[{"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-86":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},1366794,1809,"Chapter 86 - 80: The Furnace Problem","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-86",86,"\u003Cp>The Froststeel ore sat untouched on the refinement table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because Elarion lacked workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because the mines failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because the furnaces themselves had reached their limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien stood inside the eastern refinery district before dawn while heat rolled through the massive smelting hall in heavy waves. Around him workers prepared the morning furnace lines as steam-powered bellows hissed rhythmically beneath the steel platforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The industrial district had grown enormous over the past months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its greatest weakness had become obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Temperature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Current furnaces simply could not sustain stable refinement for Froststeel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ore resisted heat stubbornly. Impurities separated unevenly. Crucibles cracked under prolonged stress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And without proper refinement, Froststeel remained nothing more than expensive stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker the dwarf stood beside one of the experimental furnaces studying the partially melted ore from last night’s test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Too much heat loss.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien looked toward the furnace chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The insulation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf struck the outer furnace wall sharply with his gauntleted hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bad design.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several nearby engineers looked mildly offended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric leaned quietly against a steel support beam nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I assume dwarven criticism means the furnace is about to explode.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker paused briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That answer did not reassure anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers began activating the main furnace lines shortly afterward while refinery supervisors distributed coal allocation reports across the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas arrived carrying updated production sheets and already looked exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Current coal consumption increased seventeen percent from testing alone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Higher temperatures demanded more fuel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And fuel meant logistics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything always returned to logistics\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucieus sighed\"I suddenly miss the dragon\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas gave him a eye roll and unfolded another report across the nearby steel table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If refinement continues inefficiently, Froststeel production becomes economically pointless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric glanced toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In simpler terms?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We burn too much coal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better explanation honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien studied the furnace structure quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Traditional blast furnaces worked well enough for standard iron and steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Froststeel demanded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>higher sustained temperatures,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>stronger internal pressure,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and better heat retention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Current systems leaked too much thermal energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The furnaces themselves had to evolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker suddenly spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Need closed heat chamber.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several engineers immediately looked interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One stepped closer carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Like a pressure furnace?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Keep heat trapped.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another engineer frowned thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But internal stress could crack the chamber walls.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker grinned slightly afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So make walls stronger.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Typical dwarven engineering philosophy honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien walked toward the central drafting table afterward where furnace diagrams already covered nearly every surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he began modifying them directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wider internal chambers. Layered insulation. Improved airflow channels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric watched the sketches forming quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve thought about this already.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien continued drawing calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Industrial bottlenecks are predictable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas sighed softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That sentence continues terrifying me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The refinement engineers slowly gathered around the drafting table afterward while Lucien adjusted the furnace design further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Double-wall structure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One engineer blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To reduce heat escape?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another pointed toward the airflow section.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Steam-assisted pressure injection?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien nodded once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If airflow remains stable, temperature consistency improves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the room truly became interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because suddenly the furnace stopped looking like a modified smelter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purpose-built.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker stared at the evolving design for several moments before slowly folding his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That single word carried more approval than entire noble speeches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric glanced toward the dwarf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You sound surprised.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Human design usually ugly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One engineer looked offended again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf ignored him completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The discussion lasted hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coal efficiency. Structural reinforcement. Airflow regulation. Heat retention layers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Piece by piece the new furnace concept evolved from sketches into actual construction plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the more the engineers discussed it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more everyone realized it’s importance\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By afternoon, construction officially began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new furnace site rose beside the eastern refinery where workers immediately started laying reinforced stone foundations beneath the supervision of both dwarven craftsmen and Elarion engineers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere felt different from ordinary construction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because failure here would cost enormous amounts of material and time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huge steel support rings were lowered into position using steam cranes while masons reinforced the outer chamber with layered heat-resistant stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric observed the construction from the elevated platform above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You realize this is becoming larger than some defensive towers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien looked toward the unfinished furnace structure below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heat requires containment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And apparently half the city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker climbed across the steel framework nearby while shouting instructions toward the workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No gaps!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One worker nodded quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes master dwarf!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf pointed toward the furnace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master is heat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric slowly rubbed his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m beginning to understand why dwarves scare people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next several days became relentless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Construction never fully stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at night the refinery district glowed beneath furnace light while workers reinforced chamber walls and installed steam-pressure systems throughout the structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien personally inspected progress constantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because he distrusted the workers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the furnace mattered too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Froststeel refinement stalled,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>advanced barrel production slowed,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and future industrial plans collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything depended on solving this bottleneck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the sixth day, the structure finally stood complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Massive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark steel reinforcement bands wrapped around the furnace body while steam-pressure pipes connected toward newly constructed airflow regulators nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire thing towered over the surrounding refinery district like some industrial monument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers gathered silently around the structure before the first ignition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the ordinary laborers understood this mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker examined the chamber one final time before nodding slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric crossed his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That still sounds concerning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf ignored him entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Begin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coal loaders immediately moved into position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam bellows activated. Pressure valves opened. Heat chambers sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the furnace roared alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound echoed across the refinery district like thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heat surged upward through the reinforced structure while pressure gauges slowly climbed along the outer chamber walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers watched nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One engineer whispered quietly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If this ruptures...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric answered without looking away from the furnace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Run quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fair advice honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien studied the temperature gauges carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Higher than before already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And still climbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker’s eyes narrowed slightly afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now test.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first Froststeel sample entered the crucible chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence spread immediately across the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minutes passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No instability. No sudden pressure drops. No chamber cracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the furnace, the Froststeel finally began melting evenly beneath the intensified heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One engineer stared at the gauges in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Temperature holding...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another checked the airflow system repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pressure stable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironbreaker slowly grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good furnace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was apparently the highest possible dwarven praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Molten Froststeel finally poured from the chamber nearly an hour later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleaner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far smoother than previous attempts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Workers erupted into cheers across the refinery floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not wild celebration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the bottleneck had finally broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric quietly watched the glowing molten metal flow into reinforced casting molds beneath the furnace light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he glanced toward Lucien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The mines gave us potential.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes shifted back toward the industrial district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This gives us production.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien remained silent while watching the new furnace continue operating steadily beneath the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far beyond Elarion, noble houses still measured strength through bloodlines, alliances, and ancient authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile in the north—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power was beginning to glow from steel and fire instead.\u003C\u002Fp>",1199,"2026-06-05T21:32:57.730Z",1,"novelbin.me","0daaa69e34cfcd56683dbd9d76d39d33fcaa933664c5463dd89650016cc5901d","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-87","the-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-chapter-85",144,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-exiled-duke-s-lottery-system-cover.jpg"]