Aurelius sat quietly inside his study like every day, enjoying the rare moments of peace that his position occasionally allowed him, although his mind was still occupied with the discussions that had taken place during the recent conference where the rulers of all the empires had gathered.
Resting neatly beside him was a finely woven basket filled with carefully cut bars of Dar chocolate that had been arranged with surprising precision, making the expensive confection appear almost like a decorative display rather than a simple snack, and over the past several days he had unconsciously developed the habit of reaching for one whenever he spent long hours dealing with official documents.
