Chapter 95: Adjustments

The morning was crisp, with a light mist rolling across the cobbled streets of Sylvania as Matthew Hesh stepped out of his automobile. The War Ministry loomed ahead, its imposing stone façade adorned with banners of the Grand Republic. Soldiers stood at attention near the entrance, their polished boots gleaming in the pale sunlight.

Inside, the atmosphere was one of tense urgency. Staff officers moved briskly through the corridors, clutching papers and exchanging clipped conversations. Matthew adjusted his coat and followed an aide who had been sent to escort him to the conference room.

As he entered, the room quieted. Seated at the long table were some of the most powerful military figures in the Republic. General Nathaniel Warner was at the head, flanked by General Henry Caldwell and Brigadier General Samuel Grant. Maps, reports, and sketches cluttered the table, a testament to the scale of planning underway.