First, the Kingdom of Zaredonโthe poster child of Aeternumโs success. Once faltering, now flourishing after pledging itself as a vassal, its delegation emerged in pristine white vehicles etched with golden veins of runestone.Queen Zanesia Von Zaredon, regal in indigo and gold, stepped from her custom SUV with the bearing of a ruler reborn. Her people adored her. So did many in the UNA. Her reign had proven the merits of Aeternum's guidance.And last, from the skies above, descended a sleek dark ship of gleaming blacksteel and obsidian sails: the flagship of the Island Kingdom of Eloesa, military might of the seas and pride of Aeternumโs vassal fleet.When the ship touched down, all eyes turned to the descending ramp.Out walked Queen Aqeesha Eloesa, striking and statuesque, a proud commander in her own right. Her presence was enough to silence a crowdโand then ignite it into a thunder of admiration.โShe is the mother of Duchess Kolarova Qoon Eloesa,โ someone whispered. โThe Admiral.
Baron Rathiel of the Ivory House spoke with Queen Inariel about building a Skyglass Cliff Retreat in Liryaโs mountaintops, while Countess Morwen from the Flameveil Family began sketching ideas for a fire-themed volcanic spa in the rocky outskirts of Halberd.Competition, it turned out, was not just among the UNA nationsโbut fiercely alive among the Aeternum nobility.โI want my family crest flown over three resorts by next year,โ Morwen said to her assistant, a glint of challenge in her eye.โI will not be outdone by Ysmene again.โWhat was once admiration had turned into practical movement. Papers were signed. Resource lists were exchanged. Contact crystals activated. Even Aeternumโs local trade officials watched with pleasant surprise at how quickly the visiting nations adapted to the pace of the cityโs economic ecosystem.By evening, the smaller nation leaders regrouped at the Four-Leaf Resort, each carrying documents, proposals, and ideas in their handsโand something else in their
โThat settles it,โ said Queen Inariel. โI want one. Noโtwo. One for me, and one for my heir.โThere was laughter, yesโbut beneath it, genuine interest and burning ambition.These werenโt simply rulers indulging in luxury. They were leaders who understood symbols. In their home countries, where roads were still dirt and carts still squeaked over stone, returning in a Presidential SUV would not merely signify allianceโit would inspire transformation. A visual cue to their people that change had come.Brogath turned to Cassana. โAnd how do we acquire theseโฆ symbols?โCassana smiled. โEach vehicle is available through our UNA Government Procurement Program. With subsidies for infrastructure partners. If your country commits to hosting an AAM-supported maintenance center, we offer reduced fleet prices.โPrince Thelricโs eyes lit up. โSo, we wouldnโt just buy cars. We could build an AAM branch?โโExactly,โ said Cassana. โItโs part of Aeternumโs development outreach.โThe implications were e
Mrs. Jamey blinked. โPardon?โThe Queenโs proposal was gentle but clear. โOur kingdomโLiryaโis small, yes. But we have abundant cotton, some of the finest silk-spinning traditions in our mountain region, and a rising population of tailors looking for stable work. Nicoleโsโฆ would be cherished there.โIt wasnโt long before other leaders joined the conversation. Prince Thelric spoke of his nationโs dye-producing forests. A dwarven delegate mentioned an offer to help forge enchanted weaving machines. Everyone wanted to be the first to secure Nicoleโs expansion.Mr. Jamey chuckled, both overwhelmed and humbled. โWe always thought expansion meant bigger cities in Aeternum. Butโฆ I suppose weโve been looking too closely. Nicoleโs could mean something far more if we carry her name into the world.โBy the time the sun began to set, the Jameys had exchanged contact crystals with six different representatives. Nicoleโs might soon go international.And Nicoleโs was just the beginning. Across New C
โIt is said that if knowledge was water,โ said their guide, a half-elf librarian named Vestra, โthen Aeternumโs library is the ocean.โIn a grand central chamber, they passed under a dome showing a starmap that changed with real-time sky positions. Every known nation had a sectionโyes, even the smallest and poorest. Aeternum had made it a point of pride to gather the history of every people in the continent, even those now forgotten by time.โThis isโฆ our old crest,โ Queen Inariel whispered, her fingertips trembling as she reached toward an illuminated tome. โFrom three centuries agoโฆ when our land was still one forest, before the wars divided itโฆโโWe thought this was lost,โ murmured Thelric as he came upon a scroll written in his kingdomโs ancient language, long dead and unspoken.Their tour grew quiet. There was no mocking here, no pompous declarations of Aeternumโs superiority. Only quiet reverence. A nation this strong, this secure, chose to preserveโnot dominate. It guarded the
A knock at the door interrupted the quiet hum.It was Director Kwak Lum, again dressed in his signature dark blue robes, his draconic features smiling as he entered.โHonored guests,โ he said, bowing respectfully. โAllow me to welcome you, on behalf of the Aeternum Crown and President Mies Sai. You are the first stars to light the Summitโs sky, and we are honored by your presence.โThe gathered leaders rose and bowed in return.โWe will ensure your time here is not just comfortable,โ Kwak Lum continued, โbut fruitful. Tours of the city have been arranged. Economic delegates will arrive within days for pre-summit discussions. And the Four-Leafโs hot springs are now fully preparedโthough I dare say our chefs may be the true stars of the Resort.โLaughter rippled through the room.As Kwak Lum left, Queen Inariel turned to the others. โLet them come in airships. Let them come with fanfare and marching bands. We came with purpose.โโAnd humility,โ Brogath added.โLetโs make sure the world
Ambassador Roland cleared his throat. โDirector Kwakโฆ if I may speak freely?โโAlways, Ambassador Roland.โHe stood, brushing a hand across his waistcoat. โWe are humbled. To house our people in such a placeโฆ it is more than any of us expected. Weโฆ we feared being seen as the weaker voices among the UNA.โKwak Lumโs smile broadened, his eyes gleaming like starlight. โWe do not see you as weak. We see you as family.โThe moment lingered in silence, the kind that needs no words. Roland sat down; cheeks slightly flushed but heart a little lighter.Outside, beyond the floor-to-ceiling window, the sprawling city continued its dance of preparation. Massive floral displays were being installed at the roundabout leading to the Summit Plaza. Colorful banners were raised in quick succession, displaying the names of each arriving nation. Already, the delegation from the Dukedom of Angela had arrived in a train of shimmering glass carriages. The Republic of Telviniaโs airship hovered just beyond
โAttention citizens of the Free Nation,โ a cheerful voice echoed across cobblestone streets, โthis is an international broadcast. In four weeksโ, time, the UNA Summit will commence in New City, Aeternum. Thirty-one proud nations will stand together under one flag of progress, cooperation, and shared security. We celebrate an era of peaceโan age of unityโฆโThe words echoed like thunder in the council chamber.Outside, people paused to listen. While many among the elite scowled and turned away, others in the lower districts paused, curious. Some even smiled. The promise of unity, safety, and growth was seductiveโespecially to the common folk, burdened by Triangle Guildโs centuries of unchecked power and exorbitant fees.Kennedy noticed it. โLook at themโฆ even our own people are considering it.โโTheyโre weak,โ Carn muttered. โThey donโt understand whatโs at stake.โAlphonseโs brow furrowed. โOr maybe they do. Maybe theyโre tired of being bled dry by guild taxes and levies. Aeternum gave
In New City, President Kaiser Mies Sai met with his advisors. The room buzzed with discussions about the upcoming summit and the potential threats from dissenting nations.Advisor Elena: "Mr. President, intelligence reports suggest increased propaganda from the Principality. They aim to discredit the summit and our initiatives."President Mies: "We anticipated resistance. Our focus remains on unity and progress. Let their words be drowned by the chorus of cooperation and shared prosperity."The President's resolve was clear. The UNA would not be deterred by the dissent of those clinging to outdated and oppressive ideologies.As the summit drew nearer, the world watched with bated breath. Supporters of the UNA saw it as a beacon of hope and collaboration, while detractors viewed it as a threat to their traditional power structures.In the Principality of Light, the Church intensified its rhetoric, urging its followers to resist the UNA's influence. Yet, whispers of dissent emerged even