At the Speaker's residence in the P.L.A.N.T capital.
Siegfried Klein stood before a mirror, straightening his clothes and tie as he prepared to be interviewed by the media.
He knew full well that as the staggering casualty figures arrived from the front lines, they would inevitably trigger intense turmoil throughout society.
In particular, Patrick Zala—the initiator of this campaign—would surely face a storm of condemnation, perhaps even demands for his immediate resignation and appearance before a military court for trial.
There was no helping it!
Since the Bloody Valentine tragedy, P.L.A.N.T had never suffered such massive and shocking losses.
The economic losses and weapons and equipment were secondary. What mattered was that the loss of those elite soldiers would tip the balance of war toward the Earth Alliance.
An ordinary politician would certainly use this opportunity to attack a political rival, seeking to crush them with a single blow and deny them any chance of recovery.
But Siegfried Klein had no intention of doing that.
He was a politician with ideals, vision, and ambition. He understood that this was precisely the time when infighting had to be avoided. They had to unite every force that could be united and stabilize both military and public morale first.
What he did not know was that Patrick Zala was doing precisely the opposite.
"Father, are you not ready yet? The car outside has been waiting for quite a while." Lacuss's voice came through the crack in the door.
"I'm coming!"
Siegfried Klein hurriedly fastened his buttons and pushed open the closed door.
In an instant!
Lacuss, dressed in her signature white gown, appeared in the doorway.
Unlike her previous worried expression, she looked rather happy today. Perhaps it was because her father was about to return to power.
After all, the bitter lesson