Me! Cleaner!.

Chapter 1264 The Last Secret and Three Questions

Excuse me... What does "excuse me" mean?
Looking at Frederica, who had only shaken hands with her upon meeting, then suddenly stabbed herself and immediately began giving her last words, Leon's cheek twitched involuntarily. He then turned to look at Frederica 2, who was supporting her, hoping to get a relatively reasonable explanation.

"She saw my ending and knew there was no point in continuing."

Supporting Frederica, who was slashing herself at lightning speed, and feeling slightly weak, #2 calmly said:

"She was still hesitating about whether to complete the ultimate mission, but I had already walked the path she wanted to walk, seen the final scenery of this path for her, and understood that it was not what we wanted."

People are always like this: before facing a situation, they think they can accept the consequences, but often when they actually have to face it, they find that they simply cannot bear the price. And it's not just her; all of me are actually the same. Perhaps the ultimate mission was a mistake from the very beginning..."

As Fu2 spoke, she turned Frederica around and hugged her. Then, the two Fus merged into one Fu, and Fu2, whose body was slightly weak, directly merged into the original Frederica.

"Leon."

Just like the original Frederica, except that there was a hint of darkness in her eyes, Frederica lowered her head slightly and spoke sincerely:

“I know you have doubts about me. Back in the other world, you didn’t even bother to listen to my confession, but I really have… I beg you to trust me just this once and go back to the past to meet ‘fate’.”

As the external force predicted by 'fate,' you possess infinite possibilities. If you could meet 'fate' before everything ends, perhaps...

"Alright, that's enough."

"Leon! I..."

"Stop howling, what I mean is I'm willing to go."

"?"

"Let me make this clear beforehand: I don't believe in fate or anything like that."

After glancing at the stunned Frederica in front of him, Leon said with a long face:

“But I’m willing to keep my promise. Since you have indeed solved the problem I encountered, I will go as you requested… Also, are you sure that ceremony of yours is a one-way trip, not some one-way ticket with no return, right?”

"Yep!"

Frederica had initially thought she'd need to demonstrate her sincerity further, but to her surprise, Leon readily agreed. She took a deep breath and, her eyes filled with gratitude, repeatedly assured him:

"The time-traveling ritual I'm sending you back to the past is the same one I used to go back to. It will become invalid once the goal is achieved, but my goal is simply to let you meet 'destiny'!"

Just meet her once, let her see if there's another possibility, and your consciousness will immediately return to the present! If you're still not reassured, I can teach you how to decipher the ritual text, allowing you to lead and set the ritual's goals, you…”

"Okay, that's settled then."

After nodding to finalize the cooperation, Lyon reached out and grabbed the old workhorse beside him, saying expressionlessly:

“But I definitely won’t go right away. Even though you’ve agreed so readily, it could still be a one-way trip. So I need to wait a few days, see my family, and say goodbye… I’ll leave Lao Huang to you. I’ll ride it to Huanshi Mountain to find you later.”

"Okay, then I'll set up the ritual over there. You can come find me when you're ready... Leon, thank you for still believing in me. This time, I promise you won't regret it!"

Seeing that Leon didn't make any further requests, only hoping to wait a few days before setting off, Frederica felt a slight sense of relief. She smiled gratefully at Leon, then activated the Astral Roots location marker and quickly strode into the depths of the Astral Plane.

After Frederica's figure disappeared, the old ox clicked his tongue, then nudged Leon's arm, asking with a puzzled look:

"Moo moo moo? (You actually agreed? This isn't like you. Could it be... you really have feelings for her?)"

"..."

I've got my eye on your grandpa!

Faced with the old ox's strange gaze, Leon couldn't help but raise his hand and slap it hard on the head. Then, amidst the old ox's protesting mooing, he confiscated the cigarette from its mouth and forcefully pried open its smoke-filled mouth.

Whether Frederica's confession is genuine or not, I don't want to take this trip that may be a one-way journey. It would be a miracle if I agreed! The problem is, can I refuse in this situation?
Recalling the complete fourteen roots on Quan Yuanfu's body, Leon couldn't help but curse his bad luck, and then put his hand into the old ox's mouth to rummage around.

Before, I wasn't even confident in dealing with the native Flü, whose roots were incomplete. Now, with this new Frederica who possesses all fourteen roots and has merged with the native Flü, I'm even more helpless. Although surviving shouldn't be difficult, I can survive with my crest, but what about the others? What about the entire world?
Just because she's willing to discuss things with me sincerely right now doesn't mean she'll always "respect" my ideas. Given Frederica's personality, if I really push her too far, do you think she might say, "Sorry, I had no other choice"?
Rather than waiting until she's completely desperate and then triggering the "I'm sorry" part, it's better to agree quickly while she's genuinely embarrassed. At least that way we can buy some time to prepare... Found it!

After successfully finding the only human among the unconscious true gods inside the cow's belly, Leon's spirits lifted. Then, amidst the old ox's grumbling, he dug out the Aries director, whose eyes were closed and whose face was covered in black.

Good heavens, you're so blackened inside the cow's belly! Did you smoke while hugging a chimney?
Leon glared speechlessly at the old ox, having already asked him about the situation, then forcefully slapped the unconscious Aries director awake, before urging him, who was staring blankly at him, to hurry up:
"No time to explain, quickly teach me the Aries secret technique! Hurry!"

"what?"

……

Just as Aries Director was awakened by Leon and began teaching secret arts with a bewildered look on his face, Frederica, who had entered the depths of the Astral Plane, had already returned to the foot of Mount Ring of Time, surrounded by the Astral Roots.

As she strolled up the black mountain path, finally standing beneath the lighthouse at the summit, silently gazing at the gleaming lighthouse above, a loud braying of a donkey suddenly came from behind.

"Ugh...ugh...(Ouch...how did you run so fast...)"

Frederica frowned as she glanced back at the panting Star Lord.

"I'm gone, the one who wanted to complete the ultimate mission. What are you still doing following me? Did Leon send you?"

"No, I came by myself."

Lezi Donkey chuckled and said:

“You’re gone, but you’re still you~ Even though you never wanted to ride me, I did promise to be your mount, so isn’t it normal for me to come back with you? Oh, and…”

After observing the calm-looking Frederica, Lezi Donkey blinked and tentatively asked:
"Did you notice that when Lyon agreed to your request, he didn't seem very willing? He asked you to wait a few days, maybe he was just stalling for time and waiting for an opportunity..."

“I know.” After interrupting Lezi Donkey, Frederica turned back to continue gazing at the [Standing Tower], her voice steady as she said:

"The reason Lyon agreed was probably because he was worried that I would use other means to force him to comply. Although I don't plan to do that, if thinking that way can make him go through with this trip, then I'll accept it... Perhaps this is a tacit understanding."

Tsk... This unspoken understanding is just a bunch of overthinking! You and that Leon are both the kind of people who have a turd in their stomach but insist on holding it in, letting it swirl around in their intestines for a while before reluctantly spitting it out. What a problem!
After secretly rolling his eyes at Frederica, the Star Lord, who had come looking for something, scratched his hoof and then asked with a curious look:
"Number 1, that Leon suspects you have other plans and is preparing to try to fight back again. What about you? Were all the promises you made to him true? Or is he right, and you really do have another plan?"

“I’m telling the truth, whether it’s that I regret my choice, that he represents another possibility, that I want him to go back to the past and meet ‘destiny’, or the ritual settings… every word I said was sincere.”

After glancing sideways at the Star Lord, Frederica said calmly:

“I know you’re trying to trick me into telling you this so you can inform Lyon, but both of you are overthinking it. I didn’t lie to him about these things.”

Although I am not the only one who completed the ultimate mission, I am most likely the earliest one, and also the one who stayed the longest in the stagnant world where everything was destroyed.

The only thing that can temporarily make me forget my loneliness is to use the [Time Tower] to peek into other timelines, and the more I see those colorful and vivid worlds, the heavier my self-hatred and regret become.

As I passed through the first century, I only began to waver in my choices; but as the first millennium passed, having destroyed everything with my own hands, I began to hate my own cruelty and selfishness.
When the first ten thousand years arrived, I could no longer distinguish right from wrong. I only wanted to see another possibility, even if that one glance would cost me everything… Leon.”

Gazing intently at the Star Lord, or rather, at the barely perceptible trace of will mixed within the Star Lord's body, Frederica said in a deep voice:
"I know you're watching, and I know that if I pretend I didn't notice, these words would be easier to gain your trust, but I still hope you can believe me just this once!"

"..."

"He's gone."

The two donkeys looked at each other and realized that the last trace of Leon's will had dissipated. The chuckled donkey grinned and said:
"Number 1 figured it out himself, it's not that I went back on my word... By the way, Number 1."

After taking a deep breath, Lezi Donkey looked up at Frederica with a look of grim determination and asked:
"Guess what Leon offered me in exchange for getting me to help him get information out of you?"

What will I exchange with you?
Frederica paused for a moment upon hearing this, but did not answer immediately. Instead, she frowned and looked at the expectant Donkey.

Given this donkey's absurd nature, the price to entice it is naturally some amusement. If it's any other kind of amusement, it can simply enjoy it on its own and won't specifically come to ask me, unless the amusement happens to be related to me, and my reaction can bring it even more amusement...

Hiss, wait!

Suddenly realizing something, Frederica shuddered involuntarily, then, meeting the increasingly excited expression on Lezi Donkey's face, she gritted her teeth and said:

"Memory? Did he show you a memory?"

……

It was alright, the fun wasn't a complete waste, so I guess I gained something...

In exchange for the fun he and White-skirted Fu had in the flower bushes, Leon sent the donkey back and extracted some information from it. After vaguely understanding something, Leon rubbed his temples and then turned to look at his son who was sleeping soundly in the cradle next to him.

"Father."

Just as Lyon hesitated for a long time before finally reaching out to his son's exposed bottom, the baby in the cradle suddenly opened his eyes and kicked his hand away with a swift motion.

"You don't need to spank me to wake me up. Just ask me whatever you want."

"..."

Fine……

Looking at the energetic baby in the cradle, Leon nodded without saying anything, but instead held up one finger.

"My first question is, is all of this happening recently an arrangement of fate, or your own arrangement?"

The baby blinked upon hearing this, tilted its head in confusion, and said:
"Father, I don't understand what you mean."

You don't understand a damn thing!

Looking at his son, who was blinking with a confused expression and then smoothly tilting his head to reveal the cutest part of his face, Leon couldn't help but click his tongue and complain in an annoyed tone:
"Has anyone ever told you that the way you deliberately act cute when you lie is exactly the same as your Aunt Melanie?"

"..."

Oh no, I was careless...

The baby in the cradle remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly. He straightened his back, his two dark eyes fixed on Lyon, and sighed like a little adult:

"Father, I think there should be more trust between us..."

"That's how your Uncle William acts when he's pretending to be confused."

"..."

Damn it! Even this doesn't work?
Just as the baby's eyes darted around, and he coughed lightly, clutching his chest, about to speak, Leon reached out and poked him back into the cradle, his face drooping as he warned:

"Anna's tricks didn't work, I can't spank her, but I can spank you! Confess now!"

"..."

This is not fair!

Faced with Leon's abuse of paternal authority, the baby grunted defiantly, then crossed his arms and retorted:
“Father, since you already have the answer in your heart, why do you still need to ask me?”

Got it. You may not have orchestrated all this mess, but it's definitely related to you!
Leon, whose right hand was inexplicably itchy, nodded, barely acknowledging his answer, and then squinted as he raised his second finger.

"Then the next question: before I set off for Huan Shi Mountain, the 'you' that Uncle Niu told me to bring along—whose child is it, mine or yours?"

(End of this chapter)