Date: Unspecified
Ti: Unspecified
Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City
"Reporter Conard," I called out, signaling the Fine Gold Guards to let him through, after the Hive Spirit confird he was exactly who I believed him to be. An honest man, who respected his profession perhaps a little too much, and cherished his family just as deeply.
"Master Wyatt, you know my na?" Conard asked in surprise as he stepped out from the crowd and ca to my side. Behind his professional composure, I could sense a quiet admiration directed at .
"Yes," I replied calmly. "I’ve read several of your works. You do good reporting." I let that settle before addressing the questions he had raised earlier. "You must have heard of my criminal rehabilitation and reintegration program. Demigod Redfall, Yin Widow, and the other mbers of the Sin Army are all rehabilitated criminals, sworn to serve for the rest of their lives. They are living proof that the program works."
My voice carried evenly as I continued. "That is why I urge world leaders to consider granting criminals, even the most heinous among them, a second chance through this program. I give you my assurance. If even one of them breaks their vow or steps out of line, I will bear twice the punishnt alongside them."
"As for whether I am building a personal army, whether today was a display of power, or whether it was ant as a challenge to the Southern Royal Family," I said, eting the gathered gazes, "the answers are yes, yes, and no."
"Yes, I am building my own forces," I continued without hesitation. "I do so precisely so I no longer need to rely on the Southern Royal Family’s limited resources, resources that can be used far more effectively and efficiently where they are truly needed."
"And as for my relationship with the Southern Heir," I added, glancing toward the crowd, "if it still hasn’t been made obvious enough, then there’s little more I can say to clarify it."
"Master Wyatt, what about the victims and their families? And what about your relationships with Jill Norley and Susan Tucci?" Conard pressed on, his tone steady but unyielding. "As the future prince consort, don’t you think it’s sowhat insulting to the Southern Royal Family, the Southern region, and the Southern citizens that you’re involved with other won besides our future ruler?"
Once again, he struck at the questions everyone was thinking but none had dared to voice, especially the last one.
"Take a breath, Conard. I’m not running away," I said with a short laugh before answering him directly. "What do victims and their families gain when criminals are simply locked away and kept alive on taxpayers’ money? Peace of mind? No, they don’t. At the very least, under my program, those criminals work to repay their sins."
I continued without pause. "After their daily needs are t, the remainder of their wages while working under will be used to compensate their victims or the victims’ families. You can find the full details on the criminal rehabilitation and reintegration program page on the Grimoire Network."
"As for Jill Norley and Susan Tucci—" I began, but my words trailed off as my gaze drifted to Susan, who was watching the interview along with the others. When our eyes t, she didn’t look away. Instead, she stepped forward and answered in my stead.
"Hello, Conard," she said calmly. "I’m Susan Tucci, Wyatt’s exclusive manager and girlfriend. You seem to be under a misconception. Wyatt will not be Anna’s prince consort. She will be one of his queens."
"Madam Tucci," Conard asked, barely containing his shock, "are you saying that Master Wyatt will be the next Southern Ruler?"
The entire venue fell into a graveyard-like silence, every breath held as they waited for her response. Behind Susan, Anna and Jill stepped forward, coming to a stop at her back, their presence adding weight to the mont.
"No," Susan replied without hesitation, her voice steady and assured. "He won’t be the next Southern Ruler. He’ll be the sole ruler of the entire Card World."
The world seed to fall into absolute silence at her declaration, as though even the air itself had frozen. Even I found myself staring at her in disbelief. ’What in the world are you saying, woman? Are you trying to get your husband killed? Now the entire Card World will see as an enemy. I know won can hold grudges, but this is taking it too far.’
Yet when my gaze shifted to Anna and Jill, they didn’t look shocked or uncertain. They agreed with Susan. No, more than that, they looked as though this was already a settled matter between them.
Unable to help myself, I summoned my grimoire and checked the ti, a single thought echoing through my mind. ’When did these three grow so close? Just how long was I stranded in the Way Beyond?’
"Madam Tucci, you’re pulling my leg, right?" Conard said hurriedly, clearly trying to give Susan an opening, a chance to retract her statent. "This isn’t sothing to joke about on an occasion like this, especially with so many powerful eyes and ears present."
Susan, however, remained unmoved. Her expression didn’t waver, nor did she attempt to soften or take back her words.
It was Anna who answered instead, her voice carrying like thunder across the venue. "What do you an, pulling your leg? There are countless worlds within the Myriad Realms beyond our own. The very existence of demons and monsters is proof of that. To face such external forces, we must stand united."
She continued without hesitation. "For too long, we’ve been divided, left vulnerable to threats from beyond. How much longer are we expected to remain on the defensive, repelling one demonic invasion after another? When will it be our turn to take the fight to them and end this cycle once and for all?"
Anna’s gaze swept across the crowd. "To do that, we must unite. And I believe Wyatt can make that happen. He is not rely the South’s hope. He is the hope of the entire Card World."
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