Prince William tapped his foot repeatedly against the polished marble floor, his restlessness growing as the cil session drew closer to e. The grand auditorium, a sprawling pace-like structure, buzzed with tension. At its heart stood a raised ptform where the adjudicator’s table awaited, poised for the ing deliberations. Encirg the tral floor, hundreds of tiered seats climbed upward in tric rows, their octs representing the political fas of the vassal kingdoms and the imperial family.

  The seating was divided into five key fas:

  The Estra Fa – Representing the Kingdom of Estra, known for its staunch loyalty to the Ana Empire.

  The Hliem Fa – Representing the Hliem Kingdom, a ndlocked territory renowned for its vast mineral wealth.

  The Foster Liam Fa – Representing the indepe city-kingdom of Foster Liam, a hub of erd innovation.

  The Lona Fa – Representing the Lona Kingdom, famed for its fertile pins and agricultural strength.

  The Imperial Fa – Representing the Ana Empire itself, including members of the imperial family, ministers, and envoys.

  The cil of Vassal States was ay unlike any other in the empire. Established during the creation of the Ana Empire over 700 years ago, it was a union of kingdoms that had voluntarily joihe empire in exge for a degree of autonomy. In principle, decisions affeg the vassal states were made through a majority vote in cil sessions, with the empire pledging to honor the cil’s rulings—a erstone of the inal pact.

  This pact had been devised by the empire’s founder, who believed the cil would devolve into infighting, weakening the vassal states and leading them to willingly surreheir autonomy. Yet, trary to those expectations, the cil remained united, wielding substantial influe held such power that, under imperial w, a unanimous vote could even dissolve the vassal states’ ties to the empire entirely—a topicreasingly whispered among the vassal nobility, though no formal motion for secession had ever been made.

  Seated among the Imperial Fa, Prince William was a striking presence. His sharp eyes sed the rows of seats above, where his elder brother, Prince Landon, sat alongside the Justice Minister in the more prestigious se for speakers. Landon appeared to be engaged in a lively versation, his posed demeanor exuding fidence.

  William gritted his teeth, his frustration boiling over. Somehow, Landon had vihe Justice Mio allow him to speak during the session—a privilege rarely afforded to aside the highest echelons of the imperial court. It was a maneuver William found unsurprising but infuriating. The ministers of the imperial court rarely ed themselves with the southern vassal states, ofteing their issues with calcuted indifference.

  With a heavy, exasperated sigh, William turo Eugene, seated beside him. “You told me we’d enter a stroke of luck by ing here,” William muttered bitterly. “A, look at that pompous bastard. He’s going to speak for the imperial family and bask in the glory ohe Men Dukedom situation is resolved.”

  Eugene, with a calm and calg demeanor, offered a knowing smile. “Patience, Yhness. Landon may steal the spotlight for now, but that won’t st. When we reach the Men Dukedom to eradicate the magical beasts, we will uncover something far greater. Something that will give you the edge you need in the succession.”

  William huffed, his annoyanly partially abated by Eugene’s reassurances. “He always gets the upper hand,” he grumbled under his breath.

  Eugene leaned closer, his voice steady and deliberate. “Do not uimate fate, Yhness. The imperial family has always thrived on perseverand opportunity. This time will be no different.”

  Before William could respond, the resonant sound of a ceremonial staff striking the tral table echoed through the grand auditorium, sileng the murmurs of the assembly. The adjudicator, a high priest of Solious stood tall, his flowing white robes adorned with intricate gold embroidery. His presenanded reverence as his pierg gaze swept across the room.

  With deliberate authority, he began, “Wele, esteemed members of the cil, to Session 1403, vened in the year 1804 following the Absolute Being’s demise.”

  The hall grew utterly silent, save for the faint rustle of robes and whispers of anticipation.

  “This session carries a weight far greater than most,” the adjudicator tinued, his voice calm but grave. “Today, higher-ranking representatives of each fa have assembled to address an urgent crisis threatening the stability of the vassal states. As dictated by our ws, let us proceed without undue deliberation.” Turning toward the high seats of the Estra Fa, he gestured respectfully. “Prince Finel Gustav, representing the Kingdom of Estra, you have called forth this emergency meeting. Please enlighten us on the cause of this assembly.”

  Prince Finel Gustav, rose from his seat. With deliberate precisioook a jasmine flower inscribed with faint magical runes from his pocket. Crushing it between his fingers, the runes shimmered briefly, amplifying his voice to carry across the vast hall.

  “Honored members of the cil,” Finel began, his tone formal yet edged with urgency. “I once again offer my apologies for summoning this meeting on such short notice. However, the matter at hand demands immediate attention. We have received a direct report from Duke Men that a-floor dungeon has spawned within his territiven the unpreted threat this poses, the royal court of Estra has deemed it imperative to act swiftly.”

  He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in before tinuing. “Additionally, intelligence suggests that the ley Empire may exploit this situation to advao the mountainions of the Men Dukedom. Such a move could destabilize not ora but the entire region of vassal states.”

  The assembly erupted into murmurs, nobles and ministers exging ed ghe presence of a dungeon was already a perilous matter. The suggestion of fn interventioehe stakes even further.

  From the imperial fa’s seats, Prince Landon stood, his polished demeanor exuding authority. “The imperial court shares your s, Prince Finel,” he decred, his voice amplified by magic. “We reize the dire implications of this situation and fully support mobilizing a rge strike team to tain the dungeon’s threat and prevent any enents into the Men Dukedom.”

  His statement, however, did not go unchallenged. A sharp voice rang out from the opposite side of the chamber, inating from the Foster Liam Fa’s se. All eyes turo Minister Ryan Frank, a promi duke of the city-kingdom, who had bee a vocal critiperial policies.

  “With all due respect to the imperial court and the imperial family, Yhness,” Ryan began, his tone edged with both defiand de, “it is highly inappropriate to rush into aerely because this dungeon lies withierritory of your uncle, Duke Men. This smacks of favoritism and undermihe autonomy of the vassal states.”

  The room buzzed with muted agreement from several fas, particurly those harb growing distent with imperial influence. Foster Liam, a thriving city-kingdom, had bee a nexus for such dissent i years.

  Ryan pressed on, uerred by the visible tension his words provoked. “Furthermore, the cim of ley’s supposed advances into the mountains is purely specutive. We have yet to see a single shred of verifiable evideo support this assertion. Prejudiced assumptions are a poor foundation for cil decisions.”

  His gaze shifted briefly to the Estra delegation before returning to Landon. “If anything, this matter should be sidered an internal issue for the Kingdom of Estra to resolve indepely. The cil should not overstep its bounds in aiding a kingdom that has suffit resources to address this on its own.”

  The chamber buzzed anew with debate, the sharp divide in opinion palpable. The adjudicator raised his staff again, the echo of its strike cutting through the noise.

  “Order, esteemed members,” he anded firmly, rest silehe cil shall deliberate on the merits of the proposals presented. Let us proceed with measured discourse and uphold the unity upon which this body was founded.”

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