Chapter 172: That’s Not How You Do the Math
After pushing Frostleaf out before she could figure out what was happening, Steven could only hope that she would take the time to reflect and, more importantly, stop bothering him in the future.
Only then did Steven have the chance to turn around and face the little green crocodile girl standing behind him, whose expression was anything but pleasant.
"Don't always wear that dead-serious face like Kal'tsit. A young girl should be more cheerful and lively. Come on, give Grandpa a smile."
"Why do you put so much effort into mocking Dr. Kal'tsit every day? Just because of the way she talks?"
Gavial rolled her eyes at him.
She just couldn't understand what went through his head daily, let alone how he managed to be so carefree all the time.
"Ugh, why bring up that old cucumber? Anyway, what's up? Didn't you say you'd wait until tonight? Don't tell me you just couldn't hold back your longing for me and had to come early to ease your lovesickness?"
Waving his hand dismissively, Steven sat down next to Gavial and, like a magician, pulled out a steaming pot of tea from his pocket (Inventory).
Having a food mod really made life pleasant—no need to boil water himself, and there were so many more options.
Given the choice, who would willingly settle for plain water?
Handing Gavial a cup of hot tea while she eyed it with some surprise, Steven leisurely took a sip, waiting for her response.
"As if. Dr. Kal'tsit just asked me to pass on a message."
Still eyeing the steaming tea in her hands with curiosity, Gavial was increasingly unsure how Steven managed to pull off these tricks.
Then again, given that he was always shrouded in mystery, full of suspicious quirks, and riddled with questionable behavior, she had long learned to take such things in stride.
After all, he was Steve.
"So? What's the message?"
Steven spoke as he casually picked up a water bottle and a container of milk, starting to mix them together in front of her.
If there was one good thing about being on Rhodes Island, it was that there were plenty of Oripathy patients.
Steven clearly remembered that he still had to provide a portion of his treatment potions for the Guerrilla Fighter.
The ratio of milk to water was an important factor to consider.
Since he was doing this openly in front of Gavial, it meant he had also taken Rhodes Island into account.
In theory, he wasn't keen on handing this stuff over freely, but if Rhodes Island was willing to pay a bit more, he wouldn't mind selling some for emergencies.
Hmm, or maybe he should only take on severe cases himself?
That way, he could personally handle the treatment and wouldn't have to worry about Kal'tsit using this stuff for something else.
As Steven was mulling over these thoughts, Gavial leaned in beside him and, watching his actions, slowly conveyed her message.
"Dr. Kal'tsit said the people from Iberia sent word that they need to have a proper discussion with you about what happened before. They want to know when you'll have time to go over there."
Gavial gazed at Steven's young and handsome face, unsure of what exactly he had done in Iberia.
But judging from the urgency in the Inquisition's message, he had clearly pulled off something outrageous.
How did this guy always manage to become the center of major incidents wherever he went?
From what Kal'tsit had grumbled about over the past month, he had already stirred up plenty of trouble in Ursus.
And now he was tangled up with Iberia's Inquisition?
At this rate, was Victoria's royal family going to come knocking next?
"Oh, the Inquisition folks? Yeah, I should make a trip over. Might as well take the chance to pet a bird while I'm at it."
Hearing Gavial's words, Steven nodded in agreement.
Judging by the timing, the potatoes he left with the Inquisition should have sprouted by now.
They had probably already tested their effects, which meant negotiations for this business deal would be much easier.
"So, Kal'tsit asked me to check with you. Rhodes Island's next destination isn't in the same direction as yours. Do you need us to send a flying vehicle to pick you up?"
After all, the landmass of Terra was vast. Crossing borders wasn't a simple matter, not to mention the frequent catastrophes plaguing the world. Traveling alone wasn't exactly an easy feat.
Even for a mobile fortress like Rhodes Island, traveling from Ursus to Iberia would take at least a few weeks. A flying vehicle would be faster, but the rarity of such technology spoke for itself.
"No need, no need. If I use your stuff, you guys will probably expect something in return. Besides, even with a flying vehicle, the speed still isn't up to my standards."
Steven waved his hand dismissively, signaling Gavial to drop the topic.
Iberia was a place he would have to visit frequently in the future if he wanted to make money and secure resources. He couldn't be relying on Rhodes Island's aircraft every time—he had no interest in owing them any favors.
Besides, even with a flying vehicle, it would still take a few days to travel between countries. By then, his inside would be growing cobwebs.
Time was both the most worthless and the most precious thing to him. But one thing was certain—he had absolutely no intention of wasting several days just on travel.
With that in mind, the solution was simple. He could just spend some WAP and teleport straight there, then, If he left a Waystone in Iberia, it would be a one-and-done deal.
And when he needed to return? He could simply teleport back to Rhodes Island. That would be way more efficient than any flying vehicle.
"...You talk as if owing Rhodes Island a favor is some catastrophic burden. Besides, aren't we the ones who owe you a favor in the first place?"
Gavial muttered under her breath.
She wasn't wrong—Rhodes Island was actually trying to settle their debt with Steven.
Even without considering the fact that he had cured Frostleaf, just the single healing potion he had provided for research was enough to make every doctor on Rhodes Island bow to him in gratitude.
"You're looking at it the wrong way. Anyway, just go back and tell Kal'tsit I got the message. I'll handle it myself. No need for her to worry about it."
Steven said this as he handed Gavial the water bottle, which had only a few drops of milk added to it.
"Want a sip?"
"...And what exactly is this?"
Gavial wasn't surprised by Steven's rejection of the offer. She already had a pretty good idea that this guy wouldn't accept it. Fortunately, she was only responsible for relaying Kal'tsit's message, not for making sure he agreed to anything.
But now, looking at the bottle Steven had just handed her, she frowned in confusion. She had watched the whole time as he mixed it together and could definitely smell a faint trace of milk.
Was this some new kind of drink he had developed?
"Hmm, a special medicine to alleviate the severity of Oripathy? I'm still fine-tuning the ratio. If you don't want to try it, then forget it."
Steven briefly described its effects, but upon seeing Gavial furrow her brows, he didn't insist. If she was unwilling, he wouldn't force her to be his test subject.
Although he was confident that no accidents would occur, respecting a patient's wishes was a fundamental ethical principle for any doctor.
At the very least, Steven wasn't the kind of person who would randomly turn someone into a lab rat.
However, before he could start thinking about which infected—someone both bold and trustworthy—he should ask to test the medicine, Gavial decisively snatched the bottle from his hand.
Without a moment's hesitation, she gulped down nearly half of it.
Steven himself didn't think much of it, but Gavial knew exactly what this meant.
From the casual expression on his face, it was clear that this medicine wasn't anything precious to him.
But for someone like her, a Rhodes Island doctor, a cheap yet effective medicine specifically for Oripathy was nothing short of a miracle.
"Can I take the rest with me?"
After drinking most of the bottle, Gavial looked at the boy before her, her eyes practically glowing with anticipation.
"No."
Steven shook his head, then turned to watch her with a look of great expectation.
Gavial, on the other hand, quickly realized that something was off the moment she swallowed the liquid.
A surge of heat spread from her throat the instant she drank it, rapidly flowing through her body and spreading to every inch of her being.
Then, a sensation akin to razor blades tearing through her insides struck her with full force—a searing pain consuming every part of her skin.
The worst of it was concentrated in her lower abdomen, where her Oripathy crystals were located.
The agony felt like something was trying to burst out from within, like undergoing a C-section without anesthesia.
However, as the heat gradually dissipated, so did the excruciating pain. In its place came a lightness—an overwhelming sense of relief.
It was as if something harmful had been forcibly stripped away from her body.
Gavial had never felt so weightless before, reminding her of the time before she had contracted Oripathy.
"Your medicine… its effects are a little too immediate, don't you think?"
Lifting her shirt, she examined the Originium crystals embedded in her skin.
Though still visible, they had noticeably shrunk in size.
She turned to Steven, voicing her genuine disbelief.
This effect was terrifying.
Rhodes Island certainly had medicine for treating Oripathy, but nothing that worked this fast—this was absolutely unheard of.
"Judging by your reaction, I should probably dilute the ratio a bit more. Otherwise, there's still a risk that people won't be able to handle the potency."
Steven didn't answer her question directly. Instead, with a serious expression, he stroked his chin, already deep in thought about adjusting the milk-to-water ratio.
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