As word spread of what had happened at the Moonlight Opera House premiere, the Montreal Family became a complete laughingstock.
Monsong Montreal even had the nerve to demand an explanation from the City Guard. Annan couldn't let him harass his dear audience, of course, so he responded by setting up signing stations outside the theaters.
Anyone who had seen "300 Warriors of Free City" could sign their name on the parchment as they left the theater, declaring themselves one of the people who had beaten up the Montreal Family.
By noon, the list already held thousands of names.
Copies of the list were sent to the City Guard's headquarters, giving the guards a headache. Even if those thousands of people had been pigs, it would have taken days to round them up... And some of the surnames made even the Ceremonial Affairs Department hesitate.
The matter had to be dropped. The Montreal Family had lost its first clash with Annan and paid dearly for it.
That evening, Annan sat in the City Lord's Mansion's living room, looking through a list Ingrid had handed him. These were the influential surnames among those who had signed. Since they had offered a gesture of goodwill, Free City needed to respond.
"Leave it to Olmedo. Have her prepare some gifts for them."
As Annan spoke, Luoxi burst in.
"What is it?"
"A special envoy from the Orr Empire is here."
Annan met the Orr Empire's special envoy in the reception room.
It wasn't Grand Marshal Garkin's cousin, but a middle-aged man so gaunt he looked mean.
He was mean, too. With his nose in the air, he demanded that Annan stop screening "300 Warriors of Free City" in the theaters.
Annan didn't understand. "300 Warriors of Free City" was mainly aimed at the Rikaner