I shouldn't have been sitting here.
Not in the self-pity way. In the very real, very obvious sense that everyone in this room had built something before they walked in, empires, systems, influence, and I was the only one who got here by… swinging a sword a little too effectively and accidentally unlocking a political crisis.
And yet here I was.
Right side of the auditorium. Zethara's side.
The United Alliance didn't hesitate. They moved like they'd been waiting for this exact moment, like this wasn't a reaction but a continuation of a conversation they'd already finished somewhere else. One voice opened, controlled and practiced, and then another followed, reinforcing, refining, tightening the same point from a different angle.
They didn't repeat themselves. Not exactly.
They layered.
"…the collaborative nature of the Floor 39 clear-"
"…shared operational execution-"
"…Korea's direct involvement-"
There it was. Again.
Not aggressive. Not blunt. Just… consistent.
