The Coastal Town of Ronin, Across the Sea from Jola Island, in the Mainland Empire of Ancorna
“My Lady, a letter with an imperial seal arrived a few hours ago,” the butler announced, bowing slightly as he handed the letter to Viscountess Jessica Ronin.
Jessica's brows furrowed at the sight of the seal. “An imperial seal? Did it co from the imperial palace?”
The butler shook his head. “No, My Lady. It was delivered through the rchant association, and they claid it ca from Jola Island.”
The ntion of Jola Island made Jessica stiffen, her heartbeat quickening. “Jola? From Princess Ravenna?” she murmured, her voice tinged with unease.
Her thoughts spiraled into chaos. “Did she find out about the plan? But that’s impossible! Only the most loyal and trusted mbers of our house know about it.’
Swallowing hard, Jessica broke the seal and unfolded the letter, her hands trembling ever so slightly.
{“Hey, Lady Jessica,
I know we’ve had our differences in the past, and I am well aware of your family’s loyalty to William. However, I believe we can co to an agreent. Would you consider resuming trade with my island? My people are starving, and our supplies are rapidly depleting.
As part of the deal, I am willing to offer cheap labor from my people, or perhaps just give a small loan, that would suffice.
Sincerely,
Princess Ravenna Solarius”}
Jessica sighed, her tension lting into a mix of irritation and disdain. “She doesn’t know about the attack,” she muttered, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. “Still the sa haughty, spoiled princess, I see. And now she has the audacity to ask for money and offer cheap labor in return?”
She crumpled the letter in her hand and tossed it onto the desk with a scoff. “She’ll learn soon enough,” Jessica said coldly.
Her confidence rekindled, she turned her attention back to her plans, ignoring the fleeting sense of unease that lingered in her chest.
Lord’s Castle, Jola City, Jola Island
[ Reputation System v0.1 ]
User: Ravenna Solarius / Joy Cha Kim
Reputation Level: 60 (8024/8200)
Current Reputation Points: 2,621
Titles: Raven of the Sun Palace, Unruly Princess
{ View Reputation Log } { Spend Reputation Points }
In the dim light of her study, Ravenna’s deep dark eyes glimred with anticipation as she stared at the familiar translucent panel before her. She leaned forward in her chair, her fingers drumming rhythmically against the wooden desk.
[ Reputation Points System ]
2 Points: Viscountess Jessica Ronin’s fear of you has haunted her.
(Effect of Title: Raven of the Sun Palace)
“Now for the mont of truth,” Ravenna murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart pounded as she navigated to the detailed log, her mind racing with possibilities.
“Please let it reveal more this ti,” she muttered, her gaze fixed intently on the screen. With a deep breath, she selected the log, the words unfolding before her eyes.
[ Reputation Log ]
Title: Viscountess
Na: Jessica Ronin
Reason: Jessica beca nervous about her plan to attack Jola Island and dispose of 2,000 slaves by disguising 500 knights and 300 rcenaries as pirates. Her fear was triggered upon receiving your letter, causing her to doubt herself and your knowledge of her sche.
Background:Jessica Ronin is an ambitious noblewoman who recently inherited her father’s title. She is driven by an intense desire to elevate her family’s status, a trait instilled in her by her mother. However, the Ronin family’s prestige was severely tarnished years ago due to a scandal at a grand ball. The incident left Jessica’s mother socially ruined and caused irreparable damage to their relationships with other noble houses. Since that day, Jessica has carried the burden of restoring her family’s reputation. Her fear and resentnt toward Princess Ravenna have only deepened over ti, fueled by her trauma and insecurities.
Ravenna’s breath hitched as she read the log. She pushed herself out of her chair, her hands gripping the edge of her desk. “No… way this worked!” she exclaid, a mix of disbelief and exhilaration spreading across her face.
The idea had been simple: send a letter to Viscountess Jessica Ronin, who harbored a deep-seated fear of her. Ravenna had banked on the notion that Jessica’s apprehension alone would earn her at least a single reputation point—enough to unlock a glimpse into Jessica’s thoughts and plans.
And it worked.
Ravenna’s gaze flicked back to the glowing panel hovering before her. “So, a total force of 800 troops transporting 2,000 slaves,” she muttered, her voice tinged with both concern and determination. She reached for a detailed map of Jola Island, spreading it out across her desk. Her fingers traced the contours of the island’s coastline, her mind already calculating the best defensive strategies.
“Where would they land? The harbor? Or perhaps the southern cliffs... No, that’s too risky for them,” she murmured to herself, circling key points on the map with a piece of charcoal. Her mind raced, considering every variable. If she could predict their landing point, she could devise a strategy to minimize the damage and protect her people.
anwhile, in the Blacksmith’s Workshop
The air in the workshop was thick with the sll of molten tal, coal, and sweat. Nille, wiped his brow with a soot-streaked rag. His muscular fra, honed by years of hard labor, was coated in a thin sheen of perspiration as he stood before their latest project: The Steam Engine.
The contraption dominated the center of the workshop, a testant to weeks of relentless effort and ingenuity. It was an intricate assembly of iron and steel, every component forged with painstaking precision.
The cylindrical cauldron, crafted from cast iron, sat at the heart of the machine. Its base was insulated with layers of heat-resistant material, and a sturdy lid was bolted securely on top. Connected to the cauldron was a smaller, intricately shaped iron chamber reinforced with thick tal walls. Seams and rivets were visible along its surface, bearing the marks of careful craftsmanship.
Thick iron rods extended from the chamber, connecting a piston to the crankshaft. The crankshaft itself was a marvel—a heavy, forged iron wheel with an off-center axle designed to convert the linear motion of the piston into rotary motion.
Beside it, a massive flywheel, forged from solid iron, was attached to the crankshaft. Its purpose was to smooth out the jerky movents of the engine and store rotational energy.
The firebox, built from firebricks and cent, was positioned nearby. Its sturdy iron grate held the roaring fire that heated the boiler, and the intense heat shimred in the air as flas crackled within.
As Nille examined the machine, his apprentice adjusted the iron grate, feeding it more coal to stoke the fire. The boiler hissed, steam beginning to build inside.
Nille stepped back, wiping the sweat from his brow again as he observed the pressure gauge. His deep voice broke the tense silence. “Hopefully, this one doesn’t blow up,” he muttered, his tone heavy with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.
Read 12 Advance Chapter by becoming a Patron: 41. Steam and Motion
User Comments
0 comments from readers