After that, the two returned to the inner castle of Iron Mountain Fortress without incident.
That was when Victor noticed something he had overlooked before: Iron Mountain Fortress had grown remarkably quiet.
He hadn't felt it while the counts were there, but now they and their entourages had left Iron Mountain Fortress.
Victor immediately realized the fortress was nowhere near as lively as it had been on his last visit.
Alex seemed to notice Victor's puzzlement and volunteered an explanation. "Most of our family's servants have moved to Iron Tree City in the Central Region, along with my mother and younger siblings. Only a few old servants remain at Iron Mountain Fortress to look after it and keep the castle quiet and tidy.
"The whole inner castle used to house not just my family, but my uncle and his family too. They all died in battle alongside my father. With the rest of us gone as well, it's only natural that the place feels empty.
"Besides, Iron Mountain Fortress isn't suited to living in anymore. The outer city is full of workshops supplying the Iron Birch Family's army. It's now North York County's largest production center after Northwind City, so it really isn't a place to live."
Alex looked a little sad as he spoke. He had grown up here, after all. Victor could only pat him on the shoulder in comfort.
Victor stayed at Iron Mountain Fortress for another two days, until the Telegraph Merchants' Guild sent its experts. With Alex accompanying them, Victor and the experts toured some of the Iron Birch Family's workshops and factories. They assessed North York County's manufacturing capacity and technical capabilities firsthand, then settled on the next steps for building the county's telegraph lines with local resources.
After reviewing the situation, the Telegraph