[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system":3,"chapter-the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-62":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Exiled Duke's Lottery system",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1366770,1809,"Chapter 62 - 58: The Sound Reaches the South","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-62",62,"\u003Cp>Rain fell over the capital when Raven finally returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold southern rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing like the brutal snowstorms of Elarion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after weeks in the north, the capital somehow felt stranger now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleaner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Warmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And softer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city still moved with the same elegance it always had—nobles crossing marble courtyards beneath silk umbrellas, servants hurrying through lantern-lit corridors, merchants shouting across crowded market streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Raven noticed things now he had ignored before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distance from reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No furnace smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No workers building through winter nights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No settlement clawing itself forward against impossible conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought irritated him immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was becoming sentimental.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dangerous habit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By evening he stood once again inside Prince Cassian’s private study while rain tapped softly against tall palace windows overlooking the capital below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince sat behind his desk silently reviewing reports while several candles burned low across the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t look up immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You took longer than expected.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The north proved complicated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian finally raised his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sharp royal gaze immediately settled onto the waterproof document case resting beneath Raven’s arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...And?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without speaking, Raven stepped forward and placed the case carefully onto the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince opened it himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one the documents emerged beneath candlelight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flintlock schematics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Powder formulas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assembly methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel measurements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Production notes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian’s expression sharpened gradually with every page.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room grew quieter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally he leaned back slightly while staring at the rifle blueprint in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So the rumors were true.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Functional?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven answered honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince studied the weapon design carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A firearm capable of piercing armor from range...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers tapped slowly against the desk afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...No wonder the northern nobles are nervous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because that was only half the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian continued examining the schematics for several more moments before asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How advanced are they?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dangerous question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven hesitated briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then answered carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Advanced enough to concern the kingdom.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not fully honest either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince noticed the hesitation immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian looked up slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven met his gaze calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The north is industrializing rapidly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Explain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Expanded steel production. Organized workshops. Dedicated rifle troops.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the dragon is real.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence followed immediately afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rain continued softly outside the windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian’s expression remained controlled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Raven knew the prince well enough to notice the slight tightening near his jaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...A contracted dragon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince stood afterward and walked slowly toward the large kingdom map hanging beside the study windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes settled naturally on the frozen northern territories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elarion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A place once politically irrelevant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many rifles?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unknown.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But production continues.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian remained silent for several long seconds afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then finally asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can we replicate them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven glanced toward the blueprints resting across the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The flintlock versions? Probably.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That answer seemed enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince turned slightly afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No celebration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just calculation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That honestly worried Raven more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Prince Cassian rarely reacted emotionally to opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He used them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the following week, hidden royal workshops beneath the capital began operating in secrecy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officially, they produced experimental military equipment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unofficially—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kingdom had started building firearms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first attempts were terrible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One barrel exploded hard enough to injure three smiths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another prototype misfired repeatedly before setting a table on fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A royal engineer stared at the damaged weapon afterward and muttered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How are northerners alive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the underground forge hall, royal blacksmiths worked tirelessly beside military engineers while copied Elarion blueprints rested spread across reinforced planning tables.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The process fascinated southern scholars immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Powder ignition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel tubing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Projectile force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt revolutionary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Cassian personally visited the workshops several times during development.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Learning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One engineer carefully presented the newest prototype several days later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Improved barrel stability, Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian examined the weapon quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The firearm looked elegant by southern standards: polished steel engraved wood noble craftsmanship\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when testing began outside the capital walls—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reality proved less impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shot cracked loudly across the field before the projectile missed the target entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several nobles observing nearby flinched anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One military commander frowned deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That accuracy is pathetic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another nodded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A trained archer performs better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The engineer looked defensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The weapon ignores armor quality.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That silenced them briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the steel target standing downrange now possessed a smoking hole through its center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian watched quietly from beneath the observation canopy while rainwater dripped softly from the surrounding tents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One older general stepped closer afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If mass produced...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t finish the sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t need to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian understood already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even inaccurate firearms could still alter warfare if enough existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially against cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially against armored infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince’s eyes narrowed slightly while staring toward the damaged target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in exile—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man continued reshaping the kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Prince Cassian had no intention of falling behind.\u003C\u002Fp>",828,"2026-06-05T21:32:57.730Z",1,"novelbin.me","8fb707f89b1c8605f60cc94cc83216f4e1ad2b7b1fa308581de2f768510b9d41","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-63","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-61",144,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-cover.jpg"]