Chapter 60: You Can Try Dropping Gold Coins
Among the medical operators present, the only one capable of directly detecting the Originium concentration in someone's blood without the aid of equipment was Warfarin. Furthermore, given her long-term interactions with Specter, no one understood her condition better than Warfarin did.
But now, something incredible had happened—despite using countless methods, Warfarin had never been able to reduce even the slightest amount of Originium crystallization density in Specter's blood. Yet now, it had visibly decreased.
Was this the trump card Steven mentioned, capable of curing Oripathy?
If Steven curing his own Originium infection earlier could be attributed to a special personal constitution, the changes happening in Specter thoroughly proved that he had a way to heal infected individuals.
However, after further examining Specter's condition, Warfarin quickly suppressed the uncontrollable excitement she had initially felt. While the Originium crystal density in her body had indeed decreased, it had also caused significant damage to her body. If it weren't for the abnormal constitution of Abyssal Hunters, another person in her place might have been severely injured, if not killed outright.
In other words, Steven wasn't lying when he said his method needed further refinement before it could be used for actual treatment. At the very least, infected individuals like Amiya wouldn't be able to withstand such severe damage.
"Well? Didn't I tell you? Words are easy to throw around, but you can't recklessly consume things. It's not that I'm deliberately hiding something; I just can't guarantee the treatment's effects myself."
Seeing Warfarin's expression shift from excitement to calm, Steven finally explained. As he did, he pulled another container of milk from his bag and showed it to them, proving that he indeed had more.
Of course, regarding the actual treatment method, Steven already had a rough plan in mind. The problem was that, first, the other party might not accept it, and second, it seemed a bit too costly for him.
"May we purchase some for research purposes?"
"No."
Steven decisively rejected Kal'tsit's request before she could even finish. He knew exactly what she wanted, but he had no intention of handing over the milk. Though it wasn't particularly valuable, why should he hand it over to Rhodes Island for research? Didn't they understand what it meant to control a core technology?
Even though Steven believed that, given his cheat-level abilities, Rhodes Island wouldn't be able to figure out anything even if they got their hands on the milk, why go out of his way to invite trouble? If they couldn't figure it out, they might think he was hiding something, so it was better not to give them anything from the start.
"I can't guarantee that you won't use this stuff for special research. To put it bluntly, my trust in you hasn't reached that level yet."
Steven candidly stated his reasons for refusing, completely at ease with being upfront about it.
"This thing involves my privacy and secrets. If you really want to study it, you could try defeating me. Maybe then there's a chance I'll drop it."
With a bright grin, Steven seemed to welcome the idea of them trying to take it by force.
To his disappointment, however, the eagerness in Kal'tsit's eyes faded quickly, and she soon regained her composure.
As expected, those with a certain level of experience were exceptionally calm.
"Please don't joke around. Since you're unwilling to provide it for research, does the agreement we made earlier still stand?"
Contrary to Steven's expectations, Kal'tsit didn't attempt to forcefully obtain the milk. Instead, she merely sought confirmation of their previous agreement.
"That's not a problem. If you're willing to pay, I'm certainly willing to help with treatment. That's a separate matter."
Steven spread his hands, indicating that he had no reason to refuse. After all, it was perfectly reasonable to pay for medical services, and it would also allow him to test his own ideas.
"Very well. Rhodes Island greatly appreciates your assistance in suppressing our rampaging patient. If you have any requests, feel free to state them now."
Kal'tsit stopped Warfarin, who was about to ask something else, and expressed her gratitude to Steven. Since Steven wasn't planning on leaving for the time being, it was clear that what they needed to do now was to calm down, organize the vast amount of information they had just obtained, and formulate a plan for further negotiations with him—rather than asking questions that might provoke him.
The remaining issues were how to gain his trust and find a way to refine his treatment method. Additionally, they needed to ensure that news about Steven was tightly sealed, especially from Rhine Lab. Who knew what bizarre actions that group might take if they found out?
"What request could I possibly have? Didn't I already say it earlier? Help me treat this troublesome daughter of mine. If she keeps clinging to me like this, how am I supposed to continue my journey?"
Steven shrugged, pointing at Gladiia, who was standing nearby. This tagalong was the only person he still cared about, though that was merely out of a sense of responsibility. Since it was now confirmed that milk couldn't cure mental conditions, he had no choice but to rely on the medical experts to bring him some good news.
"She's healthier than most people here, and her amnesia isn't even a real illness. It's more like her brain's self-defense mechanism. There's no specific treatment for it. You might try talking to her about her past. That could trigger her memories."
Finally, Gavial, who had remained silent, found a chance to speak. She was just as shocked by what had happened earlier, but since her medical knowledge wasn't as deep as Kal'tsit's or Warfarin's, she managed to regain her composure quickly.
As for Steven's request to treat Gladiia's amnesia, if Rhodes Island had a way to do that, Specter wouldn't still be in her current state.
"So you're saying she just needs rest and some conversation therapy?"
Steven sighed. He had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed by these professionals still left him a bit disappointed. It seemed he wouldn't be able to shake off this tagalong anytime soon.
Gavial nodded.
"Alright then, so be it. I'll need to stay here for a while. I trust you won't mind, Miss Kal'tsit?"
Already knowing the answer, Steven walked over to Skadi who is supporting the unconscious Specter.
"Miss who owes me a lot of money, I'll leave my troublesome daughter to you. Waking up her memories is something you want to do as well, isn't it?"
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