Nakamura began his long speech, spouting nonsense to the children and telling them the benefits of being beloved. The words rolled off his tongue like honey and poison at the same time—sweet enough to entice, but deadly to those who truly understood the whole picture, like Satoru.
"My precious children," he began, his voice carrying across the massive hall with perfect clarity. "Today marks another milestone in your journey toward greatness."
He gestured grandly with his arms, as if he were a speech of hope rather than addressing a room full of traumatized children who had been forced to survive in conditions that would make even criminals weep.
"Each of you has faced challenges that would break lesser individuals. You have walked through fire and emerged as diamonds."
"The path of the beloved child," Nakamura continued, a warm smile on his face, "is not merely about privilege."
