It was as if, in the blink of an eye, news that the six northern provinces of the empire had raised the banner of rebellion under Princess Constance's leadership had gone from a rumor that could only be discussed in whispers to something that could be spoken of openly. In the streets and alleys, among the common folk, almost everyone's topic of conversation instantly became this matter. People anxiously discussed the situation before them, asking around for the latest information and moving from one unreliable source to another. They discussed the princess's motives, the goals of the six northern provinces, and speculated about changes at the front as well as Your Majesty's response. But what worried them most was the battle that had taken place at the Corpus River a few days earlier, along with the small village destroyed in the fighting. They had no choice but to worry, because it really was not far from here.
According to more recent information, it had been an unexpected encounter. A group of Broken Sword Knights and their retinue, who had been preparing to head north in response to the princess's call, were discovered by the Black Sword Knights' Order before crossing the river. The two sides then became embroiled in a chaotic battle. The Broken Sword Knights had numbered only one-tenth as many as their opponents, yet the two sides had still fought to a draw. The battle's final outcome could be said to have been no outcome at all: after suffering heavy casualties, both sides had chosen to withdraw. In terms of results, there had been no victor. In the long run, however, the commander of the Black Sword Knights' Order would certainly be restless, because the Broken Sword Knights had disappeared after the battle. No one knew whether they