Inside a government meeting room, the leaders sat around the table, weighed down with concern over the ongoing food shortage. Every few days, they gathered to discuss the crisis, hoping—so far in vain—to find a viable solution.
But at this time of year, only the autumn planting had just begun, and there would be no harvest until next year.
The surplus grain from the summer harvest had already been used up, and they had even resorted to buying from middlemen. Still, the quantity was far from enough to support the entire country.
After a long silence, the new Mayor finally asked, "Is there really no other solution? Delaying the rations any longer is not an option. The pile of complaint letters on my desk is almost touching the ceiling."
Though everyone in the room knew he was exaggerating, the truth behind his words was undeniable. Under the Mayor's stern gaze, the officials lowered their heads. They could wrack their brains for days, but they couldn't conjure grain from thin air.
