POV: Liora Blackwood (formerly Liora Kess), Senior Banking Officer, Imperial Bank of the Blackwood Empire
The air inside the Imperial Bank was cooler than usual. Everything in the building was polished to perfection—black marble floors, deep golden chandeliers, and translucent glass panes bearing the Blackwood seal etched with fine diamond-tipped lasers. But Liora didn't need the temperature to feel the chill.
She glanced at the massive Blackwood Standard Clock on the wall. 10:01 AM. The Empire had strict working hours—no one entered the premises before 10 AM. And everyone, no matter their position, had to clear out by 4:00 PM sharp. One second late… and the Black Axe Men handled it.
And they didn't knock twice.
Liora sat behind the armored glass of her desk, watching the steady trickle of citizens step into the bank. Everyone wore their finest. Even peasants now came into the bank with neatly combed hair and pressed uniforms. It wasn't vanity—it was survival.
She looked down at the paperwork stacked neatly on her desk.
—Name Reaffirmation Forms
—Currency Conversion Slips (Pre-Blackwood to Official Blackwood Credits)
—Citizen Debt Reports
—Asset Seizure Requests (Traitor Families or Non-Compliants)
Liora had worked here before the Empire rose. Back when names were still fractured and wealth was decentralized. She remembered the chaos. The confusion. The corruption.
Now? Everything was traceable. Every coin, every account, every vault access was logged in the Empire Registry, a central digital fortress built under the watchful eyes of Chris himself. Only two people had override access—Chris Blackwood and the Dictator. Not even the High Nobles could interfere.
The door buzzed. A man stepped forward to her window. His fingers trembled slightly as he slid forward his ID.
"Name," she asked without looking up.
"Uh… Joram. Joram Kale—uh, Joram Kale Blackwood."
She looked up, her eyes sharp.
"There's no 'uh' in your surname. Either you carry the Blackwood name, or you don't belong in this empire."
"S-sorry," he stammered, eyes wide.
She nodded and scanned his ID. A yellow flag blinked. He was late on his reassignment tax. That meant land seizure was already in motion.
She tapped her console.
"Your property is being reassigned to the Public Development Force. You'll be relocated to the Border Work Zone 13A. Transportation departs tomorrow at 7 AM. You will not be late."
His face dropped. "Please, Miss—"
"That will be all." Her voice was flat, final.
Next.
Another citizen. This one—a woman in uniform. Military. She was there for her monthly credit allocation.
"You've served two years at the border post?" Liora asked.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Black Axe or Military?"
"Black Axe, ma'am."
Liora's eyes softened just a bit. She tapped again and authorized an extra bonus. "Thank you for your service. The Empire sees you."
The soldier nodded, holding back emotion. Even gratitude had to be silent here.
By the time the bank neared 3:59 PM, Liora had already begun her shutdown process. No one dared linger past curfew. The entire banking floor emptied with precision.
At 4:00 PM sharp, heavy armored locks sealed the vaults. The floor dimmed. Liora placed her Empire Ledger Scroll into its compartment. She logged off.
Then stood, heels clicking as she walked to the exit.
Outside, tanks were already patrolling. Black Axe Men stood like statues, their golden-masked helmets shining beneath the setting sun.
This was the Empire she lived in.
An empire of power. Of order. Of total silence after 4 PM.
And deep down, Liora loved it.