Aside from Ava and Annie who had advanced in their life, all thanks to Aeternum and the recent changed in the government. The rest of Sunders City were also changing for the better, the fall of Baron Sunders and the rise of Aeternum as the new ruler, blows a new wind of change for everyone. Despite the blaring warning that sounded all over the city, telling everyone not to come out of their homes, the people of Sunders City were still in bright mood. It is because everyone truly believed that with Aeternum here everything would turned to be better, and all they had to do is just wait for that moment to come. At the moment, it was daytime, just late in the morning, but the only one that were out on the street were Aeternum soldiers, there were patrols and checkpoint made all over the city, and since yesterday, the Aeternum soldiers had basically turned the city upside down to hunt down, every single Sunders City Soldiers and guards, as well as all the Nobles that were related to Baron
Being an Aeternum Citizens were naturally what everyone in Sunders City were dreaming off, ever since before the Aeternum fought against Baron Sunders, and that feeling were further amplified, When Aeternum Soldiers came in and occupied the city, then punished all the evil doers and the tyrant that has amplified the people hope and passion to become an Aeternum Citizens, as for many right now, the synonym of becoming an Aeternum Citizens were akin to a life of happiness, safe and everlasting. This is why for a man with family, like Drake, hearing what Mival Wigan said of the possibility of becoming an Aeternum it immediately perked him up.“Wait?…what?..”.(Drake Agosto)“Aeternum officers has been going around in the city..from house to house to register us….as Aeternum Citizens….isn’t that great?!…”.(Mival Wigan)“Really?!..that is a great news!…when do you think that they would come here then?…”.(Drake Agosto)“Probably anytime now……I heard the news from, my neighbour..who heard it
Be it Drake Agosto with his family or the Wigan brothers, when Aeternum officials comes to their doors, and knocked on them, all o the Sunders City people welcomed Aeternum Officials with smiles and eagerness. Since everyone wanted to become and Aeternum citizens they had to. And besides Aeternum were known to be very disciplined and very work oriented, they came to do what they were tasked to do and they left, they do not harassed anyone, they do not cozy up to anyone nor they demanded bribe, they just come to do their work and left. That is why everyone were comfortable with Aeternum, but at the same time, no one should mess with Aeternum as their retaliation will be a dire ones.“So, there is 3 people in your family, Drake, meaning you, Sir…Annabele, Your wife and Kath Agosto, your daughter…is that correct, Mr.Drake?…”.(Officer Antonio)“Yes, Sir…that is correct…”.(Drake Agosto)“Alright…..I already wrote down your name and your wife as well as your daughter….please confirmed it…..
Getting the box of food aid that contained so many things inside, be it the canned foods of meats and vegetables than paired it sacks of grains, then soaps and other essentials. For the poor and oppressed people of Sunders City, the box were akin to a luxury gifts from Aeternum. And for the people, their immense joy and happiness as they got these food aid, were blinding to the Aeternum officials, which by now, were naturally happy to see that they can bring joy to people. The Immigration Officials were always known to the people as the Aeternum department that always be labeled as evil, as they were always be the one that were expelling people and denying people from entering or even continues living in Aeternum, so to be treated like this, positively is a new sensation the them.“Thank you, officer!…thank you!….this…this…”.(Drake Agosto)Drake and his family members were kneeling on the ground profusely saying thanks to Officer Antonio and also to the other officials behind him.“It
Currently at the mid noon in Sunders City, the city streets that has been barren and void of the Sunders City citizens, for 1 and a half day, are now slowly come life, as people started to calmly goes outside of their home. Naturally not many dared to venture out far from their neighbourhood, as the sight of the unmoving Aeternum Soldiers that were stationed at each junctions of the streets put a wary in their hearts and mind, no one wanted to dare a fate. Furthermore, despite the soldiers were not, Sunders City Soldiers that had haunted them with fear for so long, it was a soldiers at the end, so they were still a little bit apprehend to approached the Aeternum Soldiers.Drake Agosto and the Wigan brothers that were housed just in front of each others, came out of their house and stand beside the street, along with other husbands of the houses in their streets, naturally since it has been a long time since the men haven’t meet face to face and chat, they instantly chatting amongst th
Baron Sunders at the moment, were still stunned and in the midst of processing everything that had happened to him. He had fallen to Aeternum, without even a single chances to retaliate or even to react, in a flash an Aeternum agents broke into his mansion, slaughtered all his guards caught him, his family and all of his loyal followers like it was nothing. He was then being brought before the President of Aeternum, being lambasted by him, and then being thrown inside his own mansion dungeon, along with his family and retainers, chained up to the wall inside a cell. Through the entire night, he can’t even sleep even a wink, an empty expression were decorating his faces the entire time, until now.“….Baron Sunders…get up….”.(Holgun Iron Horn)“Huh?…what?….why?…”.(Baron Sunders)Puzzled and bewildered, Baron Sunders cell and all his retainers and his family were opened, by Aeternum soldiers, and the one that lead them were Holgun Iron Horn, a face who Baron Sunders remem
The sight of Baron Sunders and his cronies chained up and being paraded on the city street, like a common criminals were a sight that no one in the city could even fathom of. This kind of situation and treatment were usually reserved by criminals, and sometime even themselves, the people had a fair share to see their family members that were unjustly verdict and charges by the Baron on the other nobles being paraded the same way that they were did right now. The people for sure right now were feeling refreshed to see a new sight, before them. And at the same time, this sight also bolstered the people support and trust towards Aeternum governance.It was also need to be reminded that, today, since the forbid of leaving the house were lifted, there were also some citizen that come from outside the city of Sunders came to the city. As there were those that live in nearby town and village at the time of the war were actually come from the city, or just the people come to the city for thei
As scheduled, the Trial for Baron Sunders will started at 2 in the afternoon, since I still have a lot of things to do in the meantime. Naturally, I intentionally let Baron Sunders and his cronies being paraded through the city street, after all, it is the only way that I can let the people release their frustration on him, beside where else can the got the chance to do it, after all once this trial is over he would be sentenced by me, once that is done no one can do anything to him at all. At the same time, it is also something to help me and Aeternum gain more favour from the people, giving them the sense of retribution and fulfillment to end their frustration and suffering is one way for sure to gain that favour.“Justice!!…Justice!!…Death to Sunders!…Death to Sunders!!…”.(Sunders City People)“Woah….that is quite loud…”.“Well, Sir….the entire city and more were here, in the Square….in fact they also walked with the parade all the way to here….and they all are really fired up…”.(H
I took another sip of tea, letting the warmth spread through me.Because here’s the delicious irony: by copying our education system, they didn’t just adopt our books and schedules.They were adopting our mindset.Every child who learned using our curriculum. Every teacher trained by our methods. Every official who quoted Aeternum textbooks. They were all little seeds planted deep within foreign soil.In ten years?Those nations would think like us.In twenty?They would be like us. All without a single sword being drawn. I leaned back in my chair, utterly content.Without armies, without bloodshed, we were gaining soft political power over thirty-one nations.Real power.The kind that shaped futures. Mina clinked her cup lightly against mine in a silent toast, her green eyes sparkling.“To the future?” she teased.I smiled, lifting my cup.“To the future we’re writing,” I said.And out there, beneath the quiet, darkening sky, the seeds of a new world had already begun to bloom.The n
In New City, the public watched it all unfold on massive news screens and digital displays.A young woman in a coffee shop blinked back tears.“My mother couldn’t even sign her name,” she said. “Now, she’s going to school at sixty. Can you imagine?”A factory worker on break raised his can of iced tea. “They used to mock us for thinking machines would replace us. Now? My kid’s learning to design them.”Later that evening, President Mies stood at his office window in the Black House, overlooking a city glowing with lights and ambition.Minister Myers entered, holding the finalized signed charter.“It’s done,” he said quietly. “They all agreed. The future begins today.”Mies nodded. “We’ve unified their borders, their defense, and their markets,” he said. “Now, we unify their minds.”A long silence followed. Then, just a single line: “History will remember this moment.” And across the continent, it already had.The evening air was soft, almost languid, as I sat back in my chair, savorin
As the documents were sealed, cameras flashed and live broadcasts streamed the images of rulers shaking hands with President Mies—smiles genuine, eyes alight with purpose.The message to the world was unmistakable:Aeternum does not just lead with power—it leads with knowledge.Later, in a private conversation, Jonathan Myers turned to Mies.“This is more than we hoped.”Mies looked out the window of his office, where the UNA flags fluttered in a perfect row.“No,” he said. “This is exactly what I planned.”Jonathan raised a brow. “And what next?”Mies smiled faintly. “We teach the world… to think like us.”The central assembly hall of New Concordia UNA Headquarters—a gleaming white dome adorned with banners of thirty-one nations—had never been so full.Delegates filled every seat. National flags stood in perfect rows. The giant LED display behind the stage glowed with the symbol of the United Nation Alliance, now framed by a new banner in golden letters:"Education for All – A Future
Outside the palace gates, the citizens of Hallerus City buzzed with excitement. News traveled fast: another king had come, and he, too, had seen the truth.And far beyond the city walls, whispers began in other UNA courts:“Perhaps we should ask Queen Helen for assistance.”“Maybe Aeternum’s model isn’t just for them.”“Could we build this future too?”In the Black House of New City, when President Mies received the report of King Leopold’s visit, he simply closed the folder and smiled slightly."One seed sows a thousand trees," he murmured.And in the fields of Fantasma, the seeds of knowledge had already begun to sprout.The towering skyline of New City shimmered beneath a clear morning sky. It was a perfect day for diplomacy—and a historic one.Within the great glass-paneled east wing of the Black House, Aeternum’s political nerve center, a long oval table had been prepared. Security was tight, the air dignified, yet the atmosphere was distinctly welcoming. For today, President Mie
That evening, Queen Helen hosted a quiet reception for the UNA visitors. Modest food, strong Hallerian tea, and conversation flowed freely.“We’re not pretending it’s perfect,” Helen told them. “But we’re not pretending it’s impossible, either.”One observer raised a hand, smiling. “Would you be open to helping other nations start similar programs?”Helen looked to Merrica, then back to them.“Of course,” she said. “We’ve taken help. It would be wrong not to offer it.”It was the kind of answer that made diplomats take notes. And so, Hallerus—once a fractured kingdom cast in shadow—began to shine in a new light. Not as a symbol of power. But as a model of transformation. And as the scholars walked the streets of Hallerus City, alongside teachers and curious children, they quietly realized: The future wasn’t just being forged in Aeternum anymore. It was spreading.The scent of blooming gardenias filled the royal courtyard of Hallerus Royal Palace. The sun hung high above the battlement
“It’s… beautiful,” she said.Jonathan smiled. “It’s sure is,.”The first major step was the immediate conversion of six major city libraries into public education centers. Then came the pilot schools—one for each major region of the kingdom. Each staffed with a blend of local teachers (newly trained) and educational experts from Aeternum who came to oversee implementation.Within a month, Hallerus Elementary Schools opened their doors for the first time. Children from farming villages and mining towns, who had never once held a book of their own, were now reading stories about space, science, and society. They learned arithmetic on digital chalkboards and watched recorded lectures from Aeternum instructors. Classrooms were modest, but organized. Desks were salvaged, but steady.The change was jarring. But it was real. Queen Helen visited one of these pilot schools in the outskirts of Archenport. There, she saw barefoot children reciting alphabet lines. She watched a young girl raise h
Outside in the streets of New City, a mural was already being painted on the wall of a youth center—depicting two children, one Aeternian and one Hallerian, sitting together at a shared desk beneath the words:"Wisdom Unites What War Divides."The mural was uncommission—but no one was taking it down. From within the homes, classrooms, and council chambers of Aeternum, the message was clear: the world was learning, and they were learning from Aeternum.And that made the people walk taller.Because every road rebuilt in Hallerus, every classroom opened, every young mind taught in their system—was a quiet victory for Aeternum’s vision. The age of empires was ending. The age of influence had begun.The great hall of Hallerus Royal Palace hadn’t hosted a summit like this in over a generation. Not for war. Not for taxation. But for education.Long tables stretched beneath arched stone windows, newly adorned with fresh flags representing each province of the Hallerus Kingdom. The air smelled
Contracts were awarded to the newly established Hallerus Road Commission, overseen by both local talent and advisory engineers from Aeternum. Bright orange marker flags began appearing all over the kingdom, outlining future road paths. Caravans brought in equipment, gravel, construction tools—and, notably, several transport trucks from Aeternum carrying the first batch of reinforced roadstone, a durable blend sourced from the Stone Ring mountains.Helen personally visited the first construction site just outside the capital—a winding, broken stretch leading to a key trade town in the east.She knelt beside the workers, running her fingers through the packed dirt and gravel. “This path,” she said to a nearby foreman, “will be the spine of our kingdom.”He blinked, surprised at her presence, then bowed. “Then we’ll make sure it’s strong, Your Majesty.”As roadwork began, the kingdom watched. Villages previously isolated by floods or rough terrain saw the first signs of inclusion. Mercha
The project would take time—perhaps years—but its impact would begin in weeks.“Once the roads are in place,” Merrica said, entering her chamber with a report in hand, “we’ll be able to move goods faster, respond to crises quicker, and prepare for the second phase: economic zone development.”Helen took the report with a tired, but satisfied smile. “This… this they will see. This they will believe.”“And when they do,” Merrica said, “they’ll follow.”Late that night, as the wind howled against the palace windows, Helen stood in her private study, gazing out at the flickering torches lining the city streets. In her hand was a smooth, curved stone from the first road pile—just a plain stone, but to her, it was the beginning of a foundation.Her fingers closed around it as she whispered to herself, “Let this road lead us to a better kingdom.” And with that, the first steps into a new Hallerus had begun.The throne room had seen war plans, council betrayals, and royal declarations. But on