Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 500: A Temporary Conclusion
After sending Margaret—who had been serving as an external support—back to the Nearl family estate in Kazimierz, Steven finally wrapped things up on that front. After all, she had only been commissioned to protect Alina. Now that the job was done, there was no reason for him to forcibly keep her around and cause her unnecessary trouble.
He teleported away in a hurry, then just as quickly returned. To Alina and the others, Steven looked exactly like an express courier—casually hopping between nations in a way they could never have imagined possible.
"I think I've figured out what I want."
As she watched Steven's effortless teleportation, Yelena suddenly seemed to have an epiphany. She smiled brightly and voiced a request that wasn't excessive at all—one that instead stirred a quiet sense of sympathy.
"How about this? When you're free someday, take me somewhere beyond the Ursus snowfields to rest for a while. I want to see a world that isn't buried under ice and snow… to experience how people live in other places."
For an Infected who had been born and raised on the frozen plains of Ursus, the outside world was an entirely unknown realm. To say she wasn't curious would be a lie. But under normal circumstances, even if she somehow found the time, she would never have had the chance to leave this merciless land.
Steven's abilities, however, gave rise to hope.
If she truly had the option, who wouldn't want to see scenery completely different from the brutal land they had grown up on?
"Not a problem at all," Steven replied, patting his chest with confidence. "Steve's Travel Agency is always at your service. Right now, we've unlocked Iberia and Kazimierz, and later we can even add Yan."
There was no reason for him to refuse her request. Steven knew full well that for Yelena, this opportunity existed only because of him.
And even if Steven wanted to take her away from the snowfields forever, she would be the first to refuse. To her, the frozen land of Ursus was both the source of her suffering and the cradle of everything she held dear.
Yelena would never abandon her companions on the snowfields, just as Talulah would never abandon the Infected who followed her.
"You said it yourself," Yelena said, narrowing her eyes playfully.
After giving Steven a sweet smile, she slowly stood up from beside the campfire where she had been sitting with him.
"I still have things to deal with over at the Yeti Squadron, so I'll leave this guy to you for now. And don't forget, you promised me before. If you're free tonight, you're coming to give me a massage. I'll leave the door open for you."
After making her declaration—almost like asserting ownership—to Talulah and Alina, Yelena shot Steven a look that was practically an explicit hint before heading off toward where the guerrilla fighter was stationed.
Just as she'd said, she still had plenty to handle. Whether it was the Infected groups or the guerrilla fighters, surviving on these snowfields was never easy.
Only after watching Yelena leave did Steven turn back to the two girls in front of him.
"As for you two," he said, "let's put aside how you'll repay me for now. I'll give you some time to prepare. Before that, though, I want to hear what you plan to do next. Do you have any concrete plans going forward?"
In truth, everyone present understood this perfectly. Steven might have phrased his question as if he were asking both of them, but the answer he truly needed could only come from Talulah.
As long as Talulah didn't leave, Alina would continue to stay by her side. In that sense, Talulah's answer is Alina's answer.
"That's actually a very good question," Talulah said calmly. "As for a detailed plan, I don't have one. But the overall direction hasn't changed much from before. The goal I want to achieve with Reunion has never changed. It's just that after going through all of this, I won't be as lost or as despairing as I once was."
After witnessing what could be called the truest face of both the Infected and human nature, Talulah had long since tucked away the naïveté that once lay deep in her heart. She was still the same person, still carrying her sincere ideals—but this time, she would no longer view everything through rose-tinted lenses.
Some things were impossible to understand without facing them head-on and living through them yourself. And precisely because she had endured all of this without being crushed, her growth was all the more profound.
"Still, you need a short-term goal, don't you?" Steven said. "Talking about ideals alone isn't very realistic."
Even though he was genuinely pleased by Talulah's emotional growth, he still felt the need to remind her. Words alone meant nothing—action was always the most effective solution.
"Of course," Talulah replied. "That's why the most important thing I need to do right now is to fully bring the Guerrilla into Reunion. I'll go and persuade Patriot. It's time for me to show the resolve a leader should have."
Since Steven had asked, Talulah answered honestly, laying out her plan. As for how she would convince that stubborn old man, she didn't really have a solid hand to play yet—but if she didn't try, there would never be any chance at all.
The Guerrilla could not protect the Infected forever. They themselves were Infected as well. If that was the case, then merging them into Reunion was not impossible. Yelena had even hinted at such a possibility before. The only real obstacle was Patriot himself.
"You're right to do that," Steven said, smiling faintly at Talulah. "If you can persuade that old man, then you probably won't need to persuade me at all. Thinking this way makes me happy—it proves that you're no longer the lost girl you used to be."
With that, Steven shifted his gaze from Talulah's face to Alina, who stood beside her.
"I think I'll continue acting as a teacher," Alina said softly. "Of course, that's only if it won't cause you any more trouble. If something like what happened today might occur again, then I should probably lie low for a while."
Her answer was exactly what Steven had expected. Still, the fact that this gentle, considerate girl continued to put others first—rather than stubbornly clinging to her own wishes—made his smile soften even further.
"You won't need to worry about that anymore," Steven said, patting his chest confidently. "This was an accident, nothing more. From now on, I'll be protecting you. Forget teaching in an Infected camp, if you wanted to go teach the Ursus emperor himself about the lessons in books, I'd still go with you."
Then, as if another idea had suddenly struck him, Steven snapped his fingers, having thought of the perfect way to keep this poor girl safe.
"As for the times when I'm not on the snowfields, I'll arrange for people to stay by your side and protect you."
He was already planning to pull a couple of members from his maid squad, outfit them with the most advanced gear available, and assign them as Alina's personal bodyguards. When it came to loyalty and peace of mind, there was really nothing that made Steven feel safer than those palm-sized maids he had created with his own hands.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M