"Alright, listen. As long as I'm here, this universe won't be destroyed."
Lucian spoke with complete certainty, utterly unconcerned with how grandiose his claim sounded.
Kafka chose not to respond, mainly because she had already learned that questioning him might only result in yet another shocking revelation.
Instead, she stood up, walked over to the window, and contacted Elio, calmly explaining the entire situation.
Soon...
[What did you say?! The Xianzhou Luofu, Penacony, and Amphoreus have all been affected by him?!]
[Kafka, from now on, we must keep track of Lucian's movements at all times.]
[Either we bring him over to our side... or we join his...]
Could it be that Elio intended to disband the Stellaron Hunters?
After working together for so many years, had it not all been for the sake of preventing the end of the universe and achieving their respective goals?
Pulling Lucian into their group was fine, but what kind of move was this—joining him instead?
Kafka, feeling somewhat speechless after hearing Elio's words, spoke again.
"Elio, is that also a future you've seen?"
[No, I didn't see this one—to be precise, anything deeply entangled in causality with Lucian has become unclear to me, and he himself is completely unobservable, so whether he can be brought into the group is something I cannot answer—you'll have to handle it, Kafka.]
"So if you can't beat him, you join him, huh? I see... being in the same group would give you a reason to know Lucian's movements, prepare in advance, and even offer him suggestions... is that your goal?"
Kafka spoke bluntly, her words cutting straight to the core of the matter.
Indeed, that was exactly how Elio had been thinking.
Since Lucian was special, acted as a natural counter to Elio's abilities, and kept interfering with his scripts without his knowledge—causing all sorts of unexpected complications in their endeavor—it would be better, rather than remaining locked in a stalemate like this, to keep Lucian within his line of sight, so that at the very least, the next time Lucian tried to interfere with any script, Elio would be aware of it in advance or could even discuss it with him beforehand.
Elio's goal was, after all, not to become a ruler, so as long as the universe could be prevented from reaching its end, it did not matter who led the Stellaron Hunters.
[I'm only concerned that Lucian might refuse to join and also refuse to accept wanted criminals. Kafka, it's time for you to show your personal charm.]
"...You really make it sound easy."
Kafka let out a quiet breath as she ended the communication, a faint trace of contemplation appearing on her face as her gaze lowered slightly, clearly already considering how she might persuade Lucian.
Meanwhile, Lucian observed her from a short distance away, noting how she maintained a composed exterior while subtle ripples of unrest stirred beneath the surface, and found the contrast rather intriguing.
Even from five or six meters away, every word exchanged between Kafka and Elio reached his ears with perfect clarity.
He still clearly remembered that Silver Wolf had previously told him over the phone that Elio wouldn't allow her to get involved with him anymore, yet now that brat was actually shamelessly trying to force his way in?
Of course, there was no way Lucian would agree so easily.
In any case, once they grew anxious and found themselves with no alternatives left, they would inevitably come knocking on his door again.
At that point, the initiative would remain firmly in his hands.
"Lucian, would you consider joining us?"
Kafka turned around and leaned lightly against the balcony railing, her posture relaxed yet deliberate as she looked directly at Lucian.
"Nope."
"Do you really have to be that decisive? In that case, how about we join—"
"Nah, not interested."
"What a heartless man... Alright, what are your conditions?"
"Conditions? From what I remember, Elio told Silver Wolf not to get involved with me, which means we're not exactly on great terms. Besides, we don't even really know each other, so why are we talking about something like this in the first place?"
Kafka fell silent for a brief moment, then narrowed her eyes slightly as she pieced things together.
Evidently, Lucian held grudges.
When Silver Wolf had first gotten to know him, Elio had already instructed her to limit her contact with Lucian, and now it was clear that he had not forgotten that slight in the slightest.
However, since this had been something the Stellaron Hunters had discussed privately, yet Lucian knew about it, Silver Wolf had most likely been the one who told him.
"Hahh..."
What should have been an easy opportunity to establish a connection, recruit Lucian, or even integrate with his side had instead been ruined by her own teammate.
Now that a direct invitation wouldn't work, she had no other choice but to approach the matter from another angle.
Kafka quickly thought of Stelle.
Lucian was willing to become Stelle's godfather, which clearly indicated that he cared about her. If Stelle were to speak on their behalf, it would likely have some effect.
Unfortunately, according to Elio's script, Stelle could not yet recover her memories or rejoin the Stellaron Hunters. Otherwise, the situation would not have been nearly this troublesome.
"Fine, then we won't talk about those matters today," Kafka said, her tone easing as she smoothly shifted the topic. "Would you come with me to see Stelle? Last time I left in a hurry and didn't even get the chance to say a word to her."
"Sure. Our 'relationship' makes that easy."
Lucian glanced at her, a faint teasing curve forming at the corner of his lips.
"Well then, I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Gentleman, to lead the way."
Kafka smiled and gave a slight nod, deliberately ignoring the hint of amusement in Lucian's expression as her attention had already shifted elsewhere.
Now, she was far more concerned about Stelle's situation—she needed to see for herself how the child had been doing lately.
Lucian soon contacted Stelle and obtained her location, then casually beckoned to Kafka with a wave of his hand.
"Alright, come here."
If it had been anyone else treating Kafka in such a manner, they likely wouldn't have even realized how they died.
Lucian, however, was different.
He couldn't be beaten, was far too valuable to offend, and, more importantly, was not someone they could afford to antagonize.
For the first time, Kafka truly understood what it meant to feel frustration with nowhere to vent it.
In the end, she walked over obediently, though inwardly she remained cautious.
'Is he going to use that teleportation ability again? I need to stay alert and not let him take advantage of me.'
Contrary to her expectations, however, Lucian made no such 'inappropriate' move.
He simply reached out and lightly pushed against Kafka's shoulder, and in the next instant, both of them vanished from where they stood.
In the next second, when they reappeared, they were already standing on a relatively quiet scenic street in Belobog's new district, where the surroundings were peaceful and only lightly populated.
Not far ahead, Stelle was squatting in front of a small snack stall, staring intently at skewers of grilled meat sizzling with oil as they roasted over the fire.
Meanwhile, March stood nearby, enthusiastically snapping photos with her camera, clearly enjoying the moment, while Dan Heng stood off to the side with his arms crossed, his expression carrying a trace of helpless resignation as he watched the scene unfold.
On the opposite side, Bronya and Seele were browsing a selection of accessories at a nearby stall together, occasionally discussing their choices.
"Stelle."
Lucian's voice sounded from behind.
Stelle immediately sprang to her feet, the skewer in her hand nearly slipping from her grasp as she turned around.
"Godfather! You came at the perfect time! Go pay for everything on this whole street!"
As soon as she saw Lucian, Stelle's eyes lit up with unmistakable excitement, clearly relieved that after eating her way through the entire street to the point where even Bronya could no longer keep up and had resorted to putting everything on a tab, Lucian had finally arrived.
However, her expression shifted the very next moment as her gaze moved past Lucian and landed on the familiar yet strangely distant purple figure standing beside him.
"Bad woman?"
Stelle instinctively took half a step back.
Her grip tightened around the skewer in her hand as her eyes flicked back and forth between Lucian and Kafka, confusion and uncertainty clearly evident on her face. It was as though she was trying to figure out how the two people standing before her could possibly be connected.
Her godfather and the 'bad woman' appearing together—what exactly was going on?
Stelle was momentarily stunned by the unexpected scene.
No matter how she looked at it, the pairing felt strange and completely at odds with the impression she had formed in her mind.
Meanwhile, when Kafka heard herself being referred to in such a way by Stelle, her composure nearly cracked.
And that half-step of retreat—was it really necessary?
Such a small movement, almost insignificant on its own, yet it carried an unexpectedly sharp sting. For a brief moment, she felt as though an invisible arrow had pierced straight through her heart.
Still, she suppressed the feeling and quickly regained her composure, reminding herself that Stelle had lost her memory and that things would eventually get better.
However, now that she thought about it, if Lucian himself wasn't resisting the Stellaron Hunters, then the one influencing Stelle was most likely Himeko of the Astral Express.
Clearly, that woman was the real problem.
In the end, the more Kafka thought about it, the more convinced she became of that conclusion.
With that thought in mind, her expression gradually softened into an unusually gentle smile, while the faint trace of frustration in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a warmth that rarely appeared on her face.
"My name is Kafka. Don't call me a bad woman next time, or I'll be very sad, Stelle."
Kafka looked at Stelle and spoke in an almost tender tone.
"Ew~"
Stelle visibly recoiled at the tenderness in Kafka's voice, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden display of intimacy.
Even so, she couldn't help but wonder why it felt as though this woman was somehow also her 'mom'?
At the same time, many people soon gathered around as well, greeting Lucian one after another as they noticed his arrival.
Sensing the growing crowd surrounding him and realizing that more people would continue gathering if they remained there, Lucian calmly swept his gaze across the area before speaking in a measured tone.
"Alright, let's find somewhere quiet to talk."
Without waiting any longer, he teleported Stelle and Kafka along with him, their figures disappearing from everyone's sight in an instant.
Moments later, the three of them reappeared in a nearby open-air park that was partially enclosed by rows of lush greenery, creating a peaceful atmosphere that isolated it from the noise of the surrounding streets. Several benches and seating areas were scattered throughout the area, providing visitors with places to rest and enjoy the scenery.
Seated beside Lucian, Stelle continued nibbling on her skewer without any intention of stopping, occasionally taking another bite while enjoying the food in her hands.
However, despite her focus on eating, her gaze still drifted toward Kafka from time to time, her earlier wariness now gradually giving way to curiosity.
Now that she had the chance to observe her more carefully, this Stellaron Hunter didn't seem nearly as bad as Himeko had described. At the very least, she hadn't shown any hostility since they first met and, on the contrary, seemed surprisingly gentle.
Across from them, Kafka sat with her usual composed elegance. Her posture was relaxed yet graceful, and throughout the entire time, she watched Stelle with a constant, gentle smile, as though she genuinely cared about her well-being.
"Stelle, have you been doing well lately? Has anyone been bullying you? How have things been on the Astral Express? Are you eating properly? Have you gotten into any trouble recently?"
Kafka's tone carried the warmth and concern of a parent checking on a child after a long separation, and her questions came one after another without pause.
Because Lucian was sitting right beside her, Stelle felt completely at ease, and the sense of security he provided caused her earlier caution to gradually fade away, allowing her to chat casually with Kafka and answer her questions between bites of food.
As the conversation continued, Kafka slowly guided the topic in the direction she wanted. Only after making sure the atmosphere had become sufficiently relaxed did she finally bring up her true purpose and ask the question she had wanted to ask from the very beginning.
"Stelle, if the Stellaron Hunters wanted to turn over a new leaf and join your godfather's side, what would you think about that?"
Upon hearing her question, Stelle paused briefly before turning her head to glance at Lucian, clearly seeking guidance on how she should answer.
Lucian merely smiled faintly.
"Answer however you think."
At those words, Stelle's eyes immediately lit up with sudden understanding.
Of course, who was her godfather?
How could she possibly fail to understand his hidden meaning?
As her godfather's thoughtful little cotton-padded jacket, she naturally knew exactly what she should say.
"Hmm, so the Stellaron Hunters wanna turn over a new leaf and follow my godfather? Sure..."
Stelle answered without the slightest hesitation, nodding decisively as if she fully supported the idea.
However, just as Kafka's smile widened slightly in satisfaction, Stelle suddenly added another condition, a sneer appearing on her face.
"But only take the women, not the men."
Kafka: "???"
Lucian: "???"
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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