nervously across from Ravenna in the bcksmith’s workshop. The air was thick with the st of burning coal and the metallig of hammers striking steel. The man fidgeted with his hands, his usually steady demeanor faltering under Ravenna’s pierg gaze.

  “We certainly make what you’re asking for, Yhness,” Nille began, his voice shaky as he chose his words carefully. “But with all the projects we’re currently w on—and the a just won’t be possible right now.”

  He gnced up at her cautiously, knowing all too well how unfiving Ravenna’s temper could be.

  Ravenna tapped her fingers oable, her expression unreadable. The tension in the room grew heavier with each passing moment. Finally, she leaned ba her chair and sighed, her tone sharp but measured.

  “Hmm, you’re right,” she said after a moment of thought. “The steam eakes priority. O’s pleted, it’ll help with mass produ, which should free up your workload.”

  Nille nodded quickly, relief evident in his voice. “Yes, Yhness. We’ll ehe steam engine is built properly and on schedule.”

  Ravenna had e here with a specific purpose: to order the creation of slot maes. With the ret iion of springs, the idea of meical gambling devices had bee feasible. If she wao make her gambling house in the mainnd empire a profitable vehese maes would be essential.

  In this world, gambling houses and os were luxuries reserved for nobility. Lavish establishments catered to the upper css, games of ce alongside fine wine aravagaertai. For the ambling was a far humbler affair, fio ba taverns and small betting games at drinking bars. It astime, not a spectacle.

  Ravenna, however, envisioned something far grander. She saportunity to revolutioertai for the lower csses—an untapped market. For the peasants, eai was a rare luxury, scard often inaccessible. A gambling house, plete with slot maes and ames, could ge that. It would provide not just distra, but a sense of excitement and profit for the isnd.

  But for now, her pns would have to wait. “Fine,” she said with a wave of her hand, rising from her seat. “We’ll wait a month. Just make sure the steam engine is built to perfe. I don’t want abacks.”

  “Yes, Yhness,” Nille replied, bowing deeply as she turo leave.

  The Coastal Town of Ronin, Across the sea from Jo Isnd, in the mainnd empire of Ana

  The coastal town of Ronin glimmered uhe fading light of the setting sun. The town’s cobbled streets were bustling with the evening crowd—fishermen hauling in their st catch, merts pag up their wares, and children ughing as they chased each other through the narrow alleys.

  At the edge of the town stood the lord’s mansion, a gra slightly weathered estate overlooking the harbor. Its stone walls were covered in creeping ivy, and the warm glow of dlelight spilled out from the tall windows.

  Ihe mansion’s study, Vistess Jessica Ronin sat at her desk, surrounded by stacks of part and bous. Her auburn hair ulled into a braid, though a few strands had escaped, framiired face. She leaned ba her chair, rubbiemples as she sed the test batch of reports.

  The soft crackle of the firepce behind her provided the only sound in the room, a faint fort in the growing silence as the sun dipped below the horizon. Jessica sighed heavily, setting down the part in her hand.

  The dot detailed the financial expenses of the visty over the past few months, including the costs of hosting Princess Ravenna and her ente in the fi inn Ronin could provide duriravel to exile. Though the sum was a mere fra of the visty’s overall expenditures, Jessica’s disdain for the princess made it feel like an unbearable stain on their coffers.

  “As if we didn’t have enough problems,” Jessica muttered, her tone ced with venom.

  Jessid her house, loyal supporters of Prince William, harbored a deep rese for Ravenna. Hosting her had been a bitter pill to swallow, one forced upon them by imperial politics. Had it been her choice, she would have turhe princess away without a sed thought.

  After gring at the report for another moment, Jessica pushed it aside and turned her attention to aack of papers. Her frustration only grew as she read through a new report detailing Prince William’s ret activities in the capital.

  “What in the world is Prince William doing?” she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing as she absorbed the details.

  The prince had begun dismantling the bck markets and eradig the sve trade in the capital, a move clearly desigo bolster his reputation among both the nobility and the on people. His efforts were uded as heroic, but to the Ronin family, it was nothing short of a disaster.

  The Ronins had long-standing ties to the criminal syndicate Hericules, supplying sves for the illicit aus that lihe syndicate’s coffers. Prince William’s campaign threateo expose their dealings and uhe delicate web of influehey had built over the years.

  Jessica ched her fist, her knuckles whitening. “He most certainly wants to make an example of the house responsible,” she said bitterly. “A scapegoat for his crusade, a means to t his reputation as the savior who eradicated the sve trade in the capital.”

  Her thoughts were interrupted by a firm knock at the door.

  “Enter,” she called, her voice sharp.

  The door opeo reveal her father, Edward Ronin, the former lord of the visty. His silver hair ahered face bore the marks of a man who had weathered tless storms, though his sharp eyes still held a calg glint. He stepped inside, carrying a rolled-up report in his hand.

  “Jessica, my dear, look at this,” he said, striding to her desk and ying the dot before her.

  Jessifurled the part and sed its tents. Her eyes widened slightly as she read. “So, he’s goo the Estra Kingdom for an emergency session of the cil of Vassal States?”

  Edward nodded gravely. “Yes. This might be our ce to act. If we move quickly, we dispose of the 2,000 sves we’re holding and cut all ties with Hericules. By the time Prince William returns and resumes his crusade, we’ll have erased all evidence of our involvement.”

  Jessica’s eyes narrowed as she sidered her father’s words. It was a golden opportunity to protect their family from the prince’s “heroic” acts. They couldn’t afford to be the scapegoat he o solidify his legacy.

  “But…” Jessica’s voice trailed off as her mind raced. “Where we possibly move 2,000 sves without being caught? Transp that many people would draw far too much attention.”

  Her gaze drifted to the map spread across her desk. Suddenly, her lips curled into a sly smirk. “Father,” she said, her tone ced with excitement.

  Edward raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

  Jessica tapped a spot on the map—the isnd of Jo. “Why don’t we attack Jo?”

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