The morning sun bathed the Emerald capital in a warm, gilded light, illuminating a city that had been entirely reborn. The once heavily fortified market squares were now vibrant hubs of continental commerce. Merchants from the Pearl Kingdom laid out shimmering bolts of water silk next to Obsidian blacksmiths proudly displaying their intricate, heat forged metalwork. The air was thick with the scent of roasted chestnuts, sweet blooming jasmine, and the salt of the eastern sea carried on the gentle breeze. The unified economy was not just surviving; it was roaring.
Inside the sunlit western wing of the Emerald Palace, the atmosphere was considerably more focused. The heavy oak desk was covered in neat stacks of parchment, detailed architectural blueprints, and thick leather bound ledgers.
