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POV: Liora Blackwood, Senior Banking Officer, Imperial Bank of the Blackwood Empire
It was halfway through her second hour of shift when the request came in.
Liora glanced at the sleek digital interface blinking red on her desk. Her brows arched. Most loan requests hovered between 10,000 and 5 million Blackwood Credits—mainly business expansions, noble renovations, or war logistics. But this?
Loan Request: 50,000,000,000 B.C.
Requested By: Lord Veyron Blackwood, Noble of Eastern Dominion
Purpose: Infrastructure Megaproject – Blackwood Titan Rail
Her hands froze above the biometric screen.
Fifty. Billion.
She double-checked the seal. It wasn't forged. The digital ID bore Lord Veyron's signature, his biometric hash, and even a secured clearance from a Black Axe escort.
Still… no one, not even the Eastern Dominion's noble, could authorize that kind of money without imperial involvement.
Liora pressed a secure channel on her terminal and activated Verification Protocol Zeta-99, the highest-tier financial authorization line that didn't go directly to the Emperor.
Her screen buzzed. Then clicked.
"Verification Channel Open," a calm AI voice said. "Proceed."
"This is Senior Officer Liora Blackwood. Code 3R-7X-Imperial. I'm requesting verification and forward authorization of a fifty-billion Blackwood Credit loan request from Lord Veyron Blackwood."
"Reason for bypass?"
"I am not authorized to approve or deny amounts exceeding 1 billion B.C. Only the Dictator or the Emperor himself can issue clearance."
The AI paused.
"Details received. Passing request to the Imperial Treasury Council for pre-screening. The Emperor shall be notified within the hour."
Liora leaned back in her chair. That was it. Out of her hands now.
A blinking gold confirmation appeared on her interface:
"Request moved to Level Omega – Awaiting Imperial Signature."
She stood, walked to the vault window, and looked out toward the city.
Fifty billion credits…
This wasn't just a loan. It was an empire-shaping move. Something that could alter the geography of power across the Blackwood Union.
She whispered to herself, "This one's going to reach him. Personally."
And she was right.
Within the hour, the Emperor's signature—or his refusal—would echo through every corridor of wealth, ambition, and steel in the Empire.