The Ending (Part One)

The autumn air was crisp and refreshing, and a gentle breeze caressed the land, sending waves of golden wheat rippling across the fields.

Fiery clouds sprawled across the horizon. Carriages traveled ceaselessly in and out of the Imperial Capital's gates, while the streets teemed with people. Vendors' cries in accents from north and south blended with the unabashed voices of children to form a symphony of common life. The dense streams of passersby and traffic made for a magnificent scene of prosperity.

Teska Palace remained as magnificent as ever. The bells that told the time had rung day after day without pause ever since His Majesty the Great Emperor ascended the throne twenty years ago, marking the end of a full day's hard work.

The women finished their shifts at the sugar refinery and textile mill, then headed to the market in groups, smiling as they went to buy dinner for the evening.

The men emerged from the ironworks and warehouses, making their way to the taverns in groups of three or five. Their current wages were enough for them to go out and enjoy themselves every few days.

Children sang catchy nursery rhymes as they darted through the streets and alleys, chased home by the peacekeepers. The merchants shouted themselves hoarse, hoping to sell off all their remaining goods.

Fully armed city patrols were changing shifts. Together with the peacekeepers, they maintained order in this enormous city, whose permanent population had reached three hundred thousand.

Reiner stood atop Teska Palace, smiling as he looked down at the bustling panorama of life below.

A new nobility had taken shape through Reiner's eastern and western campaigns. Most of them had been granted titles for distinguished service during the campaign in the eastern grasslands eleven years ago, while others had been rewarded