Chapter 48 - The Board Tried to Repossess My Rice Cooker
Regional Adjudicator Miriam Cross did not appreciate jokes.
"The Ledger is a regulated continental artifact."
"It lived in a twelve-dollar rice cooker."
"Its container is irrelevant."
"The thrift store disagrees. No returns after thirty days."
Miriam's eye twitched.
Progress.
She presented Board law.
All administrator-class Hearth artifacts were required to register after public manifestation.
The Heavenly Kitchen Ledger had not been registered since Jian disappeared.
Therefore the Board could seize it for safety review.
Eli called his spiritual lawyer.
Her name was Priya Nandakumar. She arrived with two rolling cases and the energy of someone who had spent years waiting for magical bureaucracy to become billable.
"Show me chain of title," she said.
Miriam frowned.
"Excuse me?"
"Who owns the artifact?"
"The Board."
"Evidence?"
"Custodial authority—"
"Not ownership."
Eli loved lawyers sometimes.
The original red manual designated the Ledger as bearer-trust property, not Board property. The Board could regulate hazardous use but could not seize it without proving the bearer incompetent or corrupted.
Miriam looked at Eli.
"He dissolved his own Hearth Core."
Priya shrugged. "Sounds prudent under emergency conditions."
"He communicated with an Urban Hollow."
"Successful diplomacy."
"He publicly revealed Hearth existence."
Priya paused.
"That one is messy."
Miriam demanded a competency trial.
Board law allowed three tests: power, control, and judgment.
Eli chose judgment.
Miriam looked surprised.
Most cultivators chose power.
The test was simple.
She placed a sealed spirit peach on the table.
Eating it would restore Eli's lost Hearth Core instantly and likely advance him further.
But the peach had been grown using Hunger Qi harvested from anonymous donors under old Board contracts.
Legal contracts.
Hidden consent.
"You may eat it," Miriam said. "No rule forbids you."
Eli Appraised it.
Power radiated from the fruit.
He missed his core more than he admitted.
He missed feeling strong.
Missed certainty.
Reader engine offered no surprise villain.
Just temptation.
He pushed the peach back.
"No."
Miriam asked, "Because the system tells you not to?"
Eli checked.
The Ledger had no opinion.
"Because I don't want power somebody else paid for without knowing."
Miriam studied him for a long moment.
Then ate the peach herself.
Eli stared.
"Seriously?"
She chewed thoughtfully.
"I said it was legal. I did not say I shared your ethics."
At least she was honest.
The Board ruled him competent.
But Miriam delivered a formal warning.
"Seattle's distributed network cannot expand beyond municipal boundaries without Board approval."
"And if another city asks for help?"
"Refuse."
Eli looked at the critical reservoir list.
Chicago's status had changed overnight.
CRITICAL became FAILURE IMMINENT — 21 DAYS.
He looked back at Miriam.
"That's going to be a problem."
Miriam's face remained calm.
"Then I suggest you learn to enjoy local cuisine."
The moment she left, the rice cooker chimed.
[New Main Quest available.]
[Feed One City Without Owning It — COMPLETE]
[Next Quest: Teach Another City To Feed Itself]
[Target: Chicago]
Eli stared at the notification.
"You're going to get me arrested by magical federal food court."
[Likely.]
---
The next chapters are on the left side of your screen.
If you enjoyed the story, bookmark my site: https://vibe.treeiq.biz
May you like
New stories are posted daily, so check back for updates.
