"Are you sure this is the kind of apology you want?"
The green-haired girl's expression turned a bit strange.
If she didn't know for a fact that her staff could actually cause serious harm if it hit someone, she might have thought this guy was just trying to scam her.
No one would risk their own safety just to extort a little money, right?
"Of course. It's a simple exchange of benefits—between two complete strangers like us, isn't that the most sincere form of apology? Or do you have a better idea?"
Steven maintained his outstretched hand, completely shameless about asking for compensation.
"You're not wrong. That actually makes sense."
Scratching her head, the girl didn't seem too bothered by Steven's blunt reasoning.
She pulled out her wallet and carefully counted a few sky-blue banknotes, each marked with the number 100 and some strange symbols, before handing them over to him.
"Here, 2,000 Lungmen dollars. I controlled my strength, so even if you were hit, the worst you'd get is a fracture. The average treatment cost for a bone fracture is about 1,200, and the remaining 800 covers my personal apology plus your so-called mental distress compensation. Fair enough?"
She seriously calculated and listed out the compensation breakdown, watching Steven closely for his response.
She wasn't lying—this was a fair calculation.
But if Steven tried to push his luck any further, she wouldn't hesitate to treat him like an extortionist and demonstrate her ultimate spinning flaming wheel attack.
Fortunately, Steven wasn't planning to argue.
He simply accepted the unfamiliar banknotes, carefully counted them to confirm the amount, and then nodded in satisfaction before handing the hammer-like staff back to her.
He had no idea what the purchasing power of this money was, but judging from the serious expression on the girl's face, he decided to trust her.
If he found out later that he had been shortchanged, he could always come back and look for her—after all, she was clearly a member of Rhodes Island, as indicated by the work badge pinned to her chest.
"Go ahead, you can continue chasing after that girl now. Based on my observation, she ran off in that direction."
Steven stepped aside with Gladiia, even thoughtfully pointing out the escape route of the brown-haired girl.
He didn't mislead her for the sake of amusement—after all, part of the reason he almost got hit by the staff was thanks to that girl.
However, after all this back-and-forth, the green-haired girl seemed to lose her motivation to continue the chase.
Instead, she gave Steven and Gladiia a curious look, scrutinizing them properly for the first time.
"Forget about her for now. I'm more interested in knowing—where are you from? Why were you standing outside the medical room? Are you here to see someone?"
She was certain that there wasn't anyone like Steven on Rhodes Island. But what intrigued her even more was the girl standing behind him.
White hair, red eyes, and elf-like ears—it was hard not to be reminded of a certain night-dwelling shut-in operator who happened to be her superior.
"Huh? I'm just here to accompany her for a check-up. Speaking of which, where's the doctor on duty?"
Steven answered honestly while also taking the opportunity to examine the girl in front of him.
At first, he had just assumed that anyone bold enough to rock green hair must be pretty strong. But now that he got a closer look, he was starting to notice even more interesting things about her.
For example, there was the strong, crocodile-like tail behind her, as well as the crystal-like accessory on her wrist—similar to the one he had seen on that little bunny girl's chest earlier.
So… was this kind of accessory trending among girls these days?
"A check-up? I see. Come with me."
With an expression of understanding, the green-haired girl suddenly seemed to recall something and turned around, gesturing for Steven to follow her inside.
If she remembered correctly, that person had mentioned that Dr. Kal'tsit would be bringing two guests back today.
It must be these two.
As for Steven's stated purpose, it made perfect sense to her—anyone who came to Rhodes Island was either applying to be an operator or seeking medical treatment.
After all, they were technically still a medical company, right?
"Wait, hold on. You mean… you're the doctor?"
Steven looked at the girl in front of him with a puzzled expression.
No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't imagine someone who could wield that hammer-like weapon with one hand being a doctor.
She seemed more like the kind of person who sent people to the doctor instead.
"What else? Do I not look like one?"
Leading Steven to a medical table, the girl casually grabbed a white coat from a nearby chair, draped it over her shoulders, and then turned back to face him.
She gestured confidently toward herself, clearly proud of her profession and identity.
"No, no, it's great. Makes sense."
Steven wasn't the type to judge people based on appearances.
In a world where all sorts of bizarre things existed, why not a doctor like this too?
As the saying goes, never offend a chef or a doctor—the former might sneak something "special" into your food, while the latter… well, who knows what they might leave inside your body during surgery?
"Alright then, lie down here, and I'll check your body first."
The girl patted the reclining chair beside the medical table, flashing Steven a sweet smile. But somehow, he didn't see even a hint of warmth in her eyes.
"She's the one who needs treatment, not me. I'm just the… uh, guardian."
Steven pointed at Gladiia, who had been half-asleep the whole time, barely reacting to anything around her.
Honestly, he envied her ability to stay drowsy no matter what was happening.
He hadn't been quiet at all during their walk, yet she had remained in that dreamy, half-conscious state.
As for the green-haired doctor's insistence on examining him? No way.
It was obvious she was trying to get back at him for making her pay up earlier—it was practically written all over her face.
Medical expenses were dictated by doctors, weren't they? Steven had just received the money, and he wasn't about to hand it right back.
"Oh, come on. You're already here, might as well get a check-up too. Don't worry, basic exams are completely free~ Let me see if your development is normal."
She reached out toward Steven, clearly intending to forcefully push him onto the medical bed.
And then she failed.
For the first time in her career, all the strength and expertise she had developed in restraining unruly patients ran into a solid, immovable wall.
No matter how much power she put into her deceptively slender arms, Steven remained completely unshaken—like a mountain embedded deep in the ground, with only its peak visible.
"No thanks. Also, your hand's on my chest. If you keep pressing any harder, I'm going to call it harassment."
Glancing down at the small hand gripping his chest muscle, Steven very seriously reminded the doctor in front of him.