Chapter 141: The Directed Potential
The silver-leaved sapling outside Bren's door became a symbol of hope and integration. People from Anchor and beyond would come to see it, touching its leaves not for a vision or an answer, but simply to feel its quiet, anchoring presence. The Tree of Potential, as it became known, was a living reminder that the Glade's work was not sequestered in a distant mountain valley, but was now a part of their own soil, their own daily rhythm.
Yet, even as the principle of "Purposeless Nurturance" took root in the hearts of many, the world's older, harder patterns were not so easily erased. In the imperial capital, the conservative faction led by Lord Gavron had lost the public debate, but they had not surrendered. They had listened to Vale's speech about the "field left fallow" and the "strong, open hand," and they had begun their own, twisted interpretation.
