42. But I refuse
The memories that I had once “forgotten” surged into my mind like a flood at this moment, not only explaining why the actions of this “woman in black” were so strange and elusive; it also clarified why she wanted to “save me” ; and even her identity, everything she had experienced, and the reason I had “forgotten” all came to light.
“Nilu…”
“It’s me, Mr. O’Keefe. Do you think I can do better this time than she did?”
This maid of Kiefer smiled at me as she asked, carrying the script of 【Nilu seriously injuring Kiefer】.
Suddenly, it all clicked!
Why Louise had said to Kiefer and me, “Take care of yourselves, you three”; why the treasure of Plouce was stolen so precisely, and none of us were aware; why on the day I came to Plouce, even though I could have easily escaped alone, I was still bound back by Adev to be forced into marriage…
Because I had never come alone from the start, but had come with Nilu! Thinking Nilu was still that “little maid who needed my protection to avoid escalating scripts,” I certainly wouldn’t do anything dangerous!
However, in reality, Nilu had already reached “max level” from some point I was unaware of. I could have sensed this from the script, but I was just an ordinary person. Nilu’s fairy ability meant that if I fell for it, I would be helpless!
【The Fire Fairy, Gias, can command others on a mental level!】
Under such “deception,” I might have known that Nilu was no longer the Nilu of the past, yet I still “forgot” this fact, treating Nilu as that initial maid…
But…
“Why do this, Nilu?”
Nilu is the type of protagonist in the script with “deep-seated blood feuds,” where even a casual stumble on the road could lead to an upgrade. At the same time, she is not Kiefer, so there exists a script where she could “kill me.” To keep her from becoming too powerful, making it easy for her to crush me later, I had been avoiding any upgrade scripts for Nilu. Now it seems I still couldn’t escape the will of this world; by the time I realized it again, Nilu had become so… dangerous.
【Nilu, the master of multiple fairies, bearing some kind of mission. Now possessing dual seventh-tier strength and the abilities of the fairies.】
Nilu had ample reason to hate me for blocking her upgrades. If her goal at this moment was to kill me, I wouldn’t be surprised at all! But strangely… nothing happened! What Nilu aimed at now was actually Kiefer! The one who had always taken care of her!
I could guess the reason, but when Nilu finally spoke it, I couldn’t help but shiver.
“Because I need to prove to you that only I am worthy of your concern~”
—
Once, that girl with the big buns who timidly hid behind Kefir, watching me like a wolf was approaching, had disappeared. In her place stood a figure enveloped in the dark mist of the dark fairy Ignis, radiating an aura of danger!
Her black hair swayed, and the flame of the fairy spread recklessly in her uncovered right eye. At this moment, Nilu didn’t need to shrink back in fear at all, for she had regained quite a bit of her true power and even her memories. Her smile now carried a confidence in herself and just a hint of… wickedness.
This was… what I tried to stop but could not, the greatest threat to Kefir in the script—the enemy of the protagonist! And this enemy was one I had created myself!
“Kefir can’t do it—every single time! She never knows where to leave it until you are in danger, hurt, or even fleeing, only then does she arrive late! Why do you still care so much for such a woman? !”
“I can do what she can do, and I can do it even better! Before and now! Mr. O’Gilad, do you think my proof is enough for you to believe me now?”
“She is still out there waiting like a fool, while I can take you out of danger! I know everything about you and will not lose to Kefir! You… please—look at me, okay?”
Nilu loosened one side of her robe, revealing the maid outfit underneath. In this attire, Nilu looked just like her old self.
“I have always kept this identity for you. As long as you are willing, I can immediately become…”
It is not narcissism; I understood: Nilu chose to oppose Kefir because of me. This… was no longer just a peach blossom calamity like Aidefu, but a peach blossom disaster.
Nilu’s appearance this time was not for treasures but to create the recent incident, then to replace Kefir in saving me, to prove that she would not lose to Kefir at all. As for the matter of “the beastmen being ordered by her,” she probably had already overlooked that herself.
“Nilu…”
“Yes~”
If possible, I would rather hope that in Nilu’s script, she only killed me out of hatred for blocking her from reaching her full potential, and that it had turned into the current situation where she wanted to eliminate Kefir! I didn’t even feel afraid; not even a tiny bit of the thought of pretending to cling to Nilu’s leg emerged!
With me here, no one in the script could threaten Kefir.
So, don’t look at me with such expectations; our relationship has already changed.
“Now, we are enemies.”
“Indeed, you are still so persistent…”
A trace of regret crossed Nilu’s eyes, but at this moment, she had no intention of giving up. On the contrary, she only felt that she hadn’t done enough.
“Maybe, you…”
“Don’t expect me to say something like ‘Why don’t you just become my harem~’.”
Taking the lead, I had read Nilu’s script! Then I spoke coldly!
“I know what you’re thinking and what you will do to Kefir next, but don’t forget, I am the diviner O’Gilad. Until that thought that has already emerged in your heart disappears, you will always be my enemy, O’Gilad!”
I would not give Nilu any chance to succeed because of a man’s fleeting desires!
So, you can probably say what’s on your mind now, Nilu. Don’t think that I won’t pretend not to see the dangerous script that has emerged against Kefir.
“Ha~ Mr. O’Gilad, I will continue to prove it. Next, I can only ask for your cooperation~”
【Nilu wants to order O’Gilad to seriously injure Kefir!】
The fiery fairy flew out, and for a moment, my head became a bit unclear! Chaotic thoughts surged in, as if I had become someone else!
However, just in that moment of confusion, a cold white light flashed! The fire fairy that was swirling in front of me was directly struck away!
【Althas has dispelled Jiyas’s ability!】
【Kefir appears!】
—
“Last time it was an accident, but this time you’re flaunting your mental magic in front of me, you pathetic fairy, get lost!”
The owner of this fragrant voice was already standing beside me, sword in hand.