Subjugation and judgment

Alvin raised his head and met Shien's gaze. "You have no authority to strip me of my territory or my status directly."

The officials inside the warehouse all looked at Shien.

A local lord's status and authority involved the Church's investiture and the order of the defense zone.

Even if embezzlement had been uncovered at the Third Outer Warehouse, even a high-ranking official from the Tear Knight Defense Line would struggle to strip a lord of his rights directly.

Shien's expression remained unchanged. "I have no authority to revoke your status as a lord, but the Reconstruction Institute will seal the Third Outer Warehouse's ledgers, take over its storage operations, and compile a complete body of evidence.

"As for your offenses, District Supervisor Bishop Orwen of the Water Spirit Defense Zone will judge them."

Alvin stood silently before the table.

He understood Shien's approach. Managing the Third Outer Warehouse was merely an additional duty he held, granted by the Governor's Mansion in Tear Knight City. With authorization from the Governor's Mansion, the Reconstruction Institute could indeed revoke it directly.

His status as a lord, meanwhile, would be judged by the defense zone's Church, with the District Supervisor Bishop deciding what happened next.

Alvin had intended to use his status as a lord to safeguard his position as warehouse superintendent. Now Shien had separated the two.

Although he still retained control of his territory, he had lost access to policy decisions, warehouse personnel, and supply records.

The color gradually drained from the warehouse managers' faces. Several recorders also looked toward the personnel on either side of the warehouse entrance.

"Effective immediately, all amendments to provisional accounts at the Third Outer Warehouse will cease. Every shipment entering or leaving must be jointly signed off by a recorder from the Reconstruction Institute and