The room was filled with the quiet hum of anticipation. The walls of the Great Hall were lined with guards, their expressions unreadable as they stood rigid at attention. Rows of seats held high-ranking officials, military leaders, and ministers, their faces somber as they awaited Tsar Ivan III's arrival.
At the center of the hall stood a simple podium bearing the Ruthenian emblem. The radio transmitters and microphones were set up, ready to broadcast the Tsar's address to every corner of the nation. Outside, the capital was eerily silent, the streets patrolled by state police enforcing the newly issued curfew.
The heavy doors at the back of the hall creaked open, and Tsar Ivan III entered, flanked by his advisors. He walked with measured steps to the podium, his military coat buttoned to perfection. His sharp eyes scanned the room before he began, his voice steady and deliberate.
