It was a crisp autumn morning in the heart of the Imperial Palace. The sun, still low in the sky, cast a golden hue over the sprawling gardens, and the distant hum of the city was a faint reminder of the bustling life beyond the palace walls. Inside the grand halls, however, the atmosphere was one of intense focus and deliberation. Alfonso, the Emperor of the Oriental Empire, was seated at the head of a long, ornate table in his private chamber, deep in conversation with Andrés, the Minister of Internal Affairs.
The room, adorned with tapestries depicting the Empire's glorious past, was a stark contrast to the modernity that Alfonso had championed throughout his reign. Yet, it was a fitting setting for the discussion at hand—a discussion that would lay the groundwork for one of the most ambitious projects the Empire had ever undertaken.