This is the third week since the Joint Gathering began.
The town has been bustling and lively for more than ten days, with caravans, travelers, craftsmen, and artisans from all over the Sea of Corruption countries filling every open space.
The air was filled with the smells of spices, metal, and livestock, along with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and haggling in various accents.
Today, the Conference of Nations that will determine the course of interests for the next year or even several years is finally about to begin.
In this land separated by vast expanses of yellow sand, the transmission of information is extremely difficult.
Even if several major powers have a large number of airships, they cannot afford to use such expensive means to spread news.
Under normal circumstances, leaders and clan chiefs scattered in various places may never get together even once in their lifetime.
Therefore, the annual Conference of Nations is very important. It is a grand gathering where leaders from various countries come together to put aside their differences, discuss issues, and exchange key information.
In fact, the current lively Joint Gathering is nothing more than a byproduct of the Conference of Nations.
The earliest gatherings were small-scale trading activities spontaneously organized by merchants and their followers who had come with their respective leaders and had nothing to do during the meetings.
Unexpectedly, year after year, the small-scale market grew larger and larger, attracting more and more participants, and eventually became a grand event that many small and medium-sized merchants looked forward to every year.
However, the business gathering is ultimately not the main point.
As the coordinator, Haideng's practice of making money through Joint Gathering is something that high-ranking officials in various countries tend to ignore, as long as it doesn't go too far.
The meeting was held in the heart of the Mining Town, specifically in the castle west of the central high ground.
The platform is made of steel, tapering at both ends and widest in the middle, covering an area almost half the size of a football field.
The castle at one end of the platform resembles Bridge on a ship's deck, its surface covered with protrusions of unknown function, pipe joints, and observation windows, exuding a strong industrial feel.
Two wide, symmetrical bridges extend from both sides of the high platform, firmly connecting to the surrounding ring-shaped mountain walls.
Stepping inside the fortress, the luxurious interior contrasts sharply with the rugged and cold exterior.
A large amount of precious wood was used to pave floors, decorate walls, and make furniture, but even more eye-catching was the silvery-white refined Ceramic Steel that could be seen everywhere.
If it weren't for the fact that the Mining Town's Ceramic Steel production was so abundant that it could be squandered, the Ceramic Steel consumed just to decorate this fortress would have been enough to empty the entire coffers of several medium-sized chambers of commerce.
The main conference hall on the second floor of the fortress takes this luxury to its extreme.
A giant, multi-tiered crystal chandelier hangs beneath the arched dome, its hundreds of meticulously cut crystals radiating dazzling light under the illumination of the internal light source.
The walls are covered with carved decorations popular a thousand years ago, an astonishingly large circular conference table sits in the center of the hall, and fresh flower arrangements with water droplets are everywhere in the conference room.
All of this speaks volumes about the organizer's exceptional financial resources.
At this moment, the representatives from various countries had taken their seats according to the pre-arranged arrangements. Behind them were a circle of slightly lower chairs, which were prepared for the two attendants that each representative was allowed to bring.
Eight guards, dressed in fine chainmail and carrying waist knives, stood on either side of the main entrance to the conference hall. These guards from the Mining Town stood tall and straight, their eyes fixed straight ahead, responsible for maintaining the security of the venue.
Nausicaä sat in the seat reserved for the Valley of the Valley of the Wind.
To show her solemnity, she wore a thick, dark blue cloak, her smooth, short hair tucked inside a helmet with flowing silver patterns, revealing only her delicate and focused face.
This patriarchal attire diminished her girlish softness and added a touch of leadership solemnity, making her look more like a young and spirited queen.
In the entourage section, the young Elphias Doge sat upright, his eyes scanning the other delegates and their entourages with vigilance.
Elder Trudeau, holding several scrolls of blueprints, seemed somewhat restless for some reason, unconsciously tugging at his long, graying eyebrows. Across the long table, Asbel saw Nausicaä and instinctively wanted to raise his hand to greet her, but Haideng reacted faster, quickly stopping the prince's inappropriate behavior with a look.
A hint of sullen crossed Asbel's face, but he still obediently sat up straight.
Although there was still some time before the official start, the representatives from various countries who had already taken their seats were not silent; they were quietly discussing recent hot topics with acquaintances around them.
"I heard that Tolmekia's last conscription caused food shortages everywhere?"
"It wasn't just food; they took livestock, local specialties, weapons—whatever they could get their hands on, they were no different from robbers—"
"What exactly happened in Pejite? I've heard four or five versions of how things got chaotic, and some even say that Tolmekia took advantage of the chaos—"
"I've seen the Dorok's monk soldiers several times. Do people from the Monk Council even dare to come here?"
"Who knows? Maybe they're here to do business. The Dorok have a lot of good stuff, but it's a pity you can't usually buy it—"
Just then, the two heavy, ornate wooden doors of the conference hall were slowly pushed open by the servants outside, making a steady, scraping sound.
The buzzing discussion in the hall abruptly stopped, and everyone's eyes turned to the doorway.
"Hehehe, sorry, sorry, I've been busy with some trivial matters, I've kept you all waiting."
A gentle yet hearty laugh rang out first. As they spoke, a figure strode confidently into the conference hall.
The guards at the gate immediately straightened their chests, clenched their right fists and placed them against their left chests, giving a military salute that they seemed to have learned from somewhere.
The newcomer looked to be quite old, with a full head of silver hair neatly combed back. Although there were obvious wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, he walked with a powerful stride and seemed more energetic than many of the younger attendants present.
His tall and imposing figure was concealed beneath a white robe similar in style to Haideng's, the chest and back of which were embroidered with intricate gear patterns in silver thread—the emblem of the Commercial Federation.
This sprightly old man is none other than Gore, the mayor of the Mining Town and the organizer of this conference.
He was not only a town leader but also a senior member of the Commercial Federation, making him one of the few leaders who did not shy away from personally engaging in business.
After nodding slightly in all directions, Gore walked straight to the only empty seat on the round table.
However, most of the representatives in the hall reacted indifferently to his arrival.
Some people nodded politely, some glanced at them and looked away, and a few self-important representatives even showed obvious impatience on their faces.
In many people's eyes, Gore was just the mayor of a remote mining town, not even a member of the Conference of Nations, and his status was not even comparable to that of Valley of Sand, which produces rare gems.
His ability to host this conference was more due to the arrangements made by the Commercial Federation than to his own influence.
Gore seemed completely oblivious to the attitudes of those around him, his hands resting lightly on the smooth wallpaper.
"Everyone, please be patient."
"First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the representatives for traveling a long distance to visit our remote town. Your presence truly makes our humble abode honored."
After the polite opening remarks, his words became somewhat warmer.
"To make your long journey worthwhile, I have also prepared some light entertainment for you during the breaks in the meeting. The venue is located in the lower hall of the castle, and I would appreciate your presence."
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the conference hall subtly relaxed, and several representatives exchanged interested glances, with slight smiles appearing on their lips.
The "hospitality" during the Conference of Nations is an unwritten tradition. The organizers often rack their brains to showcase their unique features and financial resources, offering everything from gourmet food and special performances to unique "entertainment" with local flavor.
Since Gore dared to bring it up, he must have been prepared.
After taking in everyone's reactions, Gore's smile deepened. He said nothing more, straightened up, and cleared his throat.
"Now, I declare the 209th International Confederation of Wizards of the Border States officially open!"