Half a year passed.
In that half year, Lootwell's progress became rhythmic.
Growth no longer came as one shocking leap after another. It came in organized waves.
Branch after branch opened across the West Continent.
Each branch had its own character, but all of them carried the same unmistakable mark.
Lootwell's order.
Representatives were chosen carefully.
Lucien approved the final choices when necessary, but more and more often, he simply looked over the recommendations and signed them.
Lootwell had learned how to choose.
That mattered.
Meanwhile, the Crafting Division became more terrifying with each passing month.
More mass-production machines appeared.
Rurik's automaton lines became one of the greatest surprises.
At first, outsiders had treated automatons as curiosities.
Then they saw them work.
