Chapter 371: Pokédex +2
"If I even had the slightest doubt about you… do you really think I'd still be standing here right now?"
Steven shot Talulah a look that could only be described as an exaggerated eye roll.
When had he ever cared about someone's past, anyway? No matter how "legendary" someone was, could they possibly be more outrageous than him?
He was once a god—the creator of an entire world, the destroyer of countless modded universes.
The past was the past. What mattered to him was the Talulah who stood before him now.
But just as he finished speaking, Talulah suddenly moved. Before he could even react, she turned into a little locomotive and rammed straight into his chest—burying her head deep against him, completely ignoring the fact that Patriot and Yelena were still standing right there.
She wasn't nearly as strong as she always tried to appear.
After everything she'd been through—after being doubted by those she trusted—her heart was already in tatters.
And perhaps it was because of that pain that this delicate, thoughtful dragon girl could feel the warmth and sincerity in Steven's words so vividly.
Yes… he had always been like this. How could he ever distrust her?
He was the person she liked… the one she loved.
There was simply no way she could believe he'd ever turn against her.
Like a little girl seeking comfort after being scolded, Talulah rubbed her head against his chest, her motions small and trembling.
The sight made Patriot's expression soften slightly—it reminded him of the days when Yelena used to run to him for comfort when she was small.
Seeing that, the old veteran could only sigh quietly. "Looks like that boy will make a good father someday," he murmured to himself.
Without saying anything more, he turned and walked out of the tent, leaving the two young people inside.
Only Yelena stayed behind—watching the pair with a strange, indescribable look in her eyes.
Before leaving, Patriot leaned down to whisper in his daughter's ear.
"If you want to beat him up… I will help."
His scarlet gaze swept briefly over Steven, and the younger man couldn't help but shiver under the weight of it.
Yelena, though, didn't take her father's words too seriously. She knew him well—Patriot never joked about things like that. But still, she wasn't about to start a fight over it.
Truthfully, her relationship with Steven wasn't that deep yet. They were just… friends who had a bit of a spark between them. Not enough for her to barge in and pry Talulah out of his arms like some jealous heroine.
Still… she was jealous.
Painfully, irritatingly jealous.
Steven, meanwhile, could only offer an awkward smile. His hand gently stroked Talulah's silvery hair, his touch soft and steady—a small comfort for a girl who had already endured far too much for her age.
She had carried a burden that shouldn't have been hers to bear. And honestly, there wasn't much he could do to ease it.
"...If you really intend to keep walking this path," he sighed, voice quiet but firm, "then you should know—things like this will only happen more often. Are you sure you want to keep going? If you turn back now, I will take you and Alina out of this hell right away."
He gave her the choice, even though his tone carried a trace of helpless affection.
He had never planned to interfere with her life. But after seeing her crumble like this, he couldn't help it—he just couldn't bring himself to let go.
If Talulah wished it, Alina would certainly agree without a second thought. He could send them both off right this moment—to Kazimierz or Iberia—where they'd live like nobles, free to rest, to heal.
Or, if they preferred to stay with their friends and other Infected, Rhodes Island would be a fine place too.
He had the power to make it happen.
But deep down, he knew. With Talulah's personality, there was no way she'd ever accept such an offer.
Sure enough, the girl who had been quietly breathing against his chest—savoring that fragile sense of safety she'd long forgotten—soon lifted her head. Her eyes were clear and resolute as they met his.
"No," she said softly. "I'll keep going. This path… it's the one I chose. I already knew it would lead to pain like this. So, for now… just let me rest here for a while. That's enough."
Her fingers pressed lightly against his chest as her tone softened, her voice carrying the faint tremor of a girl who had been strong for far too long.
Perhaps only in front of Steven and Alina could she show such a vulnerable side. To the others—to the Infected who followed her—she had to be the unwavering leader they believed in.
"You can lean on me too, you know. I can help you clear your head a bit," a voice cut in at last, tinged with exasperation.
Yelena had finally had enough.
Just how long was this Draco planning to cling onto him, anyway? If she let it go on, Talulah would melt into Steven at this rate. Someone had to stop her from taking advantage of the moment!
She stepped forward, cutting in before Talulah could rest against Steven's chest again. Straightening her back, she pushed herself right beside him—wearing an expression that all but said "Fine, if she wants a shoulder, she can use mine."
Only then did Talulah remember—Yelena hadn't actually left the tent with Patriot earlier.
Her face flushed scarlet for a moment, but she quickly recovered, brushing away the embarrassment with a huff.
She pushed aside the two soft, snow-white mounds pressing against her arm—the kind that made it painfully obvious that Yelena was… a bit more developed than her—and with her pride restored, lifted her chin, regaining the haughty poise of a proud little dragon.
"What? I like leaning on him," she declared, eyes flashing. "You jealous? Too bad—he doesn't let you lean on him."
She clung to Steven's arm in open defiance, giving Yelena a smug little smirk that was equal parts challenge and triumph.
Of course, she had said before that she wouldn't mind Steven getting close to other girls.
But anyone who believed a girl when they said that had clearly never faced the brutality of reality. No woman could stay completely indifferent—not even Alina, who'd always been the most understanding, would smile if she had to watch her boyfriend cuddling another girl all day.
"Who says I'm jealous?" Yelena retorted sharply. "You're the one taking advantage of his sympathy! Steven isn't like me—he's too nice to say no."
She puffed her cheeks and grabbed Steven's free hand, pressing it to her chest with a pout that could melt glaciers.
Steven could only sigh. With a weary half-smile, he gave up resisting and let his arm stay there, trapped between fire and ice.
On one side, a fiery dragon.
On the other, a frigid snow hare.
'So this…' he thought helplessly, 'is what "experiencing heaven and hell at the same time" really feels like.'
The novels always made it sound enjoyable.
In practice, it was anything but. His clothes were literally starting to smolder on one side and frost over on the other.
"…Could one of you please stop staring and maybe help me out here?" he groaned. "I can't even move anymore."
With both arms pinned and the air around him alternating between burning and freezing, Steven finally turned his pleading eyes toward his last remaining hope—Alina.
But Alina only smiled sweetly, her crimson eyes glimmering with mischief.
"Mm… I don't think I'll be helping you this time," she said, tilting her head with a playful wink. "I'm jealous too, you know~"
Steven froze.
Then sighed.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Alina covered her mouth with a giggle, clearly enjoying the chaos far too much to play peacemaker.
"Fine," Steven muttered, his exasperation giving way to a crooked grin. "You brought this on yourselves."
For the girls, it was just harmless teasing—none of them could actually hurt him even if they tried. But still, he couldn't resist the sudden spark of inspiration that flashed through his mind.
This… might actually be the perfect chance to test something.
With a swift motion, he slipped free of the girls' grasp—effortlessly, as if he were shedding water from his arms—and reached into his inventory.
Out came two small red-and-white spheres.
"Alright, you little troublemakers," he said, raising an eyebrow and pointing them dramatically. "Let's see how you handle this. Go, Pokéballs!"
Before either Talulah or Yelena could react, the two spheres flew from his hands with perfect aim, tapping gently against their foreheads before bouncing to the ground.
Click—
The seams split open, and a soft red light poured out, wrapping around the stunned girls.
In the next instant, both were gone—vanished into twin beams of light that were swiftly sucked into the open Pokéballs.
The balls dropped to the floor, rolling and wobbling violently, their center buttons blinking with an ominous red pulse.
"Don't resist," Steven called quickly, crouching beside them. "Just go along with it for now. I'm testing something, that's all! I just want to see if these can actually store humans… not capture you."
He had no interest in "catching" them like Pokémon. It was just an experiment.
Still, from the way the Pokéballs shook, it seemed the mechanism didn't quite accept unwilling targets—at least, not without reducing their HP to zero first.
There were exceptions, of course—special Pokéballs that ignored such limits—but those were exceedingly rare.
Thankfully, after his reassurance, the trembling began to slow. The blinking lights dimmed.
And then—
Click!
Both balls went still.
Silence.
Steven exhaled in relief and picked them up, weighing one in each hand.
[Pokéball – Talulah Lv. ??? | Trust: 125%]
[Pokéball – Yelena Lv. ??? | Trust: 115%]
"…Huh. Levels unreadable I get, sure. But… trust over a hundred percent? That's even allowed?"
He shook his head with a bemused chuckle.
At least the world was quiet again. Peaceful. For once.
Then his gaze shifted—slowly, mischievously—toward the only one left inside the tent.
Alina, the poor little deer, who was now standing stiff as a board.
Steven's lips curved into a wicked grin.
"Heh~ you were just watching while they ganged up on me, weren't you?" he said, voice low and teasing as he held up another Pokéball. "Well then, let's see who's going to save you now."
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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