Interlude - Undercurrents (Part One)

Shoutout to Bruh_Vista for beta-reading and providing extensive feedback for this chapter!

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Something strange was brewing in the Maika Duchy. Although that sector of the Solar Empire was known to be an economic powerhouse, the recent numbers regarding tax accumulations and overall economic health (in terms of money circulating within the system) had placed it at a much higher-than-expected standing.