Laura's POV______
Laura felt exhausted as she exited the meeting room. Fortunately, the meeting was a success.
Sigh!
'I hope Aidan will give up.' Laura felt tired of dealing with Aidan. Aidan has been nothing but a headache.
About half an hour after the meeting ended, Laura found herself at the dining table where Aditya's family had gathered for lunch. She noticed that two seats were empty. Aditya's adopted brother and sister, Clara and Leo, were still in school and couldn't join them.
As she sat down, a thought crossed her mind. 'The schools here in the Istarin Empire are so good. I really need to start some schools in my own Empire too. I want everyone, not just the rich, to be able to read and write and have a chance at a better life.'
Back in the Deep Sea Palace, education was a luxury, mostly only for the wealthy. Families with money would hire private teachers to educate their kids. This meant that many people, especially those who didn't have much money, didn't get the chance to learn. If you weren't educated, it was hard to find good work or make a better life for yourself.
For wealthy families, even if just one child took over the family business or land, the other children had choices. They could use their learning to go into business, or they could try to become Knights or do other jobs that needed special skills. More often than not, those who didn't take over the family wealth became businesspeople.
Sitting there, surrounded by Aditya's family, Laura felt a strong determination. She wanted to make changes in her Empire. She wanted to give everyone, regardless of their birth or wealth, the chance to learn and grow. And for that, she knew she had to bring education to the Deep Sea Palace. If the people were educated in the long term this would greatly benefit the Empire. Everyone would get equal opportunities and tools to start in their life regardless of their backgrounds.
Laura glanced around the table, her eyes lingering on the empty chair where Aditya should have been. "Is Aditya not joining us?" she asked, a little surprised by his absence.
Watson, Aditya's dependable butler, was busy setting dishes on the table. He paused to answer Laura's question. "His Majesty has some important tasks to attend to, so he won't be able to join us for lunch today."
"I see," Laura responded, her eyes dropping to her plate for a moment. She had always thought that Aditya led a pretty easygoing life, but being around him in his daily environment had shown her just how packed his schedule really was.
She took a quick look at Aditya's family members around the table. By their expressions, she could tell that this wasn't anything new for them. They seemed used to Aditya missing meals, something that suggested the weight of his responsibilities.
Julia, noticing Laura's curiosity, chimed in. "Don't worry about Aditya, Laura. If he's skipping lunch, it usually means he's deep into something really important. My guess is he's either crafting some magical item or busy with rune drawings."
Hearing Julia's words, Laura nodded. It appeared that Aditya's life wasn't as laid-back as she had initially thought. The responsibility he held as the Emperor of an empire seemed to come with sacrifices, even simple ones like missing a family meal. It made her respect him all the more.
"So, how did your meeting go?" Alicia asked, a look of genuine curiosity lighting up her face.
"It went as planned," Laura responded, her face breaking into a warm, lovely smile.
Taking a moment to elaborate, Laura shared that another meeting was scheduled for the next day. She didn't explicitly say it, but everyone around the table seemed to understand that this meant she would be staying with them for one more day at least.
Julia, always so friendly and welcoming, spoke up. "Laura, if you're interested, I could show you around Azure City tomorrow."
"Would that be okay?" Laura questioned. "I mean, don't you have other things to handle?"
"Don't worry about it," Julia assured her, smiling. "I've decided to take a day off tomorrow. My sister Paige can look after things while I'm away."
Laura nodded in agreement, touched by Julia's generosity.
Turning to Alicia, Julia asked, "How about you, Alicia? Would you like to come along?"
Alicia's face took on a regretful expression. "I wish I could join you, but I've got to visit one of my warehouses. There have been some issues there recently. Besides, I'm also planning to expand my business, and I don't think it's something I can just leave to my staff right now. So, I'll have to pass. You two should have a good time, though."
Laura listened intently to the exchange between Julia and Alicia. She couldn't help but marvel at the warm, sisterly relationship that existed between them. Despite being engaged to the same man, there was no hint of jealousy or competition between them. They acted like real sisters, supporting one another and sharing their lives openly. This had caught Laura's attention ever since she had moved in to stay with them, and she found it truly remarkable.
'Wow, Aditya's fiances are all so different from each other,' Laura thought to herself as she looked around the table. 'Julia is like the super nice and caring older sister who's always looking out for everyone. She's like the glue that holds the family together. Then there's Alicia. She's really smart, kind, and sometimes likes to make fun of people, especially Riya. It's so funny to watch them argue about silly things. Their playful banter keeps everyone entertained.'
'And Riya,' she continued her inner dialogue, 'She is slightly obsessive with Aditya. But she's also super kind and always looking out for everyone's best interests. Lara is another story. She's really shy and doesn't talk much, but when she does, she is being honest. It's sweet.'
'As for Sasha, she might seem a little standoffish and tough on the outside, but she's got a good heart. She's just a bit guarded, that's all. Lilith, who is her mother, is the total opposite. She's clever, loves to tease people, and has a mature way about her. Given that she's a Succubus, she also has this playful, slightly naughty side that adds a spark to the group.'
'Last but not least, there's Sylvie. She's a dark elf who's obsessed with bread and drama. She even likes to stir the pot sometimes, just to keep things exciting around here.'
'Each one of them is so unique,' Laura mused, 'It's really amazing how they all bring something different to the table, yet they get along so well. It makes this family really special.'
"Laura, you haven't met Amber, have you?" Julia asked.
'Julia just mentioned a name I've been hearing quite a lot since I got here. Amber,' Laura thought to herself as she shook her head. "No, I haven't had the chance to meet her yet," she answered Julia. She had noticed that Amber's name kept coming up during the girls' conversations. It was clear that Amber had a special place in this family, being mentioned so often.
"First thing we'll do, then, is introduce you to her," Julia said, her eyes lighting up. "Amber is a really nice person, and I'm pretty sure you're going to like her a lot. She knows Azure City inside and out, so she can give us a great tour." Julia shared that Amber was not just her best friend but also one of the high-ranking generals in the Istarin Empire.
'So Amber is a general, and she's close friends with Julia. I can't wait to meet her,' Laura thought, feeling a sense of excitement and curiosity. "Alright, sounds good to me," she said, nodding her head in agreement. She looked forward to meeting this person who seemed so important to Julia and the rest of the family.
She was enjoying her time at the Istairn Empire more than she had initially expected. If she knew that she would have this much fun here, then she would have come to the Istarin Empire much sooner.
End of Pov____
Next day____
The meeting room was noticeably different. Unlike yesterday, when only three members were present to kick off the meeting, today Laura was there too, adding a fourth seat to the arrangement.
"So, the Istarin Empire suggests that we let the Thera Kingdom and the Storm Isle Dynasty join our team. Anyone against it?" Aditya laid out the topic on the table. If even one person said no, then the whole idea would be scrapped right there and then.
Daxton, crossing his arms over his chest, quickly spoke up, "The Echo Dominion Empire is fine with it." They had already gone over this topic yesterday, so this was really just Aditya making sure, one last time, that everyone was on the same page. It was more about going through the official steps than anything else.
Aidan followed right after, simply nodding his head and saying, "I'm good with it, too."
All eyes then shifted to Laura, the newest addition to the room. "And what's your take, Laura?" Aditya questioned.
Laura didn't hesitate, "I don't see any problem with it." From what she had heard from Aditya last time, it seemed both Kingdoms had been long Allies of the Istarin Empire and Aditya trusted both Kingdoms' rulers greatly. So she had no problem with them.
With everyone in agreement, Aditya concluded, "Great, we're all on the same page then. The Thera Kingdom and the Storm Isle Dynasty will officially join us. Our alliance just got bigger." He said the latter part with a smile on his face.
Charles and Ren from the Thera Kingdom walked into the room, closely followed by Sofia Davis, the ruler of the Storm Isle Dynasty. Sofia chose to keep her face hidden behind a veil.
The room, which had originally held only four chairs for its attendees, now had two more to accommodate the new entrants. Charles used to be the King of the Thera Kingdom, but he had stepped down. After his daughter Isabella married Ren, Ren took over as the new King. Even though Charles was no longer King, he stayed involved in running the kingdom by offering his years of know-how to help Ren make good choices. Today was a big day for them, joining this alliance was a massive step, especially for a kingdom as small as theirs, so Charles decided it was important enough for him to be here.
The only reason Thera Kingdom hadn't been taken over by any other kingdoms or empires was that the Istarin Empire, led by Aditya, had been their protector. From the very start, Aditya made sure to keep good ties with the Thera Kingdom. Whenever they were in a tight spot, he'd even send money to help them out. It was safe to say that the leaders of the two kingdoms were more than just formal allies; they were close friends.
Once the doors to the meeting room shut, a lengthy discussion unfolded. Seated around the table, the rulers talked about a lot of important stuff. Guided by Aditya, who took the lead, they got through their agenda pretty smoothly. They all shared ideas and took turns speaking, showing both respect and attention to each other's points.
First, they talked about new rules that should govern their alliance. They discussed how to make sure everyone played fair and how to solve any disagreements that might come up among them. They agreed on creating a committee that would look into these issues, making sure that fairness was upheld.
Next, they turned their attention to trade. Everyone thought it was a good idea to lower taxes on goods moving between their kingdoms and empires. By doing this, they could all benefit and make their citizens happier with cheaper goods.
Security and defense were up next. They talked about forming a joint army and sharing resources for protection against any outside threats. Each leader agreed to contribute troops and weapons, and they discussed strategies for common defense.
They also went over social policies, like education and healthcare. Each ruler shared what was working in their own land and what wasn't. They looked for ways to help each other improve in these areas. Maybe one kingdom had a great way of teaching math, while another had figured out a cheap way to provide medical care. They made plans to learn from each other and share these successful policies.
Finally, they talked about public relations. How would they tell their citizens about this alliance and make sure everyone understood its benefits? They decided on a series of public announcements and educational programs.
All in all, the meeting was long but productive. With Aditya steering the conversation, they managed to cover a lot of ground. By the time the meeting ended, everyone felt like they had made good progress and were on the path to a strong and effective alliance.
Really Thank you very much to all those who send support with valuable golden tickets. I hope we can keep it up!!!
