Chapter Summaries

Construction crews completed a stretch of the road from Fran City to Carnford as Princess Louise’s imperial procession passed. Louise endured the rough road and Albert’s refusal to stop, leaving her distressed and uncertain as the procession continued toward Lord Karl.

• Earl Rochefort’s engineering corps and conscripted citizens built a stone road with drainage ditches and roadside guard posts.
• An officer halted construction and ordered the workers to kneel as Princess Louise’s grand procession approached.
• Louise watched the kneeling commoners through a gap in her carriage curtains before Steward Albert told her to keep them closed.
• When the procession left the new road for a rough track, Louise asked Albert to stop so she could get air, but he refused because the schedule was pressing.
• Louise cried as she thought of her late mother and her arranged marriage, while Alice comforted her as the carriage continued toward Carnford.

Karl and Carnford’s officials welcomed Princess Louise’s royal convoy with a formal ceremony at the edge of the Shantytown Area. Princess Louise stepped from her carriage, leaving her first meeting with Karl just ahead.

• Lyon reported that Princess Louise’s convoy had reached Carnford Mountain Valley, and Karl dressed and prepared to welcome her.
• Karl led Carnford’s officials to the reception ground, where Carnford’s cavalry and Lady Eileen’s family knights formed ranks.
• The royal convoy arrived, and Edgar ordered everyone to kneel as Karl and the people welcomed the Princess.
• Lady Eileen’s maids presented the Princess with honey wine and warm fur gloves.
• Alice stepped from the carriage, then helped Princess Louise emerge before the waiting crowd.

Princess Louise arrived in Carnford exhausted and overcome by motion sickness, but Lady Eileen helped her recover enough to present Karl with the ceremonial Sword of Protection. As the procession continued toward Carnford Castle, Louise found an unexpected sense of peace in the rough vitality of the town.

• Princess Louise became sick during the welcome ceremony, and Lady Eileen brought her ginger tea to settle her stomach.
• Louise presented Karl von Schmidt with the Sword of Protection, and Karl promised to protect her.
• Lady Eileen supported Louise and arranged for her to rest, so the planned public walk was canceled.
• The procession set off for Carnford Castle, while Albert inspected the Shantytown Area and judged Karl's preparations barely adequate.
• Louise looked out from her carriage and felt comforted by the lively, resilient atmosphere of Carnford.

Princess Louise arrived at Carnford Castle, where the warmth and incense soon made her feel unwell. Karl postponed the welcoming and engagement ceremonies until the next day, and Louise felt a flicker of warmth toward him for putting her health first.

• Sarah secretly looked at Princess Louise as her carriage passed, and Tommy quickly reminded her to lower her head.
• Lady Eileen helped the weak Princess Louise into Carnford Castle and seated her beside the fireplace in the prepared Lord's Hall.
• Louise's discomfort worsened, so Lady Eileen proposed ending the day's schedule and taking her upstairs to rest.
• Royal Butler Albert objected that the ceremonies had to happen at the astrologically appointed hour, while Edgar argued that Louise's health should come first.
• Karl ordered the ceremonies postponed until the next day, and Albert reluctantly accepted his decision.
• Louise watched Karl and felt grateful that he had chosen to spare her further strain.

After Princess Louise retired to rest, Karl arranged for the royal delegation to inspect Carnford while Richter secretly monitored them. He shared the canceled banquet’s food with the poor in the Princess’s name, then wondered why he had given her the credit.

• Princess Louise was helped to her bedroom, and Albert asked Karl to arrange a tour of Carnford for the royal attendants.
• Karl assigned Edgar to show Albert and the attendants around and sent Richter along to observe their interests and intentions.
• After the officials left, Karl invited those remaining to share the canceled wedding banquet, but they declined and went home.
• Karl ate the feast alone, then ordered the attendants to distribute most of the leftovers among struggling households in Princess Louise’s name.
• After the attendants left to distribute the food, Karl sat alone and wondered why he had given the Princess the credit.

After Princess Louise fell ill from her journey and missed the wedding ceremony, Karl made arrangements to ensure she could rest and reassured her that the delay did not matter. The chapter left Louise alone to eat and recover while her maids kept watch outside her bedroom.

• Karl found Princess Louise asleep in Lady Eileen’s care and asked his mother to stay with her while the maids rested in the side room.
• Louise woke, apologized to Karl for missing the ceremony, and he told her that her health mattered more than the wedding formalities.
• Louise’s stomach rumbled, and Karl and Lady Eileen arranged for Alice to bring her a light meal.
• Lady Eileen, Karl, and the other maid left Louise to eat in peace while Alice and the maid remained outside on guard.

Lady Eileen helped Karl consider how to build a warmer relationship with Louise and spent the night comforting her. Louise reflected on Karl’s actions and the signs of hope in Carnford, while Lady Eileen began explaining his character and work.

• Lady Eileen praised Karl for protecting Louise and offered to sleep beside her and speak with her about him.
• Karl accepted his mother's plan and went to rest in the small study on the third floor.
• Lady Eileen joined Louise in the master bedroom, where Louise felt relieved not to face her first night alone with Karl.
• Louise told Lady Eileen she could call her Louise, and Lady Eileen described Karl as kindhearted and said he had protected Louise by postponing the wedding.
• Louise recalled the improving shelters and the hopeful expressions of Carnford’s people, and agreed with Lady Eileen’s praise of Karl.

Lady Eileen comforted Louise through her fears about marrying Karl, and Louise fell asleep in her embrace. The next morning, Karl prepared for the wedding and granted Mr. Albert permission to select land for the royal retinue to build temporary housing.

• Lady Eileen reassured Louise that Karl would respect her wishes, and Louise leaned into her embrace and fell asleep.
• Karl woke at dawn and learned from Lady Eileen that the wedding would take place that morning and the banquet had been prepared again.
• Karl found Mr. Albert waiting anxiously in the Lord's Hall and assured him the wedding would proceed that day.
• Mr. Albert asked Karl to allocate land for the royal retinue's temporary homes, and Karl agreed if they funded construction themselves and followed Mr. Morr's plan.
• Karl turned toward the stairs to await the wedding ceremony.

Karl and Louise completed their political wedding in Carnford and began the wedding banquet. Karl’s deliberate humiliation of Albert earned him a warmer look from Louise, leaving their new marriage with its first small sign of trust.

• Louise descended the stairs in her wedding gown, and Karl helped her down the final steps.
• Karl and Louise exchanged vows and rings, and the bishop declared them husband and wife.
• The newlyweds shared wine and took their places at the banquet, where Louise followed etiquette while Karl accepted every toast.
• Karl pressured Albert into drinking strong liquor, making him cough and flee while the guests watched.
• Louise recognized Karl’s treatment of Albert as revenge for his earlier impatience toward her and felt grateful to Karl.

After the wedding banquet, Karl confided in Edgar that he was unsure how to face Charlotte or whether he could remain loyal to the woman he loved. Edgar urged him to accept that life could change while keeping Carnford his foremost responsibility, and hoped Karl would one day have another wedding.

• The court officials tried to get Karl drunk, but they became intoxicated and had to be led away.
• With only Carnford's officials remaining, Karl asked Edgar whether he had ever married.
• Karl admitted that marrying Charlotte had awakened a sense of responsibility, but he worried that married life might weaken his love for someone else.
• Edgar reminded Karl that life held uncertainties and that protecting Carnford was his fundamental duty.
• Edgar expressed hope that Karl would someday have another wedding, and Karl silently toasted him.

After the wedding feast, Karl entered the bridal chamber with Louise, and the two lay awake at a distance from each other. Louise praised his care for Carnford’s people, while Karl downplayed his actions as a lord’s duty, though her words touched him.

• Edgar distributed leftover wedding food to impoverished refugee families with Karl’s permission.
• Karl drank alone, then went to the master bedroom, where Louise lay awake in bed.
• Karl and Louise spoke about Lady Eileen’s praise of him and the changes he had brought to Carnford.
• Karl called his work a transaction that served his territory, while Louise insisted that his sincerity toward the people was clear.

After a respectful wedding night, Karl and Louise woke awkwardly beside each other, and Louise helped ease Karl’s hangover before leaving to arrange breakfast. Alone again, Karl found comfort in her lingering warmth and scent, despite reminding himself that she was not Charlotte.

• Louise thanked Karl for respecting her and hoped she could help him and Carnford in the future.
• Louise fell asleep feeling relieved and faintly hopeful that Karl might someday understand her secret about Henry.
• Karl woke hungover and realized he had accidentally brushed against his new wife, Louise, in bed.
• Louise reassured Karl, brought him warm water, and left to arrange breakfast so he could rest.
• Karl lay beside Louise’s still-warm pillow and felt an unexpected comfort in her presence, though he reminded himself she was not Charlotte.

After his first night as a married man, Karl left lunch early to discuss the new Intelligence Department with Richter. Richter reported that he had assembled ten recruits from varied backgrounds, and Karl approved the team while insisting on strict loyalty safeguards.

• Lady Eileen teased Karl for sleeping late, and Louise blushed as they shared a relaxed lunch together.
• Karl left the table early to handle urgent territorial business and met Richter at the Intelligence Department's temporary office.
• Richter reported that he had selected ten recruits: five refugees with experience in guards, wilderness work, or criminal circles, and four established Carnford residents suited to intelligence and administration.
• Karl accepted the recruits as a practical choice but warned Richter that their abilities could also make them dangerous if their loyalty failed.
• Richter said he would personally lead and monitor all ten, restrict their knowledge through separate communications and tasks, and promote only proven members as the department grew.

Richter briefed Karl on the Sauron people’s systematic espionage methods and presented a plan to search for spies already infiltrating the territory. Karl approved the initial deployment, and Franz waited outside to meet him.

• Karl asked Richter how he would find the Sauron spies when their numbers and locations were unknown.
• Richter presented an analysis based on Thorsten’s knowledge, explaining how the Sauron people used bribed insiders and infiltrators to gather intelligence, spread rumors, and sabotage targets.
• Richter described how spies had helped bring down Frosgard and stirred unrest in the Royal Capital and nearby towns after its fall.
• Richter reported that his agents had been placed in a state-run general store, a government grain store, the Stockaded Village Number Two construction site, and the Shantytown Area.
• Karl approved Richter’s initial deployment and agreed to receive Franz, who was waiting outside.

Karl questioned Franz about how he identified a Sauron spy at Outpost No. 3, and Franz explained the clues that exposed the man as an impostor. Karl then asked why Franz knew so much about Black Forest Castle and the Northern Territory, leaving Franz to answer.

• Richter brought Franz to meet Karl and advised him to answer honestly.
• Franz entered Karl’s office, saluted him, and sat down after Richter confirmed the order.
• Karl asked how Franz had recognized the suspicious man at Outpost No. 3.
• Franz described the man’s nervous behavior, incorrect local knowledge, and Pass accent, explaining why he had detained him.
• Karl praised Franz’s observations and asked how he had learned so much about the Northern Territory.

Karl assigned Franz to Carnford’s Intelligence Department, where his experience and observation skills would serve the fight against the Saurons. Franz swore loyalty to Karl’s campaign, and Karl ordered a captured spy to be publicly executed as a warning.

• Franz explained that his years guarding merchant caravans had taught him the geography, heraldry, and people of the Northern Territory.
• Karl told Franz that his talents were better suited to intelligence work and declared his goal of driving the Saurons from the Northern Territory.
• Franz swore to follow Karl until the Saurons were defeated, and Karl appointed him a hidden blade for Carnford.
• Richter reported that the captured spy had yielded nearly all useful information.
• Karl ordered the spy beheaded publicly in the Shantytown Area, with his body displayed on a flagpole for three days.

Stockaded Village Number One was completed as a defensive and administrative center, while construction began on two more villages and a militia trained nearby. Carnford’s extensive farming left villagers time for seasonal military training, supporting Karl’s plan to defend the territory with local auxiliaries.

• Stockaded Village Number One was completed with simple walls, a single gate, and wounded veterans—including its one-armed village head—assigned to manage its affairs.
• Morr used standardized plans and trained apprentices to supervise construction as work began on Stockaded Village Number Two and Stockaded Village Number Three.
• Three hundred young men trained with wooden weapons at the militia camp outside Stockaded Village Number One under retired wounded veterans.
• The chapter explained that Northern Territory farmers could train during long periods between sowing and harvest because their extensive farming required less labor than southern agriculture.

Karl organized Carnford’s militia into firepower-focused camps and used attendance-based allowances to encourage training. He intended the force to defend Carnford and eventually support the Goldflower Kingdom against the Sauron, with future mass-produced Flintlock Rifles enabling rapid expansion into a field army.

• Karl set militia allowances at five copper coins per attended training session, up to fifty coins per month.
• Karl established each Militia Camp at three hundred men, with two hundred spearmen, sixty Musketeers, and forty auxiliary and command personnel.
• Karl rejected Jieka-style Wagon Fort tactics because the Sauron knew how to counter them, Carnford lacked the resources, and their slow advance did not suit his strategic needs.
• Karl planned to take the militia north when the opportunity arose to support the Goldflower Kingdom and attack the Sauron-occupied territory.
• Karl hoped Hector’s workshop would mass-produce Flintlock Rifles so trained militiamen could be re-equipped and expanded into a regular field force.
• Militiamen trained in formations and rifle drills on the grounds outside the Tunbao.

Oliver, a disabled veteran who stayed in the army as Tunbao’s militia instructor, watched three hundred recruits struggle through a formation drill. When their simulated volley and troop rotation collapsed into chaos, he limped in to discipline them, leaving the training ground ringing with his orders.

• Oliver remained in the army as Tunbao’s militia instructor after a crossbow bolt crippled his leg, refusing a pension and a quiet life as a disabled veteran.
• Oliver observed three hundred militiamen practicing the Carnford Army’s formation drill while their families and children watched from the sidelines.
• The recruits lost their formation when Musketeers tried to retreat and rear spearmen moved forward to replace them.
• Oliver limped into the disordered ranks, struck sluggish or panicked recruits with his Command Baton, and shouted instructions at the spearmen and Musketeers.

Oliver drove the militiamen through a punishing drill, then watched them leave and envied their healthy bodies and futures. His old comrades arrived, and Roderick recognized that Oliver’s relentless standards were tied to the trauma of his disability.

• Oliver forced the militiamen to complete a tactical rotation drill and punished those whose matchcords were improperly stored or extinguished.
• Oliver stopped the recruits from scattering after dismissal and made them reform by rank before leaving the training grounds.
• Alone, Oliver watched the young soldiers depart and felt envy and resentment over the leg and future he had lost.
• Roderick, Mark, Elton, and Tommy arrived to see Oliver, and Roderick teased him for training militia to regular-army standards.
• Oliver insisted that the militia had to be trained to survive a Sauron invasion, while Roderick understood that Oliver’s severity hid the pain and insecurity caused by his injury.