanted the effect. After all, he wouldn’t need to worry about heating in the winter anymore.

Talulah responded with a dramatic eye-roll, clearly not interested in humoring the question.

Their lighthearted banter came to an abrupt halt when all three stopped in their tracks.

Their attention was drawn to the village gate ahead, where a group of figures in thick military coats and windproof masks stood silently.

“Well, well, these folks don’t look like locals, do they?” Steven muttered, squinting at the well-equipped group.