"How could he say that about me?" Annan protested.
"Exactly. How could Uncle tell the truth?"
A voice cut in beside him. Olmedo came over and sat down next to Annan.
Just then, the Free City Business Alliance team scored, bringing the score to 1–0 against the Hellfire reserve team.
Olmedo applauded, and Annan reminded her, "Wrong team. They're the ones who scored."
"Aren't both teams from Free City?" Olmedo asked.
"You have a point." Annan joined in the applause.
"I see." Vitalig, looking thoughtful, began clapping too.
Huh? What does he see? What have those two been saying behind my back?
The referee restarted play, and a dozen players chased the football, colliding fiercely. Amid the commotion, Olmedo asked, "Are you ready?"
"I can start whenever you want."
"We'll spread the word first: the Council Chairman brought you back to life, and you're visiting Free City. Then our people in the New Royal Capital will build support for you and hold a banquet. Shadow Guards and scouts will probably come to investigate. We can also have someone impersonate the Council Chairman and make it look as though he's still alive. That should ease a lot of the resistance."
"Annan, you—"
"I'll keep playing Young Miss Olmedo and make it clear I'm on the Second Prince's side."
Olmedo nodded, then said to Vitalig, "Whether the New Royal Capital's coup can be 'peaceful' is up to you."
Vitalig drew a deep breath. "I let the people who believed in me down once... There won't be a second time."
Vitalig used to have a good deal of Annan's naïveté for an heir to the Kingdom. None of it showed now. Death really could change a person.
"Is something worrying you?" Annan asked Olmedo, who seemed to have something more to say.
"I