Among the spectators at the edge of the venue below the platform, someone could not help snorting and sneered:
"They've talked her up so much, they might as well call her the Savior!"
"Shut up, Anderson!" The young Auror beside him abruptly grabbed his companion's arm and rebuked him in a low voice. "Don't be impulsive. Do you want to be thrown in prison too?"
Suddenly, applause broke out.
The old man's lengthy speech had finally ended. It was now time for the newly appointed Chairwoman to deliver her inaugural address.
Lila Piquelly, dressed in a neat deep-purple robe, walked steadily onto the platform. Her gaze swept across the hall, carrying her usual air of calm and control.
"Honored guests, my fellow citizens!"
Her voice was clear and powerful, every word seeming particularly solemn and earnest:
"Today, I stand here not merely as an individual, but bearing the responsibility of leading us forward together through difficult times. First, we must establish an unshakable foundation—the peace and stability of the Wizarding World are the basis of all our prosperity and progress."
She raised her voice slightly, her eyes sharp as she said:
"Therefore, I solemnly declare: my administration will show absolutely no tolerance for any crime or dark act that threatens this peace!"
"Whether they are the remnants of the Scourers still stirring in the shadows, or any individuals and organizations seeking to use magic for plunder, harm, or the subversion of the International Statute of Secrecy, they will face the Magical Congress's firmest and most thorough crackdown..."
Her speech had barely reached its midpoint when the solemn atmosphere in the chamber suddenly developed a subtle crack.
Among the crowd below the stage, some wizards began flipping through their Books of Friends, some pressed fingers to their ears as though speaking