The middle-aged couple nodded repeatedly, offering unrelenting praise for Speaker Lizzie's wise leadership throughout the recent crisis.
Yet Lizzie ignored their flattery completely. Her tone shifted as she stared out the window, her voice turning thoughtful.
"I don't think this is the end of it. In fact… it feels like only the beginning."
"Stephen lured bounty hunters with the promise of profit to surround and eliminate Alan. That much I expected. But I didn't foresee NK Kingdom deploying elite forces to join in."
Her gaze grew sharper as she continued, "And now, even the so-called 'Dark Mage Mutual Aid Society'—a name I once thought was pure myth—has emerged into the light."
"From this small-scale conflict at the Jacob Ruins, we can glimpse a greater truth… A reflection of today's shifting global balance."
