Lin Cuo looked at Leila's opinion of him, which had already hit rock bottom, then at C.C., who was eating her third slice of pizza. Suddenly, he felt a sense of reassurance perfectly in keeping with the logic of a Paradox gamer.
"It looks like character approval really can be adjusted through the right events."
C.C. stopped chewing and glanced at him.
"Do you know how much that E.U. woman hates you right now?"
"I believe her approval has already bottomed out, so there's plenty of room for improvement. As long as positive events keep happening, theoretically, it can only keep rising."
C.C. put her pizza back on the plate.
"Tch. You treat people's hatred for you as a numbers game too?"
"I don't care. Her government has already sold her to me anyway, and she has enough political clout to influence W-0 and the ceasefire process between the E.U. and Britannia. Letting her move freely would mean putting a bomb that chooses its own detonation time inside the Common Defense System."
C.C. did not look particularly shocked.
She had seen too many kingdoms do similar things in the name of peace, order, faith, revolution, and security. What really bothered her was that Lin Cuo could not even be bothered to pretend to be kind.
"You're a little more honest than those kings of the past, kid."
"Is that a compliment?"
"No. At least they knew their actions couldn't bear the light of day. You've already started programming a justification for yours."
Lin Cuo smiled without arguing and pushed the pizza box a little closer to C.C.
"Want another slice?"
"I like pizza, not you."
"I understand. Personnel relations and material supplies mustn't be confused."
C.C. stared coldly at him but still took a fourth slice.
Lin Cuo waited until