35. You are still too young
After a passionate speech, Leyef naturally turned the topic to me, her face flushed from the intense rhetoric, as if she was eagerly awaiting something, her gaze fixed on my face without shifting.
Her demeanor was far removed from that of the troublesome antagonist who used to come up to me for no reason when she saw me with Kephiel. If I didn’t know the context of Leyef’s reaction, I would start to doubt whether this girl had developed some strange feelings for me!
In reality, that is not the case at all.
[Leyef greatly admires the ‘strategist’ Euclid, who once mingled with various resistance organizations in Rosia!]
The script appears, and as a leader of a “reform organization,” Leyef naturally holds a respectful and admiring attitude towards a “senior” like me. Unfortunately, the reality is far from what she admires. As someone who once mingled in various resistance organizations within the Rosian Empire, strategizing against the tyrant Ivan Letty, I have indeed done all that.
However, I did not do all this for the grand ideals like “bringing about a change in the Rosian Empire!” as Leyef puts it; I simply… wanted to avoid unnecessary death scripts and survive, let alone the fact that the little midget is ruling just fine—why would I want to overthrow her?
The problem is: I really can’t tell Leyef the truth about these matters, including the truth about the Great Yng Empire. Not to mention how Leyef would react if I revealed these “truths,” whether she would believe me, and more importantly, I haven’t forgotten Leyef’s “little villain” identity in the script.
[Knowing the truth, Leyef, in her anger, stabs Euclid to death!]
This script has always been in play!
“So, Mr. Euclid!”
Letty’s voice interrupted my turmoil. When I looked up, this Rosian girl, out of respect for “Euclid,” even changed her address for me, a “foreigner,” to “Mr. Euclid,” which felt quite fitting.
“Right now, our ‘Save the Nation Organization’ has been severely weakened due to the previous events. Although we haven’t yet received news of our comrades being brutally killed by the tyrant, their actions have been exposed, making it nearly impossible for them to engage in reform again. Before this, our ‘organization’ was under tight and precise investigation; you must have noticed those tyrant’s subordinates wandering around the noble district recently, right?”
Then, Leyef bowed her head in front of me, her voice incredibly sincere!
“I’ve heard of your deeds; you have saved many resistance organizations from danger! This time, I invited you to meet because I hope you can help us through this difficult time, and for that…”
After a pause, Leif’s body twisted slightly, “I’m willing to pay any price! Just let me… do whatever!”
No need for the script to remind me; I already knew what Leif’s words meant. So…
Don’t be like this, little sister. I have no such strange thoughts! I, O’Keefe, am a respectable man with a family now!
“……”
I remained silent, watching as Leif’s expression slowly turned anxious.
Indeed, Leif’s purpose for “reform” had been deceived from the very beginning by the facade set up by Queen Louise IV of the Great Ying Empire; seeking help from the admired senior—O’Keefe was also a mistake, after all, I was only trying to escape, never intending to meddle in the politics of another country. Now that I understood Leif’s intentions, I decided to play along for now, and later find a safe moment to expose her ignorance in front of her, so she might give up…
But, in the current situation, helping Leif might also help me and Kephiel, after all, the “trouble” around Leiti wasn’t just Leif.
As the script flashed through my mind, I had a good idea.
“Alright…”
Just as Leif was about to burst with impatience and ask, I slowly gave my reply. Immediately, to prevent her from getting too “carried away” and causing any trouble, I doused the surprise that appeared on her face with a cold splash of water.
“But I have my own demands; there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”
The only one who can eat for free from me, O’Keefe, is Kephiel.
“You say!”
Leif leaned toward me, her face full of excitement!
That said, whether intentional or not, keep your distance! I really won’t make any outrageous demands that are in your head!
“As O’Keefe, I have never taken any extreme measures to achieve my goals.”
Taking a step back, I looked at Leif, “At least… I won’t use ‘attacks’ as a crude and endlessly troublesome method. If you really need my help to get your organization through this investigation period, then Miss Leif, you must change your strategy: from rash attacks to… trying to resolve things at the negotiation table!”
“What…”
“With your noble status, many things can be negotiated, right? Why must you act like a desperate outlaw? And if I remember correctly, Leiti is still your childhood friend. Leif, do you really want to stab your friend in the back?”
【Leif and Ivan Leiti are good friends!】
With the script like this, I could certainly hit Leif’s soft spot, and that was one of my goals!
Finally, at the moment when Leif fell silent, undoubtedly struggling within, I revealed my plan: “I can secure a period of peace for you, but in exchange: your organization must refrain from any major actions during this time, and wait obediently for my persuasion. If you agree, that’s best; if you can’t accept it, then don’t blame me later… for exposing the identities of all you attackers without exception.”
As soon as I finished speaking, a dangerous script appeared!
【O’Keefe is stabbed to death by the butler!】
This time it was the middle-aged man behind Leif!
Fortunately, my provocation finally prompted the hesitant Leif to take action, and in the next moment, as Leif reached out to stop, the death script quickly vanished!
“Enough, comrade, we cannot become a mob!”
“But miss, this is a threat…”
“It’s comrade! Blet!”
After considering the title, Leif sighed, “Recently, I’ve been thinking about whether violence is a viable solution. Perhaps… we do have the capital to negotiate, to make Ivan Leiti concede something for the Rosian Empire. I won’t force others on this; I’m willing to take the lead and try with my own identity!”
“Then, Mr. Euclid, I agree to your request.”
【Reyef has decided not to make any dangerous plans for the time being!】
The script appeared, and I let out a long sigh of relief! If Reyef could manage to peacefully delay and resolve the troubles on her side, then that irritable Thunder Fairy, Zeus, could surely calm down a bit too, right? By then, I would…
But just at that moment, Reyef’s relieved response inadvertently stirred up waves in my script! What had been a calm narrative, one that was even looking promising for obtaining treasures, suddenly erupted into a storm!
“And recently, our organization will also welcome some helpers, including the assistance of stateless fighters from the Rodmar Empire!”
“What…”
【Ivan Letty was attacked and killed!】
【The Thunder Fairy Zeus was destroyed!】
“Trust that our negotiations will become even more favorable!”
I couldn’t be bothered to care about what stateless fighters were, but Reyef’s mention of “from the Rodmar Empire,” along with the sudden emergence of Letty and Zeus’s death script once again…
All of this made me involuntarily think of some “dangerous and troublesome characters,” the harm they could bring to Letty and the others, and the potential… destruction of the Kefir script and the future!
Now it was my turn to feel uneasy!