The soldiers arrived in Westbrook shortly after sunrise.
Thirty men marched through the western gate under the command of Captain Roland.
They carried an official document bearing the royal seal.
Their destination was Adrian Vale’s factory.
Or rather, what remained of it.
Baron Reinhardt’s appointed manager, a merchant named Gregory, was standing outside the building when the soldiers arrived.
“Captain, I assume you’ve come to assist the administration?”
Captain Roland dismounted.
“We have come under orders from the Royal Industrial Office.”
Gregory smiled.
“Excellent. The Crown has finally recognised the importance of this facility.”
The captain handed him a document.
“Read it carefully.”
Gregory examined the order.
His smile disappeared.
The Crown was not simply requesting an inventory.
It intended to take possession of the factory, its machinery, remaining documents and commercial records.
Gregory quickly protested.
“But this facility is already under the Baron’s administration!”
“The royal order supersedes local arrangements.”
Before Gregory could respond, the soldiers entered the building.
They found workers preparing soap and candles.
Peter was among them.
He immediately recognised the situation.
“Everyone, stop working.”
A soldier approached him.
“Who is in charge here?”
Peter looked at Gregory.
“Apparently, nobody who understands how this place works.”
The captain heard him.
“Bring the workers outside. We need their names.”
The employees gathered in the courtyard.
Some were frightened. Others were angry.
Sarah had already warned them that something like this might happen.
She had instructed them to keep personal records separate from the factory’s official documents.
When the soldiers demanded access to the inventory room, she handed over the records that were legally required.
But she refused to provide the private commercial correspondence.
“Where are the remaining documents?” the captain asked.
“With the company administration.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
The captain studied her.
“You’re making this difficult.”
“I’m answering your question.”
Across the courtyard, Gregory was arguing with another officer.
He wanted the Crown to leave the factory under the Baron’s management.
The captain refused.
By midday, the royal soldiers had sealed the main warehouse.
A notice was placed on the entrance.
PROPERTY UNDER ROYAL INDUSTRIAL SUPERVISION.
Sarah watched as the soldiers carried away several boxes.
She knew Adrian had expected this.
But she also knew that losing the factory was only the beginning.
⸻
CHAPTER 83: THE ARREST OF HIS EMPLOYEES
The following morning, Captain Roland returned.
This time, he brought a list.
The names of seven former employees appeared on it.
Sarah was one of them.
Peter was another.
Gareth’s name was also included.
The soldiers were instructed to bring them in for questioning concerning the concealment of industrial property.
Sarah read the document.
“Is this a royal order?”
“Yes.”
“Then I will cooperate.”
Peter stepped forward.
“Sarah, you don’t have to go with them.”
She turned toward him.
“If we resist, they’ll arrest everyone.”
Peter clenched his fists but said nothing.
Gareth arrived shortly afterward.
He had heard about the soldiers and immediately understood what was happening.
“They want the records,” he said.
Sarah nodded.
“And they believe we know where everything is.”
Gareth looked toward the factory.
“Some of those documents are mine. I made the equipment. I know what belongs to whom.”
Captain Roland approached.
“Master Gareth, you are also required to accompany us.”
Gareth looked at the captain.
“I am a blacksmith, not a criminal.”
“Then you should have nothing to fear.”
Gareth gave a bitter laugh.
“That’s what people always say before they take someone away.”
The seven employees were escorted toward the administrative building.
Meanwhile, Thomas had been watching from across the street.
He immediately sent a message to Elena’s contact in Westbrook.
By evening, the message reached the capital.
Adrian read it twice.
Sarah, Peter and Gareth had been detained.
He stood up so quickly that his chair fell backward.
Aldric entered.
“What happened?”
Adrian handed him the letter.
The professor read it.
“This is becoming worse.”
“They’re arresting my employees because they think I hid something.”
“Can the Academy intervene?”
“Perhaps. But I don’t intend to wait.”
Adrian immediately requested a meeting with Commander Ward.
He was no longer dealing with business restrictions.
The Crown had begun targeting the people who had helped him build his enterprise.
And that was something he could not ignore.
⸻
CHAPTER 84: THE PRICE OF DEFIANCE
Commander Ward arrived at the Academy residence that evening.
He examined the list of detained employees.
“I can arrange for them to be questioned by an independent royal investigator.”
“Can you get them released?”
“Not immediately.”
Adrian walked across the room.
“These people are ordinary workers. They have committed no crime.”
“Unfortunately, the order concerns the concealment of strategic industrial assets.”
“Which is a convenient accusation.”
Ward remained silent.
Adrian turned toward him.
“Who authorised the arrests?”
“The Royal Industrial Office.”
“Under whose instruction?”
Ward hesitated.
“Minister Malrec.”
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“So the minister is using the King’s decree to settle his own disputes.”
“Be careful what you say.”
“Why? Because he might arrest me too?”
Ward looked at him.
“That is not impossible.”
Adrian returned to the table.
He had expected political pressure, confiscation and intimidation.
But he had underestimated how far the minister was willing to go.
“Tell me something, Commander. Is the King aware of these arrests?”
“I cannot confirm that.”
“Then I want to speak to him.”
Ward shook his head.
“The King is occupied with a meeting of the royal council.”
“Convenient.”
The commander stood.
“I will see what I can do about your employees. In the meantime, you should avoid making any public statements.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because someone is waiting for you to make a mistake.”
After Ward left, Adrian sat alone.
He opened the system.
[Industrial Independence: 5%]
[Emergency Quest Progress: 33%]
[Critical Assets Protected: Partial]
He closed the interface.
The system could give him knowledge, but it could not make the King honest or prevent soldiers from arresting his workers.
He needed a different strategy.
A business that depended on one factory could be destroyed by one order.
A business that depended on one noble’s permission could be destroyed by one signature.
He needed multiple locations, independent suppliers and a network that could survive even if one part collapsed.
He took out a map of Eldoria.
His eyes settled on the northern frontier.
A region with weak noble control, abandoned settlements and neglected roads.
It was far from the capital.
Far from Reinhardt.
And perhaps far enough from Malrec.
⸻
CHAPTER 85: THE TRAITOR AMONG US
Thomas arrived at the Academy two days later.
His clothes were dusty, and he looked exhausted.
Adrian received him in a small meeting room.
“Where have you been?”
“Westbrook.”
“Why didn’t you send a message earlier?”
Thomas lowered his head.
“I was afraid.”
Adrian folded his arms.
“Afraid of what?”
“That the soldiers would arrest me too.”
Adrian stared at him.
“You knew they were looking for the records.”
Thomas nodded.
“I did.”
“And?”
Thomas swallowed.
“When they questioned us, I told them where some of the old documents were kept.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Which documents?”
“Some production records. Old inventory sheets. Supplier lists.”
“Did you tell them about the hidden records?”
“No.”
“Did you tell them about the Academy designs?”
“No.”
Adrian walked toward the window.
“You have betrayed my trust twice now.”
Thomas looked down.
“I know.”
“Why should I believe you this time?”
Thomas struggled to answer.
“Because I don’t have anything left to hide.”
Adrian turned.
“That’s not a convincing reason.”
Thomas took a folded paper from his pocket.
“I found this in the factory before the soldiers sealed it.”
Adrian took the paper.
It contained a partial inventory of equipment transferred from the original factory to another location.
At the bottom was a name.
Gregory.
Adrian recognised it as the manager appointed by Baron Reinhardt.
“Where did you find this?”
“In the old administrative room. Gregory was moving equipment before the royal soldiers arrived.”
Adrian examined the document.
“Why didn’t you give this to Sarah?”
“I couldn’t reach her after the arrests.”
Adrian remained silent for a moment.
Then he placed the document on the table.
“You will stay here for now. You won’t handle financial records, technical documents or confidential business information.”
Thomas nodded.
“I understand.”
“You’re not forgiven.”
“I know.”
“But you may still have a chance to prove yourself.”
Thomas looked up.
Adrian continued.
“Don’t waste it.”
Thomas left the room.
Aldric, who had been listening from the adjoining office, entered.
“Do you trust him?”
“No.”
“Then why keep him?”
“Because I don’t yet know everything he knows. And because throwing him away won’t undo what happened.”
Aldric nodded.
Adrian looked at Gregory’s name again.
The Baron had been moving equipment even before the royal seizure.
That meant the factory had been deliberately stripped of valuable assets.
Someone had planned this much earlier than Adrian realised.
⸻
CHAPTER 86: A SECRET WAREHOUSE
The following evening, Elena arrived at the Academy.
She carried a small leather bag and a sealed letter.
“Adrian, we need to talk.”
He stood.
“Is something wrong?”
“Several things.”
She placed the letter on the table.
“My father has received an official request to provide records of every transaction involving your businesses.”
“Frederick refused?”
“He hasn’t answered yet. But he has advised me to move some of our documents.”
Adrian opened the letter.
It contained details of a warehouse outside the capital, owned through a separate commercial arrangement.
“What’s this?”
“A storage facility belonging to one of our eastern trading partners. It isn’t registered under the Voss family.”
Adrian studied her.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Because it could be useful.”
She explained that the warehouse had been used to store imported machinery and expensive commercial goods.
It had two entrances, a private loading yard and a small office.
More importantly, it was outside the immediate jurisdiction of the western authorities.
“Could we use it to store our records?”
“Some of them. Not everything.”
Adrian looked at the location.
“How far from the capital?”
“About half a day’s journey.”
He examined the surrounding roads.
“Who owns the land?”
“A merchant consortium. They have no direct connection to the Baron.”
“Can they be trusted?”
Elena smiled slightly.
“Trust is expensive. But they can be paid.”
Adrian laughed.
“That’s a merchant’s answer.”
She sat down.
“Adrian, I need to tell you something else. My father believes the King may eventually support Malrec’s position.”
“Why?”
“Because the King wants industrial development, but he also wants control. Malrec is offering him a way to obtain both.”
Adrian looked at the warehouse document again.
He now had a possible location for a secure base.
But it was not enough.
He needed to protect his employees, preserve his knowledge and create a business structure that could survive political interference.
He turned toward Elena.
“I want to establish a new operation.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere in the north.”
Elena looked surprised.
“The northern frontier?”
“Yes.”
“That region is practically abandoned.”
“Exactly.”
She studied him for a moment.
“You’re serious.”
“Completely.”
Adrian spread the map across the table.
The northern territories contained forests, rivers, abandoned settlements and unused agricultural land.
They were poor, neglected and politically inconvenient.
But they also had something he needed.
Space.
He pointed to a small region near the northern trade route.
“If we can secure land here, we can build our own manufacturing centre.”
Elena followed his finger.
“And what about the Crown?”
Adrian folded the map.
“Let them keep arguing over my old factory.”
He looked at her.
“I’m going to build something they cannot take with one order.”
The system notification appeared.
[Emergency Quest Progress: 67%]
[Secure Storage: Established]
[Independent Production Base: Not Yet Established]
[New Development Opportunity Detected.]
[Northern Frontier: Potential Territory Identified.]
Adrian stared at the notification.
For months, he had been trying to become independent within the kingdom’s existing system.
Now he was beginning to consider building an entirely different one.
And the northern frontier might be where it all began.