Chapter XXVIII: Family Truths & Recovery
A Sister's Visit
Ruby and Roy made their way quietly to Yang's room, Ruby's heart heavy with both anticipation and worry. The past month had changed everything - not just her understanding of her family, but apparently her physical appearance as well. She could feel the subtle changes Roy had mentioned, the way her body was adapting to her awakened elven heritage.
Yang was sitting by her window, staring out at the garden with a distant expression. Her right arm was gone, the sleeve of her shirt pinned up, but what struck Ruby most was the absence of her sister's usual vibrant energy. Yang seemed diminished, as if the loss of her arm had somehow dimmed the fire that had always defined her.
Eleryc sat nearby, not intruding but maintaining a protective presence. His Saiyan-elven hybrid nature allowed him to radiate a subtle calming energy that seemed to ease Yang's visible tension.
"Yang?" Ruby called softly from the doorway.
Yang turned, and for the first time in a month, something resembling her old smile crossed her face. "Ruby. You're finally awake." Her voice carried relief mixed with something that might have been guilt. "I was starting to think..."
"I'm okay," Ruby assured her, stepping into the room with Roy beside her. "I'm sorry I was out for so long. I know you must have been worried."
Yang's purple eyes studied Ruby's face, and Ruby saw the moment her sister noticed the changes. Yang's gaze lingered on Ruby's hair, where subtle blue highlights had begun to weave through the familiar red-black gradient at the tips. Her eyes then moved to Ruby's ears, which had begun to develop the subtle points characteristic of elven heritage.
"Ruby," Yang said slowly, "your hair... and your ears... what's happening to you?"
Ruby felt Roy's supportive presence beside her as she chose her words carefully. "I discovered something about myself while I was unconscious. Something that's going to take some adjusting to. My body is... changing in response to learning who I really am."
"What do you mean, who you really are?" Yang's voice carried both concern and a protective edge that Ruby remembered from their childhood.
"I can't explain everything right now," Ruby said honestly, hating the necessity of keeping secrets from Yang but understanding the fragility of her sister's mental state. "But I promise you, someday when you're ready, I'll tell you everything. For now, just know that I'm still me. I'm still your sister, and I still love you."
Yang's gaze moved between Ruby and Roy, noting how close they stood, the way Roy's presence seemed to anchor Ruby during what was clearly a difficult conversation.
"And what about you?" Yang asked Roy directly, her protective instincts overriding her depression for a moment. "What's your role in all this?"
Roy met her gaze steadily, understanding the challenge in her words. "I care about Ruby. More than I probably should, given how complicated everything has become. But I'm not going anywhere, and I'm not going to hurt her."
Yang studied him for a long moment, her experience with relationships making her skeptical of easy promises. But something in Roy's expression, perhaps the genuine concern she saw there, seemed to satisfy her.
"Take care of her," Yang said simply, and Ruby heard both permission and warning in those words.
"I will," Roy promised, and Yang nodded as if accepting his word.
The visit continued quietly, with Ruby sitting beside Yang and sharing carefully edited stories of her recovery, while Roy provided supportive presence without intruding on the sisters' connection. Yang didn't voice her appreciation for the visit, but Ruby could see it in the way her posture relaxed, the way some of the haunted look left her eyes.
When they finally prepared to leave, Ruby turned to Eleryc, who had remained respectfully silent throughout their conversation.
"Eleryc," she said quietly, "thank you for being here for her. I know this isn't easy."
"It's where I want to be," Eleryc replied simply, his eyes moving to Yang with obvious affection. "She's worth it."
"Please," Ruby continued, "help her get back on her feet. Help her find herself again."
"I will," Eleryc assured her, the same quiet certainty in his voice that Roy had shown. "Yang's stronger than she knows right now. She just needs time and support."
As Ruby and Roy left Yang's room, Ruby felt the weight of unspoken truths heavy on her heart. The physical changes happening to her were impossible to hide, and she knew that eventually Yang would need to know everything. But for now, the love between sisters - even if they were actually cousins - would have to be enough to bridge the gap between truth and necessity.
The path ahead was uncertain, but with Roy beside her and Eleryc dedicated to Yang's recovery, Ruby felt hope that their family - however complicated its true structure might be - could survive the challenges ahead.
Weiss's Return to Atlas
The Princess Comes Home
The airship's descent toward the Schnee estate felt different to Weiss this time. Where once she had returned as Jacques Schnee's dutiful daughter, now she arrived as Princess Weiss Albanar, wife to the High Prince of the Dark Elven Kingdom. The transformation in her bearing was unmistakable - her posture carried the confidence of someone who had found her true place in the world.
Beside her, Lynnia Arkham maintained the perfect facade of a personal maid, her dark elven features concealed by subtle glamour magic. To any observer, she appeared to be simply another addition to Weiss's retinue, a skilled attendant befitting the daughter of Atlas's most powerful industrialist. In reality, she was one of the elite vanguard, personally selected by High Prince Odyn to ensure his wife's protection during her time in the Schnee manor.
"Remember," Lynnia murmured quietly as they prepared to disembark, "I am here as your personal attendant and bodyguard. Jacques cannot openly move against you, but he will attempt subtler manipulations. Trust nothing he offers that seems too convenient."
Weiss nodded, her hand unconsciously moving to touch the pendant at her throat - a wedding gift from Odyn that would allow him to sense if she was in genuine danger. "He'll try to use family sentiment and corporate duty. Those were always his favorite weapons."
As they descended the airship's ramp, Jacques waited with his typical corporate smile, flanked by security personnel and staff. His greeting was warm enough for any observers, but Weiss could see the calculation behind his eyes as he assessed her changed demeanor.
"Welcome home, Weiss," Jacques said, moving to embrace his daughter in a gesture that looked paternal but felt like a power play. "I trust your journey was comfortable?"
"Quite comfortable, Father," Weiss replied, allowing the embrace but maintaining her own emotional distance. "I'd like you to meet Lynnia, my personal attendant. She'll be staying with us during my visit."
Jacques's gaze flicked to Lynnia with the brief assessment of someone accustomed to cataloging potential threats. "Of course. Any friend of yours is welcome in our home."
Lynnia inclined her head respectfully, playing her role perfectly. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Schnee. I look forward to serving the Princess during our stay."
The subtle emphasis on 'Princess' wasn't lost on Jacques, whose smile tightened almost imperceptibly.
Family Dynamics Revealed
Their first private family gathering revealed just how much Weiss had changed during her time at Beacon. Willow Schnee, freed from Jacques's immediate oversight for their mother-daughter conversation, marveled at the transformation in her second daughter.
"You're radiant," Willow observed, studying Weiss's face with the keen eye of a mother who had spent years watching her children navigate Jacques's expectations. "Marriage agrees with you, doesn't it?"
"More than I ever imagined it could," Weiss admitted, allowing herself to show genuine happiness in her mother's presence. "Odyn... he sees me as I am, not as what someone wants me to become. He supports my ambitions while sharing his own strengths with me."
"And this Lynnia?" Willow glanced toward the door where the disguised vanguard maintained her vigilant watch. "She's more than a simple attendant, isn't she?"
Weiss smiled at her mother's perceptiveness. "Much more. Odyn insisted I not face Father's schemes without proper protection. Lynnia is... exceptionally qualified for the role."
Willow nodded approvingly. "Your husband is wise to be concerned. Jacques has been making plans since the moment he learned of your marriage. He sees it as a business opportunity rather than your personal happiness."
Even Whitley, when he encountered his sister in the manor's halls, seemed taken aback by the change in her presence. Gone was the sister he remembered as driven but brittle, replaced by someone whose confidence seemed unshakeable.
"You're different," he observed, his usual calculating demeanor giving way to genuine curiosity. "Not just older. Stronger, somehow."
"I found where I belong," Weiss replied simply. "It makes a difference when you're not constantly fighting against expectations that don't fit who you are."
"And this marriage? It's what you wanted?"
Weiss's smile was answer enough. "It's everything I wanted and more than I dared hope for."
The Watched Watcher
Jacques, meanwhile, found himself in the unusual position of being the observed rather than the observer. Every interaction with Weiss was carefully noted by Lynnia, whose presence served as both protection and deterrent. He couldn't speak to his daughter privately without the attendant nearby, couldn't make veiled threats or emotional manipulations without witness.
Queen Hyatan's warning echoed in his mind whenever he considered more direct approaches. The elven monarch had made it clear that any attempt to interfere with Weiss's marriage would have severe consequences, and the display of elven power at Beacon had demonstrated that such threats were not idle.
Still, Jacques was nothing if not adaptable. If he couldn't use force or overt manipulation, he would have to be more subtle. Corporate necessity, family duty, the needs of Atlas itself - all could be weaponized against a daughter who had always been conscientious about her responsibilities.
What he didn't realize was that Lynnia's mission extended beyond simple protection. The dark elven vanguard was also gathering intelligence on Jacques's operations, his connections, and his potential threats to the alliance between Atlas and Albanar. Every conversation was analyzed, every meeting noted, every contact evaluated for potential security risks.
"Your father grows frustrated," Lynnia observed during one of their private moments. "He expected to isolate you from your support system, to make you dependent on his approval once again. Instead, he finds himself constrained by the very presence he cannot openly challenge."
"Good," Weiss replied with satisfaction. "Let him learn what it feels like to be watched and judged by someone whose approval he cannot simply demand."
The Tightening Noose
As the days passed in the Schnee manor, Jacques found his frustration mounting with each failed attempt to isolate Weiss from her protector. Every conversation was observed, every meeting monitored, every emotional manipulation deflected by Lynnia's presence or Weiss's newfound confidence. The corporate titan who had built his empire on controlling information and people found himself outmaneuvered by his own daughter.
The breaking point came when he learned of Odyn's scheduled visit to collect his bride. Three weeks - that was all the time Jacques had left to reassert control over his daughter before she disappeared forever into elven nobility, taking with her any chance he had of leveraging her marriage for corporate advantage.
What Jacques didn't realize was that his time was already up. Weiss had been methodically documenting his corrupt practices, his illegal dealings, his manipulation of Atlas government contracts. Her position as his heir had always given her access to sensitive information, but now she viewed that information through the lens of someone who no longer needed his approval.
"The labor violations in the Mistral mining operations," Weiss murmured to Lynnia as they reviewed documents in her private study. "The bribes to Atlas Council members for favorable legislation. The environmental damage he's covered up in Vacuo."
"Your documentation is thorough, Princess," Lynnia replied, encoding another report for transmission to Albanar. "The elven nobles will find these revelations quite... illuminating."
Jacques, pacing in his office, could feel the walls closing in. His daughter had changed, become someone he couldn't read or predict. Worse, he had a nagging certainty that Weiss was gathering information that could destroy him. Every glance she gave him seemed calculating, every question about company operations felt like a probe for weakness.
"She's building a case against me," he muttered to himself, staring out at the Atlas skyline. "But for what purpose? Surely she wouldn't..."
But the doubt gnawed at him. This wasn't the daughter who had left for Beacon Academy. This was someone who had found power and support outside his influence, someone who might very well see him as an obstacle to be removed rather than a father to be obeyed.
The Intelligence Network
What Jacques couldn't have known was that every piece of evidence Weiss uncovered, every corrupt practice she documented, was being transmitted in real-time to the elven kingdom. Lynnia's mission extended far beyond protection - she was the hub of an intelligence operation that would have impressed even Atlas's own military networks.
"The financial records from the Faunus labor camps," Lynnia reported during one of her encrypted communications with Albanar. "The Princess has uncovered systematic wage theft, safety violations that resulted in deaths, and evidence of collaboration with anti-Faunus extremist groups."
The response from the elven nobles was swift and decisive. High King Berethon himself had reviewed the evidence, and his judgment was clear: Jacques Schnee represented exactly the kind of corruption and cruelty that the elven kingdom opposed. His treatment of Faunus workers, his environmental destruction, his manipulation of democratic institutions - all were crimes that demanded response.
"The elven nobility is... displeased," came the encrypted reply to Lynnia. "When Prince Odyn arrives to collect his bride, he will not be coming alone. Several members of the Council of Lords wish to have words with Mr. Schnee regarding his business practices."
Lynnia smiled grimly as she decoded the message. Jacques Schnee had spent his career believing that money and influence could shield him from any consequence. He was about to discover what happened when someone crossed a people whose power predated human civilization and whose sense of justice was both ancient and absolute.
The Desperate Window
Jacques could feel time running out, though he didn't understand the true scope of what was coming. His attempts to isolate Weiss had failed, his emotional manipulations bounced off her new confidence, and his corporate authority meant nothing to someone who now held the title of elven princess.
He began making increasingly desperate calculations. Perhaps he could arrange an "accident" for Lynnia, removing Weiss's protection and forcing her to depend on him again. Perhaps he could manufacture a crisis that required Weiss to stay in Atlas indefinitely. Perhaps he could find some leverage over the elven kingdom itself, some way to force them to leave his daughter under his control.
What he didn't realize was that each desperate scheme was being observed and reported. Lynnia's network had infiltrated his security, his communications, his most trusted advisors. Every plan he conceived was known to the elves before he even finished formulating it.
"He's becoming erratic," Lynnia reported to Weiss during one of their evening briefings. "His latest idea involves staging a White Fang attack that would require you to remain in Atlas for 'security reasons.'"
Weiss's expression hardened. "He would endanger innocent people to maintain control over me?"
"The evidence suggests he's considering it seriously. However, our people have already neutralized the mercenaries he was planning to hire. The 'attack' will never materialize."
"Good." Weiss's voice carried the cold authority of someone who had finally seen her father for what he truly was. "Let him show his true nature. When Odyn arrives, there will be no question about who Jacques Schnee really is."
The Reckoning Approaches
As Odyn's visit drew closer, Jacques found himself trapped between his growing desperation and his increasing awareness that he was being watched by forces beyond his understanding. Every scheme he devised seemed to crumble before he could implement it. Every source of leverage he tried to develop mysteriously became unavailable.
The corporate titan who had built his empire on information control and strategic manipulation was discovering what it felt like to be outmatched by opponents who had been playing these games since before humans learned to write.
In three weeks, Odyn would arrive to collect his bride. But he wouldn't be coming alone, and he wouldn't be coming just for a social visit. The evidence that Weiss and Lynnia had gathered would ensure that Jacques Schnee faced consequences that his money and influence could never deflect.
The corruption that had seemed so secure behind corporate walls and political connections was about to meet the judgment of beings whose concept of justice was both ancient and absolute. And Jacques Schnee, for all his cunning and cruelty, was completely unprepared for what was coming.
The Day of Reckoning
The grand ballroom of the Schnee Manor had been transformed for Jacques's carefully orchestrated party, designed to restore faith in the SDC following the chaos at Beacon. Crystal chandeliers cast elegant light over Atlas's elite - corrupt nobles, corporate executives, and political figures who had built their wealth on the same practices that had made Jacques Schnee one of the most powerful men in the kingdom.
"Beacon's fall was inevitable," one councilman declared loudly, his voice carrying the arrogant certainty of someone insulated from consequence. "Vale's weakness invited disaster. If they had proper corporate oversight like we have here in Atlas..."
"Quite right," agreed a mining consortium leader, raising his glass. "Their bleeding-heart policies toward Faunus, their environmental restrictions - it was bound to collapse under the weight of its own idealism."
Jacques smiled and nodded at these pronouncements, though privately he felt the weight of impending doom pressing against his chest. Odyn's arrival was imminent, and with it would come whatever consequences the elven kingdom had planned. But surrounded by his supporters, he tried to project confidence.
Winter Schnee stood near the ballroom's entrance in her Specialist uniform, her expression carefully neutral despite her obvious discomfort with the gathering. Beside her, General Ironwood surveyed the crowd with the tactical assessment of a military leader who had learned to recognize potential threats.
"These people," Winter murmured to Ironwood, "they're celebrating while Beacon's survivors are still recovering from trauma."
"Your father's allies have always prioritized profit over people," Ironwood replied quietly. "Recent events have simply made their true nature more obvious."
The conversation was interrupted by a commotion near the main entrance. The massive doors opened to reveal a figure that commanded immediate attention - Odyn, High Prince of Albanar, his elven armor gleaming with subtle magical enchantments, his presence radiating the kind of authority that came from centuries of noble breeding.
Behind him walked figures that made the assembled nobles shift uncomfortably - members of the Elven Council, their ancient faces carrying the weight of millennia, their eyes holding judgment that transcended human understanding of justice.
The Reunion
Odyn's eyes immediately found Weiss across the ballroom, and his face transformed with genuine joy and relief. The prince moved through the crowd with fluid grace, nobles stepping aside instinctively as he approached his wife.
"My beloved," Odyn said softly as he reached Weiss, taking her hands in his and studying her face with obvious concern. "I have missed you terribly. Are you well? Has your father treated you with the respect due a princess of Albanar?"
Weiss's smile was radiant as she looked up at her husband, the difference between her genuine happiness and the polite mask she wore around her father's associates becoming starkly apparent to everyone watching.
"I am well, my prince," she replied, her voice carrying new confidence and authority. "Though I have learned much during my time here about the true nature of certain business practices."
The subtle emphasis on her final words was not lost on Jacques, who approached with his corporate smile firmly in place, though sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Prince Odyn," Jacques said with forced warmth, "welcome to our home. I trust your journey was comfortable?"
Odyn's gaze moved to Jacques with the kind of assessment that made grown men reconsider their life choices. "Mr. Schnee. Yes, the journey was quite informative. We had much time to review the reports my wife and her guardian have been sending."
The temperature in the ballroom seemed to drop several degrees as the implications of those words sank in.
The Council's Judgment
Elder Councilor Thaelon stepped forward, his ancient voice carrying easily across the suddenly silent ballroom. His appearance was that of someone who had witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, whose understanding of justice was carved from millennia of experience.
"Jacques Schnee," Thaelon began, his words resonating with power that made the crystal chandeliers chime softly, "you stand accused of crimes against the natural order, systematic oppression of the innocent, and corruption that has caused immeasurable suffering."
The gathered nobles shifted uncomfortably, suddenly realizing they were witnessing something far beyond normal political maneuvering.
"We have reviewed extensive evidence of your practices," continued Councilor Morwen, her voice like winter wind through ancient trees. "Labor violations that resulted in deaths. Environmental destruction that poisoned entire regions. Collaboration with extremist organizations. The systematic oppression and exploitation of Faunus workers."
Jacques's face had gone pale, but he tried to maintain his composure. "I'm sure there are misunderstandings that can be resolved through proper diplomatic channels-"
"There are no misunderstandings," interrupted Councilor Silvanus, his eyes blazing with contained fury. "Your daughter has provided documentation that would be sufficient to convict you in any court of law. But we are not here to rely on human justice systems that you have so thoroughly corrupted."
The weight of centuries pressed down on the ballroom as the Council prepared to deliver their verdict.
A Fate Worse Than Death
"Death would be a mercy for one such as you," Thaelon declared, his voice carrying the finality of absolute judgment. "But mercy is something you have never shown others, so it shall not be shown to you."
The Elder Councilor raised his hand, and elven magic filled the air with power that made every person in the room feel the weight of their own mortality.
"By the authority vested in us by the Crown of Albanar, and in accordance with laws that predate human civilization, we pronounce our judgment: Jacques Schnee, you shall live to face the consequences of every choice you have made. Every worker you have exploited shall be compensated from your personal fortune. Every family you have destroyed shall be restored at your expense. Every crime you have committed shall be undone by your own hand."
The magic settled around Jacques like chains made of light, binding him to obligations that would consume the rest of his life.
"Furthermore," continued Councilor Morwen, "your corporate assets shall be placed in trust, managed by those who understand the value of life over profit. You shall work - truly work, with your hands, as those you exploited have done - to repair the damage you have caused. Only when every wrong has been righted, every victim compensated, every poisoned land restored, shall you be free to rest."
"And should you attempt to evade this judgment," added Silvanus, "should you try to flee or find loopholes or technicalities, the binding shall ensure that you experience personally every suffering you have caused others. Every moment of pain, every hour of desperation, every day of hopelessness - all shall be yours to endure."
Jacques staggered under the weight of the magical binding, his face a mask of horror as he realized the scope of what had been imposed upon him. Around the ballroom, his allies began backing away, suddenly understanding that their own practices might invite similar judgment.
"This cannot be legal," Jacques gasped, "Atlas has sovereignty-"
"Atlas has sovereignty over Atlas," Thaelon replied calmly. "But you have committed crimes that transcend borders, harmed citizens of many kingdoms. And your daughter, as Princess of Albanar, had every right to seek justice from her adopted people."
Weiss stepped closer to Odyn, her hand finding his as she looked at her father with a mixture of pity and resolve. "You taught me that power should be used to protect what matters most, Father. You just never understood that what matters most isn't profit or control - it's the people whose lives we have the ability to improve or destroy."
The Transfer of Power
General Ironwood stepped forward as the elven judgment concluded, his military bearing commanding respect even in the presence of ancient beings whose authority transcended human institutions.
"By joint agreement between Atlas and the Kingdom of Albanar," Ironwood announced, his voice carrying across the stunned ballroom, "Jacques Schnee will be placed in military confinement under my direct supervision until such time as his obligations under elven law can be fulfilled."
Jacques, still reeling from the magical binding that ensured his compliance, found himself flanked by Atlas military personnel. The corporate titan who had once commanded boardrooms and influenced kingdoms was now reduced to a prisoner awaiting transport to a military facility.
"Furthermore," Ironwood continued, "Princess Weiss Albanar, as the rightful heir and now sole authority over the Schnee Dust Company, has been granted full discretion over the corporation's future operations and structure."
All eyes turned to Weiss, who stood beside her husband with the bearing of someone who had found her true calling. The woman who had once struggled under her father's expectations now radiated the confidence of someone backed by both love and ancient authority.
"The Schnee Dust Company, as it has existed under my father's leadership, ends today," Weiss declared, her voice carrying clearly through the silent ballroom. "The systematic exploitation, the environmental destruction, the corruption that has defined its operations - all of that ends now."
Murmurs of alarm rippled through the assembled nobles, many of whom had built their own fortunes on partnerships with Jacques's unethical practices.
"However," Weiss continued, raising her voice to quiet the growing unrest, "the infrastructure, the resources, and the workers who depend on this company for their livelihoods will not be abandoned. Instead, they will be integrated into a new structure - one that serves the people rather than exploiting them."
The Stunning Announcement
Elder Councilor Thaelon stepped forward, his ancient voice carrying news that would reshape the political landscape of Remnant.
"The Schnee Dust Company's assets, resources, and operations will be absorbed into the Elven Kingdom of Albanar," he announced, his words landing like thunderbolts in the shocked silence. "This integration will ensure that dust mining and distribution operates according to principles that value both environmental stewardship and worker welfare."
The gasps of surprise from the assembled nobles were audible, but Thaelon was not finished.
"Furthermore, we announce the establishment of the Albanar Republic, with its capital city located in Vale - which has been reclaimed and purified by elven armies following the defeat of the Grimm infestation."
The revelation sent shockwaves through the ballroom. Vale, written off as lost by many of these same nobles, had not only been reclaimed but transformed into the seat of elven power in Remnant.
"This is impossible," sputtered one of Jacques's former business partners. "Vale was overrun, destroyed! The Grimm-"
"The Grimm have been purged," Councilor Morwen replied calmly. "Elven magic, combined with the determination of human survivors and the coordination of allied forces, has restored Vale to habitability. The city now serves as a symbol of what can be accomplished when different peoples work together rather than exploit one another."
Winter Schnee, who had remained silent throughout the proceedings, finally spoke. "General Ironwood and I have been coordinating with the elven forces for weeks. The reclamation of Vale has been one of the most successful joint military operations in recorded history."
The New Order
Odyn placed a supportive hand on Weiss's shoulder as she addressed the stunned crowd.
"The integration of SDC operations into the Albanar Republic is temporary," Weiss explained. "Until the threat of Salem and her forces is eliminated, our resources must be focused on supporting the war effort and rebuilding what has been destroyed. Once stability is restored, we will determine the best long-term structure for these operations."
"But make no mistake," she continued, her voice carrying the authority of both her noble marriage and her hard-won wisdom, "never again will dust mining be conducted through slave labor, environmental destruction, or the systematic oppression of Faunus workers. The new operations will be conducted according to elven principles of sustainability and equality."
The implications were staggering. The most powerful corporation in Atlas was being absorbed into a foreign kingdom, Vale had been transformed from a ruined city to a capital of elven power, and the corrupt noble network that had profited from Jacques's practices was suddenly cut off from their primary source of wealth and influence.
"You cannot simply steal Atlas's primary industry," one councilman protested, his voice shrill with panic.
"We are not stealing anything," Elder Councilor Silvanus replied with icy precision. "Princess Weiss Albanar has made a voluntary decision regarding her inheritance. The corporation belongs to her by right of succession, and she may dispose of it as she sees fit."
"Moreover," Thaelon added, "the environmental and humanitarian crimes committed by this corporation have caused damage across multiple kingdoms. The victims in Vale, Vacuo, and Mistral deserve restitution, which will be provided through the reformed operations."
The Aftermath
As the evening's revelations sank in, the assembled nobles began to understand the magnitude of what had occurred. Their world had changed irrevocably - the corrupt corporate structure they had relied upon was gone, replaced by systems that prioritized ethics over profit.
Jacques, bound by elven magic and facing a lifetime of making amends for his crimes, was led away by Atlas military personnel. His empire had crumbled not through hostile takeover or market forces, but through the judgment of beings whose understanding of justice transcended human concepts of corporate law.
Weiss watched her father's departure with a mixture of sadness and resolution. "He could have chosen differently," she said quietly to Odyn. "He had every opportunity to build something that helped people rather than exploited them."
"Some people are too invested in their own power to see beyond it," Odyn replied gently. "But you have chosen differently, my love. The Albanar Republic will be a place where dust serves to build rather than destroy, where workers are partners rather than tools."
The transformation was complete - from the ashes of Beacon's fall and the corruption of Atlas's elite, a new power had emerged. The Albanar Republic, with Vale as its capital and Weiss as one of its leading voices, represented hope for a different kind of future - one where ancient wisdom and modern innovation could work together to serve all the people of Remnant.
The corrupt nobles who had celebrated Beacon's fall now faced a world where their practices would no longer be tolerated, their exploitation would no longer be ignored, and their victims would finally receive the justice that had been denied for too long.
To be continued in Chapter 29: Departure; Next Steps