[{"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-84":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},1366792,1809,"Chapter 84 - 78: Frostpeak","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-84",84,"\u003Cp>The wind screamed across the Frostpeak Mountains like a living thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow swept through the narrow mountain paths in violent waves while workers struggled to keep the supply wagons moving upward through the frozen terrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relentless cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the soldiers assigned to escort duty looked miserable beneath the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien guided his horse carefully along the frozen trail while studying the mountain ridges ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him stretched the expedition convoy:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>engineers,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>miners,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>guards,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>steam machinery,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and dwarven surveyors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of that chaos marched Ironbreaker the dwarf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broad-shouldered. Heavy-bearded. Completely unaffected by weather that made ordinary men suffer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf examined the surrounding cliffs with growing excitement while several dwarven engineers argued loudly behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, look at rock layers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I looking!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because snow in eyes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normal dwarven communication honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric rode beside Lucien quietly while snow gathered across his dark cloak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This place feels ancient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien glanced toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Frostpeak mining settlement once supplied iron throughout the northern territories decades ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then it vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Officially:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>monster attacks,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>transportation collapse,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and brutal winters destroyed profitability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The south simply abandoned investment in the north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maintaining distant mountain infrastructure cost too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring it cost nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Lucien intended to reopen everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because House Valcriox had made one mistake:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They believed Elarion still depended on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By dusk the expedition finally reached Frostpeak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or what remained of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Collapsed mining towers leaned against the mountainside beneath thick layers of snow while abandoned worker housing surrounded the frozen valley like broken bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence covered everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric slowly surveyed the ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This place once held thousands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now it waits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knight’s eyes shifted toward the mountains towering above the valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then quietly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers immediately began establishing camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torches lit the snow-covered ruins while soldiers secured defensive positions around the settlement perimeter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile the dwarves scattered across the valley with alarming speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within minutes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>hammers struck stone,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>engineers shouted measurements,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and arguments about tunnel reinforcement already began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker the dwarf knelt beside an exposed cliff wall before striking it sharply with his hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound echoed through the frozen valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf struck again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then grunted approvingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rich iron.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several nearby dwarves immediately gathered around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One inspected the fractured stone carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good density.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Coal nearby too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric crossed his arms quietly while observing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They look happier here than in Elarion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker overheard him immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mountains honest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric raised an eyebrow slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And cities are not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cities hide weakness behind walls.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That answer actually made the knight smirk faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien meanwhile studied the valley carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good terrain. Natural defensive elevation. Strong ore indicators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enough room for expansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, survey operations officially began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien entered the primary mining tunnel alongside Cedric, Malen, Ironbreaker, and several engineers carrying lantern equipment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deeper sections remained surprisingly stable despite decades of abandonment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold air drifted through the darkness while old rail carts rested overturned beside the tunnel walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric’s hand rested near his sword instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This tunnel definitely contains monsters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malen glanced toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You say that with confidence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve survived long enough to trust bad instincts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reasonable logic honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group continued deeper underground while the dwarves examined every visible stone formation carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker stopped walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf narrowed his eyes toward a section of dark stone partially buried beneath ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly he stepped closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then struck the wall sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Denser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Metallic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every dwarf in the tunnel immediately turned silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone made Cedric straighten slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker hit the wall again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fragments of dark metallic ore finally cracked loose from the stone surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf caught one piece carefully before staring at it in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ore looked unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark silver mixed with faint blue veins running through its surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One engineer touched the exposed mineral carefully before looking toward Ironbreaker with widened eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Froststeel...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence spread through the tunnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Malen looked slightly surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric glanced between the dwarves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I assume that reaction means something important.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker slowly stood afterward while still holding the ore sample.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rare metal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How rare?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf exhaled slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kingdom-level rare.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now everyone understood the significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another engineer spoke immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lighter than normal steel.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stronger too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excellent heat resistance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric’s eyes narrowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For rifle barrels?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And artillery.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That changed everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien studied the exposed mineral vein silently while calculations formed rapidly in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Improved durability. Higher pressure tolerance. Better artillery longevity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Potential future applications expanded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>House Valcriox attempted economic pressure through industrial resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead Elarion had potentially discovered one of the rarest strategic materials in the kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Irony truly favored the prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The expedition returned to the surface hours later beneath worsening snowfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Word spread quickly through the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers whispered excitedly around the fires while the dwarves nearly started fistfights debating extraction methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One engineer loudly declared: \"This mine changes everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another immediately countered: \"No. Proper smelting changes everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric stood beside Lucien near the edge of the settlement while watching the chaos calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve seen nobles kill over gold before.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes shifted toward the mountain tunnels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They’ll kill far faster for something useful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Cedric was correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Froststeel was not decorative wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was strategic wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And strategic resources reshaped kingdoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later that night, Lucien reviewed geological estimates inside the command tent while snow hammered against the canvas walls outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malen stood nearby studying the extraction projections quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The south cannot learn about this immediately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if southern noble houses discovered Elarion possessed Froststeel deposits—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Political pressure could escalate into something far more dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker entered the tent shortly afterward carrying a partially refined ore sample wrapped carefully in cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf placed it onto the table heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First refinement successful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien inspected the metal beneath lantern light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beautiful material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark silver with faint blue reflections flowing across its surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker folded his arms proudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tested prototype barrel.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No cracking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standard rifle barrels degraded rapidly under repeated high-pressure firing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Froststeel solved that issue—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then firearm advancement accelerated significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric picked up the refined sample afterward while furnace light reflected faintly across the polished metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"House Valcriox thought they were slowing production.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint smirk appeared across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Instead they forced us into the mountains.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze shifted toward the mining settlement outside where workers continued building despite the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I doubt they’ll enjoy the result.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning extraction officially began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam-powered drilling equipment arrived from Elarion shortly afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the mountains changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Massive drills echoed through the valley while ancient stone walls shattered beneath industrial machinery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mining that once required weeks now took hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One older miner stared at the machines in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I spent twenty years breaking stone by hand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A nearby engineer patted the steam drill proudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now machine does it faster.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Productivity exploded within days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coal output increased. Iron extraction stabilized. And Froststeel ore slowly emerged from the mountain depths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The abandoned settlement began transforming rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>New housing. Storage facilities. Workshops. Defensive towers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Life returned to Frostpeak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien stood near the upper ridge overlooking the valley several nights later while smoke rose from the growing industrial settlement below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Factories. Mines. Steam machinery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The north kept evolving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric eventually stepped beside him quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The south expected dependence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And instead?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien looked toward the mountains stretching endlessly beneath the snowstorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We adapt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far south beyond the frozen peaks, noble houses still believed power came from inheritance, politics, and ancient authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile in Frostpeak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The future was being pulled directly from the stone itself.\u003C\u002Fp>",1278,"2026-06-05T21:32:57.730Z",1,"novelbin.me","6a4a086c841a66fe382e234ba316349d871a952c8d74e6d8b3ad12960e549ce1","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-85","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-83",144,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-cover.jpg"]