June of the year 3787 of the continent calendar was merely an ordinary early summer month for the other nations of the Sains Continent. For the Stantin Duchy in the continent's southwestern corner, however, it was a turbulent month, one that might well leave a profound mark on the duchy's history.
At the beginning of June, after more than a dozen noble lords in the duchy fiercely opposed its efforts to install mana signal towers, the Xinfei Merchant Guild announced outright that it was severing its partnerships with them. This threw their private fiefs into chaos and frightened even those citizens of the duchy who had no connection to the dispute.
Everyone feared that if the Xinfei Merchant Guild abandoned its substantial investment in the Stantin Duchy over this, the consequences for the entire duchy would be disastrous.
In midmonth, Angklu, Conference Chair of the Stantin Duchy Congress, suddenly announced his resignation.
His public explanation was that he had served as Conference Chair for three years and, under the congressional charter, had completed his first term. For health reasons, he did not intend to seek another.
The news sent another tremendous shock through the Stantin Duchy.
Although the Stantin Duchy's rapid development over the past few years had largely depended on the Xinfei Merchant Guild's substantial investment, Congress under Angklu's leadership had played a major role that could not be ignored.
In the eyes of many citizens, he had become the most important leader guiding the Stantin Duchy toward strength.
His sudden resignation left many people deeply worried about the duchy's future.
Could his successor continue leading the Stantin Duchy forward at the same rapid pace?
No one could give a definite answer.
Congress had clearly prepared for Angklu's resignation, announcing his successor that very day: a little-known viscount from