Knowing that everything will be fine, Bina and Elijah conversation are started to get lighter and filled with smiles and laughter. On the hand, at Old Marlo and Remi side, their time has just started to become more and more merrier, back inside the Riverside Prison as the 2 got back from the office, their walk back has been halted a few times by the other prisoners that knows them, in the Prison, the Apprentices were actually a well known bunch. As at one time they were known to be their leaders, and at that time everyone looked up upon them and loved how they have been administering their towns and cities.But as the Baron took over and took them down, the people didn’t dared to put them on the pedestal ever again, as for the people they love the apprentice as their short time of ruling the people has brought nothing but peace and prosperity. Hence they can only silently support and helped the apprentice at every chances they got. Since supporting them and treated them as a leader be
“Hey! Ser Marlo!….can I asked you something?!..”.(Prisoner)“Sure, Ronny…what do you want to ask me about?…”.(Old Marlo)On old Marlo and Remi ways back to their barrack and were about to finally leave the Prison for good, they were stopped by a Prisoner that were sticking his head out at the window of their said barrack, wanting to asked a question to Old Marlo, and Marlo who is a well known figure in the prison community, per his old position and fame, also knows the guy, he is Ronny once before was a citizens of Sunders City of which Old Marlo personally know about.“I’ve seen you both leaving the soldiers office….are…you…..are you being released from the prison?..”.(Ronny)“That is the plan, Youngster….we are…all of the apprentice were being released…we have been pardoned by his highness the President himself, just now….you see…he had heard our story and kind and generous enough to all of us….I am sorry that the same kind of treatment cannot be done to you, Ronny…”.(Old Marlo)Old
Old Marlo is akin to a leader or a lord to many of the citizens of Sunders City at one time, and on top of that he was a respectable person and well beloved one at that, despite he isn’t some noble, he was given a title of overseer by the Aeternum and he has been doing his duty, to protect, manage and also care for the people and the city. So no matter how curious or anxious Ronny and the other prisoners are, they can’t just jump into the questions, so they tip toed around the matter for a little bit before jumping into the question at once. So at the moment, everyone were anxiously waiting for the answer from Old Marlo at the moment.For Ronny and the prisoners today they have watched 2 groups of people moving about at large in the Prison, the Apprentices that were going in and out of the Soldier offices and it seems that they were having a good time on their own, and then there is the Evil soldier faction, as the prisoners called it, and these people were also being move around the
“Those evil bunch?….”.(Old Marlo)“Yeah, Ser Marlo…don’t you see?…they were being take away..like , from the high noon until now…look right behind you….the already got to the middle of the prison now…”.(Ronny)“I can see that, Ronny…but don’t worry…it is something that should have been done a long time ago…it is not harmful to anyone at all…”.(Old Marlo)In the middle of their conversation, Old Marlo and Remi, upon being told about what is going on behind them turned their heads around and witnessed the scene, it was Aeternum soldier coming in and out of a barrack that were close to them and they were bringing prisoners into a truck, by now thbe prisoners that were taken away were a someone that were not at all unknown to Old Marlo, it was the man that is well known as a murderer, infamous in Sunders City, of which when entered the Baron Sunders Army just suddenly became his commanding officer and since then has been terrorizing him and the apprentice every since. So seeing that man b
“You see, we all know that those people were nothing but scum and evil people right?…”.(Old Marlo)“Yeah…that is an old news….but…continue…”.(Ronny)“Well….The soldiers knows that as well….You know…our government…are generous to many…and they were well known to help those that were in need….eve to all of us…that has once fought against them in war….you were all treated fairly in this prison right?…you got soft bed to sleep on and food to fill your belly…right?…”.(Old Marlo)“Y..yeah…”.(Ronny)Ronny stuttering is because it was true, live here in the Riverside Prison is actually moire comfortable that their lives before, as they have soft bed to sleep on and foods 3 times a day that is much more filling and delicious than they have ever tasted in all their life. Funny enough even when they were serving in the Baron army, even back then they were not treated with such luxury when they are much more deserved to be treated so, instead in Aeternum that they were treated with respect and di
“Why not, Ronny?…that is what this government are….the Aeternums has always like this….our previous lord were nothing but a failure….he punished us the innocent and lifted the guilty all the time….that is because he is corrupt and foolish….but not Aeternum….Aeternum knows who is in the wrong and delivered the punishment as always….and this….this is no different at all….look around you Ronny….all of those that were kind and upright were still here correct?…”.(OId Marlo)Upon Old Marlo calling, litteraly Ronny looked all around him and confirmed that only the normal ones that are remained untouched until now, he is now believed that Aeternum soldiers only took those that were evil with them, does this means that they might be free one day, perhaps, and maybe.“yeah…that’s right…”.(Ronny)“See?…this is because Aeternums is fair and just…so don’t worry….only those that deserved it, will be brought to face Justice…”.(Old Marlo)“Truly?….this is the truth right?…”.(Ronny)“Come on, Ronny….a
“Truly?….this is the truth right?…”.(Ronny)“Come on, Ronny….as far as you have known me…have I ever lied to you when it comes to this kind of matter?..…”.(Old Marlo)“N..never, Ser Marlo…”.(Ronny)This is just too good to be true, the Aeternum stepped up to become the delivery of Justice that has been far to long being postponed, this is just a great news to everyone. Every soldiers knows about the evil existence in their midst and still they had to fight along side them like brothers in arms, and that fact alone has destroyed them many times over. They had to stand side by side with their family killers and had to suck it up because they were drafted to fight by the Baron. It was an injustice in it’s purest form, and now finally after so long, when everyone had already started to given up that justice many not come.Instead Aeternum had come to swoop in and upheld the justice once more for all of them. This is a heart touching moment for many of the soldiers Ronny eyes were watering
“I am telling the truth, Ronny…this time, the Justice has come….and I am truly believed…that by the time that this war is over…..our land will surely be cleansed of evil and injustice….Aeternum….no….our Aeternum…will surely brought the light of change on this very land….”.(Old Marlo)Like a kind old man, Old Marlo put his hand on Ronny shivering shoulder, and finally he had surely planted the seed of change inside the young man heart and soul.“Thank you, Ser Marlo…”.(Ronny)“Hey…don’t thank me, Ronny…thank the Aeternum Government….and by the way….you and your lads should really think about the future after you get out of here….I suggest….you all to learn more about Aeternum and how to become a good citizens of Aeternum….”.(Old Marlo)“Huh?…become a good citizens of Aeternum?…why is that so, Ser Marlo?…”.(Ronny)“Well….do you think that when this war is over…everything will stay the same as it was before?….no…of course it is not…..believe me when I say this….Aeternum will win this war
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