Nov 24, 2025
Author's Commentary #633:
Time to talk about Chapter 633: Spotlight #17: Nevena.
We're back to spotlights, and spotlights of SPCM/DSPCMs at that. This time it's Nevena, Barbro's mom. Unlike in the main story, here I decided to outright confirm the New Republic of Paeonia is actually North Macedonia.
Since North Macedonia was one of the nations that either finished in the top 10 and/or had a player win an individual gold during the IRL 2024 Chess Olympiad, I felt I needed to include the country in some way shape or form. Here, I decided that the story would revolve around a girl, Barbro, who feels ashamed about her country's approach to history, and thus, sought to chart a new course of history for it. Obsessed with Esperanto due to her lineage, she instantly rewrote history via the power of the DESPER, showcasing how frighting the devices truly can be.
However, it wasn't a perfect erasure, and as a result, North Macedonian culture still burns on in souls like Nevena. In a video game adaptation, Nevena's story for the overall series would revolve around gaining enough strength to overthrow Barbro and restore North Macedonia to how it was before she took over.
That being said, Barbro does have some pride for her Macedonian lineage as she opted to choose "Paeonia" as the name for her new nation. For those that don't know, there once existed a kingdom known as Paeonia that was believed to have boundaries that encompassed a majority of modern-day North Macedonia. That being said, the Paeonian name is the only thing Barbro likes thanks to her cult-like obsession with Esperanto. Perhaps one day, Nevena will manage to set her straight.
That's all for this commentary. I hope you enjoyed it.
