1178  A War To Win Hearts

The entire world was in an uproar as the livestream appeared on every news outlet. The mysterious figure, labeled Lotus Mask, became the most famous person in the world after kidnapping the prince of Yalen. He was even being interviewed with the prince right beside him.

 Comments flooded in: [Is this a promo for a new movie? The marketing team is insane!] [It"s about time someone taught the royals they aren"t invincible, and everyone hates them! Screw Yalen!]

 Such comments, a mixture of disbelief, entertainment, and rage, filled the internet in mere seconds. The livestream was shared on every platform. While an estimated three billion people had access, the livestream reached over one billion viewers after just half an hour of starting!

 An unprecedented event!

Immense coverage!

And most importantly… it was captivating! Never before had the world met a criminal so friendly as to accept an interview during a crime! This new twist became the entertainment the world craved.

 Caleb was loved by his fangirls, but many hated the royal family after the incident in Kera exposed their true colors. Delaying aid to the city until a certain man appeared to save them tarnished their reputation.

 Charming Lincoln, a famous news anchor known for his professionalism and popularity, led the interview. Yet, there was tension as Lincoln tried to appease the masked man on certain points.

 "What are your demands, sir?" asked Charming, clasping his hands and leaning forward with laser-like focus. "Many would say that we shouldn"t negotiate with criminals, but I want the truth to reach the public. Did you do this for fame, money, or something else we don"t know?"

 "My demands should have reached the kingdom"s ears already, but they cannot reveal them for a crucial reason," answered Lotus Mask, waving a finger. "The king has this mindset about me: I must not be seen as a human, but as pure evil!"

 His words shocked the citizens. The accusation, the desperation, and the thought-provoking ideas made the public view Lotus Mask in a different light – one colored by doubt. Could there be deeper motivations for this crime?

 "Prince Caleb has always been a degenerate, but that alone was not enough to kidnap him. I never wished to resort to these methods, but I was left with no choice because of the Agard Family! I want to save them!"

 Another shocking turn! This kidnapper seemed to have a heart! However, not many knew who the Agard Family was and how they related to these events. Charming Lincoln, a true professional, pulled several sheets of paper, prepared for this very revelation!

 "As I have here, the Agard Family used to be one of the prominent runic families of Yalen before they were arrested and sentenced to death for conspiracy against the crown. Why do you want them freed, sir?"

 "I thought Veritas was dedicated to spreading the truth, Charming," said Lotus Mask, a hint of disappointment coloring his voice as he placed a fist on the table. "Emma Agard was the prince"s fiancé, but she was coerced into the position to exploit her powers! There was never a conspiracy!"

 Boom!

This kidnapper knew how to set the crowd on fire! His strong, fluent words were punctuated with pauses for effect. Charming Lincoln visibly sweated as he saw the direction this was taking.

 This kidnapper was… charismatic! He knew how to control the narrative and sway the crowd. He was polite, respectful, with a sincere voice that earnestly sought the truth!

The online world imploded. Charming Lincoln"s feed went berserk, notifications piling up like a digital avalanche. Comments weren"t just rolling in, they were a chaotic tidal wave crashing down on every platform. "Sir," he began, keeping his voice carefully neutral, "you"re suggesting the grounds for the Agard family"s imprisonment were entirely false? Surely, you understand the...gravity of such an accusation."

A dark chuckle echoed through the world. " Oh, I understand the gravity alright. Gravity is why kingdoms rise and fall, Charming. Emma Agard wasn"t some rebel mastermind; she was a p.a.w.n in a sick game of thrones. They break people like her, twist them until they fit the narrative." Oriole"s tone went sharp as a whipcrack. "But gravity has a funny way of catching up. Tick tock, Charming... will the king sacrifice his precious heir, or will his precious lies come tumbling down?"

The comment sections spiraled into a vortex. Old hatreds surfaced, fresh conspiracy theories bloomed, and a perverse thirst for drama gripped the online ma.s.ses. The royal family had always attracted scrutiny, but Oriole"s voice gave the whispers a loudspeaker – broadcast and amplified to a horrifying degree.

Lincoln, seasoned as he was, felt the floor shift beneath him. The audience wasn"t just watching, they were demanding. "Proof," he countered, clinging to journalistic standards, "the public needs proof, Oriole. Talk is cheap."

A long pause crackled with tension. "Ah, that"s the game within the game, isn"t it?" Oriole mused. "Truth becomes treason the moment a King says so. It might be in a hidden diary, a desperate letter...Or maybe carved into the walls of their cell, where no royal eye can see."

His words weren"t proof, yet they held an undeniable allure. Oriole wasn"t playing the game of evidence, he was crafting a counter-narrative – one that tapped into the public"s simmering distrust. It didn"t matter if it was true, it had become thrilling entertainment.

Charming Lincoln blinked, sweat creeping down his collar. This wasn"t an interview; it was a powder keg just moments from detonation. In this digital colosseum, Oriole was gladiator and puppet master all at once. The mask might be smiling, but there was a gleam of cold resolve behind it. This was war, and it was being fought for the hearts and minds of billions.

Lincoln tried to compose himself, to reel in the runaway train of the interview. But a glance at his producers" panicked messages told him there was no reclaiming control. This was Oriole"s show now, and the world was glued to their seats.

"The safety of Prince Caleb is paramount," Lincoln pressed, hoping the tactic of basic concern would crack Oriole"s bravado. "We understand...grievances. Perhaps alternative channels would –"

Oriole scoffed, the distortion of his voice only adding to his ominousness. "Channels? You mean the same "proper channels" that locked away an innocent family simply because their gifts frightened the crown? Please, Charming. I"ve pleaded, negotiated, and groveled to those vipers. This," he said, gesturing vaguely around him, "was my last, desperate move."

A beat of tense silence descended. It was theatrics, yes, but the sliver of desperation bleeding through Oriole"s words struck a dissonant chord in the whirlwind of chaos. The comments sections flickered, the fire of righteous anger dimming ever so slightly.

"Yet, here we are," Lincoln pointed out, "Prince Caleb remains in danger. What purpose does his suffering serve?"

Oriole tilted his head, the Lotus mask seeming to mock them. "Sometimes, sacrifice is needed to expose a greater evil. Sometimes, one needs to become the monster the world already believes you are." His voice took on a sorrowful note, "I never imagined it would come to this...I never wished to cause anyone harm, and for that, I am truly sorry."

There was a raw honesty in his confession, a sliver of the real person peeking through the theatrical persona. This contradiction was potent, the crack in the armor that humanized the kidnapper. It didn"t excuse his actions, but it planted seeds of doubt within the storm of online opinion.

"Then...let him go," Lincoln said softly, seizing the moment. "Prove there is still honor within you. If your goal is the Agard"s safety, kidnapping their only potential advocate will not help you."

A long, drawn-out sigh echoed through the speakers. "You make a compelling point, Charming," Oriole finally conceded. "However, a simple release won"t do. You have my demands; prove the kingdom is willing to play fair, and this nightmare can end. Show me proof there is a chance for justice, and my... guest will walk free."

With those enigmatic words, the transmission ceased. Oriole vanished as abruptly as he"d appeared, leaving behind a whirlwind of confusion, fear, and a burning question that hung over the world: where did the truth lay, and was it even worth the cost?

After turning off the livestream, Oriole sat back in his chair, tired. He has exhausted every trick up his sleeve to win the public. It was a tough battle, since he was already painted as the villain: an evil that must be eradicated.

His aim from this interview was simple. Oriole wanted the world to ask the simple question: where does the truth lay, and what does this king hide?

***

Laughter echoed through the runic house in Kera, as Arthur closed the screen with uncontrollable laughter. The ident.i.ty of the man, known as the Lotus Mask was no secret to him. But he did not think, that at this moment, Oriole would pull such a stunt!

"Brilliant, dear Ori. Just… brilliant!"