Lorenz sat quietly for a few moments, thinking hard about the offer. Suddenly, he had a thought that shook him: What if these men were setting him up to lose the election? He looked at them closely, his eyes sharp.Leaning forward, Lorenz spoke firmly, "I know what you're up to. You're spies from the opponent's camp, trying to trap me. But your plan won't work. Try again next time."Victor and Alex exchanged a glance and then smiled. Alex responded confidently, "Mr. Lorenz, we respect your political experience. It shows you've been in this game for a long time." He paused, still smiling, and placed the briefcase on the floor next to his chair.Lorenz looked at Victor and Alex suspiciously as Victor spoke up, "Alright, let's do this another way. Trust us, we're serious."Victor then reached into his briefcase and pulled out a book. He opened it to a page where the name of the winning presidential candidate was already written. Lorenz's eyes widened in shock. He knew that such a book co
Lorenz couldn't speak over the noise of the audience. He stood there silently, arms crossed, watching them shout. The council members tried to calm them down, but one of them lost his voice from shouting, his face turning red as he coughed.Eventually, the audience quieted down, and the room fell silent.Still coughing, the man gestured for Lorenz to continue speaking.Lorenz's voice rose in anger as he addressed the crowd. "Poverty has taken hold of you! Give me a chance to change that! Don't be foolish! Do you want to remain poor forever?!"Upon hearing Lorenz's words, a voice from the crowd shouted out, "He's calling us poor!" The accusation startled Lorenz, and the crowd erupted into chaos once again."Calm down, everyone!" Lorenz shouted above the noise. "I understand you're upset, but please, give me a chance to help you. We can work together!"But his plea fell on deaf ears as another voice, bold and defiant, cut through the uproar. "That's an insult! We don't need your help!"
"I saw the way you presented your manifesto at the last presidential campaign, and I must say, Mr. John, you are the best," Steven said, extending his hand for a shake."It's my pleasure, Mr. Steven. We do everything for the people, and I believe if they could give me a chance, I would give them a better life and a better country," John replied with a smile."Of course, what else if not their support," Steven remarked, causing them to all laugh again."So, what brings you to my humble abode?" John asked, leaning back in his chair.Steven cleared his throat, preparing to weave the first thread of deception. "Well, Mr. John, we've been observing the political environment for quite some time now, and we've noticed some concerning trends."James nodded in agreement. "Yes, indeed. There are whispers among the council members about your potential candidacy, and some are expressing doubts about your ability to lead effectively."John furrowed his brows, a hint of skepticism in his eyes. "Is
Back at Aethon's camp…..Aethon burst into the training room, where Royce was training with a soldier. The sound of clashing swords echoed through the room as they displayed their skills with swords, kicks, and fists."We need to talk," Aethon said, interrupting the intense training session. He pulled Royce away from the scene, leaving the other soldier to catch his breath."What's going on?" Royce asked, wiping sweat from his brow as they stepped aside for privacy.Aethon's face was serious as he delivered the shocking news. "The Dark Covenant has invaded Earth," he said seriously."What?!" Royce gasped, his brow furrowing in confusion. "How did they manage that? I thought Grimnar needed me to invade the Earth. How could he bypass me?"Aethon nodded, understanding Royce's confusion. "Yes, he indeed needs you, and he still does. Without you, he can't bring his forces onto the Earth. You're a priest, and only you can help summon the spirits here."He paused, letting the information sin
Royce and Aethon panted heavily as they stopped along the road to catch their breath. "Oh man, wasted effort," Royce exclaimed, noticing that most of the food had spilled out halfway.He salvaged what was left and started munching on it, his face twisting in surprise as he tasted how delicious it was."Can't these restaurants give out free food?" Aethon grumbled as he stood up.Royce shrugged, already starting to walk away. "I trust you'd never give it out for free," he replied with a smirk.As Aethon and Royce strolled down the bustling street, they observed the various buildings around them.Royce pointed to a tall skyscraper and said, "That's the city's main office building. It's where all the important business meetings happen.""Ohhh," Aethon nodded in understanding before pointing to another building. "And what about that one?"Royce explained, "That's the local library. People go there to borrow books and study."Aethon nodded again, showing his interest. "I see. What about tha
The hall was filled with loud, lively music as well-dressed wealthy guests danced gracefully. Men and women paired off, their movements elegant against the backdrop of soft, orchestral sounds."Hey John," a lady greeted John Reynolds warmly as she approached him, holding a glass of wine. She was in her fifties, dressed in luxurious attire that showed she would be very experienced in politics. "Why'd you set up a victory party already? Thought you'd wait to be officially announced the winner."John sighed deeply and turned to her, his arms crossed. "You know, Cynthia, sometimes you celebrate the blessings before they arrive. You don’t always have to wait for confirmation."Cynthia took another sip of her wine, nodding appreciatively at his words. John looked intently into her eyes, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Only losers wait for their blessings to come before celebrating," he declared confidently, then walked away to mingle with other guests.As John talked with other guests
The auditorium was packed with people waiting to hear who would be the next president. Royce and Aethon entered, scanning the room for seats. Every seat was taken, except for two at the front. As they headed towards them, a couple got there first.Just as the couple was about to sit down, Aethon whispered to Royce, "Watch this," and subtly used his magic to slide the chairs back. The couple stumbled, confused, and tried to sit again. Each time they tried, Aethon repeated his trick."Ouch!" the man exclaimed as they fell for the third time, this time hitting the chair back hard."Maybe it's a sign we shouldn't sit here," the woman said, rubbing her back.Groaning in pain, they grabbed their things and hurried away from the seats.Royce chuckled, "Quick thinking, Aethon."They walked over to the now-empty seats and sat down, settling in as the room buzzed with anticipation for the event to begin.Finally, after a long wait where some people started to sleep, the program began. A man wal
Royce looked around and spotted a fire extinguisher hanging on the wall nearby. With determination, he grabbed it, feeling its weight in his hands. As the insects swarmed towards him, he swung the extinguisher, knocking them away one by one. But to his surprise, for every bug he struck down, it seemed two more took its place. Frustration built up inside him as he realized the futility of his efforts.Suddenly, sharp pains shot through his back as some of the insects managed to crawl into his clothing, causing him to cry out in pain. With a grimace, he fought through the discomfort, using the little magic he had gotten from his journey to the immortal realm to push the insects back into the room they had come from.Thinking he was free, Royce reached for a nearby torch, preparing to make his escape. But before he could take more than a few steps, the insects broke through the door with a forceful crash, charging towards him once again.Royce yelled as he ran, torch in hand, down the st