[{"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-71":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},1366779,1809,"Chapter 71 - 68: The Rifle of a New Age","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-71",71,"\u003Cp>The Mauser blueprint changed Elarion overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not publicly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most civilians still believed Lucien and the engineers were simply improving the existing rifles again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But inside the industrial district—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything accelerated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The factories no longer worked like workshops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They worked like war preparations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam engines operated day and night beneath clouds of smoke while newly expanded steel mills poured molten metal continuously into casting lines designed specifically for precision machining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarves stopped calling it \"production.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now they called it \"madness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which, coming from dwarves, was honestly impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas stood atop the western overlook three days after the Grayfire Powder breakthrough while staring down at the industrial district below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire valley looked alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam hissed from pressure pipes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rail carts carried coal between foundries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers moved through the streets in organized shifts while forge smoke covered half the northern skyline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at dawn the sound never stopped anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elarion sounded mechanical now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric walked beside him carrying coffee that probably contained more alcohol than actual coffee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You look disturbed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas pointed toward the factories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We industrialized too hard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not a real sentence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It SHOULD BE.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below them, another steam transport cart rattled across the steel tracks pulling barrels toward the ammunition district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas watched it pass with hollow eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A year ago we fought over grain supplies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric nodded thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re building machines that terrify me spiritually.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reasonable concern honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the central machining hall, the atmosphere had become even more chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old rifle workshops were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reorganized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entire sections of the building now existed solely for precision boring, bolt assembly, and rifling production.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam-powered machining equipment lined the walls while rotating belts transferred power from the massive central engine beneath the facility floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The machines themselves looked primitive compared to true industrial standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for this world?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were revolutionary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One young engineer screamed over the machinery noise:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"WHY IS IT SHAKING LIKE THAT?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dwarf screamed back:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"THAT MEANS IT’S WORKING!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I THINK IT’S COMING APART!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"THAT ALSO MEANS IT’S WORKING!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Gandalf proudly adjusted pressure valves beside one of the steam-driven rifling machines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is beautiful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An exhausted worker stared at the violently vibrating machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It looks possessed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By innovation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not comforting!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien walked slowly through the factory floor afterward while observing the ongoing preparations carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every section mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel consistency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barrel precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bolt tolerances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cartridge feeding reliability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mauser 98k was not merely a better rifle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It represented an entirely different level of manufacturing complexity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flintlocks tolerated imperfection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bolt-action rifles demanded precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One mistake in machining could kill the user instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And unfortunately—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several early prototypes already had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One wall inside the testing section still carried a rifle-shaped hole from yesterday’s catastrophic pressure failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric pointed toward it while passing by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I assume we are not discussing that incident.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A nearby engineer quietly muttered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barrel flew farther than the bullet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another nodded sadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very educational.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grayfire Powder made everything more dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Higher pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Higher velocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More strain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant every part of the rifle required stronger steel and tighter tolerances than Elarion had ever attempted before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet somehow—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarves loved it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One older master smith held a partially finished Mauser bolt assembly beneath the forge lights while grinning like a lunatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at this craftsmanship.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another dwarf nodded reverently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She cycles smoothly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A third sniffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Needs polishing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You need polishing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The argument escalated immediately afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile Malen observed the production lines from the upper catwalks overlooking the factory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the others, he focused less on the engineering and more on the military implications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accuracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reload speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Durability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood instinctively what these rifles would do to traditional warfare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when combined with disciplined infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially against knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One veteran soldier approached him cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sir?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malen glanced sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier hesitated briefly before asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Will these new rifles really replace the current ones?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Peak Knight looked toward the testing range below where engineers prepared another prototype.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the flintlocks already kill efficiently.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malen remained silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then answered calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So did swords once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sentence spread through the regiment disturbingly fast afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days later—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first true prototype entered live testing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire industrial district gathered to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers climbed rooftops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soldiers crowded the testing walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even civilians lingered outside the restricted zone hoping to witness whatever terrifying invention Elarion had apparently created now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas stood near the rear barricades with visible exhaustion already present in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are there so many people here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Public executions and technological breakthroughs attract similar crowds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That explains too much.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center testing platform rested the rifle itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Longer than the flintlocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleaner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wood and steel fitted together with almost unsettling precision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bolt assembly gleamed beneath the morning light while the internal magazine system rested hidden within the receiver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No exposed ignition pan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No cumbersome powder loading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No external fuse system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rifle looked modern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dangerously modern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several engineers stood nearby looking more nervous than soldiers before battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If this explodes again I’m resigning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reasonable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien stepped onto the platform afterward while silence gradually spread through the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the machinery nearby seemed quieter somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up the rifle carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weight felt familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Solid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reliable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for one strange moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It reminded him painfully of another world entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurethar landed atop the nearby wall with enough force to scatter snow and dust across half the yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon stared toward the rifle curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That small thing caused all this chaos?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas pointed immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric ignored him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s the principle that matters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is very small for a civilization-changing weapon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien loaded the rifle calmly afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five copper-jacketed cartridges slid smoothly into the internal magazine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several dwarves actually held their breath watching the mechanism function properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Lucien pulled the bolt downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound alone made several engineers emotional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One quietly whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...It works.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The target stood nearly six hundred meters away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far beyond effective flintlock range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A reinforced steel plate mounted against stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien raised the rifle slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire yard fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shot split the air sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the deep explosive boom of older rifles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleaner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grayfire Powder barely produced visible smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far downrange—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steel target rang violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A clean hole appeared directly through the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Total silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then one dwarf screamed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"WE DID IT!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The industrial district exploded afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Engineers hugged each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One exhausted machinist actually started crying openly before pretending it was forge smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas stared toward the distant destroyed target in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That was six hundred meters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric grinned slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is absurd.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another shot rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bolt cycled smoothly every time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No reload delay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No external powder packing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No smoke cloud revealing the shooter’s position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rifle worked beautifully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And everyone present understood immediately—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing in this world was prepared for weapons like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malen stepped beside Lucien afterward while examining the rifle carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How many?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien understood the question instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many before armies became obsolete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many before cavalry charges became suicide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many before the balance of power across the kingdom shattered completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not enough yet,\" Lucien answered quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Peak Knight nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because production remained the true challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Building one rifle proved genius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Building thousands required industry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And industry required time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time Elarion might not possess forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the capital meanwhile, Prince Cassian’s engineers still proudly refined improved flintlock systems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They celebrated reduced reload times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Improved firing mechanisms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slightly better barrel stability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And unknowingly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were already falling behind by decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in Elarion, the first Mauser prototype continued firing across the testing grounds while the crowd watched with growing awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One rifleman whispered softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...How do you fight against that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because nobody truly knew yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even Lucien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That evening the First Rifle Regiment gathered inside the lower training courtyard where several covered weapon crates rested beneath heavy guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers immediately noticed the difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere felt serious tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malen stood before them while snow drifted lightly through the darkening fortress yard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You survived winter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The regiment straightened instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You held the walls.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You adapted.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the Peak Knight gestured toward the covered crates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And now Elarion advances again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The covers were pulled away simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rows of newly completed Mauser rifles rested beneath lantern light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The regiment stared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One soldier finally whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Gods.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another carefully lifted one from the crate afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bolt action clicked smoothly beneath his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What even is this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric grinned nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That honestly sounded less comforting than intended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the courtyard walls, Aurethar watched the soldiers receive the rifles quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon remained silent longer than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually Lucas noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You look thoughtful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurethar’s golden eyes stayed fixed on the regiment below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These weapons...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They are changing humans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas looked downward too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers already handled themselves differently now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if holding such weapons altered the way men viewed the world itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon exhaled slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once humans feared monsters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below them, a marksman cycled the rifle bolt again with growing excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurethar watched silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now,\" the dragon finished quietly, \"I think monsters should begin fearing humans instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1579,"2026-06-05T21:32:57.730Z",1,"novelbin.me","83ddab76f4cafff6ccdf287176a47f982e3050cef2679ed162fcb4e845a0a9c4","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-72","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-70",144,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-cover.jpg"]