The first clash between "Everyone's Singer" and the "Singers' Competition" ended, for the time being, in a sweeping victory for Free City.
The Art Capital would not leave it at that... Free City knew it, and the Art Capital knew it. Free City knew the Art Capital knew that it knew, and the Art Capital knew Free City knew that it knew.
Annan gained the most in reputation, but aside from the Hall of Arts, no one had lost this clash.
Knight Tarkinson had secured a seat in the Hall. As long as the "Opera Singer Contest" went smoothly, he would become the youngest elder in the Art Capital, with Governor Borgant behind him.
Governor Borgant, meanwhile, had seized the opportunity to bring the Art Capital firmly under his control.
Annan had won twice over: "Everyone's Singer" had claimed a victory in name and no longer had to worry about attacks from the shadows, while he had planted a foothold in the Art Capital.
As for whether Knight Tarkinson might turn his back on him...
Even Illymoyas couldn't do that. If Knight Tarkinson could resist Annan's charm, he was even more formidable than she was.
As for whether the Orr Empire felt it had gotten the short end of the stick... Its official paper, the "Ogagel Dispatch," did make a sour remark about Free City: "Although 'Everyone's Singer' has swept the Allen Continent, that Champion Sorcerer seems more concerned with the thickness of his walls. He has thousands of workers building walls along the border. Such insecurity! One might think he feared the great power next door would invade at any moment."
"Is he saying bad things about me?" Annan lowered the newspaper that had been hiding his face and asked Olmedo.
"He certainly isn't praising you."
"Why is the