The southern trade roads remained closed.

Officially.

House Valcriox had spent months tightening economic pressure around Elarion through:

merchant restrictions,

transportation inspections,

noble tariffs,

and controlled supply limitations.

On paper—

The northern territory should have slowed by now.

Perhaps even collapsed.

Instead—

The smoke above Elarion only grew thicker.

Rain hammered softly against the tall windows of the Valcriox intelligence chamber while dozens of sealed reports rested across the central oak table beneath flickering candlelight.

Kassian sat silently at the head of the chamber reviewing the newest intelligence dispatches from the north.

His expression remained calm.

But only outwardly.

Because the reports no longer made sense.

A senior intelligence officer stood nearby while several lesser scribes organized intercepted trade records across the table.

"The latest northern reports arrived this morning."

Kassian continued reading silently.

Then stopped.

Slowly.

"...Read it."

The officer immediately obeyed.

"Production estimates from Elarion continue increasing despite ongoing trade restrictions."

Another document was opened.

"Iron output believed to have risen significantly during the previous winter cycle."

A second.

"New refinery expansion confirmed near eastern industrial district."

A third.

"Increased movement of coal and ore shipments from Frostpeak routes."

The room fell quieter with every report.

Because none of this should have been happening.

Kassian leaned back slowly in his chair.

"How?"

No one answered immediately.

Because no one truly knew.

One of the intelligence scribes finally spoke carefully.

"The northern roads should not support such growth."

Another nodded.

"Nor should their labor force."

A third hesitated briefly before adding:

"Migration toward Elarion appears to be increasing."

That drew attention immediately.

Kassian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Voluntary migration?"

"Yes, lord Kassian."

Now that was dangerous.

Economic blockades worked by suffocating growth.

But if people willingly moved toward Elarion— the blockade weakened naturally.

Kassian set the report down carefully.

"Continue."

The officer swallowed lightly.

"Additional reports confirm expanded foundries operating day and night."

"Steam-powered systems observed across industrial zones."

"Weapon manufacturing also continues increasing."

"How much?"

The officer paused.

"We cannot determine exact numbers."

That answer irritated Kassian immediately.

"You cannot determine?" "Or you failed to determine?"

The room instantly became tense.

The officer lowered his head slightly.

"Elarion’s internal security has tightened heavily."

Another intelligence agent stepped forward afterward.

"Spies report increased patrols around production districts."

"Foreign merchants restricted." "Workshop access limited." "Transport manifests monitored."

Kassian tapped the table slowly.

Lucien had learned.

The north no longer behaved like an isolated frontier territory.

It behaved like a state protecting industrial secrets.

That realization bothered him more than the production numbers themselves.

A noble territory should not function this efficiently.

One report near the edge of the table finally caught Kassian’s attention.

He picked it up slowly.

Then reread it once.

Twice.

His expression hardened slightly afterward.

"...Five thousand?"

The intelligence officer nodded carefully.

"Estimated."

"Estimated?"

"Yes, my lord."

The officer continued cautiously.

"The 1st Elarion Rifle Regiment appears to be expanding rapidly."

"Additional artillery deployment also observed."

Kassian stared silently at the report.

Five thousand riflemen.

Supported by industry.

That was no longer local military development.

That was strategic transformation.

One older noble advisor standing near the chamber wall scoffed quietly.

"Exaggerated northern rumors."

Kassian did not even look toward him.

"Kael personally verified the artillery."

That immediately silenced the room.

Because Kael’s earlier reports had already proven accurate.

Cannons. Industrial districts. Mass production.

Every impossible report eventually became real.

Rain continued striking the windows softly while tension slowly thickened throughout the chamber.

Another intelligence officer unfolded a trade ledger afterward.

"There is more."

Kassian looked up again.

"Speak."

"Despite the blockade... Elarion’s local markets remain stable."

Several nobles frowned immediately.

"That is impossible."

"Food prices should have risen months ago."

"Coal shortages alone should have—"

"The Frostpeak mines," Kassian interrupted quietly.

Silence followed.

Because suddenly the pattern became clearer.

Coal. Ore. Steel. Industry.

Elarion was becoming self-sufficient.

That changed everything.

One younger noble finally spoke carefully.

"Then perhaps we tighten the blockade further."

Kassian looked toward him for several seconds.

Then asked calmly:

"With what?"

The noble hesitated.

"The southern trade routes—"

"Already restricted."

"Merchant access—"

"Already monitored."

"Then military pressure?"

That suggestion lingered dangerously in the room.

Kassian slowly rose from his chair afterward before walking toward the rain-covered window overlooking the capital below.

His reflection stared back at him faintly through the glass.

Military pressure.

Easy words.

Dangerous consequences.

Because the north no longer appeared weak.

And wars rarely behaved predictably.

The reports spread across the table behind him painted a deeply troubling picture:

increasing production,

growing military strength,

stable logistics,

expanding infrastructure,

population growth.

All despite coordinated economic pressure.

That should not happen.

Not this quickly.

Not in a frozen northern territory once dismissed as worthless.

Kassian spoke without turning.

"How much smoke?"

The officers exchanged confused glances briefly.

"My lord?"

"The reports."

Kassian’s eyes remained fixed on the rain-covered city outside.

"How much smoke rises above Elarion now?"

The officer hesitated.

"...Enough to be seen from several miles away."

Silence.

Then a quiet laugh escaped Kassian unexpectedly.

Not amusement.

Recognition.

"Smoke."

He looked back toward the gathered nobles afterward.

"You still think this is merely military growth."

No one answered.

Because his expression had changed now.

More serious.

More focused.

Kassian walked slowly back toward the strategy table before placing one hand atop the northern trade maps.

"You are all looking at rifles."

His gaze shifted toward the production reports.

"But Lucien is building furnaces."

The room remained silent.

Because suddenly— that sounded far more dangerous.

Kassian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Because for the first time—

They were beginning to understand the true threat Elarion represented.

Not merely stronger soldiers.

Not merely cannons.

But scalable power.

And outside the rain-covered capital far to the north—

The furnaces of Elarion continued burning through the night.