58. You Speculators (Seeking Votes at the Start of the Month)

From Leyef’s Perspective.

For Leyef, everything unexpected happened so suddenly.

The negotiations facilitated by the resistance leader—“Senior” Oujilide, known throughout the resistance organizations of the Rosian Empire—had begun without a hitch. Although the tyrant Ivan Leti remained as domineering and unreasonable as ever, he had made some concessions. The future of the Rosian Empire would no longer be toyed with by this tyrant!

Yet, at such a crucial moment, when success was within reach… an unexpected incident occurred! The comrades from the national salvation organization, completely unaware of the situation, shouted incomprehensible phrases and launched a foolish attack on Leti—an act that was clearly doomed to fail. One by one, they were subdued by Leti’s men!

However, when Leyef realized that the current situation was a bizarre misunderstanding, it was already too late to stop the chaos! As the representative of the national salvation organization in the negotiations, Leti naturally viewed her as an enemy!

Panicking and at a loss, Leyef managed to escape in a fluster, thanks to Oujilide’s reminder. Once home, fear drove her to concoct an excuse to deceive her parents. Under their arrangement, she coincidentally fled with a few comrades who had also escaped from the negotiation site, heading to the remote territories of the few remaining nobles in the Rosian Empire—Siberia.

These comrades, especially the noble scion Comrade Nicholas! Why did he act that way at such a critical moment!? Their goal was about to be achieved through negotiation! This question, which had been building up in Leyef’s mind, finally erupted at this moment.

Now, a “reflection meeting” was being held among the dwindling members of the national salvation organization, who had narrowly escaped to the Siberian region of the Rosian Empire, in Leyef’s family territory. Looking at these comrades who merely felt “regret” in their hearts, Leyef slammed her hand on the table!

【Bang】

“We had already reached an agreement! Why did you act like that!?”

Leading the remaining comrades in the organization was Comrade Nicholas, along with… the internationalist fighter Miss Ruth, whom Nicholas had recommended. The attack during the negotiations must have been premeditated by them, right!?

So, no matter how much Leyef wanted to believe in these “comrades” who were willing to join her in reforming Rosia, her heart was filled with too many doubts at this moment.

“No, before that… such behavior, such intentions…”

Leyef scanned everyone present. This was clearly her family’s territory, yet she felt that these comrades before her did not seem to… respect her.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this!? Do you know that because of your reckless actions, the negotiations directly…”

Before Leyef could finish her sentence, she was interrupted.

The one who spoke was Comrade Nicholas, who had also fled to Siberia and was temporarily staying in Leyef’s family territory.

“Come on, Leyef, still talking about negotiations? Hmph, I see you’re just trying to back down!”

Nicholas’s tone was full of complaints, yet he received support from the other comrades, who all nodded in agreement, silently blaming Leyef with their eyes, as if the failure of the negotiations was her responsibility alone!

“All you talk about is your own affairs. Clearly, you wanted to betray the reform and compromise, and you want to drag us down with you!”

“What…”

Leyef was taken aback by Nicholas’s words, unable to complete her sentence. “I… I just…”

Compromise!? How could that be! Isn’t negotiation about mutual concessions!? And even when seated at the negotiation table, to still insist on “killing Leti”—such thoughts hardly deserved to be called “reform”!

Anyone with a bit of sense wouldn’t naively think that way, unless Nicholas had from the very beginning…

“Wait! Nicholas, are you really…”

Are you truly in it for the reform!? Or are you just using this opportunity to satisfy your own desires! Because your family is a powerful noble, much stronger than the average noble, right!?

But Leyef didn’t have the chance to voice this thought. Because at this moment, she realized: in the face of the imminent collapse of her “national salvation organization,” she seemed unable to guide or control anything anymore!

The next moment, Miss Ruth, who had been acting quite “mysterious” since arriving in Siberia, finally spoke up.

“Everyone, it seems that Miss Reyef has been a bit unstable emotionally lately, which has even affected her position and caused her to waver. We shouldn’t blame her too harshly for this.”

Look… see!

On the surface, Ruth appeared to be helping me out, but in reality, she was…

“However, to avoid any emotional outbursts from Miss Reyef during our upcoming meetings… Miss Reyef, I suggest you refrain from attending our meetings for a while. Now that you’re back on your own territory, you should rest at home.”

She was essentially “alienating” me!

What emotional outbursts have I even had? If anything, it’s you all who have been exacerbating the already settled “reforms,” intensifying the conflicts! Nicholas… there’s no way this benefits him, which means…

The so-called “internationalist fighter”—Ruth, this young girl who looks like she stepped out of a last-century noblewoman’s portrait… there’s something off about her!

My fists clenched tightly for a moment, but this time Reyef managed to stay somewhat calm, quickly realizing the current situation: it seemed that the “righteous indignation” was merely a way to shift blame onto me, unfortunately for Nicholas, who had failed in his attack; a group of petty nobles standing by his side; and on top of that, this ill-intentioned external aid, Miss Liss, who wanted me gone…

Even though this was my territory, my family’s residence, I found myself unable to resist the atmosphere around me. No, I shouldn’t resist; conflict at this moment would be the most foolish thing to do. After all, this was no longer just my problem; the misunderstanding between me and Letty was just that—a misunderstanding. But what about these people!?

What do they want to do to the Rosian Empire!?

Though there was no solution in sight, I absolutely could not act rashly…

“You… you must give me an explanation!”

With that thought, Reyef could only summon all her “acting skills” to roar at the people at the table, then feign anger as she stormed out!

Finally, at the moment she closed the door, she pressed her ear against it, carefully memorizing every word that followed, especially those of Liss!

【Everyone, remember to inform everyone in the territory that the tyrant is about to declare war on the nobles! Not a single noble’s subject will be left alive!】

【Only by doing this can we unite everyone here to resist Ivan Letty’s tyranny!】

【Mr. Nicholas, this is the only way we can turn the tide!】

——

June, everyone, please throw in your monthly votes! By the way, for those who won the monthly vote lottery last month, the list is right next to me. Remember to join group 414305080 to claim your prize. Just take a look, okay? Otherwise, if too many people don’t show up, I won’t be able to manage it, and that’s frustrating.