The great court convened again—this time, not for accusations, but to draft a new arm of governance.
The Ministry of Innovation, a term never uttered before in this realm, was born in ink and decree. It would answer directly to the Crown—and be chaired by none other than Sharath Darsha, under royal oath.
"I will not be your puppet," Sharath had said in private to King Harilan IV."You will be our bridge," the king replied, with a gaze heavy as millstone.
The agreement was precise:
Sharath retained control of the blueprints.
All production would occur in approved regional hubs.
Quality, ethics, and training would be audited by the ministry.
Profits from licensing would be split between the Empire, the province of Darsha, and reinvestment funds for public infrastructure.
Even the sharp-tongued Minister Vurell begrudgingly signed, muttering, "Better to ride his wheels than be run over by them."
And thus, a young innovator became an institution.