Arknightcraft Modpack

“She doesn’t seem to have full control over this ability; most of the time, she subconsciously reads the emotions of others.”

Kal’tsit frowned, helping Amiya lie down on a nearby hospital bed before calmly explaining the situation to Steven.

Understanding Amiya’s abilities, Kal’tsit wouldn’t misunderstand Steven because of this. Instead, what needed to be done now was to comfort Steven, who had been subjected to a mind-reading episode.

No one would enjoy having their thoughts and memories read by someone else. Even knowing that Amiya didn’t do this intentionally couldn’t guarantee that Steven wouldn’t get upset.

Fortunately, judging from Steven’s current demeanor, he didn’t seem to mind the incident much.

And indeed, that was the case.

Steven was well aware of his mental state. After surviving for so many years in a desolate world with no outlet for his thoughts, he probably understood the condition of his own mind better than anyone else.

After the initial days of battling the world’s will, he had plunged into a century of solitude.

During that time, he had been driven mad by loneliness countless times, but over time, he always managed to recover.

To be precise, it wasn’t a complete recovery.

He had developed a method of categorizing his memories: storing the dull ones in a forgotten corner and keeping meaningful and thought-provoking ones in a more prominent place in his mind. This might sound incredible, but Steven believed that anyone could achieve this with enough time and effort.

He called this method “maintaining the self.”

Thanks to this approach, Steven managed to preserve his current personality and mindset, which were almost identical to how they were before he transmigrated.

As for those centuries of solitude, to Steven now, they felt like watching someone else’s story. He knew every detail of it, but if asked how he felt, he wouldn’t know how to describe it.

In some ways, this became the best mental defense for him. Anyone attempting to invade his mind or consciousness would first have to endure the baptism of that hundred-year-long mechanical solitude.

And clearly, Amiya hadn’t managed to make it through that baptism.

Steven was also willing to believe that Amiya wasn’t the type of person who would deliberately pry into someone’s memories. If she truly had malicious intent, she wouldn’t have chosen such an obvious moment to act.

“I… I’m sorry.”

At this moment, Amiya, enduring a severe headache, struggled to sit up on the hospital bed and apologized to Steven in a weak voice.

From Steven’s emotions, she had seen only a deathly loneliness, completely unlike the cheerful and optimistic appearance he showed now. Trying to understand the experiences behind those emotions had already brought her to this state.

And yet, Steven, who carried these memories, could still remain so optimistic and outgoing?

“A simple apology isn’t enough for something like this, you know. But, well, let’s talk about it after you’ve recovered. Judging by your condition, I doubt we’ll get anywhere right now. I’ll go check on Gladiia instead.”

Waving his hand, Steven didn’t generously say that it was all forgiven. Instead, he took the opportunity to excuse himself.

Judging from Kal’tsit and Warfarin’s focus on caring for Amiya, they wouldn’t be free anytime soon. Rather than staying here unsure of what to say, he might as well use the time to do something else.

As for how to deal with things later, Steven figured Kal’tsit would provide him with an answer.

“As for the matter of Oripathy…”

Warfarin, observing the situation, didn’t know what to say. What had been a smooth negotiation was unexpectedly interrupted by this incident—something no one could have anticipated.

Her only concern now was that Steven might develop certain feelings about the event and abandon the discussions they had just settled.

“One thing at a time. I won’t go back on what I’ve agreed to, but you already need time to decide who to send as my test subject. Isn’t this the perfect opportunity?”

Steven chuckled and followed the direction Gavial had taken Gladiia earlier.

Stretching as he exited the medical office, Steven quickly located the room where Gladiia was staying on the small map. After a light knock and receiving permission from within, he pushed the door open and entered.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw a beautiful white-haired girl lying on the hospital bed, resembling a sleeping beauty. But something puzzled him: in just a short while, why did his “adopted daughter” seem to have shrunk?

Scratching his head, Steven approached the sleeping girl. Gavial, busy with her work nearby, didn’t pay him any mind, letting him move freely in the room.

After all, there wasn’t much to hide.

But as Steven looked more closely at the sleepy girl Gavial was examining, he started to doubt reality.

What was going on? Had his “adopted daughter” multiplied?

If the one on the bed was his daughter, then who was the girl currently being examined?

Two Abyssal Hunters of the same caliber? Was someone attempting an over-summoning ritual?

Fortunately, Steven had his trusty cheat ability. Upon noticing the title [Abyssal Hunter: Specter] hovering above the head of the sleeping girl, he finally understood.

No wonder he had been confused earlier about why Gladiia seemed shorter.

So this was the companion Kal’tsit had mentioned—a fellow Abyssal Hunter. At least based on their titles, they clearly belonged to the same group.

Moreover, they shared the characteristic white hair, which fit perfectly with their kind’s aesthetic.

“So, this is the other Abyssal Hunter Kal’tsit mentioned. I have to admit, she’s quite beautiful.”

Rubbing his chin, Steven scrutinized the girl on the bed. Upon closer inspection, she did share many similarities with Gladiia, making it understandable why he had mistaken them at first glance.

Beyond the identical hair color, their delicate faces were almost unnaturally flawless, as if they were creations beyond what this world could produce. Even the parenthetical status (Amnesiac) attached to their titles was the same.

Could it be that she, too, had been made to forget something?

If there were any notable differences between the girl on the bed and Steven’s “adopted daughter,” it would be that, in every aspect, she was slightly smaller.

Whether in terms of height, figure, or other dimensions, this girl named Specter was like a scaled-down version of Gladiia.

Not that there was anything wrong with that, but if Steven were to express a preference, he’d admit he favored something larger.

Just as Steven was mentally comparing the differences between the two, the door behind him suddenly swung open. Turning his head, he found himself face-to-face with another hurriedly entering girl.

Ah, yet another white-haired, red-eyed figure.