Chapter Summaries

After the fleet emerged from the storm, Victor ordered repairs and aid for the damaged ships and injured serfs. Golden Transport No. 5 was saved, but dozens of crewmen and serfs remained missing as the fleet paused to search and inspect its vessels.

• Victor ordered Captain Brox and Sodoma to assess damage, check on the serfs, and distribute hot chamomile tea.
• Sodoma joined Victor and Captain Brox, and a sailor reported that Golden Transport No. 5 was badly damaged and its serfs had suffered casualties.
• Captain Brox and Sodoma led shipwrights in repairing Golden Transport No. 5 while its serfs were transferred to other vessels and Victor treated the injured.
• The fleet's crew used hand-operated piston pumps and plugged the breach, saving Golden Transport No. 5 by dusk.
• Sodoma reported that sixteen crewmen and thirty-eight serfs were missing, and Victor ordered further inspections and small-boat searches before the fleet resumed its voyage.

Victor’s fleet rescued eight survivors from a storm, reached Sea Song Town, and arranged for the serfs and ships to be unloaded. Victor then headed upriver toward Wood Fort Town and met James at Riverside Village.

• Victor’s fleet rescued eight survivors from Golden Transport No. 5, and Victor rewarded the sailor who had saved them with ten gold coins and training under Blox.
• Three days later, Victor’s fleet arrived at Sea Song Town, where Captain Jack welcomed him and reported on the new ships and the Great Fish River’s ice.
• Victor assigned Blox to oversee unloading, had Vincent arrange the serfs’ settlement, and directed Sodoma’s fleet to dock at Sea Song Town.
• Victor and Captain Jack sailed west upstream toward Wood Fort Town, with trackers helping tow the ship through low-water stretches.
• Victor reached Riverside Village the next morning and reunited with James, who had been sent by Uncle Wembley to welcome him.

Victor returned to Wood Fort Town by ship, discussed plans for the fleet and new recruits, and reunited with his family and Veronica at the docks. He left the docks embracing Veronica as Lady Ellie urged them all to go home.

• James met Victor and told him that Baron Brown and Viscount Marcus were well, that a barbarian tribe with over three hundred light cavalry had joined them, and that he wanted Victor to meet Sura, Baron Purple Clover's third son.
• Victor chose to continue by ship, and James used packhorses to help tow it toward Wood Fort Town before riding ahead to notify the town.
• Captain Jack told Victor he was willing to hand naval warfare duties to Sodoma, and Victor said they would discuss transferring the warships after they met.
• As the ship approached the docks in falling snow, Victor saw his parents, younger brother, younger sisters, and Veronica waiting for him.
• Veronica ran to the end of the pier, and Victor leaped from the ship to reach her, wrapped his cloak around her, and embraced her.
• Lady Ellie interrupted their reunion and told them to go home because it was cold and crowded at the docks.

Victor reunited with his family at the dock after returning to Wood Fort Town, while his father worried over the dangerous mission Victor had undertaken. During the carriage ride home, Victor and Veronica set aside talk of work and kissed.

• Victor sent Veronica back to the carriage and arranged for the guards and ship’s cargo to return to the manor.
• Victor found Wembley waiting in the snow, and Wembley checked that his son was unharmed before warning him not to tell Ally about the interception mission.
• Victor and Wembley discussed the strain of managing the territory’s departments, and Victor recognized that the current system needed to change.
• Wembley caught Enlek hiding beneath a carriage bench and took him and Irene to the other carriage.
• Veronica clung to Victor’s arm when he tried to discuss research, then moved into his embrace, and they kissed.

Victor returned to the estate with Veronica and joined his family for a warm banquet before speaking privately with Wembley about his dangerous expedition. Wembley approved of Victor’s actions but urged him to consider his responsibilities and revealed that he had arranged for Veronica’s family to come so they could hold the wedding.

• Victor and Veronica arrived at the estate, where Irene hurried Veronica inside to join the waiting family.
• Victor took the seat of honor at dinner while Veronica, Lady Ellie, and Irene chatted and teased him about his childhood.
• After the banquet, Wembley took Victor to the study and scolded him for risking his life and losing eleven of his forty-seven guards.
• Victor apologized and recounted the expedition, including the interception operation and the defeat of the vanguard army.
• Wembley praised Victor’s achievements, asked him to be more careful, and said he had invited Benjamin’s family to arrange Victor and Veronica’s wedding.

Victor discussed the wedding and the territory’s administration with Wembley, who urged him to restructure its growing bureaucracy and stay closely involved with the army. Victor began planning administrative changes with Number One, while awaiting Alex’s visit from Iron Birch Territory.

• Wembley told Victor he would handle the wedding preparations and leave the territory’s affairs and army to Victor.
• Wembley advised Victor to restructure the administration because too many officials relied on Victor’s direct orders and the northern and southern territories were difficult to manage from one place.
• Wembley said Alex would soon arrive from Iron Mountain Fortress, and reassured Victor that equipment deliveries to Iron Birch Territory had gone smoothly.
• Victor discussed administrative matters with Wembley, then tasked Number One with creating a practical system plan based on the territories’ circumstances and Wembley’s advice.
• Victor thanked Wembley and said he would inspect the territory and gradually make adjustments, while Wembley encouraged him to ask for help and start a family with Veronica.

Victor trained his guards, announced an exam to promote them into officer roles, and encouraged them to lead troops in future battles. After breakfast with Wembley and Lady Ellie, he and Veronica traveled to her workplace, where he flirted with her in the carriage.

• Victor beat his guards during morning training, then announced an exam that would determine their new positions and urged them to become officers to protect more soldiers.
• Victor privately told Veronica that even guards who failed the exam would return to the army as company commanders because the forces needed mid-level officers.
• Victor and Veronica joined Wembley and Lady Ellie for breakfast, and Victor told them he and Veronica planned to visit the laboratory and possibly Riverside Village.
• Victor pulled Veronica into the carriage after breakfast, and she protested when he tried to kiss her because her students would be at her workplace.

Victor visited Veronica’s laboratory and learned that her team had built a steam-powered generator and a working wired telegraph. The telegraph sent coded messages over two thousand meters, and Victor promised to reward everyone for their contributions before asking for a tour.

• Victor entered the laboratory and found a steam traction engine where the diesel engine test rig had stood.
• Octavia mistook Victor for a thief, but Veronica reassured her and Victor apologized for touching the equipment.
• Octavia explained that the steam traction engine powered a generator connected to two telegraphs, which communicated over two thousand meters using long-and-short codes.
• Veronica credited Octavia with devising the code and contributing to the engine’s miniaturization, while explaining that Victor had inspired the telegraph and several other inventions.
• Victor praised the team, promised them rewards, and asked Veronica and Octavia to show him around the laboratory.

Victor visited Veronica’s laboratory, learned about Octavia’s background and wishes, and then inspected the diesel train operating near Riverside Village. The chapter ended with Victor proposing future railway expansions, while Veronica cautioned that labor and resources would be limited before the civil war ended.

• Victor praised Octavia’s intelligence, and Veronica insisted that Octavia join them on a visit to Riverside Village.
• Victor learned that Octavia had been born a bonded slave, excelled at the territory’s education center, and became Veronica’s student and research assistant.
• Octavia asked Victor to free her parents and relatives from their contracts, and Victor promised to do so and provide them money.
• Victor, Veronica, and Octavia arrived at Riverside Village and watched the diesel train return to the steelworks carrying ore.
• Victor questioned the train’s crew about its capacity, schedule, and fuel use, then discussed building railway connections with Veronica.

Victor inspected the Steelworks and paper mill, praised their staff, and agreed to fund a telegraph line between Riverside Village and Wood Fort Town. Meanwhile, Viscount Ferry’s forces seized Baron Sebas Raspberry’s castle, and Ferry prepared to continue the campaign despite a messenger alerting Governor Dansol.

• Victor asked Ramsay about the Steelworks’ safety problems, confirmed casualties remained within his targets, and checked that families received full compensation.
• Victor praised Veronica’s paper mill team and announced rewards, though the mill’s progress remained limited by a shortage of Salt-leaf Trees.
• Victor agreed to fund a telegraph line and planned to remind Alex to deliver the ordered trees.
• Viscount Ferry’s forces confronted the wounded Baron Sebas Raspberry, who warned that Governor Dansol would rally the Coalition of Nobles against them.
• Viscount Ferry killed Sebas, told Cohen to calm the Raspberry troops, and said their campaign would continue.

Viscount Ferry led Ironvine’s army as Count Lloyd launched a rebellion across Cornwall County, while Cohen watched the forces depart and Governor Dansoer struggled to respond. The chapter ended with news reaching Silver Maple City that Tyre City had fallen, Dansol Cassava had died, and Cornwall County was in chaos.

• Count Lloyd ordered Viscount Ferry, Baron Nio, Baron Eamon, and Baroness Kailan to lead three armies against loyalist territories and Tyre City.
• Viscount Ferry rallied his soldiers and marched east, while Cohen questioned whether betraying Sebas had been right.
• Ironvine’s forces captured the territories of the three other vassal families and crushed loyalist nobles who tried to resist.
• Viscount Dansoer summoned Cornwall’s independent nobles after learning Raspberry Territory had fallen, then discovered Count Lloyd’s army had surrounded Tyre City.
• Three days later, news reached Silver Maple City that Lloyd Ironvine had rebelled, Tyre City had fallen, Dansol Cassava had died, and Cornwall County was in chaos.

Grand Duke Mora learned that Lloyd’s forces had rapidly conquered much of southeastern Cornwall County and routed the county’s nobles, despite earlier reports downplaying the losses. Viscount Borey suspected the East Sea Alliance was supplying Lloyd, and Mora approved sending the Fourth Legion into Cornwall while keeping Hampshire’s nobles on the border.

• Mora raged over Cornwall County’s defeat and demanded advice from Viscount Borey.
• Mora revealed that Lloyd’s army had taken six baronies and Cassava Territory, defeated reinforcements, and killed or captured numerous nobles and troops.
• Mora disclosed that the Silver Maple secret guards had reported the full scale of Lloyd’s victories, beyond what Count Lagos and Borey had been told.
• Borey concluded that Lloyd had ample military supplies and might be backed by the East Sea Alliance.
• Borey advised keeping Hampshire’s nobles at the border and sending the Fourth Legion from Dorset County and Devon County into Cornwall County, and Mora approved the plan.

Mora approved Audrey’s plan for the Sixth Legion to attack Ironvine Territory, bypassing the usual military command. Turas led the legion across the border, while Ironvine’s forces remained unaware of the approaching invasion.

• Count Lagos reflected that Mora had become a ruler rather than a grandson, and invited Viscount Borey to visit him.
• Audrey argued that Mora should use the Sixth Legion to strike Ironvine Territory, and Mora authorized Turas to act.
• Turas led the Sixth Legion across the border and split it into land and water forces to seize key positions near Ironwire City.
• Turas revealed that he had secretly redirected the legion to help the Pepper family gain power in the civil war.
• Ironvine’s forces continued advancing through Cornwall County, unaware their territory was under attack.

A mysterious army overwhelmed Xibro’s former outpost, but two Light Cavalrymen escaped south to warn Ironwire City. Turas ordered his forces to leave the burning outpost and reach the city before its defenders could respond.

• The newly appointed garrison officer and many defenders died in a surprise arrow attack, and the deputy outpost commander sent Hank and Fis to warn the eldest young master in Ironwire City.
• The deputy commander used Viscount Ferry’s Bed Crossbow to disrupt a cavalry unit pursuing the messengers, but enemy arrows killed Rupert, Buck, and the other operators.
• The cavalry returned with its commander’s head displayed on the banner, then charged past the western wall as the besieging army launched its assault.
• The outpost defenders set the main structure ablaze as the enemy broke in.
• Turas learned that the defenders had burned the outpost and ordered his army south toward Ironwire City.

Turas divided his Sixth Legion’s forces to pressure Ironwire City and delay Count Lloyd’s return, while Randolph prepared to defend the city. Count Lloyd then learned that Ironvine Territory had come under attack.

• Turas ordered Gaba to take a regiment north, destroy three towns along the Green Forest River, and join Wendu, while Turas advanced toward Ironwire City.
• Turas told Gaba to urge Wendu to block Lloyd’s reinforcements at the river ferry for three days so Turas could capture Ironwire City.
• Randolph Ironvine learned that the outposts had fallen and that the enemy had burned the three river towns, and he ordered his people to stay calm.
• Count Lloyd returned to Tyre City after fighting in Cornwall County and planned to unite his scattered forces against the Fourth Legion.
• An officer brought Lloyd an urgent report that Ironvine Territory had come under enemy attack, shocking him.

Count Lloyd learned that a powerful, unidentified army had invaded Ironvine Territory and ordered his forces to abandon their occupied lands and return immediately. He left officers preparing to withdraw within two hours as he feared the enemy would block the Green Forest River crossing.

• Downster reported that an army of more than ten thousand had crossed the northern trade route, captured three towns, and massacred their inhabitants.
• Count Lloyd agreed with Lenster’s suspicion that the invading force might be the Duchy’s Sixth or Seventh Legion, though the Sixth Legion had secretly moved without authorization.
• Count Lloyd ordered Viscount Ferry and Baroness Kailan to defend territories near Red Mountain City while Baron Nio and Baron Eamon returned with troops to Ironvine Territory.
• Count Lloyd studied the Green Forest River crossing and feared the enemy intended to block his army’s return.
• Count Lloyd summoned his battalion commanders, rejected their objections, and ordered the army to withdraw within two hours, abandoning everything but essential baggage and supplies.

Count Lloyd ordered his army to retreat and burn its camp and Tyre City to delay a feared pursuit, while Viscount Ferry hurriedly followed the withdrawal order and others hesitated. Meanwhile, Gaba’s Fifth Regiment joined Wendu’s Second and Fourth Regiments, leaving Wendu with little choice but to obey Turas’s military order.

• Count Lloyd ordered the camp supplies and Tyre City set ablaze, sparing the residents only a warning before the fires began.
• Count Lloyd admitted to Lepond that he feared the Fourth Legion might be pursuing them, then rode north with the retreating army as Tyre City burned.
• Viscount Ferry sent Baron Nio back to Raspberry Territory to summon Knight Keli, then abandoned baggage and began his own return march.
• Baroness Kailan and Baron Eamon delayed their return because they were reluctant to leave their captured loot behind.
• Gaba’s Fifth Regiment joined Wendu’s Second and Fourth Regiments, and Wendu realized Turas’s forces left him no room to resist the military order.

Gaba proposed taking a vanguard downstream by boat to reach the Green Water River ferry crossing ahead of Count Lloyd’s forces, while Wendu’s troops gathered replacement transport. Gaba concealed the full brutality of his regiment’s actions in three towns and sought to use the vanguard mission to expend his now-uncontrollable soldiers.

• Gaba told Wendu that their army was marching too slowly to meet Turas’s deadline for reaching the ferry crossing.
• Gaba proposed sending part of the force downstream by boat and showed Wendu a map of the route and nearby towns where they could gather more transport.
• Gaba said he had already taken carts and livestock from three towns, and claimed Turas had authorized action against their Freemen as Lloyd’s accomplices.
• Gaba’s regiment had massacred residents while plundering the towns, and Gaba hoped to win merit and get rid of his bloodstained, uncontrollable troops by leading the vanguard.
• Wendu agreed to let Gaba lead the vanguard while he used Gaba’s carts and livestock and gathered more transport along the way.
• Gaba promised to clear the towns and villages ahead and share the credit with Wendu.

Wendu surrendered Gaba's ships and continued marching with fewer supplies, while Turas's forces advanced through an evacuated, scorched landscape and learned more about Lenster. In Ironwire City, Lenster organized the city's defenses and laborers as the enemy approached.

• Wendu handed Gaba all the ships, then took over the remaining livestock, slaves, and carts and marched on while avoiding most conflicts with locals.
• Turas's troops encountered abandoned roads and burned supplies, checked wells for poisoned water, and learned from the surrendered officer Shanno that Lenster was leading Ironvine Territory's defenses.
• Turas promised Shanno command but planned to use him and prisoners as cannon fodder to fill Ironwire City's moat.
• Lenster explained to Kadok that he had evacuated residents and supplies from the enemy's route to protect them and concentrate the defense at Ironwire City.
• Lenster ordered Kadok to reinforce the walls, recruit paid civilian work crews, and prepare them to fight if necessary.

Lenster and Kadok prepared Ironwire City for an unexpected siege as Turas ordered the exhausted Sixth Legion to attack immediately. The defenders opened fire on the moat-fillers, only to recognize them as Freemen from their villages and, in many cases, their own relatives.

• Lenster learned that enemy cavalry had killed the city's scouts, while Kadok reported that the surrounding settlements had been emptied of most residents and supplies.
• Turas ordered Shanno's unit of more than three thousand captives and civilians to fill Ironwire City's moat, and promised Shanno his command would continue even if his men died.
• Turas sent the First Regiment to attack with ladders and held the Third Regiment in reserve, while Lenster ordered the city's defenders to prepare and remain on alert for trouble inside the city.
• The Sixth Legion charged Ironwire City, and Shanno's laborers began filling the moat with sacks of dirt and stones.
• Kadok ordered the archers and crossbowmen to target the laborers, but the defenders recognized them as Freemen from their villages, including their relatives.