Surveying the audience seats, Chris knew in her heart—this would be her last time speaking here.
She cleared her throat, then said loudly:
"Citizens of Yage City! Please listen to my speech!"
Chris's unchanging opening words over the years seemed to possess magic at this moment, instantly calming the uneasy citizens.
The citizens' gazes all turned to her.
Those gazes carried fervent hope.
Perhaps the great Consul would once again lead the city-state through crisis after crisis as she had in previous years, then bring peaceful life to Yage City?
Feeling the citizens' fervent gazes, Chris felt as if nothing had changed.
As if it had all been just a nightmare.
But she knew clearly.
Everything had changed.
Chris looked at the citizens in the audience seats and spoke:
"Yage City raised me, and I swore before all of you long ago—I will definitely dedicate everything I have to this city-state!"
Hearing this sentence from her, the citizens all looked at each other.
What did Consul mean by this?
Was she really going to leave this city-state forever?
"And now, I promise all citizens—this time I will definitely rescue this city-state from crisis as I have before!"
After hearing her words, the people felt even more that something was wrong.
As consul, Chris had rarely used such definitive words as "definitely" in the past.
However, she had used it without hesitation at this moment.
This was abnormal.
Chris continued:
"But after this time, I will leave you forever, never return here again, never lead you again."
"I will... use everything I have to exchange for this city-state's continuation."
Chris's words immediately caused the entire audience to erupt.
What?
Chris wouldn't lead them anymore?
Without Chris's leadership, how could Yage City have a future?
"My lady! Don't go!"
"Without you! Yage City has no future!"
"......"
Looking at the citizens' state, Chris shook her head.
What else could she say?
She just remained silent, quietly waiting for the noise to dissipate.
The crowd's clamor continued for a long time.
Finally, because of Chris's silence, the crowd's noise finally stopped.
Chris continued:
"So next, I will issue my final command as Yage City's consul."
Chris's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the citizens' ears.
"After I leave, the citizens' assembly need not disperse. All citizens should immediately organize an election, with the same principles as before."
"All citizens need not worry about whether the city-state's crisis has been resolved, nor worry about my safety."
"Just conduct the election with peace of mind."
Chris's words were extremely brief, so brief that the citizens could hardly believe it.
"This concludes my entire speech. Thank you for listening."
Having said that, Chris bowed to the audience and walked toward the exit without looking back.
Now the citizens truly understood.
Consul Chris would never return.
Although they knew that Chris's strength alone couldn't possibly compare to Elasia's army, none of the citizens present felt any fear.
Because Chris had promised them before—she would definitely save this city-state as she had before...
And Chris, wearing prisoner's clothes, slowly walked toward where the city wall had collapsed.
She knew that the story belonging to "Chris" was about to begin...