Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
treasures most. A one-time Air Force officer, he has turned to fantasy in It is not difficult to understand why. The working model and the fact that the small people with their quick eyes and clever fingers could spot all sorts of minute shortcomings was a great help. And I was small, mischievous pilots had a rendezvous with destiny—on Earth. I must his lighter moments, to bring us such brightly sparkling little gems as this. noises. It was in a park near the each other to hush, be quiet, and the soft breeze stirring them up again. I had known precisely such a secluded little green sanctuary just and under all conditions of friction and combustion." "Thank you, Mr. Houlihan," said in a loose circle, as though attending me quietly. "Mr. Houlihan," said Keech, "you will not be forgotten by the leprechauns. If we ever meet again, upon another world perchance, you'll find our friendship always eager and ready." and so keep my part of the bargain." "I'll not be needing the gold," I said. Keech's eyebrows popped upward. "I'll not be needing it," I repeated. "I don't feel it would be right to take it for a service of this sort." what the drive amounts to despite and structure— Oh, there is so much of this that if you're not a nuclear engineer yourself it's certain to weary you. I walked through the park, and word for it that without this equation—correctly stated, mind you—mankind would be well advised not to make a first trip to the moon. And all this talk of coefficients and slowly and chuckled to myself at how I had gotten the best of the little people. Surely it was not every But I am, after all, a scientist. If I had not been a specialist in my field I would hardly have found myself later, if they tried to spy out the right information I would take special measures to prevent it, for I had engaged in vital research at the their spaceship to work now, and of course. They would never get had given them the wrong equation, first it might be children at play, but then at the time I was a bit absent-minded. I tiptoed to the edge of the trees, not wanting to deprive in the glade with Keech and his working model. It would go down in scientific literature now, I suppose, as Houlihan's Equation, and that was honor any small scalawags of their pleasure, do without Keech's pot of gold, group of little people, hard at work. There was no sense in cheating him out of the gold to boot, for leprechauns are most clever in matters of this sort and he would have had it back soon enough—or else made it a burden in some way. Indeed, I had done a piece of work greatly to my advantage, and also to the advantage of humankind, and when a man can do the first and include the second as a fortunate byproduct it is a most happy accident. For if I had shown the little people how to make a spaceship they "Come along now, people!" said this crotchety one, looking straight work! You'll not be needin' to mind that man standin' there! You know he can't see nor hear us!" Oh, it was good to hear the rich old tongue again. I smiled, and the foreman of the leprechauns—if that's what he was—saw me smile and became stiff and alert for a moment, as though suspecting that perhaps with us! He's a believer! Run everybody—run away! I'll not be hurting you!" They continued to scurry. I knew what it was they feared. "I don't intend catching one of you!" I said. "Come back, you daft little creatures!" But the glade was silent, and they wanted their crock of gold, of course. I'd be entitled to it if I could catch one and keep him. Or so the legends affirmed, though I've wondered often about the truth of them. even if I had latched on to a fine job of work for almost shamefully the glade where the curious shiny and looked about the glade. I knew they were all hiding nearby, watching "Listen to me now, little people!" had been shy. Yet without reaching don't show yourselves and come out The glade remained deathly silent. suddenly appeared. The leader—he seemed more wizened and bent than before—approached me slowly and warily as I stood there. The others all followed at a safe distance. I smiled to reassure in a friendly gesture of greeting. drawing a kind of peppered dignity up about himself, "in such matters I am never fully convinced. After living for many centuries I am all too acutely aware of the perversity of human nature." "Yes," I said. "Well, as you will quickly see, all I want to do is "And often that's all he wants," He shook his head and remained it if you'll go away and leave us to our work." and glanced at the spaceship. "That's exactly what's got me curious." The others had edged in a bit this lonely place?" must confess that does "Invited by the American government to work on the first moon can advise you of it." "A scientist, is it," said Keech. "Well, now, that's very interesting." "I'll make no apologies for it," I said. "Oh, there's no need for apology," said Keech. "Though in truth we prefer poets to scientists. But it has just now crossed my mind, Mr. Houlihan that you, being a scientist, might be of help to us." adopting some of the old manner. "Leprechauns are not really mechanically inclined," said Keech. "Their major passions are music and laughter and mischief, as anyone knows." "Myself included," I agreed. would a man unravel a statement such as that?" "It's very simple. With all the now. We've spied upon you and learned how to do it. Well—almost how to do it. We haven't learned working on that. 'Tis not our concern. I was inclined to suggest the understand all of your high-flyin' science, but some of our people are pretty clever at gettin' up replicas "You mean you've been spying on us at the center all this time? Do you know, we often had the feeling we were being watched, but we thought it was by the Russians. There's one thing which puzzles center. "You're determined to go." "Truly we are, Mr. Houlihan. has crossed my mind. That's why I'm wastin' all this time with you, sir. You say you are a scientist." "A nuclear engineer." "Well, then, it may be that you can help us—now that you know we're here." "The power control, Mr. Houlihan. As I understand it, 'tis necessary to know at any instant exactly finally, "why should I help you?" "Ha!" said Keech, grinning, but not with humor, "the avarice of humans! I knew it! Well, Mr. Houlihan, I'll give you reason enough. The pot o' gold, Mr. Houlihan!" "Go ahead." "We'll not be needin' gold where we're goin'. It's yours if you show to be quiet while I sat and the aid of diagrams, as engineers are wont to do. Although the pencils as you would a needle, I was able to make many sensible observations and even a few innovations. in a while someone from the town or the center itself would pass by, and stop to watch me. But of course they wouldn't see the leprechauns or anything the leprechauns had made, not being believers. I would halt work, pass the time

<question>:
Why is the narrator unafraid to work openly in the park among the leprechauns? Others aren't believers

<options>:
A He feels that he and the leprechauns can protect themselves through cunning ways and physical strength
B He doubts that his colleagues at the Center would ever venture outdoors to the park area
C He knows that it is rare to find believers among his colleagues and fellow humans
D He believes strongly in the importance of his collaboration with the leprechauns and is willing to take the risk of being discovered

<answer>:

C