Commander Jin was staring at me like I was some kind of lunatic. It was a familiar expression. It wasn’t the first time he looked at me like that, but this time, he seemed especially flustered. It was the kind of look that said he never expected me to start squeezing out tears the moment the media cameras were on me.

Of course, they weren’t tears of joy. Anyone could tell they were the kind that made me look genuinely sorrowful.

People could interpret it differently, but it was a roundabout way of saying that the so-called summit hadn’t ended well. No, it wasn’t just unsatisfactory but on the verge of complete collapse. I was sure it felt like an ambush to him. He had every reason to be shaken, yet I could see him quickly regain control of his expression. He had probably realized that this was practically a declaration of war, even if not in name.

The core issue was obviously the clash between the hardliners and the moderates. He wanted to wrap up the peace talks with a joint statement, but I wanted something more.

In truth, there hadn’t been any real peace talks to begin with. It was just a secondary objective that came up because things had gotten bigger than expected, but what could I do?

The situation had already exploded, and if we were going to contain it somehow, someone had to make concessions, so I chose to pressure him through public opinion.

At this very moment, the headline of the articles had already been decided.

[Red Flag at the Summit. Just What Kind of Conversation Took Place in the Garden?]

The propaganda shows would go absolutely wild, too.

[Why Did the Saint of Sacrifice and Revival Shed Tears After the Summit?]

[A Summit That Ultimately Ended in Tears, 24 Reasons Why the Gap Between the Two Symbols Couldn’t Be Narrowed.]

I could say with certainty that all kinds of wild speculation would erupt. The media would spend all day talking about why the Saint of Sacrifice and Revival had shed tears, and public opinion would pressure Commander Kin. If it got bad, people could even start saying that the Hero of Shadows wasn’t being cooperative in this era of peace.

“...”

“...”

When I wiped my tears away, he handed me a small handkerchief.

‘Looks natural enough,' I thought.

“What a pathetic stunt.”

Since we weren’t close enough for others to hear, his words and actions didn’t match. To everyone else, it probably looked like Commander Jin was comforting me.

“Pathetic, you say. Whether we invited each other or not, if there’s something we want, we should take it. I don’t mind spending all day arguing with you, Commander, but you know it would just keep going in circles. Rather than wasting time, I’m going to do things my way,” I said to him.

“What is it that you want?” Commander Jin asked.

“What else would it be? Concessions. Well, I can’t say you’re wrong, Commander. I know it’s just a difference in approach and that it won’t really hinder progress, but you know how I am. If there’s something I want, I have to have it,” I replied.

“...”

“I’ve decided to do the same this time. It feels like the continent is due for a change, and maybe I’m being pushed into it, but both the Democratic Country and the Republic are ready for change. I understand you’re worried about the side effects, but in the face of innovation, those are trivial.

"We already have the manpower and the system. That’s what we’ve been building up all this time, isn’t it? The infrastructure is ready, so what’s there to be afraid of?” I explained.

“You’re not so foolish that you can’t tell right from wrong, and yet you’re acting like a child throwing a tantrum,” he insulted.

“I am throwing a tantrum. Starting tomorrow, things are probably going to heat up quite a bit, don’t you think?” I questioned.

“Public opinion always cools down eventually,” he argued.

“I’m not so sure about that this time,” I said.

“...”

After wiping away the tears with the handkerchief Commander Jin had given me, I tucked it into my coat. He seemed to think that it was too early to be disappointed, as he pulled me into a brief embrace and patted my shoulder. He had a face that looked warm to anyone watching him.

I forced a bright smile, seemingly stating that I was still hopeful.

“You’re not really planning to throw cold water on this, are you?” he asked.

“We’ll have to see. I have no intention of backing down either, so this should get interesting,” I answered.

Soon after, he politely bowed and escorted me.

‘This bastard... He looks like he’s actually enjoying this...’

“...”

“...”

“Then, I’ll see you at the estate in three days,” he said.

“Yes, I’ll see you again at the estate,” I said.

“...”

“...”

‘I’m not joking when I say that it feels like there’s life back in his face for the first time in a while.’

It seemed he was finding this situation interesting, far more interesting than expected.

“...”

Of course, it wasn’t intentional. To be honest, I had just gotten annoyed with Commander Jin during our earlier conversation and acted on impulse, but it seemed like he had taken it in a completely different way.

‘Wow... is that guy actually some kind of freak?’

He looked more alive than he had in a long time.

‘This is seriously ridiculous.’

He was probably treating this whole situation like a game, and one he found genuinely exciting. Of course, it wasn’t the kind of game he usually played. It wasn’t about moving chess pieces or calculating each other’s moves, but in some ways, it wasn’t all that different.

It was a process of hiding one’s cards and manipulating public opinion as well as the media to pressure the other side into yielding. He probably wouldn’t just stubbornly refuse while enduring the pressure from public opinion and the media.

It was more like he was saying, "try to convince me if you can," and he would likely try to persuade me of his position as well.

‘He really likes this kind of thing...’

“...”

‘What a damn freak...’

“Even if you decide to back down, Commander, I’ll just think of it as you letting me win since I’m your guest,” I said.

“That won’t happen.”

Of course, aside from that...

‘I have to win no matter what.’

I wasn’t the type to enjoy losing either.

“...”

As expected, the media's gaze landed on us as soon as we stepped out of the garden. The peace delegation and the escort personnel were holding them back, but I could see them rushing around, desperate to catch even a single word from me. I was sure this was disappointing for them, but I chose not to say anything.

Leaving it to the public’s imagination felt like the right decision to make here.

I bowed slightly, then immediately got into the carriage, making sure to show them a bitter face and sorrowful eyes.

“Your Eminence! Please, just a word! What happened during the summit?!”

“Step back! Step back!”

“We can’t make any statements at this time!”

‘Wait, why is some random soldier speaking on my behalf, saying that I can’t make any statements? Still, he handled it well. A classic line.’

“Saint of Sacrifice and Revival! Please give us an interview! We’d like to ask about the new era that the citizens of the Democratic Country and the Republic are hoping for!”

‘This is complete chaos.’

“About this summit! Please, just a word!”

‘The energy is intense.’

Loud shouts echoed all over the place until the carriage's doors were closed. The Blue Guild members who had arrived earlier and were waiting inside seemed to have realized that something major had happened.

As expected, Park Deok-Gu turned toward me with a curious face and asked, “What’s going on here, hyung-nim?”

“Is something happening between the Democratic Country, the Republic, and you? What’s this peace concert or whatever, and what even is this Song of Peace?” Ahn Ki-Mo asked.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about. For now, don’t worry about it and just enjoy the trip. Right, Ha-Yan?” I asked.

“Y-yes!” Jung Ha-Yan shouted.

“Turns out the Republic has something called the Three Scenic Views, so I’m thinking about checking those out first. Once we get out of this border region, the escort should be minimized.

"The Republic said they’d make sure we can travel comfortably... they’ll control the crowds too, and since the locations are popular destinations, we can’t really avoid the reporters, but it should still be a lot more relaxed,” I explained.

“R-really!?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

“Yeah. It’s been a while, so let’s spend some time together, too,” I suggested.

“O-okay! Okay! Okay!!!”

Color returned to Jung Ha-Yan’s slightly dim expression. Han Sora also nodded, doing her best to cheer her up by saying, “That’s a relief, Miss Jung Ha-Yan! I’m so glad!”

However, she cast me a gaze that almost seemed to be blaming me.

‘I know. I know, Sora...’

I was sure Jung Ha-Yan found this trip to be quite disappointing. Up until we boarded the carriage and crossed the borders, she had looked incredibly happy and excited. I remembered how she packed a bag full of clothes to change into, chatted endlessly, leaned against me, and showed just how much she was looking forward to this trip.

She had been so excited that she even changed hats every hour. She made plans about what to do here and there, eagerly waiting for the moment when we would finally arrive in the Republic. Of course, it didn’t mean she disliked the time inside the carriage.

Even though we used spatial expansion magic, it still wasn’t spacious enough for six people to live comfortably, so whether I liked it or not, I ended up becoming Jung Ha-Yan’s favorite doll.

It was honestly a bit strange that all three of us, including Han Sora, ended up sharing the same space to sleep, but in any case, Jung Ha-Yan seemed quite satisfied even with life inside the carriage. She enjoyed taking breaks during the march, setting up tents outside and camping, and spending lively time with the Park-Ki-Ri siblings.

However, her real goal was traveling to the Republic. She was focused on finally spending time together in a foreign country after so long. The moment we arrived, however, there was a crowd of people shouting, flashes went off everywhere, and soldiers from both nations sized each other up.

Instinctively, she realized that a cozy little trip to the Republic had become something that only existed in her dreams, and she had been deeply disappointed for a few hours.

‘Seriously... if this were back then, she would’ve blown up immediately.’

Naturally, I glanced at Jung Ha-Yan and Han Sora. Fortunately, I saw the two of them clapping their hands together.

“They’re called the Three Scenic Views, Sora! I-I think this is one of them! It is! Wow! Look at that waterfall! It’s so pretty even in photos,” Jung Ha-Yan said, pointing outside.

“Yeah, it’s always been famous.”

I could hear them chatting like that. Then Jung Ha-Yan saw me smiling and asked, “T-then... where are we sleeping tonight, oppa? And what about dinner..."

“We’ll probably be heading to the lodging now. I think we’ll eat there too,” I answered.

“I-I kind of want to have a drink with you, Oppa... since it’s been a while...” she said.

“Really? Then should we?” I asked.

“Yes! Ah... and, um, there are things I want to buy and places I want to look around... in the city...” she added.

“Ah, that sounds like fun,” I commented.

“Huh? Hyung-nim? Then can we head into the city for a drink, too?” Park Deok-Gu asked. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Kim Ye-Ri nodded and said, “I’m in.”

“I agree as well. We finally made it to the Republic, after all. We should at least stop by a pub, shouldn’t we? I’ve heard the Republic's liquor is pretty good. If we use concealment magic, it shouldn’t be much of a problem... don’t you agree, sir?” Ahn Ki-Mo asked.

‘This guy seriously only thinks about having fun.’

“Sir, you and Miss Jung Ha-Yan can go on your date and join us later... Miss Sora, you should come with us, too,” Ahn Ki-Mo suggested.

“Ah, that sounds like a good idea.”

Right as we were about to kick off our trip through the Republic, a sudden buzz rang out as the Goddess’s Hand Mirror vibrated. When I slowly turned my gaze, an irritating article came into view.

[The Hero of Shadows, Commander Jin Cheong, Issues an Official Statement. The People of the Continent Must Remain Patient...]

“...”

“...”

He had completely beaten me to the punch. Head-on, no less.