1. The situation is dire, morals are plummeting

As the protagonist, Kfir’s “experimental topic” must be top-notch, certainly not some trivial side character’s idea just to scrape by in academics. Victory is naturally well-deserved.

So, after I took Kfir’s place to receive the award and truly felt the sensation of being “the center of attention,” Kfir, under my persuasion, confirmed the master-servant relationship with the treasure gifted by the Emperor of the Rosia Empire—Ivan Letty—a magic sword, Alsace, that only cuddles cute girls but is foul-mouthed towards men and strikes with heavy punches.

This time, Kfir didn’t have any obvious “upgrades,” but she safely obtained the “bound treasure,” so this script can be considered smoothly completed. Thus, after a brief stay in the Rosia Empire, Kfir, being a genius and already familiar with the third-year content of Rublyanka Academy, decided to return to the Great Yīng Empire to personally seek out her sister, Queen Louis IV, for inquiries.

Now, we are on our way back, worried that Ivan Letty might use various means to prevent my departure. Our group suddenly slipped away overnight, and after a winding journey, we finally escaped the territory of the Rosia Empire and entered the borders of the Great Yīng Empire.

However, just as our journey was nearing its end, and Kfir would soon be home, my “support” was increasingly acting strangely.

“Kfir, we’ve now entered the capital of the Great Yīng Empire, London. Once we get into the city, we can go straight back to your home.”

I finally couldn’t hold back. It seemed that the closer we got to home, the more “dazed” Kfir appeared, lost in thought, her reactions slowing down significantly.

“Um, Kfir?”

“Ah! Uh, yes! We’ll be home soon…”

Finally snapping back to reality, Kfir suddenly lifted her head, and I could see her flushed little face.

Would the protagonist unexpectedly catch a cold or fever? Of course not. So Kfir’s attitude instantly gave me an instinctive sense of unease.

Looking at the script, it was indeed the case.

[Kfir is troubled.]

What does this “trouble” mean? I dared to think but not to ask, fearing to upset the great Kfir. They say a girl’s thoughts are as hard to guess as a needle in the ocean; one wrong word, even misguessing a lipstick shade , could make her unhappy, leading to a hellish question with no right answer.

“Do you not love me anymore?”

—

“Alright, you know! You know what you’re doing! You’re despicable!”

“What do you mean you don’t know!? Explain yourself! I won’t listen, I won’t listen!”

That’s pretty much the situation; I wouldn’t dare to court death.

So, since I couldn’t court death, I could only play dead, maintaining silence until we returned to the Kephier family estate. However, even then, I couldn’t escape some “abnormalities” coming my way from the script.

As a con artist who had fled everywhere back in the day, I was quite sensitive to changes in the script, and thus…

The moment the carriage came to a stop and we had just disembarked, I keenly sensed something was off!

Awaiting us was the head maid of the estate, who had received word of the young lady’s return and had been waiting here for quite some time.

However…

“Young lady, Mr. Li De, welcome back! The master is waiting for you in the hall; please go report your safety first. Nilu, remember to greet them properly, don’t go empty-handed!”

The head maid mentioning Kephier was certainly routine, but… why was even my alias listed this time!?

Not only that, but as I casually glanced around, the other servants in the estate all obediently lowered their heads in silence, their attitudes toward me exceedingly respectful! When I first clung to Kephier’s leg and came here, I had just stepped out of the carriage, and all sorts of bizarre death scripts had come rushing at me, and now…

[Servant A envies Ou Qi Li De.]

[Servant B envies Ou Qi Li De.]

…

These nameless minor characters had temporarily lost their obvious intent to kill me in the script!?

While I was still dazed and confused, Kephier had already come over with a concerned look.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… nothing at all.”

The death scripts had temporarily diminished significantly, which was a good thing~ So there was no need to tell Kephier.

However, the atmosphere around me, which seemed harmless, was… sticky enough to make the hairs on my neck stand on end, and that feeling was growing deeper.

“Then Nilu, you go put the greeting back in my quarters, and then take a good rest. After I report to father with him, we’ll head back.”

“Yes, young lady.”

After deliberately ordering Nilu away, Kephier’s demeanor became even more… rigid.

I saw her wave her hand to send the servants off to work while she looked around, then quietly followed me.

“Ou Qi Li De, do you… do you dislike people who act on their own?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all, I’m just asking for my friend.”

“Not at all!”

I answered immediately.

I certainly disliked people acting on their own, but I knew that this “friend” Kephier referred to was definitely herself, so with eighteen times the courage, I wouldn’t dare to dislike Kephier.

Kefir seemed to have received some kind of pardon, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. She pressed her hand to her chest and let out a long sigh, the stiff attitude of having something to say but not daring to say it eased considerably.

This was more like a proud daughter of heaven, the true protagonist of the script! I was very happy.

However, that happiness lasted only a moment, for as I followed Kefir into the mansion and saw her father, that troublesome uncle from before, I finally realized: why Kefir had been frowning all the way; why she had to ask me if I disliked her “taking the initiative”; why the Kefir in the script was “deep in thought”…

“Yo, the newlyweds are back from their honeymoon, finally decided to return~”

Uncle Zerola’s face was grinning like a rogue. If it weren’t for the fact that he could crush me with a pinky finger, I would have loved to punch him.

This old rogue, Kefir and I are innocent! Why are you back making such nonsensical remarks!?

I might not dare to hit you, but Kefir would! Come on, Kefir, hurry up and teach this scatterbrain of a father a lesson just like before, and let him know how much you’ve grown during your trip to the Rosia Empire!

However, when I turned to look, what I saw was…

“…”

Kefir turned her face away, her cheeks flushed, twisting and turning in silence…

It’s over…

I thought.

——

The third volume officially begins, and some delightful developments are about to be confirmed!

Guess what.