Empires of Emptiness

Chancellor Friedrich Kessler stood behind the ornate lectern of the Reichstag, his voice booming through the chamber as cameras from around the world captured every word. "Germany," he declared, "We will dictate, we are the mind of Europe, and Europe is the garden when rest of the world is still stays jungle, and it is time for them to recognize that!"

Applause erupted—at first from his ministers, then from his supporters beyond the marble walls. But not everyone clapped. Diplomats from allied nations looked uneasy. The media ran headlines not of pride, but of alarm.

In the weeks that followed, Kessler doubled down. He dismissed scientific advisors warning about ecological crises, mocked economic caution, and withdrew from long-standing treaties, saying, “We don’t need others to tell us what’s right.” His inner circle, bloated with yes-men, echoed his arrogance.

But silence soon replaced applause. Trade partners imposed sanctions. Defense treaties were revoked. Tourists disappeared. Students stopped applying for visas. The once-bustling European hub began to flicker dim. A new technology alliance was announced between Asia, Americas, and Africa—without Europe.

One night late winter, Chancellor Kessler entered the parliament's great rotunda. It rang hollow. No reporters, no foreign envoys. Silence. He turned to his reflection in the glass: firm shoulders, square jaw, hollowed eyes.

No sound at all when he spoke to himself in a cracked voice: "What good is being right… when you're all alone?"

Moral: 

Pride deafens even the wisest until only silence answers back.

Inspiration:

The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance. - Albert Einstein