The Canary Mountains stood like a sharp, long blade stabbed straight into the lands of the Northern Territory, blocking the White Crow Duchy's frigid currents and leaving the Empire's lands warm and fertile.
The resistance returned to the woodland at the foot of the Canary Mountains.
This time, they had chosen another location—a strange forest where they rebuilt their camp. The site lay against a mountain hollow, with a long valley running through both sides, making it far harder to encircle and wipe them out.
There were beasts in the forest, but before the armed and armored resistance fighters, they were little more than prey. The previous woods had been hunted nearly clean over this period, while this stretch of forest was untouched.
Gwen sat on a fallen trunk, propping up her head with one hand as she watched the people building the camp.
"Mr. Isaac, I still don't understand. Why don't we retreat south directly? Didn't we get word from the town before that Castel is still there?"
The resistance had not gone to town merely to trade. They had also emptied out the Wolves of Winter's barracks and gathered local intelligence.
News from Blood Port had only just reached them, and it was badly delayed—they only knew that the Mother Goddess Church had launched its first rebellion and that Castel had just arrived in Blood Port.
The later news—that the evil god, the Loving Mother, had torn up the treaty—had yet to arrive.
Isaac shook his head.
"Miss Gwen, as things stand, that isn't a good option."
"First, Castel hasn't sent anyone else here. They may have run into trouble and be unable to spare the manpower. Even if we head south, it will be difficult to receive support. In other words, we would have to make our