I messed up. That much was true given the reaction of not just the crowd below but also those watching me from behind.
Where did I go wrong, I wonder? Was it because my speech was short? Or was it because of how I told them to come and knock at my office if they had doubts about my ability?
Anyway, Shizu quickly recovered. As I passed by her, she put her hand on my shoulder and consoled me, “You did… good. Let me take care of this for you.”
After flashing a quick smile, Shizu took the microphone and went back to the center, picking up where I left off.
The eerie silence that was created by my speech mellowed down as everyone listened intently to her. Shizu described the special branch clearly, its function as well as its responsibility.
At one point, she also mentioned the cooperation with the Guidance Counselors. Eguchi-sensei and the other two stepped forward after that, providing more details about their role.