A Battlefield Without Swords
Folks say the yearly trade gathering in Valemont kicked off with words from the town's top officials.
A grand space once filled with feasts now held quiet order. Down its center, long rows of smooth tables ran like tracks through stillness. Before every delegate sat tools ready: mics beside screens, tags aligned just so. The air felt tight with expectation.
A hint of coffee drifted through, mixed with the quiet smell of clean wood. Morning light touched the floorboards, soft underfoot.
The moment city officials walked up, noise in the room began to fade. People stopped talking as attention turned forward.
A figure shifted, straightening the frames on his nose before sound spilled from the mic.
"Next year, Valemont will focus heavily on environmental protection."
"We must reduce carbon emissions and improve industrial sustainability."
A glow spread across the back wall, filling it with graphs and numbers.
