Chapter Summaries

After a month of brutal fighting, the Northern Alliance Army and Duchy Army paused to recover, but exhausted soldiers and young nobles caused disorder in White Earth City. Alex took command of the Military Police Corps and restored order within a week.

• Count Colt ordered the Northern Alliance Army’s combat troops to take leave in White Earth City while the army recovered.
• Drunken soldiers and young nobles started brawls that escalated into casualties and clashes between noble families.
• The Military Police Corps struggled to control the unrest because the troublemakers included influential nobles and their elite private troops.
• Alex volunteered to take command of the Military Police Corps, and Count Colt entrusted him with the task.
• Alex punished the young nobles regardless of rank and sent soldiers involved in the brawls to labor, bringing order to White Earth City within a week.

Alex learned that Victor’s Southern Marching Legion had helped Ironvine Territory defeat the Grand Duchy forces, and Count Colt used the news to rally the Northern Frontier Allied Army for an attack. The chapter ended with the coalition mobilized and ready to strike, while its leaders still underestimated the scale of Victor’s victory.

• After restoring order in White Earth City, Alex returned to the Main Camp and discovered a report that Victor had secured victory in Ironvine Territory and killed Ursus.
• Alex verified the report, learning that the Grand Duchy’s Fourth Legion was out of contact and Victor’s Southern Marching Legion was heading north toward Suffolk County.
• Count Colt ordered supplies sent to Golden Sunflower Territory and called the Northern Frontier nobles and senior officers to a meeting, deciding to prepare for an offensive.
• Alex drafted a battle report that overstated his own side’s casualties and underestimated the Grand Duchy’s losses because he lacked accurate details.
• Count Colt announced Victor’s victory at the meeting and proposed an attack, prompting the coalition to recall its units, release imprisoned young nobles, and ready its soldiers for battle.

Victor reunited with Salos, the new head of the Southern Region branch of the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce, and received a major shipment of supplies for the Southern Marching Legion. Victor sent Salos to deliver his battle report to Alex and gather detailed reports from every battlefield, then changed his plans to bypass Sunset City.

• Victor met Salos, who explained that he had taken over the Ironvine Territory branch after its previous head disappeared and was confirmed dead.
• Salos gave Victor an inventory of supplies authorized by Allied Command and Alex, including enough livestock and warhorses to support an army of over ten thousand.
• Victor asked Salos to deliver his battle report safely to Alex and collect detailed reports from every battlefield.
• Victor's men accepted the supplies, and Salos hurried off to deliver the report and gather intelligence.
• With the supplies secured, Victor decided to skip his planned stop in Sunset City.

Viscount Borey and the Duchy Legion commanders debated how to respond after the Southern Region disaster, with tensions rising between the regular and Noble Legions. Grand Duke Mora suggested exploiting the Northern Alliance Army’s incomplete intelligence, then left the commanders to plan while the noble commanders appealed against being used as bait again.

• Labia accused the dead Ursus of ruining the duchy’s plans, and Kimberley clashed with him until Viscount Borey ordered them to stop.
• Viscount Borey redirected the meeting toward the consequences of the Southern Region defeat, and the commanders argued over whether to suppress the news, attack, or prepare for an enemy advance.
• Grand Duke Mora arrived, revealed that the Silver Maple Secret Guard had delivered a detailed battle report, and urged the commanders to use their intelligence advantage.
• Kimberley proposed appearing weak to lure the Northern Alliance Army into an attack before counterattacking, and Mora approved the idea while leaving its execution to the commanders.
• The noble legion commanders asked Mora not to use their forces as bait again, and Mora told Viscount Borey to ensure the duchy stood together.

Viscount Borey finalized a plan for the Imperial Guard Legion to retreat from the forward camp and draw the Northern Alliance Army toward the center, where the other units could surround it. Grand Duke Mora returned to Audrey and reassured her that he had delivered her advice, while she refused to leave for Silver Maple City because it could hurt troop morale.

• A Noble Legion commander asked Viscount Borey to confirm that the legions would no longer serve as bait, and Borey agreed to use the Imperial Guard Legion if bait was needed.
• Labia proposed abandoning his legion’s forward camp to lure the enemy toward the center, but Kimberley argued that the enemy might suspect a trap and that their cavalry was too weak to encircle it.
• Viscount Borey ordered Labia and himself to exchange positions and planned for the Imperial Guard Legion to retreat from the forward camp, drawing enemy troops into the main camp for the other units to surround.
• Borey urged the commanders to accept responsibility and win to protect morale after the defeat in the Southern Region, and they worked out most of the plan.
• Mora told Audrey that he had passed her advice to the commanders, and she declined his offer to take her back to Silver Maple City because leaving could undermine troop morale.

As the Northern Alliance Army attacked the Duchy's forward camp, Alex received Victor's late report of a devastating Southern Region victory and realized the enemy's troop rotation had been a trap. Count Colt ordered the army to halt its advance and retreat in formation, while Alex and Viscount Edmund moved to protect the vanguard.

• Alex reported the Duchy Army's troop rotations, but Count Colt kept the original attack plan and advanced it by a day.
• The Northern Alliance Army stormed the forward camp, and its vanguard broke through before being stopped and separated from the other units.
• Alex received Victor's Southern Region battle report, which revealed nearly sixty thousand enemy troops had been lost at the cost of fewer than ten thousand casualties.
• Count Colt recognized the troop rotation as a trap and ordered every legion to stop attacking, regroup, and retreat in order.
• Count Colt sent Alex's cavalry to secure the right flank and ordered Viscount Edmund to establish a defensive line as Duchy forces moved to encircle the vanguard.

Viscount Haines’s Iron Birch Second Legion was caught between the Duchy Army’s encirclement and the Imperial Guard Legion’s main force, and Haines died holding the rearguard. Both sides suffered heavy losses before the fighting ended in a ceasefire, and Victor judged the battle to have had neither victory nor defeat.

• Viscount Haines’s Iron Birch Second Legion captured the forward camp’s fortified positions at heavy cost, then received Count Colt’s order to withdraw just before reaching the Duchy Army’s central command camp.
• The Duchy Army’s flanks moved to encircle the Second Legion, while the Imperial Guard Legion’s main force emerged from the camp and pursued it.
• Haines led part of the Second Legion in a rearguard defense so the rest could escape, and Alex’s repeated attempts to rescue him failed.
• After a day and night of fighting, the Duchy Army withdrew, and the Northern Alliance Army found that Haines and all three encircled regiments had been killed.
• Count Colt mourned Haines, while Alex swore revenge on Viscount Borey and the Imperial Guard Legion; both armies suffered nearly equal heavy losses and resumed a ceasefire.
• Victor received the delayed battle report in the Eastern Region and called the battle one that ended in neither victory nor defeat.

Victor learned that Golden Sunflower Territory had committed most of its troops to local defenses, but Santos showed him how their allies could provide replacements for the Southern Marching Legion. After news of Viscount Haines's death raised fears of renewed rebellion, Victor and Santos chose to proceed with the troop requisitions.

• Victor returned to Golden Sunflower Territory and learned that Santos had deployed its troops to guard strategic positions and Boler County's borders.
• Santos mapped out the Eastern Region's rebel activity and explained that their allies could spare troops to replenish the Southern Marching Legion.
• Victor estimated that seven or eight thousand replacements would cover the legion's lasting losses and prepared orders to call up allied troops.
• A battle report announced Viscount Haines's death, prompting Victor to fear that eastern nobles would rebel and allies would withhold their soldiers.
• Santos argued that Haines's death would not change the Eastern Region's broader situation, so Victor agreed to send out the requisition orders.

Victor selected four detachments from Golden Sunflower Territory for the campaign against Blackwater City, while leaving Santos behind to oversee the territory. Victor departed with two detachments, and Santos reassured his attendant that the lord would remember the contributions of those who stayed behind.

• Victor told Santos that he would remain in Golden Sunflower Territory and asked him to recommend four detachments for the campaign.
• Santos recommended the 7th, 4th, 9th, and 10th Garrison Detachments and explained the commanders’ experience, including Panfilov’s service.
• Victor accepted the recommendations and planned to rendezvous with the detachments before marching north with allied troops toward Blackwater City.
• Victor boarded ships at Linshui Town with the Guard Cavalry and the 9th and 10th Detachments, while Santos saw them off.
• Santos’s attendant worried that staying behind might cost Santos a title and rewards, but Santos said the lord would remember their contributions.

Victor received Count Colt’s order to delay the Southern Marching Legion’s march north and prepare to cut off the Duchy Army’s supply lines in Raine County. At Viscount Haines’s funeral, Count Colt defended the decision to let Victor rebuild his strength before joining the main battle.

• Victor appointed Panfilov permanent commander of the Fourth Detachment and promised support for his family.
• Little Paru delivered an urgent order from Count Colt directing Victor to rest before advancing into the Central Region and targeting the Duchy Army’s supply lines.
• Victor stationed his troops on Raine County’s border and sent light cavalry and scouts to gather intelligence on Blackwater City.
• The Northern Alliance Army held a funeral for Viscount Haines and the soldiers killed in the same battle.
• Viscount Ziegfried and other nobles questioned Count Colt’s decision to send Victor toward Blackwater City instead of north immediately.
• Count Colt explained that Victor’s army needed time to recover and said it would join the fighting when the time was right.

Alex questioned Count Colt's deference to the Northern Frontier nobles, and Count Colt explained that their support legitimized the rebellion. He revealed that political rivals and he himself had reasons to limit Victor's military gains as the Alliance approached victory.

• Alex complained that Count Colt had been too polite to the Northern Frontier nobles, and Count Colt explained that their support gave the rebellion legitimacy.
• Count Colt suggested that powerful territories had sent the nobles to test him and weaken the Iron Birch Family's standing after its losses.
• Alex questioned why anyone was already planning to divide the Grand Duchy's lands before the Civil War was won.
• Count Colt said Victor's capture of the Southern Region made Alliance victory inevitable and that other commanders had delayed Victor to limit his military merit.
• Count Colt admitted he had supported the delay because Victor's rising power might let the Golden Sunflower Family become a threat to the Iron Birch Family.

Alex reflected on Victor’s importance to the Northern Alliance Army and resolved to try to change Count Colt’s mind about suppressing him. Meanwhile, Victor reviewed intelligence on Blackwater City and decided to begin the siege before the city could send more supplies to the front.

• Alex considered how Victor’s trade, money, weapons, and support had strengthened the Iron Birch Family and the Northern Alliance Army, and decided to persuade Count Colt not to oppose him.
• Two of Victor’s light cavalry scouts observed Blackwater City’s heightened defenses and returned with intelligence, though only half their squad survived.
• Orlando dismissed the scouts’ reports as redundant after confirming they matched information from the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce.
• Orlando gave Victor the verified intelligence, including details about Blackwater City’s garrison, defenses, food stores, and delayed supply convoy to the front.
• Victor told Orlando not to investigate the convoy delay and decided to begin the siege immediately, preventing Blackwater City from sending further supplies.

Viscount Krick arranged to burn a grain convoy as rebel forces approached, intending to cover up a military provisions deficit and secure Viscount Pelei’s favor. He considered using the evidence of Pelei’s collusion as protection if he later joined the rebels.

• Gaita informed Viscount Krick that the rebels had arrived, and Krick ordered the grain convoy to depart.
• Gaita assured Krick that the fleet’s grain officer had been bribed and would burn the ships when the rebels attacked.
• Krick explained that destroying the provisions and surrendering the convoy’s soldiers and laborers would settle the grain accounts.
• Krick sent Gaita with a letter for Viscount Pelei in Silver Maple City.
• After Gaita left, Krick reflected that Pelei owed him a favor and could be exposed if he ever needed to defend himself.

Viscount Krick watched from Blackwater City's wall as enemy cavalry pursued the grain fleet, then used the fleet's destruction to rally the defenders. He left with Gaita, planning to visit Book's family and take advantage of Book's widow.

• Viscount Krick refused to leave the wall while the grain fleet sailed north, and Gaita assured him that Book could protect it.
• The Northlands Cavalry rode north after the fleet, but Krick forbade the city's cavalry from pursuing, warning that the enemy might be setting a trap.
• Gaita pointed out another force of two or three hundred riders carrying the Golden Sunflower banner, and Krick's caution appeared vindicated.
• Smoke rose in the north, and Krick announced that Book had sacrificed himself to keep the grain from the enemy, promising to honor him and give his family twenty gold coins.
• The defenders cheered Krick's speech, while he privately praised Gaita's advice and revealed that he wanted to visit Book's beautiful widow.

Victor arrived at the burning grain fleet and ordered Belger to concentrate the men on saving a few ships. After most of the fleet burned or sank, Belger brought Victor wheat stalks and husks, revealing that the ships’ cargo was not what they had expected.

• Victor met Knight Belger, who reported that the cavalry had suffered few casualties and that the enemy commander had set the ships on fire before killing himself.
• Victor ordered Belger to gather everyone and focus on saving one or two ships rather than trying to extinguish the whole fleet.
• Victor corrected Little Paru for assuming Belger lacked initiative, explaining that Belger had waited for his lord’s orders.
• The fires consumed most of the ships, and Victor remarked that the grain ships were burning unusually fast.
• Belger told Victor that the rescued ship’s cargo seemed wrong and showed him wheat stalks and husks.

Victor discovered that the fleet’s cargo sacks held wheat husks and stones instead of grain, then sent a letter and package to Viscount Krick as he prepared to besiege Blackwater City. The next morning, Krick met with Gaita and learned that Victor’s troops had made no move overnight.

• Victor inspected the burned fleet and found sacks filled with wheat husks and stones rather than grain.
• Victor questioned the guards, concluded that Viscount Krick had likely arranged the false grain shipments, and decided to use the discovery against him.
• Victor sent a letter and package addressed to Viscount Krick into Blackwater City through the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce liaison.
• Victor established camps around Blackwater City and considered how to take it without siege equipment, deciding to wait for the letter’s effect.
• Viscount Krick woke in the city lord’s manor beside Mrs. Buke, dressed with Gaita’s help, and asked whether Victor’s troops had made any moves overnight.

Captain Rust proposed using repeated cavalry sorties to harass the enemy camps outside Blackwater City, then relying on the rested defenders if the enemy attacked. Gaita questioned whether the city had enough cavalry, and Rust argued that merchant guild guards could make up the numbers.

• Captain Rust urged Viscount Krick to send cavalry through the undefended gates to wear down the enemy camps.
• Gaita warned that the city defenders had fewer cavalrymen than the enemy and might not be able to handle them.
• Rust said the cavalry only needed to draw the enemy’s attention before retreating under support from the city defenders.
• Rust claimed Blackwater City’s merchant guilds had at least three or four hundred mounted guards who could join the plan.

Viscount Krick rejected Rust’s request to requisition merchant guards but approved his sortie, then plotted to betray Rust to protect his authority. After Victor Golden Sunflower exposed Krick’s diversion of military grain and threatened to reveal it, Krick agreed to help the enemy and sent Gaita with a letter, while having guards accompany him under suspicious circumstances.

• Viscount Krick refused Rust’s request to requisition merchant guards, approved the sortie against Victor’s besieging forces, and offered his own guards instead.
• Krick told Gaita he wanted Rust killed or discredited and considered informing the merchant guilds about Rust’s plans.
• Krick opened Victor Golden Sunflower’s letter and package, learning that Victor had evidence of his diverted military grain and the burned grain ships.
• Gaita urged Krick to accept Victor’s terms, and Krick decided to help the assault by betraying Rust.
• Krick sent Gaita to deliver a letter to Victor and ordered more than a dozen Governor’s Guard soldiers to accompany him, leaving Gaita afraid they were monitoring or silencing him.

Gaita went to meet the Northern Frontier Rebels’ contact in Blackwater City and discovered that it was President Geshilton, a man he had not expected. Geshilton revealed his former position in the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce, leaving Gaita questioning the rumors and Viscount Yorick’s role.

• Gaita arrived at a bar with Governor’s Guard soldiers and was challenged by a garrison officer.
• The garrison officers and soldiers drew their weapons and surrounded Gaita’s group until a man ordered them to stand down.
• Gaita recognized the man as the contact the Governor had sent him to meet and followed him into a private room.
• Gaita confronted President Geshilton about being the Northern Frontier Rebels’ inside man in Blackwater City.
• Geshilton said he had formerly led the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce’s branch in Wright County and called his relationship with Viscount Yorick a long story.

Geshilton manipulated Gaita into turning against Viscount Krick by claiming Krick had been offered generous surrender terms, including the possibility of an independent barony. Gaita agreed to help Geshilton and Viscount Victor take Blackwater City, hoping to earn a position under Victor.

• Gaita delivered the governor's letter to Geshilton, who promised it would reach Viscount Victor that night.
• Geshilton pointed out that Governor's Guard soldiers were following Gaita, prompting Gaita to suspect Viscount Krick planned to silence him.
• Geshilton described Victor's surrender offer and falsely claimed Krick might receive an independent noble title, stirring Gaita's resentment and jealousy.
• Geshilton offered to help Gaita escape, but Gaita instead asked for a chance to work under Viscount Victor if he helped capture Blackwater City.
• Geshilton and Gaita agreed to cooperate with Viscount Victor in taking the city and dealing with Viscount Krick.