Arthur arrived at the command pavilion expecting problems.
There was always a problem. A shipment delayed. A worker dispute. A drainage issue. A merchant complaint. Something. The city ran on problems—identifying them, solving them, moving to the next. That was the rhythm of his life.
He walked to the planning table. Spread out the morning reports. Prepared to find something that required his attention.
Warehouse operations: normal.
Traffic flow: normal.
Construction schedules: normal.
Water system: normal.
Market prices: stable.
Labor force: stable.
He read everything twice. Then three times.
The reports were not lying. The city was functioning. Not barely. Not with hidden issues waiting to surface. Working. Correctly. Efficiently. Without him.
Arthur stared at the papers. Surely something was wrong. There were always failures. Inevitable. Predictable. Part of the system.
But not today.
