EMPIRE REWRITTEN [Isekai ? Alt-History ? Strategy]

Chapter 21: A Vision Beyond Time

Plethon joined him, placing a reassuring hand on his pupil's shoulder. "New lands, new ideas... The world is vast, my boy. Let us rest now; tomorrow, we see what Constantine has wrought."

The Bookstore and Presses

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Morning found Plethon and Bessarion at the castle ramparts, surveying Glarentza as it awakened. Merchants hauled carts to market, fishermen untangled nets by the harbor. The city bustled with an energy that Mistras sometimes lacked.

Before long, Constantine arrived with George Sphrantzes and Theophilus Dragas in tow. "Master Plethon, Brother Bessarion," the Despot greeted, a keen excitement in his voice. "Thank you for coming. If you're willing, I'd like to show you our progress in town."

They wove through narrow streets to a solid building bearing the emblem of Morea Publishing—a stylized "M." Inside, the scent of parchment, ink, and fresh bindings immediately surrounded them. Constantine gestured proudly to the neat rows of shelves.

"Behold our bookstore," he said. "Our printing press has enabled us to produce Bibles, treatises, and—soon—Greek texts in quantity."

Plethon gently lifted a newly bound Bible from a shelf, running a hand over its cover. "Remarkable workmanship," he noted. "The clarity of the text, the uniformity of each page... this is far beyond the labor of scribes hunched over desks."

Bessarion remembered the days when a single manuscript took months—or even years—to complete by hand. Now, shelves brimmed with identical tomes. He wondered if this new age of printing might forge unexpected alliances—or if it would sow more discord by spreading ideas too quickly.

Bessarion flipped through another volume, marveling at the crisp lines. "So many copies, all so consistent. It feels... transformative."

Constantine's face lit with pride. "Our presses toil day and night. Soon, we plan to expand—more presses, more books, more knowledge shared."

They moved to the adjoining workshop, where six large printing presses dominated the room like silent guardians of words. Teams of workers carefully arranged metal type, rolled ink, and pressed pages with practiced efficiency.

"By the grace of these machines," Constantine said, leaning closer to Plethon, "we can spark a renaissance in learning. The Emperor believes spreading knowledge may unite us in ways old arguments could not."

Plethon's eyes glimmered. "Knowledge is a beacon, Despot. Handled well, it enlightens. Handled poorly, it can blind. May your endeavor be guided by wisdom."

Constantine inclined his head in gratitude. "That is my wish as well."

Dinner and Discourse

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A sumptuous feast awaited them in the castle's banquet hall that evening. Candlelight danced upon polished plates, the aroma of roasted meats and fresh herbs filling the air. Plethon and Bessarion were seated next to Constantine, with George Sphrantzes and Theophilus Dragas nearby.

For a time, the hall hummed with polite conversation and laughter. Then, once the first courses were cleared, talk inevitably shifted toward deeper matters—philosophy, policy, and the uncertain future of their empire.

"Master Plethon," Constantine began, his tone both respectful and insistent, "your reputation precedes you. I've long admired your writings. Would you share some of your thoughts regarding the Morea's future? Times grow perilous, and I see a need for innovation."

Plethon set down his goblet, resting his hands gently on the table. "I have spent a lifetime pondering how nations rise and fall, Despot. From the ancient polis to the empires that followed, each has thrived when it honored the wisdom of its people and decayed when it clung blindly to the past. We stand now at a crossroads, threatened by external powers and hobbled by internal divisions. In my view, we must look back not to replicate antiquity but to glean its lessons: the discipline of Sparta, the intellectual vigor of Athens, the administrative acuity of Rome. Yet we must adapt them all to the challenges of this century—new technologies, new enemies, and a religious schism that weighs on our every alliance."