[Popular Vote] Isabella reminds the delegates

Isabella's gaze now swept over the crowd, searching briefly for the clusters of electoral delegates, arranged neatly by order of their districts. She allowed the silence to stretch, heavy and deliberate, before her voice cut through the stillness like a blade.

“To the honorable delegates of our great nation,” she began, her tone warm, almost conciliatory, though the sharp edge beneath it was unmistakable. “You, who have borne the weight of this transition, who cast your votes in the name of stability, unity, and the future of Montesoro. I commend your wisdom.”

Her words lingered, a moment of hollow praise, before her expression shifted—her smile fading into something colder, her dark eyes glinting with quiet menace. “It was not an easy choice, I am sure. To entrust the legacy of this nation to one so young, to place your faith in someone untested. Yet here I stand, your trust well-placed, your decision vindicated.”

She stepped forward, the hem of her dark dress whispering across the stone beneath her feet. The setting sun cast her silhouette in stark relief, her figure commanding and unyielding. “Some of you, no doubt, required... reassurance. A guiding hand in these turbulent times. I do not begrudge you that. After all, we all serve Montesoro in the ways we must. But let us be clear—your choices have been made. There is no turning back now.”

Her voice dropped slightly, the shift subtle but unmistakable. “The future of this nation depends on our unity, on our ability to stand firm in the face of those who would see us fall. And I expect that the trust I have shown you, the sacrifices I have made for you, will be reciprocated.”

A ripple of unease passed through the plaza, though her smile returned—cold, calculated, yet almost disarming in its poise. “Loyalty is a fragile thing, delegates. Once shattered, it is nearly impossible to repair. And rest assured, I will remember those who have stood by me in these times, just as I will remember... everyone else.”

Her words hung in the air like the toll of a distant bell, now unmistakably threatening. The delegates in the crowd shifted, some lowering their eyes, others forcing themselves to meet her gaze.