A Real Request for Your Help

"'The first snow of 1038 came earlier than usual. The passenger ship docked at Uiazdov Fortress carried away the last five drifting yellow leaves...'"

A telegram that read like a poem, apparently sent by some rich young master to a friend, soon reached Weissenburg City. It was immediately forwarded to High Command and delivered to Helmut, the Chief of Staff stationed in the Duchy of Weissen.

Helmut sprang to his feet. Fifty thousand Winged Hussars from the Piaster Kingdom were on the move, their target somewhere in the north. This was extremely serious.

At Uiazdov Fortress, Frederick lay with his head on Bellberk's lap on the warm living-room sofa, picking his ear.

Bellberk asked softly, "Aren't you going to do anything?"

News of Casimir's deployment had spread among the palace elite. Frederick had heard about it at several salons and balls, then combined the information from various sources and immediately sent it back to Weissenburg City.

Frederick replied, "Let them handle it themselves. There'll probably be more and more wars from now on. Everyone needs to grow."

He was certain Casimir was heading for the Rhine Alliance's army.

Military operations were always driven by self-interest. Frederick couldn't think of anything else that would make Casimir risk his last reserves.

Bellberk pressed on. "Then aren't you going to sabotage anything?"

"How would you sabotage them?" Frederick said. "Burn down the Royal Palace?"

Bellberk said, "You can't do it alone, but you could have the 3rd Division cross the river and attack."

The 3rd Division's armed debt-collection operation had once thrown Uiazdov Fortress into a panic. After the ministers handling the matter argued back and forth with Ah Fu, they paid back a small portion, then started dragging their feet again.

Bellberk had seen through it, too. Casimir intended to put off