Tear Knight City's Workshops, Shien's Reform Plan

The Reconstruction Institute's first set of paperwork procedures had begun running on its own, and Malun and the others could now handle most verification work independently.

Shien no longer needed to sit in the records room watching over every sheet of parchment.

It was time for the next step.

Shien sent word to Tear Knight City's main Arsenal and Artisan Workshop.

The Reconstruction Institute would verify the physical stock of military equipment next.

The Arsenal replied quickly, agreeing to cooperate.

The Artisan Workshop also sent word that several masters had received the notice and could await the deputy envoy's summons at any time.

After reading both replies, Shien decided to inspect the weapons first and see how much the Tear Knight Defense Line had left in stock after several intense onslaughts during the Blood Moon Season.

Tear Knight City's main Arsenal stood northwest of the Inner Fortress.

It was a vast stone storehouse excavated against the mountainside. Its outer walls were built from enormous gray-white blocks, carved all over with Sacred Flame, lances, and teardrop emblems.

Statues of lance-bearing Holy Knights stood on either side of the stone steps, like two ranks of guards who had long since fallen silent.

When Shien arrived, the main Arsenal's heavy iron doors were slowly opening.

As their hinges turned, gears rumbled deep within the walls.

Edmund, Tear Knight City's armaments officer, came to greet him.

Edmund was nearly fifty but still stood straight. His dark-gray officer's robe was neatly pressed.

His manner toward Shien was far more respectful than expected.

Over the past two weeks, Deputy Envoy Shien's name and deeds had spread throughout Tear Knight City's clerical and military branches.

The deputy head of military supplies had been stripped of his authority to allocate provisions, more than a hundred dossiers of fraudulent