Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 614: Is That All?
The Emperor of Ursus wasn't entirely sure why Steven had come this time.
But there was one thing he was certain of: Steven was not the kind of person who would travel all the way here just to deliver a generous gift out of goodwill.
Recalling the report sent by Kal'tsit of Rhodes Island—relayed through the Beast Lords of Ursus—the Emperor had already formed a rough guess.
"So, this is about the monster lurking in the seas beyond Ursus's borders?"
The Emperor voiced his thoughts calmly.
"Kal'tsit has already informed me of the matter, and my Royal Guards are currently verifying her claims. But if you're the one appearing before me personally, then I assume the powerful individual she mentioned—the one capable of resolving this crisis—is you, Mr. Steven?"
Although he spoke as if seeking confirmation, the Emperor had never fully trusted the words of the Beast Lords.
A creature capable of destroying all of Terra? One that would somehow self-destruct?
If such a thing truly existed, why had he, ruler of Ursus, never heard of it before?
Yet Steven's appearance planted a seed of doubt in his mind.
He knew Steven had ties to Rhodes Island. More importantly, the man's tone clearly suggested he had come to negotiate compensation.
Sometimes, the same words carried vastly different weight depending on who spoke them.
Having witnessed Steven's strength firsthand and acknowledged his capabilities, the Emperor found the warning far more believable coming from him.
Especially after learning from his Royal Guards that during Steven's previous visit to Ursus, he had personally slain an eldritch god native to Ursus itself.
From that moment on, the Emperor had abandoned any thoughts of making an enemy of him.
Someone whose personal combat power had reached such an absurd level was not a person to provoke lightly.
Besides, everything Steven had done so far had benefited Ursus.
Sure, he seemed a little too close to the Infected, but compared to the things he had accomplished, that hardly mattered.
Whether it was eliminating a Collapsal or slaying a god, those were threats that even the Emperor found troublesome.
Yet Steven dealt with them time and again with apparent ease, asking for nothing in return.
Honestly, even if Steven walked in one day and demanded the title of Count along with a territory of his own, the Emperor would probably grant it without hesitation.
Having someone capable of keeping such horrors away from Ursus was a bargain worth taking.
"It's me."
Steven shrugged casually, making no effort to hide the truth.
There was no point denying it anyway.
He was the one who would handle the problem, and more importantly, he had come here to collect payment.
"There's no need for me to explain the situation again. The evidence you're waiting for will reach you soon enough."
His gaze settled on the Emperor.
"But before that, I'd like to know something."
"What exactly is your stance toward me?"
The Emperor smiled faintly.
Few people dared bargain with him so openly. Steven was probably the first.
If this were one of those romance novels, he supposed this would be the moment to say:
Interesting. You've caught my attention.
Unfortunately, reality wasn't nearly so dramatic.
What truly interested him was what kind of request Steven intended to make.
After all, Steven had come here in person, clearly intending to exchange this favor for something.
"And what sort of answer would satisfy you, Mr. Steven?" the Emperor asked.
"Simple."
Steven snapped his fingers.
"Withdraw every unit currently pursuing that group of Infected I'm traveling with."
He didn't even bother specifying which group.
Someone in the Emperor's position obviously knew exactly who he was referring to.
"Treat them as if they don't exist."
"Let them leave the tundra."
"...That's all?"
The Emperor blinked.
He had expected some outrageous demand.
Instead, Steven had come all the way to the Imperial Palace... for this?
The previous Emperor had held an extreme hatred toward the Infected.
He did not.
As far as he was concerned, as long as they didn't disrupt the order of Ursus, he couldn't care less whether they lived or died.
"For now, that's probably all."
Steven nodded.
"Of course, I can't guarantee I won't do something outrageous in the future. But honestly, these Infected aren't actually trying to rebel against Ursus. The real problem is that Ursus simply no longer has any room left for them to survive."
From what he could tell, the Emperor before him wasn't the type who wanted to drive the Infected into absolute despair.
The current situation was simply the result of Ursus's circumstances.
No single person could really be blamed for it.
At the moment, Steven still hadn't figured out exactly how to settle Reunion.
However, if everything went according to plan and he successfully dealt with Zorah Magdaros, then the homeland Talulah desired—a place where the entire Infected community could finally put down roots—would become a reality.
And if they had a home of their own, there would be no need to hijack mobile cities or fight for territory.
Naturally, conflicts with Ursus would decrease as well.
"If that's all you're asking for, then I see no issue granting it."
The Emperor nodded without hesitation.
"However, there is one thing I'm curious about."
His gaze lingered on Steven.
"Considering your strength, why are you so concerned about the Infected?"
After all, Steven clearly wasn't an Infected himself.
Yet somehow, he sympathized with them to an extraordinary degree.
That alone was unusual.
There had been reports from the Royal Guards that Steven seemed particularly close to the adopted daughter raised by Kashchey.
Previously, he had even personally intervened to stop a transaction between Kashchey and the Royal Guards.
And that same girl was currently among the Infected group Steven was protecting.
Still, the Emperor dismissed the possibility almost immediately.
Surely no one in the world would go this far just for a woman, right?
"Well..."
Steven chuckled.
"I don't think that's something you need to worry about."
"Just think of them as my hidden customers."
Then he added with a grin, "To be more precise, every Infected is a research subject of mine."
"After all, Rhodes Island—the organization I'm affiliated with—is a pharmaceutical company specializing in Oripathy research, isn't it?"
Naturally, he couldn't be bothered to explain the real reason.
What was he supposed to say?
Actually, I just want to go on dates with my girlfriend, so I need to clear some obstacles out of her way.
"...It seems I am unable to comprehend the grandeur of your ambitions."
The Emperor sighed.
"If you truly manage to achieve a breakthrough in treating Oripathy, then allow me to thank you in advance on behalf of all the people of Terra."
To Steven, it had been nothing more than a casual excuse.
To the Emperor, however, it sounded entirely different.
He had already witnessed enough of Steven's miracles to know better than to dismiss his words.
And if this man truly succeeded in conquering Oripathy...
Then it would be a blessing not only for Ursus, but for all of Terra.
Perhaps even his own dream of unifying Ursus would become far less difficult than it currently was.
"Alright, that's enough for today."
Steven waved a hand dismissively.
"We can discuss the rest once you've confirmed the existence of Zorah Magdaros."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"We'll be meeting again soon."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"But next time..."
"It'll be you who comes looking for me."
The moment the words left his mouth, a pitch-black void tore open in the air beside him.
Without waiting for a response, Steven stepped into the darkness.
The spatial rift closed behind him in an instant.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
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