The conference room is large but not overly fancy. Long table, comfortable chairs, tall windows letting in morning light. King Alden sits at the head with the chancellors and other leaders arranged around the sides. Eldrin, Lucien, Seraphina, and Aurelia sit with me on one side.

  I think back to last night after dinner when we were discussing today's plans.

  Vesper declined to join, saying she'd rather sleep in and then explore the city. Can't blame her. Liora wanted to visit the marketplaces to see what's available. She's more interested in vegetables and crops than sitting through political discussions.

  Aurelia wanted to go to the marketplace too, but Seraphina and Lucien convinced her to come to the talks instead. Knowing what's being planned would give her better context for purchasing decisions. She agreed, though she still looked uncertain about it.

  I'm a bit jealous of Vesper and Liora, honestly. Politics sounds like work. I'd rather be at an auction house looking at magical artifacts or wandering through markets trying street food.

  But I committed to this back at the hot springs with the Demon Lord and the Pope. I should see it through.

  Plus, I've been encouraging Aurelia to participate. I have a responsibility to make sure her voice is heard. The Pope is a good person and will probably look out for her anyway, but I still feel responsible.

  King Alden clears his throat, bringing the room to attention.

  [Alden] "Thank you all for taking the time to join us this morning. I know some of you traveled quite far to be here. Let's begin with an update on the coalition government's status. Chancellor Mirelle?"

  [Mirelle] "Of course, Your Majesty. As of yesterday's count, approximately half of the Aldencrest refugees have begun making their way back into the territories. Nobles from Respera, Rathen, and Eryndor have been dispatched to assist with rebuilding efforts. They're currently establishing administrative centers in key locations. Selenith has dispatched several artificers and donated artifacts to aid in reconstruction, particularly for infrastructure projects."

  Supreme Mage Lysara nods.

  [Lysara] "Water purification, food preservation, communication arrays. Standard package."

  [Mirelle] "Quite. The church has also dispatched several bishops and priests to help with social establishment and community organization."

  Pope Orell adds gently.

  [Orell] "Our priority is ensuring the people feel supported during this transition. Spiritual guidance, certainly, but also practical assistance with resettlement. A warm meal and a safe place to sleep do more good than a hundred sermons."

  I nod. Makes sense. People need more than prayers when they're rebuilding their lives.

  [Mirelle] "Additionally, several Aldencrest nobles have petitioned to be part of the new government structure. They claim they did not agree with the previous regime and were ostracized to remote territories as a result. They are currently occupying those territories, and the areas appear stable, with some refugees having fled there during the collapse."

  Aurelia interrupts.

  [Aurelia] "Which nobles?"

  [Selis] "Count Brexit of the eastern valleys, Baroness Marn of the northern highlands, and Baron Telfort of the river plains."

  Aurelia's eyes widen slightly. Her posture straightens.

  [Aurelia] "Those are good people. Everyone knew it back then. Count Brexit I met once. He was nice, though angry about the corruption. He tried speaking up and got shut down for it."

  King Alden leans forward with interest.

  [Alden] "That's valuable perspective. It's good to hear from someone who actually lived there."

  Chancellor Velira folds her hands gracefully atop the table, a polite smile curving her lips as her eyes sharpen.

  [Velira] "With all due respect to Miss Aurelia's experience, we cannot rely solely on personal accounts. Thorough interviews and proper documentation would be prudent before appointing anyone to positions of authority."

  [Kaelith] "Indeed. I've met many who seemed trustworthy. Until they weren't."

  [Eldrin] "Even good people can lack the skills needed for governance. Heart and competence don't always align."

  [Orell] "I agree we should be thorough, though Aurelia's perspective gives us a helpful starting point. The people know who stood with them when it mattered."

  I nod. They're being careful. Good. Better to take time now than regret it later.

  Chancellor Mirelle makes a note.

  [Mirelle] "The church and Selenith's mages will be put in charge of conducting the information gathering. Once that's complete and we've verified the candidates, they'll be integrated into the coalition government structure."

  She looks up from her notes.

  [Mirelle] "Governance of the territories will be shared among nobles from all participating nations, alongside Aldencrest nobles who prove themselves suitable. Appointments will be determined by each candidate's abilities and experience, as well as the unique needs of each region. These arrangements are intended to support stability and will be revisited once the country has found its footing."

  [Selis] "Ideally, some of the Aldencrest nobles stay in power and keep their territories. Less disruption, and it shows this isn't about turning them into vassal territories."

  [Velira] "Precisely. We aim to build something new, not merely absorb what remains."

  [Eldrin] "Keeping familiar faces in leadership helps. People trust what they know. Too much change too fast breeds chaos."

  [Lucien] "If we're building something new, we should start with a new name. A fresh start requires a fresh identity."

  Chancellor Selis's tail swishes with interest.

  [Selis] "I like that. Makes it clear this isn't just Aldencrest with new management."

  [Mirelle] "It would help with legitimacy. Both internally and in how other nations perceive them."

  [Alden] "That's an excellent point. Does anyone have suggestions?"

  Supreme Mage Lysara taps her fingers against the table.

  [Lysara] "The Concordant Provinces. Unity-focused. Simple."

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Chancellor Selis wrinkles her nose.

  [Selis] "Sounds like a trade agreement, not a country."

  [Seraphina] "What about the Phoenix Realm? Rising from the ashes! There's a certain poetic beauty to it, don't you think?"

  [Kaelith] "Poetic. Also absurdly dramatic. We're building a nation, not staging a play."

  [Orell] "Perhaps the Restoration? Simple and hopeful."

  [Mirelle] "It works, but it might imply they're simply restoring what was rather than building something new."

  [Velira] "The United Valleys? Geographic. Straightforward. Utterly uninspiring, I admit, but functional."

  [Selis] "Boring as dishwater."

  Several people chuckle at her bluntness.

  Aurelia, who's been listening quietly, suddenly speaks up.

  [Aurelia] "What about Terravene?"

  King Alden repeats it slowly, testing the sound.

  [Alden] "Terravene..."

  Supreme Mage Lysara's fingers stop tapping.

  [Lysara] "Terra. Earth, land. Foundation and growth. Better than the others."

  [Selis] "And it actually sounds like a country. Not too fancy, not too plain."

  Pope Orell smiles warmly.

  [Orell] "It's lovely, my dear. New land, new beginning. Well done, Aurelia."

  [Kaelith] "Acceptable. Far less theatrical than Phoenix Realm."

  Seraphina claps her hands together.

  [Seraphina] "Oh, I adore it! Much better than mine, I'll admit. Though Phoenix Realm did have a certain dramatic flair!"

  [Eldrin] "It's a strong name. Suggests both stability and renewal."

  [Lucien] "It's appropriate and memorable."

  I nod along with everyone else. Terravene sounds good. Simple, but it works.

  Aurelia has gone very still. There’s a small smile, but her lips move imperceptibly, like she's quietly saying the word to herself one more time. Testing it. Making sure it was actually a good idea.

  She still looks a little surprised that anyone agreed.

  [Mirelle] "Then we'll move forward with Terravene. We'll need to draft a formal announcement for the birth of the new nation."

  [Velira] "We should coordinate the announcement carefully. Simultaneous releases from all kingdoms would present a unified front."

  [Alden] "Agreed. We'll work on the official documentation."

  Chancellor Selis clears her throat, drawing attention to the next topic.

  [Selis] "Now that we have a name, let's talk territories. Around seventy percent of former Aldencrest lands, now Terravene, are rich, fertile farmlands. Perfect for sustaining themselves and growing enough for trade. But here's the thing..."

  She pauses for emphasis.

  [Selis] "We can discuss trade agreements now, but they can't be official until the coalition government is actually formed. If we just decide everything here, the people will resent it. Undermines the whole legitimacy angle we're going for."

  King Alden nods but leans forward.

  [Alden] "I understand the concern, but the nations here should receive priority consideration. We've all contributed significantly to the relief efforts. It would be difficult to justify to our citizens if we spend public funds aiding another nation without any tangible return."

  He spreads his hands.

  [Alden] "We're following the Goddess's oracle, yes, but we still need to show our citizens some advantage to justify the expenditure."

  [Orell] "Faith and devotion are wonderful things, but they don't put bread on the table. The Goddess would understand practical realities."

  I nod. Can't argue with that. Helping people is good, but you still need to explain it to your own people.

  [Velira] "We could reserve a certain percentage of the harvest for each contributing nation. The allocation would reflect each country's contribution to the relief efforts. Quite fair, I believe."

  [Mirelle] "And the harvest could be traded using credits based on current market prices. Each country receives the harvest as repayment for their contributions. Once that debt is fully paid, we can negotiate standard trade exchanges instead."

  [Aurelia] "No interest though! The people rebuilding didn't cause the collapse. The corrupt nobles did. Why should we pay for someone else's mistakes?"

  [Orell] "Absolutely. Interest would contradict the spirit of the relief effort. We're helping them stand, not profiting from their struggle."

  I nod. They're right. These are people just trying to get their lives back together.

  [Alden] "Fair. My country benefits from both access to new crops and having contributed to the Goddess's oracle. That's advantage enough."

  [Lysara] "Burdening a new nation with growing debt defeats the purpose. They need to build, not dig out of a hole."

  [Kaelith] "Agreed. My citizens will rejoice at the prospect of new ingredients. The durian alone justifies our entire contribution."

  Several people chuckle at that.

  Pope Orell looks around the table.

  [Orell] "So we're all in agreement then? Priority access through harvest credits, no interest, standard trade once contributions are repaid?"

  [Alden] "Respera agrees."

  [Lysara] "Selenith as well."

  [Kaelith] "Eryndor is in agreement."

  [Selis] "On behalf of Queen Vorath, Rathen is also in agreement."

  I nod. We're all on the same page.

  The chancellors begin discussing logistics among themselves, pulling out additional documents and comparing notes.

  [Selis] "Then we have a framework. I'll get Rathen's scribes started on the formal agreements."

  [Mirelle] "We'll coordinate with all kingdoms to ensure the language is consistent. I'll have preliminary drafts ready for review by tomorrow."

  [Velira] "We should schedule a follow-up meeting once the new government is set up to finalize the details."

  [Alden] "Let's move on. We still need to discuss establishing a farming economy for Terravene, for both standard and otherworld crops."

  There's a knock at the door. A servant enters, bowing.

  [Servant] "Your Majesty, lunch is ready."

  [Alden] "Bring it in here. We'll eat while we work."

  The servant bows and leaves. Within minutes, staff file in carrying trays. Roasted bird glazed with herbs, steamed root vegetables glistening with butter, fresh bread, a light soup, grilled fish. Simple but well-prepared. They arrange everything along one side of the conference table.

  People stand to fix plates and return to their seats. The conversation picks right back up.

  I grab some food and settle back into my chair. Roasted bird, fish, bread, a scoop of vegetables. Good enough.

  Someone is explaining something about creating jobs. I catch the tail end of it as I pull apart a piece of bread.

  I nod.

  The soup is warm. Rich, with a faint herby undertone. I focus on that for a moment longer than I probably should.

  Someone responds to someone else. There's a back and forth. I glance up.

  I nod again.

  The fish is flakier than last night's. I wonder if it's a different preparation or just a different cut. Outside the tall windows, the sky has shifted from pale morning to a clean midday blue. A bird lands on the sill briefly, then leaves.

  I reach for more bread.

  ---

  It's night. After two full days of deliberation, it's finally over.

  Honestly, I stopped paying attention somewhere in the middle of the first day. Politics isn't my thing. Good thing Eldrin gave me the summary afterward.

  The farming economy will be supported by the new nobles forming the coalition government. Relief funds will go toward rebuilding fields and roads, which conveniently doubles as job creation for returning residents. The church will gather volunteers. Selenith offered transportation and agricultural artifacts. Apparently they can regulate temperature across entire farmlands to maintain optimal growing conditions. That part I actually found interesting.

  Then came the otherworld crops. I'd forgotten they originate from a world completely devoid of magical energy. That revelation brought the room to a halt. There was a long, uncomfortable pause where everyone simply stared at me. Eldrin stepped in, suggesting designated testing fields to experiment with cultivation. Our village will run its own trial so we can compare results. That alone sparked another lengthy debate about knowledge sharing and whether the crops would grow at all. It went on for hours.

  There were additional talks about trade routes, distribution centers, supply chains, and a bunch of other things that blurred together into something that sounded productive. By the second day I had perfected the art of nodding.

  In the end, I'll need to purchase seeds in bulk for the new Terravene residents. We also agreed to open village trade to each nation's specialties once the new country stabilizes. Eldrin handled most of the details.

  I'm glad I didn't have to do much. Just showed up, nodded in the right places, and let the people who actually know what they're doing handle things.

  My eyes are heavy. I close them, letting sleep find me.