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Facing the tribal elders who had spent most of their lives in the near-perfect Eden of Wakanda, T’Challa had limited means to restrain them, even though he maintained his regal composure while they continued to question his decisions.
In the end, the King of Wakanda still needed the support of these tribes. While T’Challa’s royal family had its own strong supporters, they couldn’t afford to alienate the other tribes entirely.
However, it wasn’t only the conservative-minded tribal elders who were resistant to exposing the true Wakanda to the outside world. There were also a few elders who were willing to embrace the change. It was the support of these tribes that kept T’Challa’s face from souring too much.
After the elders with conservative views had finished expressing their concerns, T’Challa was about to continue explaining the current global trends and the choices Wakanda should make.
However, just as he was about to speak, the massive doors to the chamber swung open unexpectedly. In a meeting of Wakanda’s highest leadership, it was unusual for anyone to enter at this moment. Therefore, including T’Challa, all the tribal elders turned their gaze toward the entrance.
Then, they saw the Wakandan Elder who held the Heart-Shaped Herb, dressed in a purple robe, entering with a solemn expression.
In terms of influence, this elder, who had followed the previous kings since childhood and eventually assumed the role of the guardian of the Heart-Shaped Herb and Wakanda’s Elder, held considerably more sway than the other tribal elders present.
“Why have you come?” T’Challa asked as he rose from his throne to greet the elder. He couldn’t help but be surprised by the elder’s presence since he typically didn’t involve himself in Wakandan politics.
As T’Challa approached, the elder smiled, nodded in acknowledgment, and then cast his gaze over the tribal elders on either side of the chamber.
“With such a significant event taking place, it would be wrong for me to remain secluded with the Heart-Shaped Herb,” the elder said, his tone calm but hinting at his current dissatisfaction.
After saying these words, the elder followed T’Challa’s guidance and took a seat to his right, slightly lower than T’Challa’s mother, who sat on his left.
With the sudden appearance of the elder disrupting the rhythm of the chamber, T’Challa fell silent for a moment before addressing him.
“Elder, now that you are aware of the current situation, what are your thoughts?”
Although this elder usually remained in seclusion, only emerging during the changing of kings, his presence here meant T’Challa wanted to know his opinion. If the elder supported him, it would carry significant weight in swaying the other tribal elders.
“Well, I am indeed aware of the situation. Your Majesty’s choice and the advice of the tribal elders are roughly understood by me. It essentially revolves around whether Wakanda’s current state should change,” the elder replied slowly.
Before the tribal elder seated lower down on his right could speak, he continued, “I understand the thoughts of the tribal elders. Wakanda’s rapid development over the years is not only due to our possession of vibranium but also because of our choice to distance ourselves from the other nations on Earth.”
“That’s right. Avoiding those aggressive nations on Earth was crucial for Wakanda’s continued progress. Therefore, I am against establishing diplomatic ties with an organization called SHIELD. Wakanda must remain pure to continue its rapid and stable development.”
Hearing these words from the elder, one could tell that he belonged to the more conservative faction within Wakanda. After all, with SHIELD’s growing global recognition, most Wakandans would be aware of the organization. Using the term “SHIELD” to refer to it wasn’t common in Wakanda.
After hearing the conservative elder’s remarks, the meeting room once again descended into chaotic discussions. The elder’s expression remained unchanged, but T’Challa’s frown deepened.
He hadn’t informed the tribal elders about Lin Rui’s presence yet. If these conservative elders knew that a SHIELD diplomatic envoy was currently wandering around the core city of Wakanda, it could lead to significant trouble.
Casting a calm gaze over the tribal elders in the meeting room, the elder waited until they quieted down before speaking again.
“Leaving aside the matter of establishing deep diplomatic cooperation with the external organization called SHIELD, I would like to ask all of you here whether you truly understand the current state of Earth and the countries you once looked down upon.”
Having sidestepped the previous discussion, the elder suddenly posed a different question, clearly directing it at the conservative faction among the tribal elders. Upon hearing this question, T’Challa finally felt some relief. At the very least, he could ascertain from this question that the elder was not siding with the conservatives.
“Well…” One elder began hesitantly. “Do we really need to understand? Have those nations made any significant progress in the past few centuries?”
“However, I have heard that something significant has occurred outside in recent years.”
“What significant event?”
“I’m not entirely sure about the details… But I don’t think it has anything to do with us.”
The supporters of T’Challa’s progressive faction became more spirited upon hearing the elder’s question. In contrast, the conservative elders frowned, exchanged glances, and began discussing in hushed voices. However, due to their long-standing disregard for the outside world, they couldn’t reach any concrete conclusions.
“Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors chose to use space technology that was incomprehensible at the time to detach Wakanda from Earth. The goal was to avoid the chaotic global environment and ensure Wakanda’s continued development, even with vibranium,” the elder continued, his tone transitioning from calm to impassioned.
In the wake of the subdued discussions that followed, the elder delivered a statement that resonated with everyone present.
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