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Seated comfortably in a black leather chair, Klaus was glued to the screen. The murmurs of news voices sounded faintly behind him, but he was completely engrossed in the candidate speaking on the screen. A faint smile curved on his lips as he watched the confident gubernatorial candidate deliver a speech before dozens of journalists.

Reporters jostled and vied to interview the man. Simultaneously, a bunch of journalists captured shots of Richard with white flashes as they attempted to snap his picture. Questions and continuous clicks created a noisy atmosphere around him.

"Do you still want to run for governor after that terrible incident, Mr. Richard?" a woman reporter in a red outfit asked.

"Of course. Jonathan and I are committed. We won\'t stop no matter what happens."

"Do you believe the people who attacked you are from your political opponents?" another reporter asked.

"How many times have Jonathan and I said this, let\'s not speculate. Until the police make an announcement, we won\'t name anyone." Richard replied firmly.

"Does this have to do with the Awakener group that opposes you? Lately, you\'ve faced criticism and condemnation from several guilds, calling you a hypocrite." Another reporter posed a question.

Richard sighed. "This is America. Everybody is free to voice their opinions. And I must emphasize, the words of a few individuals do not represent the entire community. Rays of Hope is one of them. Please don\'t generalize an issue. It\'s very dangerous."

Holding a warm cup of coffee, Klaus chuckled as he watched Richard answer each question. He was impressed and intrigued at the same time, wondering how Richard could convey such sweet words while knowing the repulsive truth behind them.

"Well, this guy lies like it\'s his job. Politicians truly shouldn\'t be underestimated," Klaus muttered under his breath repeatedly.

Richard was one of the few people involved in Klaus\'s dirty plan to win the election. No one on the campaign team knew about the clown attack. Not even the lieutenant gubernatorial candidate, Jonathan.

Klaus selectively limited information to certain people. He didn\'t inform Jonathan and Max because he knew they would oppose it. These were ordinary people after all. Klaus wouldn\'t blame them. On the contrary, Richard was different. He readily agreed after Klaus brought it up. In fact, Klaus hesitated to use Izzy and her friends\' services to create chaos during the campaign, but it was Richard who suggested employing them.

At that moment, Klaus\'s perception of Richard changed drastically.

During their first meeting, Klaus sensed something strange about this man. From the outside, Richard appeared as a strong individual with a high sense of justice. Klaus never caught Richard cheating while his company worked with the House of Blacksmith. Everything went so normally. However, Klaus still couldn\'t trust him.

And his feeling proved right when the campaign period began. Richard gradually revealed his dark side.

Jonathan strongly objected when Klaus suggested hiring people to pose as fake supporters for another candidate, instructing them to tarnish their reputation by causing riots and spreading hate speech. However, Richard agreed with Klaus. Also, when Klaus suggested sending spies to the campaign headquarters of another candidate to uncover their plans, Richard also approved.

Richard was someone who would do anything to achieve his goals. He believed that justice should prevail, even through questionable means. But what was worse, he thought he was doing a good deed.

"Richard, you\'re truly a player. I wonder what it would be like if you became the governor."

Picking up the remote from the table, Klaus changed the TV channel. The screen displayed a man with white hair holding a press conference. He sat at a long table facing dozens of microphones. Behind him was a blue backdrop with a sketch of him alongside another man.

Klaus sipped his coffee while his eyes remained glued to the television broadcast.

"Mr. Jose, how do you respond to the accusation that you are the mastermind behind the incident involving the Dickson-Thompson candidate pair?"

"I\'ve confirmed on my social media account. I\'ll say this one last time. Marcus Kingsley and I have no connection to those masked clown attacks. Whatever people out there are saying is untrue."

"At the moment, Richard Dickson-Jonathan Thompson is trending number one on social media. Below that is you, but it\'s a discussion topic highlighting your shortcomings. Do you have a response to this?"

"No. None whatsoever. Next."

"Lately, many Awakeners have criticized the new policies enacted by the Awakener Association. Could the clown attack incident have been triggered by dissatisfaction among Awakeners, especially considering Richard Dickson\'s strong support for the government?"

"This question shouldn\'t be directed at me. But, I\'ll answer it. The Awakener Association and the government always do their best for non-Awakeners but not with Awakeners. Many new policies are constraining their freedom, such as the restrictions on arcana ownership. Yet, artificial arcana have been widely available recently, and anyone can use them. If they\'re dissatisfied, then that\'s understandable. But remember, these dissatisfied people are the same ones who protect you from dungeon monsters. They wouldn\'t engage in reckless behavior."

Dozens of questions were fired at Jose Ancelotti. The 51-year-old man was breaking into a cold sweat. Meanwhile, Klaus laughed at it.

"They\'re not giving that guy a break."

Klaus had orchestrated the clown attack scenario with two objectives in mind.

The first objective had already been achieved - boosting Richard and Jonathan\'s popularity. For several weeks, the people of New York had been fixated on the second-ranked candidate pair. Internet users crafted conspiracy theories, while mainstream media exaggerated the news. Although not all of it was positive, Richard and Jonathan gained public attention.

The second objective was to tarnish the reputation of their political opponents. From the news of the clown attack incident, one candidate pair was affected: Jose Ancelotti and Marcus Kingsley. They were aligned with the Awakeners. The majority of their supporters belonged to scattered guilds in New York. As a result, many suspected them of being behind the campaign attack on Richard and Jonathan. Of course, this wouldn\'t have been possible without Klaus\'s intervention.

Tensions between Awakeners and non-Awakeners were fairly high in New York. Klaus paid a few men to spread hoaxes on the internet. Eighty percent of active social media users were vocal extremists. Once Klaus added fuel to the fire, the flames would ignite. Plus, the media fueled the news to worsen the situation.

He simply sat back and waited for the results.

"Well, now how do I steer public opinion towards Isabella?"

He chuckled as he thought about it. Although his plan was proceeding as expected, Klaus couldn\'t rest on his laurels. The election was far from over. He needed to think about the next plan.

As Klaus enjoyed the television broadcast, a knock on the door suddenly sounded. He instructed the person outside to come in, and a well-dressed man appeared from behind the door.

"What\'s up, Max?" Klaus asked. "You\'re looking sharp today. Going on a date, huh?"

"Ah, no. I came here to see you."

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, but I\'m only interested in women."

Max chuckled. "Okay, okay. I get it. By the way, I came here to remind you that there\'s a gubernatorial candidate debate tonight. Don\'t forget, Mr. Richard requested your presence no matter what happens."

Snorting, Klaus couldn\'t believe what he had just heard. "Who\'s this guy? He\'s quite audacious to order me around." He shook his head.

"Well, technically, we work for him."

Klaus nodded. "You\'re right. But it won\'t last long." He tilted his head. "I\'ll be coming with some friends."

"Great." With that said, Max closed the door.

…

Inside the grand illuminated hall, an air of anticipation filled the atmosphere as Klaus stepped in. The crystal chandeliers cast glimmers onto the clean marble floor, creating an aura of undeniable luxury. Decorative ornaments on the walls depicted the region\'s history and pride, conveying the significance of the event.

Before the debate commenced, elegantly dressed guests moved about the hall. Klaus looked around, observing individuals engaged in serious discussions or holding cups of coffee in their hands. Faces filled with attentiveness and diverse expressions conveyed their interest in what was to come.

In the center of the hall stood a large stage with neatly arranged chairs. A round table with attached microphones stood firmly on the stage. The backdrop was adorned with a regional flag and campaign signs, creating a majestic and impactful display.

Standing amidst the crowd, Klaus was accompanied by the rustling of footsteps and echoing whispers in the room. His eyes occasionally scanned the surroundings, as if searching for a particular figure.

"My Liege!"

A woman called his name. Klaus turned towards the voice, finding an elegant woman in a graceful blue gown drawing closer to him. She walked with elegance, her white hair swaying with each step. The woman\'s unique beauty caught the attention of the men in the room.

"Sorry, I\'m late," she said.

"No worries, Laplace."

The woman with white hair smiled.