The main summit hall had been designed much like an enormous opera house, with the lower level reserved for the most important representatives while the upper level curved around it in several broad tiers, where diplomats, military officers, researchers, aides, and other members of the visiting delegations could observe everything taking place below.
Ning entered with President Morstell and immediately noticed how carefully the seating had been arranged. Every major nation had been given two seats near the podium, one for the country’s leader or primary representative and another for whichever aide or advisor they had chosen to keep beside them during the proceedings.
The remaining members of each delegation were seated farther back or in the tiers above.
Conjora’s position was close enough to the stage that Ning could easily see the podium.
President Morstell sat in the seat marked with Conjora’s emblem, while Ning took the one beside her.
The secure cases had been brought in as well and placed next to him.
President Morstell picked up a small device from the armrest beside her seat and placed a pair of translation headphones over her ears.
She looked toward Ning.
"You should wear those," she said, pointing toward the other pair that had been left for him.
Ning placed one over his ear, but there was no sound. "What are these?"
"We’ve got translators on the other side. Most of the people we meet are capable of speaking the continental language, but since they’re speaking on behalf of their nations, many of them will choose to use their native language instead."
Ning smiled and settled into his seat.
The hall continued filling around them.
The Faedrian representatives sat several sections away, where Ning could already see Leamor among the three High Elves peting for the throne, while Sisania occupied another prominent section closer to the center.
Void was there as well.
Even while seated, the man looked like an empty shadow surrounded by ordinary people, his black hood covering his head while the strange darkness around him prevented everyone else from seeing beneath it.
Ning could still see his face perfectly.
The man seemed bored.
That amused him.
Several minutes later, the doors closed.
The conversations throughout the hall slowly faded until only quiet murmurs remained, and a spotted Beastwoman stepped onto the stage.
She was a leopard woman with golden fur marked by dark rosettes, wearing a formal green-and-white uniform that carried the seal of Veronoth across one shoulder.
Ning had seen her among the officials near Prince Tarian earlier, although he did not remember being introduced to her.
The woman adjusted the microphone.
"Honored representatives, leaders, diplomats, heroes, and guests from across Hyrron, wele to Cape Mistam and to this year’s Global Summit. We hope the discussions to e will strengthen cooperation between our nations and create opportunities that will benefit all of our people."
Her name appeared across one of the displays beside the stage.
Minister Selene Marr.
The opening speech lasted only a few minutes, during which she weled the attending nations, thanked the delegations for traveling to Veronoth, and briefly explained how the day would proceed before stepping aside.
She then turned toward the side entrance.
"It is my honor to wele His Majesty, King Aldren Valecrest of Veronoth."
The hall rose.
Ning stood with everyone else as his eyes went toward the elderly man entering from the side of the stage.
This was Ning’s first time seeing the King.
Aldren Valecrest looked to be somewhere in his sixties, with silver beginning to overtake the remaining gold in his hair and several deep lines visible across his face. His posture remained straight, however, and his movements were steady enough that age had not yet taken much strength from him.
He wore no crown.
Instead, the King had chosen a dark green formal uniform decorated with gold along the shoulders and chest, while the same royal insignia Ning had seen throughout the palace rested above his heart.
Prince Tarian resembled him.
Ning could see it now.
The shape of the jaw was almost identical, along with the eyes and the way the man carried himself when stepping before a crowd.
The King reached the podium, and everyone sat again.
King Aldren waited until the hall became quiet before beginning.
"Veronoth has spent generations looking inward, protecting what we built while allowing the mountains, forests, and seas around us to bee boundaries rather than opportunities. But the world has changed too much for any nation to prosper by remaining satisfied with what it already possesses."
He spoke calmly, without the exaggerated force Ning had heard from some politicians who seemed to believe every sentence required shouting.
The King spoke of expanding Veronoth’s trade routes, particularly those passing through the western sea, while investing more heavily in ports, shipbuilding, coastal cities, and agreements that would make Cape Mistam a major point of trade between several regions.
"We possess one of the longest accessible coastlines among the western nations, yet for decades we have treated the ocean as little more than the edge of our territory, when it should instead bee the road connecting us to everyone beyond it."
Several people throughout the hall nodded.
King Aldren continued, speaking about new mercial harbors, safer shipping lanes, expanded naval protection, and plans to reduce taxes on certain imported resources so long as Veronoth received favorable access to foreign markets in return.
It was not particularly exciting to Ning.
The King did not promise impossible prosperity or pretend every decision would make everyone richer.
He spoke about what Veronoth had, what it lacked, and what he believed could be done with both.
The speech lasted roughly ten minutes.
Then King Aldren thanked everyone for attending and left the stage.
Minister Selene returned, and the summit properly began.
The first country called was Dolvar.
Its representative spent nearly twenty minutes discussing a newly discovered mineral deposit in their northern territories and the possibility of opening extraction contracts to foreign panies.
Another nation followed.
Then another.
Ning listened whenever something caught his attention and ignored most of the rest.
His real focus remained elsewhere.
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