In an alternate 2026, Patrick Castle, the 177-IQ founder of Nautlix, has triggered the Fifth Industrial Revolution. Valued at 25.6 trillion dollars, Nautlix utilizes nuclear fusion, robotics, and terraforming technologies to reverse global warming and expand the global population to 16 billion. This hyper-scale era has propelled the US GDP to nearly 88 trillion dollars and dramatically expanded global economies.

This hyper-abundance has also transformed the luxury sector. Capitalizing on a whale population boom that increased ambergris supplies, LVMH’s market cap has tripled to 810 billion dollars. Rather than relying on American tech, Bernard Arnault utilizes proprietary French rapid-maturation technology to age spirits four times faster, meeting skyrocketing global demand.

At a glittering LVMH gala celebrating this prosperity, the French elite toast the future. Amidst the grandeur, Manon, a 24-year-old wine magazine editor, notes how easily world-class delicacies can now be enjoyed. However, she poses a poignant question: in this era of boundless abundance, does the blinding speed of progress ultimately make humanity feel smaller? As the evening passes, it is clear this psychological shift is only the beginning.