"Gavial, how many times have I told you to be gentler with patients? Can you stop trying to solve everything with brute force?"
Just as the atmosphere between Steven and the green-haired girl was getting awkward, a lazy-sounding female voice rang out from the entrance of the infirmary, breaking the strange tension.
A pale-skinned, white-haired girl walked in, holding a cup of coffee.
Her crimson eyes and elf-like pointed ears made Steven instinctively glance at Gladiia beside him.
Could this be the other Abyssal Hunter that Kal'tsit had mentioned? Gladiia's "kin"?
But hadn't she also said this person was a patient? Why was she dressed like a doctor?
Steven's confusion only deepened as he noticed the red cross emblem on the girl's armband and the identification badge on her chest—both identical in design to the one worn by the green-haired girl in front of him.
But if Steven was confused, the new arrival was even more baffled.
She had just stepped in and taken stock of the scene—only to see Gavial with both hands firmly pressed against Steven's chest.
From an outsider's perspective, the pose they were in looked less like a medical examination and more like… something else entirely.
It was the kind of scene that suggested a very intense 'workout session' might take place on the infirmary bed at any moment.
"I mean, I'm not against you youngsters having your little flings, but this is a workplace. Can you at least keep it professional?"
Though she scolded them, the amusement in her crimson eyes made it clear she was enjoying the spectacle.
"I think you're misunderstanding the situation. She was just trying to give me a physical exam."
Steven shrugged as he stated a fact that only made things sound even more misleading.
"Yeah, that's all it was."
Now fully aware of how things looked, the green-haired girl hastily withdrew her hands from Steven's chest and quickly added her own explanation.
—It had to be because she hadn't gotten enough rest yesterday.
That was the only reason she hadn't been able to push him down.
Right?
He didn't even look that muscular.
By all logic, there was no way she shouldn't have been able to move him.
Her mind was flooded with questions, her usual confidence in her own strength shaken for the first time.
"Ahem, let's cut the jokes now."
Realizing that the show was over, the white-haired girl set down her coffee and approached Steven.
Her crimson eyes swept over both him and Gladiia, and she even wrinkled her cute little nose, as if she was analyzing their scents.
"So she is another Ægir Abyssal Hunter… but something about her condition is off."
With a single remark, she accurately identified Gladiia's race and identity. Yet, there was no smugness in her tone—only curiosity.
Instead, her gaze turned to Steven, filled with the kind of confusion one might have upon spotting an alien.
Steven was starting to feel a little uncomfortable under her intense scrutiny when she finally looked away, turning to meet the eyes of the green-haired girl—Gavial.
"Go give that young lady over there a full medical examination. As for this gentleman, leave him to me and Dr. Kal'tsit."
"Did you hear that, Miss Gavial? You should go do your actual job instead of eyeing my body and my money."
Steven grinned as he spoke, immediately recognizing that the white-haired girl held a higher position than the green-haired one.
He even went so far as to call out her name, flaunting his borrowed authority with a smug expression.
There was nothing quite as enjoyable as a battle of wits.
He wasn't actually upset with her.
At most, her actions earlier had been a joke—if she had managed to pin him down, the worst she would have done was extort back the money he had taken from her.
Still, that didn't stop him from exchanging a few words with the green-haired girl—banter was one of his favorite pastimes.
"Got it."
Driven by her sense of responsibility, Gavial didn't go against her superior's orders. She turned and gestured for the still-drowsy Gladiia to follow her into the examination room.
But before leaving, she shot Steven a look that all but promised revenge later.
He couldn't help but feel a little excited.
He was curious to see what kind of surprises this slightly violent doctor had in store for him.
Once Gavial had led Gladiia away, Steven turned back—only to meet the unwavering gaze of the white-haired girl, who had been staring at him so intently that she had forgotten to drink her coffee.
"Let me just say this up front: I'm not a patient, I don't want a check-up, and I definitely don't want to be poked and prodded by a stranger. So whatever you're thinking, forget it."
Her curiosity was practically radiating off of her. Steven could tell exactly what she wanted just by the way she was looking at him.
And he had no interest in becoming anyone's test subject.
"Then let's at least introduce ourselves properly."
Flashing a friendly smile, the girl ignored his rejection entirely and continued.
"Warfarin, Rhodes Island medical operator, and vice head of the medical department."
Steven didn't need to think twice to know—just like Kal'tsit, this woman had noticed something about him.
Something that, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't seem to hide.
Oppressive presence?
Or something even worse?
Damn it. It's not like they could see the title floating above his head.
Why were they all so cautious around him?
And as for why she could tell—Steven already had his suspicions.
Warfarin gave off the same kind of ancient aura as Kal'tsit, something that could only accumulate over a very long period of time.
Loli vampires? He had encountered plenty of those in anime. The trope had long since lost its novelty.
"Mhm, mhm. Nice to meet you. My name's Steve."
Steven replied with the most half-hearted response possible, taking two steps back to put some distance between himself and the predatory expression on Warfarin's face.
If Gavial's gaze earlier had been playful, Warfarin's was anything but.
He was pretty sure that if given the chance, she would drink his blood.
After all, it wasn't normal to stare at someone's neck the entire time you were talking to them.
"Steve? That's… an unusual name. But no matter. May I make a small request?"
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly as she lifted her gaze to meet his. A flicker of desire flashed through them.
Steven smiled back just as warmly, his eyes filled with sincerity as he responded.
"Absolutely not."