Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 616: Alright, That's Enough
Ten minutes later, Steven emerged from Irene's room, clutching his nose—which had nearly been punched crooked by Irene's tiny fists.
Following close behind him was the Liberi girl herself, her cheeks still flushed crimson, the lingering blush showing no signs of fading.
"Honestly, if you want to look a little more mature, you could try wearing black thigh-highs. They'd make you seem more grown-up, and they'd also make your legs look longer."
Steven rubbed his nose. Although Irene had shown absolutely no intention of holding back when she hit him, the actual damage amounted to little more than a mildly itchy nose. As far as real injuries went, there were none to speak of.
The moment those words left his mouth, Irene looked ready to explode all over again.
It would've been one thing if he'd merely seen it.
But now he was reviewing it?
"If you keep this up, I'm going to kill you."
She bared her teeth like a cornered little beast, her warning carrying none of the playful teasing from before.
"Alright, alright. I'll stop, okay?"
Steven raised both hands in surrender.
"Our little bird looks adorable no matter what she wears. White isn't bad either. Small is cute too."
Still smiling, he stepped forward and took the lantern from her hands. Then, with his now-free hand, he gently clasped her small, slender fingers.
"As an apology, how about I accompany you on today's mission? If we finish inspecting those villages early, you'll have more time tonight to go on our date in Lungmen."
"I already talked it over with your teacher. He said he doesn't mind."
Feeling the warmth of her hand through their joined fingers, Steven casually continued outlining their schedule as he led her outside.
Irene's hand wasn't as soft as one might expect.
Running his thumb lightly across her palm, he could feel the hardened calluses around her joints.
The work of an Inquisitor wasn't exactly something that allowed for a pampered lifestyle.
Those rough spots were proof of her dedication.
Come to think of it, among all the hands Steven had held, the only person whose skin could truly be described as impossibly delicate was Gladiia.
Perhaps it was some kind of Ægir racial trait, but her skin always remained unbelievably moist and supple.
Yet beneath that softness lay strength far beyond ordinary people.
It was an interesting contrast.
"Who asked you to make decisions for me? Just who do you think you are?!"
Irene's voice snapped him out of his wandering thoughts.
However, judging by the half-hearted way she tried to pull her hand free—about as threatening as a kitten batting at its owner—it was obvious she was being tsundere again.
"Me?"
Steven stopped walking and leaned closer.
"I'm half your boss."
"Or maybe your date."
"Depends on how you choose to see me."
"I'm fine with either."
He deliberately lowered himself until his face was close to hers.
Closer.
And closer.
Until both of them could clearly feel the other's breath.
Only then did he stop, a mischievous smile curling at the corners of his lips as he tossed the choice back to her.
"So then, my adorable little bird..."
"What would you like me to be?"
It was practically one step short of lifting her chin with a finger.
The playful amusement in Steven's eyes only deepened.
"I... y-you... are... um..."
The blush that had only just faded instantly returned with a vengeance.
It spread across Irene's face so quickly that it looked as though steam had rushed straight into her head.
Watching the usually sharp-tongued girl stammer helplessly, Steven couldn't help but laugh.
Sure enough, the most effective weapon against a tsundere was a direct attack.
High attack power.
Paper-thin defense.
If there were ever a perfect example of that type, it was undoubtedly Irene.
With a gentle flick of his finger against the girl's forehead, Steven finally decided to stop before he completely fried what little processing power her already-not-so-flexible brain had left.
There would be plenty of time to spend together throughout the day anyway.
No need to rush things.
"Alright, alright. I'll stop teasing you."
"But at the very least, you need to tell me which village you're supposed to inspect today and take me there."
"I'll help you finish the rest of your work as quickly as possible. There's still a festival in Lungmen tonight, remember?"
Pulling himself back from directly in front of Irene and finally ceasing his relentless bullying of the poor little bird, Steven shifted to a more serious tone and began discussing their plans for the day, asking about the tasks she still had left to complete.
Judging from the lantern and hand cannon she carried, there were clearly still quite a few dangers lurking within these villages.
The food supplies he had provided might have solved Iberia's most urgent crisis, but for places that had already been infiltrated by the Church of the Deep, such remedies had come far too late.
"H-Huh? Ah, right. This way. Follow me."
Still not fully recovered from her earlier embarrassment, Irene had become unusually quiet.
Obediently walking ahead, she led Steven toward the village she had originally planned to inspect.
The strange, weightless sensation lingering throughout her body made everything feel almost dreamlike.
The two of them walked in silence for a while.
Yet without even realizing it, Irene tightened her grip on Steven's hand.
Like a couple out on a date, she instinctively edged closer to him, allowing herself to lean gently against his side.
"Come to think of it, Iberia feels unusually quiet today," Steven casually brought up a topic to break the silence.
Turning his head, he looked at Irene's petite face.
Cute and youthful as it was, there was also a trace of determination there—a resilience that could only be forged through life-and-death experiences.
His gaze eventually drifted toward the scar near her eye.
He found himself wanting to reach out and touch it.
It was difficult to imagine what kind of hardships a girl like her had endured to develop such eyes.
And that scar...
Now that he noticed it, it seemed painfully conspicuous.
"Probably because most of the Inquisitors have been reassigned to the coastal regions."
A warm smile appeared on Irene's face.
"Thanks to you, the food crisis was resolved. The pressure inside Iberia dropped dramatically afterward."
"Once we finished reorganizing the Inquisition, we finally had enough time to focus on those coastal villages again."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"But none of that really has anything to do with you anymore."
"These are internal matters for Iberia."
"Every Inquisitor and every member of the Penal Battalion is working hard to restore order to the country."
"So I need to work even harder too."
At that moment, Irene's gratitude was completely genuine.
If not for Steven's help, Iberia would likely still be drowning in chaos.
The potatoes he had brought had quite literally freed countless people from the fears of hunger and starvation.
What Irene didn't realize, however, was that the more she spoke, the stranger Steven's expression became.
Especially when she declared that she needed to "work even harder."
At that point, Steven almost felt compelled to cover her mouth.
"Hm?"
Noticing his reaction, Irene tilted her head curiously.
"What's wrong?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because I'm trying to stop you from—"
Before Steven could finish his sentence, movement suddenly appeared at the edge of his vision.
Far out on the horizon.
A group of grotesque creatures surged across the sea as if riding the waves themselves.
They closed the distance at astonishing speed.
And then, without the slightest warning, they hurled countless sharp spears flashing with cold light directly toward the pair.
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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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