A few days had passed since Miku's departure. Ray and the girls had turned into a family of lustful rabbits. If it weren't for the soundproofing of their rooms, Deya would have been having a very hard time.
Now Ray, Kira, Samantha, and Yuno were watching TV. Yuno and Sam sat on the floor while Kira and Ray brushed their hair.
It was the show "Voice of the Politician." Today's guest was Terry Williams — a presidential candidate who had come for an interview despite a recent assassination attempt.
"My name is Aira Smith, and I'm glad you could join us. Although part of me thinks this is foolish, I still admire you."
"I could say the same — not only about your management but also about you personally," Terry replied with a laugh.
"I'm very interested in what brought you here, and not only that — I, as well as our viewers, would be curious to know what drives you."
"Our country is mired in corruption and nepotism. I have nothing to lose, and I'm willing to stake my life to try and change it."
"Let's imagine you're elected. What would you say to the people in your first address?"
"Dear fellow citizens, I won't lie to you: our elite has become so rotten that during their rule, they have destroyed several generations."
"To restore everything and punish all those responsible, we'll need to roll up our sleeves and work hard. I'm not even sure many of us will see the fruits of our labor, but only if we all work ourselves to the bone will our children and grandchildren have a chance at a normal life."
"Good words, I think they'll resonate with many. What will be the main priority of your work?"
"Education and healthcare, as well as forming the right ideology."
"The current elite has deliberately destroyed education. They believe that stupid people are easier to control, but in my view, this not only harms future generations but is fundamentally wrong: stupid people aren't easier to control — they're just easier to rob."
"Power should serve the people. Right now, in most countries, the state serves elite groups; this is best seen in the example of the United States."
"We must make every effort to educate future generations, because among them will be doctors who will treat us, teachers who will teach our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren."
"These are the professions that should be respected. Representatives of these professions should receive decent pensions. Teachers will be required to be role models for their students — a child spends a lot of time at school."
"When a teacher retires, the achievements of their students should be evaluated, what kind of person they were, and all of this should be taken into account."
"I would also issue state awards to everyone who has performed their duties honorably for many years — even a janitor or a cleaning lady."
"We need to reform the police, recruiting the most meticulous people. If a police officer or any other law enforcement representative who swore to protect the people commits a crime, their punishment should be the harshest and most exemplary. The same applies to officials at any level."
"What are you going to do about the 'Devils' group?"
"Nothing. As long as they only kill criminals. Honestly, if it were up to me, I'd give them awards."
"That's a very unusual point of view. What do you say to the families of those who lost loved ones because of the 'Devils'?"
"I can only say one thing: if the person you lost wasn't a criminal, I'm very sorry. But there are cases when a person spends most of their life in prison. If they're lucky enough to prove their innocence, they may be paid a certain amount of money."
"Allow me to tell you a story. My father died very early, and my mother was forced to raise us alone. There was a time when she had to work three jobs. It was hard, but we managed. Until one day, my younger sister fell into the hands of a pedophile — she was killed and raped. After that, my mother gave up and started drinking; she soon died."
"I was lucky to end up in a good orphanage. The caretakers and teachers who taught me became good role models, and I was able to grow into a worthy person."
"Many praise capitalism; personally, I'm against it. In capitalism, there should be competition, and the main criterion for choosing a product should be the price-quality ratio. But the truth is that large companies kill competitors in their infancy, which creates monopolies, and a monopoly is a cancerous tumor of capitalism."
"People turn to socialism after experiencing the worst manifestations of other forms of government. But generations change. If ideologically weak people come to power in a socialist state, everything will go in circles again."
"If we believe your words, there is simply no ideal form of government — it's an endless loop."
"The best form of government should be hybrid. From socialism, we should take the desire to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all, the path for the worthy, and ideology. If a sector isn't strategically important, we can allow private enterprise but must monitor fair competition."
The conversation continued, with the guest answering in detail a wide range of questions about state governance.
"This guy is the most promising. We must do everything possible to keep him alive. The fact that we lost two in other countries was our mistake. We can't lose another."
"After losing the two previous candidates, we started growing and preparing his food ourselves. All members of his staff are one of us. The car is checked every time; he's guarded around the clock, 24/7. His level of public support is very high — if nothing happens, victory will be his," Kira said.
Several months had passed since Miku's departure. Deya was in constant contact with them. She was now at school. Despite the scar, she had many friends, though some had distanced themselves after the accident, but the bonds with those who stayed became even stronger.
Rocky, who had gradually pulled away, approached her for the first time in a long while and said hesitantly:
"I was wrong, forgive me. I should have explained myself."
"It hurt, but I'm fine now. I'm even glad the accident gave me the chance to see who's who. So you don't need to apologize. Let's each go our own way."
Rocky had hoped they could maintain communication, but from her tone, it was clear she had no desire to do so. All he could do was give up.