A Day in the Life of Shien, Deputy Envoy of the Reconstruction Institute (Part One)

At six in the morning, Maren relieved the Recorder on the previous shift and entered the main office of the Sacred War Reconstruction Institute.

When the door opened, the room's lights were dim, illuminating only the desks and several defense-line maps on the wall.

The sky outside was just beginning to pale, but footsteps were already echoing through the Reconstruction Institute's stone corridors.

A stack of documents awaited review on the long table.

At the top lay several urgent orders from the Governor's Mansion and documents awaiting final review.

Beside the corner of the table lay a map of the restored supply route through the northern section of the Tear Knight Defense Line. Three points requiring another inspection by wagon had been circled in ink.

Shien sat in an armchair, having just woken from a brief sleep. His coat still hung over his shoulders, his collar slightly loose. Beside him sat a cup of cold tea, with a pen resting near its rim and a half-written instruction beneath its tip.

Maren stopped in the doorway.

He had seen this scene many times before.

As Blood Moon Season drew closer, the urgent dispatches arriving at the Reconstruction Institute kept increasing. Shien was always in his office. Shien opened his eyes, glanced at the desk, then looked toward the window. "What time is it?"

Maren lowered his head. "Six in the morning."

Shien rubbed his brow and sat up straight.

"There's still some time before the core Recorders' meeting at seven thirty," Maren said. "You slept for three hours. You could rest another half hour while I sort the urgent dispatches."

He had thought the suggestion through.

The longer Maren worked beside Shien, the better he understood what the documents on that desk meant.

Every delay, omission, or error in judgment could