Recaps

Derek prepared to proclaim an empire as the Griffin Kingdom fell, while the Lionheart Kingdom’s colony faced a power struggle over its ties to the Northern Duchy. Little Governor Jefferies arrived with a fleet, humbled Duke Harrington, and imposed his authority on the colony.

• Sanger assessed Silver City’s prosperity and military potential, then gained Little Governor Jefferies’s confidence, secured assurances of continued trade, and returned home with gifts.
• Derek agreed to proclaim an empire, returned to Ferreira Castle for New Year, and encouraged support for aircraft research while Little Tru reunited with his family in Haystack Village.
• Simon uncovered Count Andre’s plot, had him executed, and defeated Duke Lehman’s final campaign as the Griffin Kingdom’s old King poisoned himself and his followers.
• Derek declared his ambition to build a world-ruling empire, appointed Simon Griffin Count, and accepted Archbishop John’s proposal to wear both the Emperor’s and Pope’s crowns.
• Sanger helped launch a Northern Duchy-built Ironclad and backed a private shipyard, while Duke Harrington arrived in the New Continent and tried to claim political authority.
• Sanger and Councilman White arranged for the colony to buy Northern Duchy warships, and Joey selected two Warrior-class vessels after Little Governor Jefferies negotiated their sale.
• As Harrington moved to remove Sanger from the council, Little Governor Jefferies’s fleet arrived and overwhelmed the colonial port with its battlecruiser.
• Harrington surrendered after Knight Rand demonstrated his speed, then Little Governor Jefferies made Harrington lead his horse and toured the colony with him as coachman.

Derek consolidated imperial authority at home and abroad as the Empire expanded its fleets, colonies, and reach. His royal tour brought him through the White Sand Archipelago and to the southern frontier, where agents watched for disloyal nobles.

• Count Little Jefferies used naval force to secure concessions in the colony, while Councilman White and Duke Harrington pinned the assassination case on scapegoats.
• Derek crowned himself Emperor, expanded the government and military, and demonstrated to Qin how aircraft and telegrams extended royal influence.
• Duke Fernandes sought white people to restore his kingdom, while Sanger joined the Empire for protection and Duke Harrington plotted with Fernandes.
• Virut uncovered the Tulu Family’s role in an Attendant Officer’s murder, then led imperial forces to capture the family and suppress its rebellion.
• Derek used the rebellion to launch a wider purge and planned an overseas tour, prompting Adrian to strengthen naval patrols and prepare the route.
• Hubble settled in Emerald Town, killed attackers with help from Tool Mutes, and built a profitable slave-hunting operation.
• Derek toured the White Sand Archipelago’s naval bases, then sailed toward the southern frontier as Count Chavez and the nobles prepared to receive him.
• Derek arrived at the southern harbor, where imperial forces secured the area and the Eighth Investigation Department monitored potentially disloyal nobles.

Derek strengthened imperial control in the south and Griffin Peninsula, established an independent Royal Air Squadron, and sent Count Little Jefferies on a diplomatic mission to Lionheart Kingdom. After returning with scholars and envoys, Count Little Jefferies became Minister of Justice and began investigating officials implicated in the killing and framing of commoners.

• Derek cleared Count Chavez’s name, reorganized the Chavez Family’s private army into an imperial division, and resolved to curb the private armies of powerful clans.
• Derek sent Simon to suppress the Shanyue Tribes, whose resistance ended after Simon’s forces massacred a camp and the tribes later surrendered.
• Derek established the Royal Air Squadron as an independent organization and limited its initial aircraft to fifty for training, testing, and research.
• Count Little Jefferies led a fleet to Lionheart Kingdom, where he confronted its court, observed its institutions, and returned to Great Xia with more than two hundred scholars, nobles, and envoys.
• Jos and Jemaine arrived in Great Xia, and Jos visited the Royal Air Force, became inspired by its technology, and decided to study toward citizenship.
• Derek appointed Count Little Jefferies Minister of Justice and assigned Peter to help investigate the killing of commoners who had resisted land annexation.
• Count Little Jefferies and Peter went to Shacheng City, where the 70th Division arrested people connected to the case and brought them to the Governor’s Mansion.

Derek’s government crushed a customs smuggling network while expanding electricity and replacing Andrew with Yanes. The Perez Family’s succession crisis ended with Tiona taking charge and enforcing the Emperor’s decisions.

• Count Little Jefferies exposed the Shacheng City officials involved in Toby’s case, and Derek ordered the remaining guilty parties punished.
• Jos entered Hadley University, where Derek urged him to lead the Lionheart Kingdom toward civilization, while Derek began establishing a power grid.
• Derek appointed Professor Smith to head the Department of Electricity, and the department began civilian power service before expanding its work to Digen Port.
• After assassins attacked Viscount Barin, Peter linked the attempt to Corison and a customs smuggling scheme, then arrested the Henry Family and people connected to the coastal network.
• Derek sealed Corison’s detailed crime dossier, granted Barin an honorary title, and appointed Yanes to succeed Andrew as Customs Director.
• Yanes took over Customs and worked with Smith to prioritize electricity for the customs office, while Yanes sent suspicious Perez Family gifts to the Eighth Investigation Department.
• The Old Marquis exposed Eldest’s plot against Third Brother, named Borg his successor, and died after Derek formalized the succession and granted Baronet Perez Jr. a fief and count’s title.
• Tiona returned to the Perez fief with Qin, stripped Count Mihail of his title and confined him, then rebuked the family for dishonoring her grandfather’s legacy.