329-Episode 241 Lordship Talks Begin

Just after noon.

The carriage in which Estella and Lucia are riding arrives at the mansion of the Lord of the 29th district.

The two head waiters stand vigilantly in front of the lord and step carefully into the hall.

You are led down a corridor to a conference room where, as before, all the lords of BU are present.

The seven lords are already in the conference room, silently looking at Estella and Lucia as they enter.

Tracy and Donis are also in attendance as lords of the BU side. As expected of a lord. They've got their heads held high.

Nene seems to be a bit nervous, but Donnis' butler seems to be calm. I guess that's the difference in experience and qualifications.

Estella and Lucia take their seats, and Natalia and Gilberta stand close behind them.

They stare at each other.

The air in the room is tense.

'Good of you to come. We have no intention of wasting time, nor do we have any reason to do so. Therefore, we will just make a quick announcement and end this meeting.'

'Objection.

As usual, Lucia's dignified voice rebuffed the one-sided tone of the 29th district lord Geraci's words.

It's a good thing that you've got a good idea of what you're looking for.

'Do not forget that you are in a position to be judged. You must know the damage and suffering we have suffered, and you must remember that you must make full remorse and compensation.

'If you unilaterally impose sanctions on us without even listening to our arguments, it is nothing but aggression. Do you think we'll just go along with it?

'If you do, your district will be isolated from Allbloom, all logistics will be cut off, and you will be forced to prepare for destruction. I repeat, this has already been decided. You need to be very aware that you are in a position to just shut up and listen to what we have to say.

In a rather sluggish manner, Gerrardsy continued to speak without hesitation.

It is as if he is reading a prepared text.

In fact, he is probably just reading a prepared text.

In fact, he is probably just reading a prepared text. There are several patterns, and he is uttering platitudes according to them.

He didn't talk like this when I met him in front of the 24th district church.

The "unconventional youths" who came to Ma'ru's house for interviews were doing the same thing as Gerasie is doing now.

That is to say, they were prepared to be contradicted, and they were set up to shut down their opponents' arguments. From the beginning.

If we take strong measures, they will impose further sanctions in accordance with the established methods, and will continue to apply nasty pressure on us until we give in.

Until we give up and say we will pay compensation. Forever.

But that's a dangerous strategy that can only be applied if the other side is within the realm of imagination.

There is a thing called the bandwagon effect.

People tend to assume that the option that has the most support among several options is the right one.

Even if we think something is obviously wrong, if everyone else says that it is not wrong, we somehow think that it is not wrong. Humans have an unconscious habit of trying to fit in with their surroundings.

BU's approach is nothing but pressure that utilizes this bandwagon effect.

You are brought into the territory of the other side in a one-to-seven situation, and you are accused of being 'bad'.

Then, people are weak-minded creatures who think that they might really be at fault.

But...

This time there were two.

And one of them is Lucia, who looks like a hairy heart, and the other one is Estella, whom I've let in on.

'So, I guess negotiations have broken down.

Estella leaves the table as I told her to do.

'Wait!Where are you going?

Gerasie shouted in panic.

What, ......, have you gone beyond the expected?

Your tone is back.

You've got a long way to go.

'If this is not the place for discussion, then there is no point in staying. We are currently being unjustly suppressed under suspicion we don't remember. This is nothing but an act of gross violation of the 'right to live freely' recognized by the Spiritual Church. We will not abandon all possibilities, including filing a lawsuit with the General Court, and will decide how we will respond.

'Are you sure?'

Gelercy's voice returned to its original tone.

I guess filing a complaint with the General Court falls into their category.

'The General Court does not take into account the feelings and circumstances of the individual. It is a place of fair judgment based on absolute evidence and logic. If you want to go there, we will do our best to prove our legitimacy. We are already prepared to do so. If you file a lawsuit, you will suffer unparalleled humiliation and misery in your lifetime.

Estella stares silently at Geraci.

And then.

'I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying.

'Huh?

Estella says with a fresh smile.

At the same time, Gerasie stands up, her face twitching.

Seeing this exchange, Lucia burst out laughing with her mouth wide open.

'Ha-ha-ha!You've got a point, Estella.

'Shut up!Don't be so rude, Creamona!Do you have any idea where we are?

'Isn't ...... the place where the trap was laid to trap us according to the plot?

'...... what ......?'

Gelercy was at a loss for words.

Perhaps he was confused by the fact that he was being called a plot device.

'You're looking at our reactions and choosing the appropriate one from a number of standard phrases, aren't you?

'On what basis is ......'?

'That counter-argument was also prepared to avoid being trapped in the "Judgment of the Spirits", wasn't it?

'If I say it's not true, it would be an outright lie.

So, I choose to say, 'What makes you say that? It's just a question.

It's a word that can make the other person think you are misguided without telling a lie.

It's easy to tell because Gerrard changes his tone of voice and tone of voice when he reads the prepared text.

Estella seems to have noticed the change and is able to distinguish whether it is Gerasie's words or the lines from the scenario.

She may have only noticed it because I told her, though.

'He's got a different tone of voice between the lord's meeting and the normal one,' he said.

'If you're trying to trap him, you're clear enemies. We'll take appropriate action.

Calmly and quite clearly, Estella declares war.

I'm sure her heart is racing on the inside, that little bastard.

But this declaration of war - a clear indication that she has that much animosity towards him - will be important later on.

We need to show it with impunity.

'The Lords of Smiles' is the name they call me, the naive Estella.

'You need to clearly understand that if that happens, you will suffer a great deal of damage!

'Why don't you clearly state that ...... 'extensive damage' will be done?

'...... stick.'

Gelercy's face contorts.

He looks as if he's just chugged a bitter smoothie.

You can't tell me that. I can't say for sure.

If you do, if there's no serious damage, you'll be out by the judgment of the spirits.

On the other hand, if you inflict great damage - not just a little damage, but catastrophic damage that would surely drive the 42nd district into the ground - that would be nothing less than an act of aggression from BU. .

The moment you say those words, you have no excuse and no way to escape.

That's why you can only use coercive, abstract and vague words such as 'we need to' and 'we must'.

You've been found out, third-rate.

You can't do anything unless you have the numbers.

And in order to have the numbers, someone has to lead the numbers.

Leading a herd is easier said than done.

At the very least, those who can only follow conventions and theories will always fail. At least in situations like this, where improvisation is required.

Gerrardy was at a loss for words at Estella's slightest rebuttal.

I'm not sure how long those lords with their own peculiarities will recognize him as their leader and follow him for the survival of their own districts. ...... Are you worried, Gerasie?

Be dismayed, be dismayed. ...... gerarcy............

-- and looked at Estella, who should have the advantage, and began to ...... fidget.

Keep your head on straight. You're the one who pushed her over the edge now.

Don't look around. Just because you've said everything I've said. Why don't you try improvising a little, ...... at least. I don't care if you're upset.

So, well, ...... I guess it's time.

Well.

The reason why I can talk as if I saw the inside of the meeting of the lords, which I was not invited to, ...... is because I saw it, of course.

Secretly, from a special seat.

The meeting room where the meeting of the lords is being held.

There are currently nine lords gathered there.

Naturally, security has been tightened and all the soldiers in the 29th district have been rounded up here in the lord's hall.

Private soldiers are also sent from the nobles in the districts.

This is one of the rules within BU.

In order to protect the lords of the districts, we must have full security during the lords' meetings. --I've heard that's one of the reasons why BU representatives are avoided.

Well, it's a pain in the ass to have to make all these preparations every time something happens, isn't it? It costs money and distracts from regular work.

And the more of them there are, the easier it is for intruders to get in.

One of the soldiers standing in front of the door of the meeting room, watching for outsiders to enter and for the two invited lords to behave strangely, suddenly takes off his helmet.

From beneath it emerged a dazzlingly handsome man.

His name was Obayashi.

'If the negotiations have broken down, then the talks are over. Let's call it a night.

What?What are you doing here?

At my appearance, the BU members began to make a fuss.

'Crea Mona, what's going on?This can't be a rude thing to do!

'Now, what are you talking about?

'Don't play dumb!I clearly informed you not to bring outsiders here!

Gerrardy pointed at me and said "outsider".

Estella, however, tilted her head in a calm manner.

'Did I say that?

''You!''

Gerasie took an indignant step forward, and at the same time Natalia slid her body in front of Estella's as if to protect her.

Sensing Natalia's movement, the silver-haired head waiter on the other side quietly restrains Gerasie's actions.

They stare at each other.

But the eyes of the soldiers lining the walls are staring right back at us.

The situation is not good. But in the end, we'll win.

'Hey, Estella. Tell him. Tell that careless lord who forgot even what he wrote - the exact text that was written in the letter.

I interrupted them as they stared at each other rigidly.

Gerasie's gaze turns to me, and right after that Estella opens her mouth.

'That's right. All right. ...... this.

Then she takes out the letter that Gerrardy sent her and reads it aloud.

'The letter says that the lord's mansion is forbidden to anyone except those with an invitation.

'That's right!That's what it says!So why did this man go to ......?

Gerrardsy's words stopped there.

He must have noticed the object I was holding between my fingers and fluttering.

That object, yes, is an invitation.

'I have an invitation, too. That's why I can get in here.'

'What about ......?'

If you really don't understand what that means, I'll explain it in a way that the other six lords can understand, including Gerasie, who has it written on his face.

'This is the invitation that was sent to me yesterday. It's undoubtedly genuine.

'I don't remember sending you anything like that.

'Of course you didn't. It's not an invitation from you.

The room is buzzing.

It's as if they're worried that I've gone crazy.

'Hey, what's that guy saying?

Are you okay?

I can hear them whispering.

'In other words, he fabricated an invitation among his own people in a desperate attempt to sneak into my mansion?Shame on you!

Gelercy's anger was directed at Estella.

He may have blamed her for such manipulations at the discretion of her lord, but ......

'Mr. Erin. Don't forget your unfair accusations against my Lord based on facts that don't exist: ......'

Natalia says in a murderous voice.

Yes. Estella did no such thing.

'If it's an invitation from Estella, then it makes sense to go to Estella. She wouldn't come all the way to the 29th district.'

'Then why are you here?

Unable to comprehend, Gerasie began to turn on all the suspicious characters.

He glares at Tracy, then at Donnis, searching for a response.

The other lords are also looking at each of them suspiciously.

'What is it?If you have something to say, why don't you say it clearly!

Howls the tantrum princess.

No matter how good-hearted Tracy is, she's a noblewoman responsible for the 27th district. You can't just sit back and cry because you're the lord and you're being accused of a crime you didn't commit. If you let it go, it will mean that the 27th district itself has been disgraced.

For the sake of the people of his district, he was in a position to clearly refute the accusation and make a proper apology for the disrespect he had received.

It was the same for Donnis, of course.

'Let's talk to them one by one. Why don't we start with you?Why don't you start by talking to me, one on one, so we're on equal footing?'

He's directing a lot of deadly energy at the lord of the 25th district next to him.

It must have been unbearable to be stared at by that sharp gaze. The lord of the 25th district said, 'No, I didn't mean to ......', averting his gaze and slurring his words.

So I'm going to let you know a very obvious and very nice piece of information.

'I came to the 29th district because I was invited to come to the 29th district, you know?

With a word from me, the lords' gazes turned to Gelercy.

The lords of the 25th district took advantage of the opportunity and turned their faces away from Donnis and towards Gerasie with great vigor.

I guess they're more comfortable with what everyone else is doing.

And what about Gerasie, who attracted the attention of ......

He shouted this as if to put all the blame on me, as if to make the eyes of the place look at me.

In response, I lifted the corners of my ...... mouth and smiled faintly.

It was the kind of smile that a person as sharp as Donnis, Lucia, or Estella would notice.

'Go ahead,' he said.

He opens his arms and invites Gerasie to join him.

'Judgment of the Spirits,' try it.

But it's the people of this town who keep quiet when you say that.

Gerasie was blatantly confused and did not invoke the Judgment of the Spirits.

'Does that mean you can trust me?

'...... Explain it to me.'

'I can explain it to you, but can you trust what I say?I don't want to have to waste my time explaining things to you that you don't even believe. If you're going to talk to me, at the very least you have to promise to trust what you say. ......'

'Just get on with it and explain!

As the leader of the BU, Gerrardsy is in a hurry to get the results he needs to clear his name.

As the leader of the BU and the facilitator of the talks, the distrust of the participants is fatal.

He must have realized that the longer I dodged the issue, the more suspicion would be cast on him.

So he jumped to conclusions.

'...... So you're taking my word for it, right?

Just like we wanted.

'...... Ah.'

A short, very short word, said Gerrardsy.

He didn't know it would choke him.

'And the other lords, are they all right with that?

'You're still ...... at this point!

''Don't drag this out. Think about it. ......'

He walked slowly, approaching right in front of Gelercy.

The silver-haired, E-cup head waiter interrupts me, stopping me in my tracks. He didn't touch me, but I could feel his intimidation that he would not tolerate me if I came even one step closer.

So I stop in my tracks and look at Gerasie over the head waiter.

'If you say you're the only one who trusts me, the other lords will think: "Aren't they connected behind the scenes?"' '......'.

'What?

Immediately, Gerrardsy turned his gaze to the other lords.

The way he hurriedly moved his gaze to the left and to the right was almost unnerving, giving the impression to the others that ...... my words were true.

The human brain is a very simple and inflexible thing.

No matter how much you explain later that 'what you just said is a lie' or 'that's not true', you can't shake off the suspicion that the first line you heard had an impact on you, and that it was actually .......

It's like the fear of sleeping alone on the night after hearing a scary story.

No matter how much you tell yourself 'it can't be' or 'there's no such thing as ghosts', your brain will not let you forget the fear. It's persistent.

'So, please believe me, other lords, about me. Just say what you're going to say in this place after this.'

I look each of them in the eye, one by one.

No one says a word.

Donnis and Tracy had complicated eyes, like they were trying to tell me something.

'No one says anything? ......'

If so, you can't talk about it,......, and for a moment Geraci looked impatient. Then he threw in another suggestion.

'Then let's decide by majority vote.

The seven lords of BU all looked blankly at each other.

It's like a pigeon being hit by a peashooter.

'It's hard to agree with you when it comes to whether you believe in me or not, isn't it?So, how about 'I'll trust you just for now, right here and now, just to hear what you have to say'?

I'll leave such a proposal to Gerasie.

Now, decide. Make a decision.

Make a decision on behalf of the BU-- you, alone.

All right.

You decided without a majority that we should have a majority, Gellarcy.

I'll give you one more faint smile here.

As if he noticed my smile, Geraci hastily adds a few words.

'Of course, if anyone is dissatisfied, I would like to decide that by majority vote. If anyone is dissatisfied, please speak up.

But no one will complain in this situation.

If you don't like it, you can vote against it by majority.

I don't trust Obayashi. ...... Well, you can't do that either.

'...... I see you have no objection. So, once again, those of you who think it's okay to trust what he's saying today, right here, raise your hands!

...... and four arms go up.

Gerasie, Donnis, Tracy, and the Lord of District 25, who wants to get away from Donnis.

Majority in favor.

'I'm pretty sure the majority vote in BU is absolute, right?So the three lords who didn't raise their hands can trust what I'm saying, right?

'You're stubborn.

That's right.

If I don't make it clear, you guys will make a fuss later.

'Tell me now!

Gellar's dying to know.

No, he wants to know. The truth. That he's not at fault. That there are no strings attached.

The silver-haired head waiter drops, and I stand before the Seven Lords and begin to speak slowly.

First, about the person who sent the invitation.

'This is an invitation sent from a certain nobleman in the 29th district. He said, 'I have something to discuss with you, and I'd like you to come.

I open the invitation that was sent to me and show it to him.

Make sure the sender's name is clearly visible.

'Ma'ru Erlin. That's the sender of this one.

'...... sister.'

Gerasie bit her lip, the other lords raised their eyebrows, and Donnis gently closed his eyelids.

Donnis is the only one I can't read what he's thinking about, but the reactions of the others are pretty much as I imagined.

The lords who have had the suspicion that Gerasie and I are connected behind the scenes imprinted on their brains from the earlier exchange must now be thinking, "I knew it.

I knew it.

However, only Gerasie, who is in a different position from the other lords, is thinking differently.

"Look at me, I'm innocent.

That's why--

'Indeed. I'm in trouble with my sister!She did not tell me. ...... Well, since she is a pathetic person who has been driven back to a remote area and cannot interfere in any way with the affairs of our family, I did not inform her of any of this. That backfired on me. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a great idea.

--I'm not sure what to make of that.

He thinks he is winning, but humans have a tendency to see what they want to see.

The anglerfish has a somewhat unusual way of being processed. It is hung from an apparatus, its belly is filled with water, and it is processed while suspended.

If Jeannette were handling an anglerfish, she would be impressed by the way he does it.

But if it were done by an untrustworthy man like Assunto or Use, who could not even cook, you would feel antipathy and say, 'Don't play with food.

The human brain is a creature that twists the truth that is actually unfolding in front of our eyes with preconceptions and assumptions.

In the eyes of the doubters, the words of Gellacy, who is convinced of his own innocence, and who triumphantly proclaims that he has proven his innocence, appear to be 'a desperate and unseemly figure repeating excuses.

Now, as doubts are gathering about Geraci, let's give him a further push.

'Mahr Ayrin has been suffering from a stalker for the past few days.

'A stalker?'

It was Donnis who spoke up.

It was me who had said it, so I must have asked. He wouldn't have made that mistake before, but he must have gotten used to me at the party. It's called carelessness.

I'm making a clear face in a hurry. Instead of following you, I'll just go through and move on.

'Ah. It seems that a suspicious person has been wandering around the vicinity of Mahr Ayrin's mansion for the past few days. He also said that he was feeling some unwanted glances, as if he was being watched.

When he said that much, the lords seemed to agree.

As Ma'ul himself had said, Ma'ul, who was thought to be easy to control, was under surveillance. To make sure he didn't do anything untoward.

They would have thought that he was a stalker ....... It's not true, but it's true that I was being watched. It's not a lie.

'So, I decided that I would like to have a man who I could rely on to guard me. But Mahr-Erin didn't have a man she could turn to in a situation like this. As long as he didn't know the identity of the stalker, he was afraid to ask for help from the nobles in the 29th district.

In fact, it was Gerasie's soldiers who were watching him, which lends credence to Mael's testimony that he couldn't rely on them. --only among the lords.

'Ma'ru doesn't know that it was Gerasie's soldiers who were watching him, but he thought that he couldn't rely on Gerasie? No one is going to get into the details.

The human mind has a strong tendency to assume that facts known to oneself and other people should also be known to third parties. It's a misperception of knowledge.

That's not the point.

Right now, you're more concerned with the suspicion that Gerasie's sister brought in Obayashi.

'So I, a known associate, was hired as a temporary private soldier.

Someone let out a sigh.

It's a heavy sigh, with a clear hint of irritation.

It's not me that's irritated. It's Gellarcy.

As the one who got us into trouble.

Or maybe as the mastermind behind the ...... roundabout excuses he's giving me.

I'll accelerate that process.

Suspicions can be greatly inflated by the mere hint of further suspicion.

'But thank you for your help. I'm sure you've got an invitation, but you can't just come into this building and ask to be let in, you'll be turned away by that silver-haired E-cup over there.

The head waiter, who had moved behind Gerasie, quickly covered her breasts and glared at me.

You have shame, don't you? Even if you look like a Noh mask.

'Coincidentally, I received an order that the nobles in the 29th district should present their private armies.

The lords all looked at Gerasie at once.

Their eyebrows are all raised. Some of the older men are pursing their lips.

'That's why I've been sent to guard this place as a private soldier of Mahr-Erin's house. I introduced myself as 'a man who has met and interacted with several lords', and they put me in this room, your man.

The private soldiers who come to guard the mansion are on loan from the nobles. There's no such thing as a background check. No nobleman would send a scandalous person, usually.

So if you have a letter of introduction from a nobleman, you can pass the check of that silver-haired head waiter.

It's up to his subordinates to decide how to deploy the dozens of soldiers.

The head waiter has to concentrate all his energy on preparing to receive the lord, so he checks the documents and leaves the rest to his subordinates. That's the way it's always been... Ma'ru taught me. And he was right.

In fact, I've met Tracy, Donnis, and all the lords from District 42 to District 35, and I've talked to them in person and even offered them business. They trust me. Hey, Estella?

I had no problem with being subjected to the Judgment of the Spirits. I guess that was a good thing. My word was trusted and I joined the guard in this room.

He said that he was not blessed with a good physique, so he wore a ridiculous helmet that covered most of his face.

'By such coincidence, I was lucky enough to come to this place. The letter didn't say when or from whom the invitation was sent, and as long as you have the invitation, you have access to the place. All the circumstances led me here. Mm-hmm. I got lucky, didn't I?

When coincidences happen, people have doubts.

And again, doubt is only magnified by a hint of more doubt.

People tend to think that they are 'better than everyone else'.

Especially if you are a lord.

So, all of you "smart lords" who have a keen sense of intuition will be able to spot the faint smile full of "unintentional omission" that I put on my face casually and say, "You think I don't know?I'm the only one who's aware of it, you idiot! I'm the only one who knows!

Let me tell you something. There is no one more susceptible to fraud than a 'smart' person with a high level of awareness who thinks that he or she is the only one who can be fooled.

So there are only my suckers here.

If you think about the feelings of the lords along the timeline, you can easily understand the flow of their thoughts.

The lords of BU, with the exception of Donnis and Tracy, were convinced that they had the absolute advantage in holding this meeting.

After all, they were the lords of the outer districts. Lucia was a tricky opponent, but the other was a newcomer, a pacifist known as the Lord of Smiles. And on top of that, a young woman. There was no reason to lose.

But as it turns out, Estella has a high-handed attitude, as if she wants to quickly end the meeting and use force. It was as if she didn't have any room for discussion from the start, and dismissed the BU's opinions out of hand.

This upset Gerrardsy.

The leader's agitation was contagious to his fellow lords. ''Is this guy okay? Doesn't he have a chance of winning? And so on.

Then, the troublesome "that man" who had been at the center of the series of disturbances appeared at the meeting.

He had even taken the trouble to set up guards at the barrier to eliminate him and to monitor his letters.

If you ask me why, I'll tell you that Gerrardsy smells fishy.

...... Could it be that the 29th district is trying to frame us?

I'm not sure what to make of that.

In any case, since you are 'better than everyone else', there is no way that anything beyond your imagination can happen, and there is no way that the other party can manipulate you into betraying them. Because you are 'better than everyone else'.

If something happens that you don't think is possible, ...... it's because there was a sneaky, underhanded exchange going on behind your back. It's not fair, it's a nasty backroom deal.

That's the easiest way to justify yourself.

This is often the thought process of people who write comments on the Internet to discredit someone they don't like.

I'm absolutely right, I've gained legitimacy, I'm in a superior position, and there's no way I can shake it.

Then why am I feeling so anxious right now? ...... It's because someone is trying to set me up. ............ ...... Who is it?

Is it you?You know, .......

I'd like to impose sanctions quickly, but it also backfired when I suspended contact with the 42nd district because of the accelerated distribution of solanace.

Such a trivial connection could be a smoking gun for those obsessed with conspiracy theories.

Gellarcy, let me tell you something.

Right now, in this situation, the more I say, the more ...... my words stink, the more they stink, and guess who loses credibility?

You, right?

I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but I'm sure you've heard of it.

It's a waste of time to tell them about ....... I'll stop.

So go ahead and feel it.

Feel the suspicion directed at you, firsthand.

'But, you know. Just because it doesn't say who it's from doesn't mean it's safe to say that you have an unrelated invitation.

I dare you to bring up a topic that everyone in the room is probably unhappy about.

And then, I dare to lead them in a way that is convenient for you.

'So, hey, why don't we have a majority vote on whether it's okay for me to stay here after this?

If you do, you can be sure that ............ Gerrardsy will bite.

Only Gerrardsy.

That's right. That's exactly what I'm saying!If you're aware of what you're doing, why don't you just leave?

'Personally, I don't want to leave. But if the lords want me to leave, I'm willing to go along with it if it's decided by majority vote.

'd*mn it, ...... make them go through the trouble.'

Gerrardsy wants me out of the way as soon as possible.

And he has no idea of the doubts the other lords have about him.

I can't imagine that they think I'm the mastermind behind bringing Obayashi in.

'Then, everyone, I'd like to take another majority vote.

So, in your haste to solve the problem, you decide to take a majority vote, as you did earlier, without taking a majority vote.

He didn't even realize that his arbitrary decision would cause displeasure.

'Raise your hand if you don't think that someone who doesn't belong here with a silly quibble about the lack of details in the invitation should be mixed in: ......'

'Enough!

' shouted the lord of the twenty-third district.

He's not as old as Donnis, but he's old enough. A middle-aged man who looked about the same as Demily.

'This is a farce.

Short words of clear rejection.

Gerrardsy can't hide his confusion at the words.

The twenty-third district, adjacent to the thirty-second, is the one that earns the most tolls. It would naturally have a large say in the BU.

Its lord is clearly angry.

And the lords around me are in agreement, not even trying to hide their grumpy faces.

The enemy is right in front of us. I'm sure Gerrardsy thinks he was shot in the back when he had the chance to get rid of that enemy.

But you know what?

If an obvious enemy had taken the trouble to sneak in and then simply said, 'If you're in my way, I'll leave. You ...... would be suspicious. It's normal to think, 'There's probably something more to it than that.

That's when the word 'farce' comes out, Gerrardy.

You're the only one who doesn't see it.

Because you're the only one who knows the truth.

You didn't bring me into this house. I know the one and only truth. It's absolutely reliable information, "I didn't do it.

But, you see, "I didn't do it" is the reason why others are least likely to trust you.

That's the temperature difference that created this situation.

Well, that's really refreshing.

It's a good feeling, indeed, when it works out this way.

Gellarousie, do you feel that?

That heavy atmosphere you're feeling right now. Intimidating. Uncomfortable.

That's .......

That's the air of despair a man who's lost his credibility feels.

You've fallen right into the trap I've dug for you.

But this is just the beginning.

Now, let's start-- the all-or-nothing, majority rule.