I! Cleaner!-Chapter 1164 - 1067: Miss Salty Fish’s Secret

"Stop right there!"

Watching the mermaid who just emerged from the underground and healed instantly, trying to run away without a word, Leon extended his hand and forcefully pulled her back from throwing herself into the sea.

"Where are you going?"

Home! I want to go home!

After bouncing a few times in the invisible fishing net and realizing she couldn't escape, the mermaid, facing the biggest setback of her fish life, couldn't help but burst into tears.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go! Waaaah!"

T^T

"..."

Crying just like that? Is her emotional tolerance really that poor?

Surprised by the mermaid's reaction, Leon tightened the invisible fishing net a bit and remarked speechlessly:

"Aren't you a big girl now? Still crying like a baby?"

"Waaah... I'm only eight years old, why can't I cry?"

"???"

She's only eight?

Seeing the mermaid in human form, standing over 1.7 meters tall with a well-defined figure, Leon couldn't help but question:

"Are you kidding me? Is this what eight years old looks like?"

"If you count in mermaid years, I'll only be eight next month!"

"..."

Alright, you win.

Watching the mermaid completely giving up and abandoning decorum, Leon clicked his tongue inwardly, not really wanting to deal with her for the moment.

Meanwhile, Queen Veronica took out her handkerchief, offering it to comfort the mermaid softly, before asking in a gentle voice:

"Wendy, given the current situation, what do you plan to do?"

"I... I don't know..."

After calming down a bit, the mermaid glanced at Leon with apprehension, then hid behind Veronica, looking a bit lost as she replied:

"I want to go home..."

"And what about the assembly the day after tomorrow?"

Queen Veronica blinked and asked softly:

"You're not seriously thinking of leaving just like that and skipping the Twelve Kingdoms assembly the day after, are you?"

"I..."

Upon hearing Veronica's question, the mermaid hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but peek at Leon and mutter softly:

"Things are already like this, does it matter if I go to the assembly or not?"

"Of course it matters."

Having figured out the mermaid's character during their journey, Veronica smiled and reminded her:

"Although Leon and I indeed plan to strive for the right to intervene in other kingdoms' affairs at the Twelve Kingdoms assembly the day after tomorrow, we don't intend to make you puppets. Our goal is to stabilize the current situation among the Twelve Kingdoms, balance resources, resolve disputes before they escalate, and avoid large-scale wars to make life better for everyone... Don't you believe us?"

"..."

Maybe I'm just a bit shy and inexperienced, and a bit reckless, but do you really think I'm that naive?

"Alright, let me put it another way."

Seeing the mermaid acting evasively and avoiding eye contact, Queen Veronica laughed and continued:

"Wendy, I won't deny that I have ambitions. I want to bring other kingdoms under my governance. Maybe not by annexing their lands, but at least by having enough influence to ensure their major policies align with mine."

See? What did I say!

After Veronica's candidness, the mermaid couldn't help but blink, revealing a "I knew it" expression.

All that talk about resource exchange and dispute resolution is just lip service. Even if you do those things, you're still seizing ultimate power, isn't it the same as annexing other kingdoms?

Reading her thoughts from her expression, Veronica wasn't bothered and smiled, taking the mermaid's hand and saying calmly:

"But I'm confident about one thing; I have the capability to match my ambitions. Perhaps I wasn't sure before, but now I am certain I can bear the responsibilities that come with this position, and ensure the people under my rule live more peacefully than in other kingdoms. I'll do better than anyone else!"

"..."

"You don't have to believe me now, just wait and see."

Smiling at the uncertain mermaid, Queen Veronica continued:

"Let's get back to the previous issue, about why I hope you stay and attend the Twelve Kingdoms assembly the day after tomorrow... Wendy, you don't really want to be this queen, do you?"

"?!!"

"It seems that's the case."

Feeling the sudden tension in the mermaid's hand, Veronica smiled:

"Whether human or mermaid, there must be a reason to do anything. And you don't seem proud of being a queen, nor interested in the power it brings, you have a mild view of money and wealth, and not much attachment to the Thousand Sails Maritime Country and so on. Since there's no reason for you to take the throne, I can only conclude you don't want the title of queen, but perhaps some convenience or something you desperately need, or something that requires the power of a king. Or maybe, just maybe, it's not you who needs this position, but the Sea Race behind you? Are they needing to use the Thousand Sails Maritime Country to achieve some purpose?"

"????????"

Got it.

Receiving the answer from the mermaid's Heart Lake, Leon exchanged a glance with the leading Veronica, gradually unraveling the doubts in their hearts.

Since the mermaid boarded the ship, there's been an overwhelmingly non-kingly aura about her, indifferent to her title as queen, and candidly admitting possible rejection due to her mermaid identity, among other issues. It might not be obvious if taken separately, but compared to Veronica, the unusual aura surrounding the mermaid was just too strong, piquing Leon and Veronica's curiosity, sparking many discussions about her peculiar traits while making her. And now... the time for this secret to be revealed seemed to have finally come.

"I... things are pretty much as you guessed, I did take this position for certain reasons."

Feeling intimidated by Leon and Veronica's intense gaze, the mermaid instinctively stepped back, biting her lip:

"But I can't say! Even if you two..."

"Then we won't ask."

"???????"

"Why you took the throne is your own business, it's not what concerns us."

Smiling at the bewildered mermaid, Queen Veronica, imitating someone's style, spoke with a grin: 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Remember to attend the assembly on time the day after tomorrow and stand with us, otherwise... you wouldn't want to lose the position of Queen Sayo because your mermaid identity got exposed, right?"