The power of words could, in many situations, surpass even blades.
But words alone, while capable of stirring temporary fervor and conviction, could not sustain such unrealistic fantasies for long without concrete action to support them.
At that moment, Asano Kiyoshi watched as the people's emotions gradually tilted in his favor, and that smile which made the Grand Inquisitor shudder appeared on his face once more.
Seeing Asano Kiyoshi's smile, the Grand Inquisitor's heart tightened. He clutched the photograph in his hand and was about to say something more to the crowd when Asano Kiyoshi cut him off:
"Everyone, I can often understand your frustrations with the current situation. I also understand that you must still have doubts about the centralized management villages I established. If those doubts are not resolved in time, they will eventually become thorns embedded in the flesh. To prevent that, please allow me to explain the photograph from earlier."
Although the Grand Inquisitor loathed that brat beyond measure, he still had to put on an impartial expression.
This was a proper explanation, and it was being made under countless watchful eyes. No matter how much he wanted Asano Kiyoshi to shut up, he could not pull any tricks in this setting. He could only nod at Asano Kiyoshi, signaling that he could explain the matter of the photograph.
Even so, the Grand Inquisitor still held onto a great deal of wishful thinking regarding whether Asano Kiyoshi could truly explain it away.
After all, this was evidence caught red-handed. No matter what Asano Kiyoshi said, he could not wash himself clean. Even if he somehow did clear his name, his reputation would surely suffer greatly in the future.
Yet what happened next completely overturned his understanding of such work.
Asano Kiyoshi slowly drew a thick stack