Recaps

John tried to persuade Sellviya to cooperate by offering her a chance to witness a game about whether commoners or nobles would win. He left her with a provocative question about whether an emperor was truly essential to a nation.

• Sellviya demanded that John state his conditions, but he saw through her show of madness and urged her to speak honestly.
• Sellviya admitted that her strength and appearance gave her no leverage as John's prisoner and suggested he might simply be toying with her.
• John reflected that gaining Sellviya's trust would be difficult, even with his knowledge of the game and its characters.
• John told Sellviya he wanted her to witness a game about whether commoners or nobles would ultimately win.
• John asked Sellviya whether an emperor was truly crucial to a nation, leaving her visibly shaken.

John Maslow tried to persuade Sellviya to question the Empire’s political order by comparing their radically different lives. He revealed that the questions had grown into a dream he had carried since military academy, but he had not yet explained what that dream was.

• John asked Laiya to leave, but she dislocated Sellviya’s hands before going outside.
• John resumed his conversation with Sellviya and learned about the Age of the Gods, a part of the world’s history he had never encountered.
• John introduced his orphaned past and military career, while Sellviya regarded him as a favored Imperial loyalist.
• John asked Sellviya whether fate alone explained why their lives had turned out so differently.
• John said he had formed a blueprint for the future at the Imperial First Military Academy and called it his dream.

John used an adapted speech about equality and peace to unsettle Sellviya, then offered her a chance to serve as an observer while remaining a prisoner with special freedoms. He left the tent proclaiming that he was destined for heaven, while Sellviya watched in astonishment.

• John delivered his vision of a world without discrimination, class oppression, or war, and Sellviya dismissed it as ridiculous despite being visibly affected.
• John accepted Sellviya’s continued distrust and decided to keep trying to persuade her while they remained in Bahamut Town.
• John untied Sellviya and explained that he would plead for special prisoner provisions allowing her to accompany his troops as an observer.
• Sellviya questioned whether the nobles would drag John into hell, and John replied that he was destined for heaven.
• John walked into the sunlight as he declared that he would ascend to heaven amid the people’s cheers and the gods’ approval.

John left his tent and misread Laiya’s guilty silence as a sign that she disliked him, then panicked that he had ruined his plan to win her favor. Wendy interrupted his awkward attempt to invite Laiya to dinner with news of his promotion ceremony and flew him to the baron’s residence, while Laiya watched in silence.

• John found Laiya nervously hiding a notebook, praised her for guarding the tent, and did not realize she felt guilty for eavesdropping and writing down his speech.
• John mistook Laiya’s silence for dissatisfaction and feared that he would lose his chance to use her to influence Anna.
• John invited Laiya to dinner at the town tavern, but she kept her head lowered and said nothing.
• Wendy arrived and told John that the Inspection Forces had come to hold his promotion ceremony.
• John posed confidently for Laiya before saying goodbye, but Wendy tucked him under her arm and flew him toward the baron’s residence.

John Maslow arrived at the baron's residence and received a promotion to major, command of a new battalion, and the First-Class Iron Cross Medal of Honor. The Inspection Forces captains hinted that Emperor William regarded him as a future trusted general, while Wendy ran off with his medal to show the squad.

• John arrived with Wendy and saluted the two Inspection Forces captains, who teased him about his unusual landing.
• Bruno Golia announced that John had been promoted to major and appointed battalion commander of the 13th Battalion, 1st Regiment, Third Army Group of the Imperial Air Force.
• Bruno presented John with the First-Class Iron Cross Medal of Honor awarded by Emperor William.
• Wendy excitedly asked to touch the medal, then grabbed it and ran off to show the other squad members.
• John asked Bruno about the Third Air Force Army, and Bruno introduced himself and Zelofa Gilgista.
• Bruno and Zelofa recognized that Emperor William viewed John as a promising future general and treated him accordingly.

John learned that the Third Navy would reinforce Fauken Bay, then wondered why the Inspection Forces treated him with unusual favor and what his forgotten past might reveal. He decided to ask the Third Orphanage about his background after finishing his assignment in Bahamut Town, and turned his attention back to his squad.

• Bruno told John that Dormammu had become Count Philot and lord of Walden Territory, then secretly revealed that the Third Navy would be sent to Fauken Bay after Ostan Duke’s defeat at sea.
• John inferred that Emperor William might be grooming him as Dormammu’s successor, but rejected the idea that he was the Emperor’s illegitimate son.
• John decided to visit the Third Orphanage with Dormammu after completing his governance assignment in Bahamut Town.
• John recalled that the Third Navy was doomed in the game’s storyline but chose not to concern himself with it.
• John spotted Wendy Brown parading around in his First-Class Iron Cross Medal of Honor and shouted at her to return it.

Major John took Wendy to inspect Bahamut Town and saw how deeply residents feared the Imperial Army. He learned that Siegfried was giving a speech at a crowded tavern and, realizing it was likely based on the Maslow Quotations, was overcome with despair.

• John dressed himself and Wendy in civilian clothes, took Penny from his stash, and led her out to inspect Bahamut Town.
• John saw that the town’s commercial street was nearly deserted and realized winning the residents’ trust would make governing difficult.
• John told Wendy to call him John, then wondered whether Siegfried could have joined the inspection instead.
• John paid a resident for news and learned that an Imperial Army local was giving a speech at a tavern.
• John connected the crowded tavern to the Maslow Quotations Siegfried had borrowed from Wendy and felt unprecedented despair.

Siegfried struggled with his sense of weakness until Hawk assigned him to investigate Bahamut Town and its residents for Second Lieutenant John. Eager to prove himself and help the Empire win the townspeople’s support, Siegfried decided to begin at Keller Beer Hall.

• Siegfried felt inferior after realizing how far he was from the unit’s strongest fighters.
• Hawk noticed Siegfried’s magical power and concluded that he had mastered a Unique Formula.
• Hawk asked Siegfried to have the temporary squad investigate Bahamut Town because locals might speak more honestly with fellow residents.
• Siegfried accepted the mission and promised to uncover criminal forces and reduce resistance to the Imperial Army.
• Siegfried recalled his knowledge of the town and chose Keller Beer Hall as the best place to gather information and spread the Maslow Spirit.

Siegfried and his temporary squad entered a tavern in Bahamut Town, where he announced the Imperial occupation and began urging the locals to reconsider their view of the former lord. He left the crowd with a furious denunciation of Myka Hartman, whom he blamed for his mother's death.

• Siegfried and the other nine squad members entered Keller Beer Hall, and Pulida guarded the doors to prevent anyone from leaving.
• Sheldon recognized Siegfried as the villager he had thrown out seven days earlier and nervously served him whiskey.
• Siegfried chose to gather intelligence in his Imperial uniform, hoping to show that the Imperial Army was not as brutal as rumors claimed and to promote the Maslow Spirit.
• Siegfried told the tavern crowd that the Empire had captured Myka Hartman and taken control of Bahamut Town.
• Siegfried asked the locals what they thought of Myka Hartman and called him a parasite who fed on the people.
• Siegfried recalled that his mother had died weaving cloth to pay Hartman's taxes and spoke angrily to the crowd.

Siegfried rallied the people of Dragon Eye Domain by condemning House Hartman and the Allied Forces for their oppression and praising the Imperial Army for helping Stone Village. He declared that the Empire’s arrival would bring a storm of change, leaving the crowd ready to reject their former rulers.

• Siegfried challenged the tavern crowd to reject the suffering imposed on them by House Hartman and the Golden Rose Kingdom, and the people answered that they would not accept it.
• Siegfried accused Myka Hartman of raising taxes and abusing commoners while claiming they had sacrificed most for Dragon Eye Domain.
• Siegfried described how the Imperial Army had brought food to Stone Village instead of looting it, and identified Myka Hartman, the kingdom’s nobles, and the Allied Forces as the people’s true enemies.
• Siegfried told the crowd that Myka Hartman was imprisoned and would face the gallows, while his oppressive lackeys would be punished and House Hartman’s slaves would be freed.
• Siegfried declared that the Empire’s Seventh Air Force and John Maslow would lead a storm that would transform Dragon Eye Domain.

John ordered an operation to eliminate Bahamut Town’s criminal forces while reviewing evidence of corruption and considering how to improve the town’s finances and residents’ lives. Wendy then told him that the Unity Society had arrived with money to ransom someone.

• Siegfried reported on his speech and offered to give more speeches, but John stopped him and focused him on removing Bahamut Town’s criminal forces.
• John appointed Hawk to lead one hundred soldiers in an anti-gang operation and ordered Siegfried and his squad to assist.
• John examined records of corruption and the town’s limited funds, then considered investing his own treasury in Bahamut Town’s development.
• Wendy informed John that the Unity Society had arrived with money to ransom someone.

Glenn Yeka offered John 50,000 D in cash and jewels to ransom Sellviya, but learned she had been captured after an attempted assassination of John. John left Glenn stunned by offering him a chance to join the Empire and work for him.

• Glenn asked John whether Sellviya was alive, and John confirmed that she was.
• Glenn offered 50,000 D in cash and jewels to secure Sellviya's release and admitted much of the money came from smuggling.
• John warned Glenn that Sellviya had colluded with the Allied Forces to assassinate him and was now being held by his men.
• John asked Glenn about his role in the Unity Society's strategy and offered him a job serving the Empire.

John threatened to destroy the Unity Society unless Glenn worked for him, then listened as Glenn deduced his plans for governing and revitalizing the Dragon Eye Domain. Glenn pledged to help revive the domain in exchange for mercy toward the Unity Society.

• John revealed that he knew the Unity Society’s history and threatened to kill Glenn and destroy the organization for its leader’s assassination attempt.
• Glenn asked whether John would spare the Unity Society if he agreed to work for him, and John dismissed his ability to negotiate.
• Glenn inferred that John aimed to win the people’s support, punish corrupt officials, and develop the Dragon Eye Domain into a prosperous colony.
• John confirmed that Glenn’s analysis was mostly correct and offered mercy for past mistakes if Glenn helped him succeed.
• Glenn swore in the name of the Yeka Family that he would help John revive the Dragon Eye Domain.

John put Glenn in charge of economic revitalization and chose Kaka Fruit Wine as Bahamut Town’s main development project, despite the problem of transporting it over rough roads. He ordered job-creation plans, land reform, and new taxes, then took Wendy to see Mia, while Glenn embraced his new work.

• John had Wendy place the Unity Society members in Bahamut Town’s temporary guard and send Glenn to speak with Sellviya, who chose to remain a special prisoner in the Imperial Army.
• Glenn proposed economic projects, and John decided to expand Kaka Fruit cultivation and brewing despite the town’s poor roads.
• John ordered Glenn to prepare plans creating at least two thousand jobs and arranged to collect local farmers’ cultivation knowledge for free manuals.
• John told Glenn to draft new tax policies and said he would seek a Land Reform Edict from General Dormammu.
• John found Wendy asleep, pinched her awake, and dragged her off to take him to Mia; Glenn then returned to his documents with renewed enthusiasm.

After winning Dormammu’s approval for Bahamut Town’s land reform, John went to discuss further revitalization policies with Glenn. In Corno, Roxy confronted General Orco for using her name in a failed assassination plan, then declared she would leave for the southern battle at Fauken Bay and end their teacher-student relationship.

• Dormammu approved John’s land reform plan and offered to provide administrative officials to help revitalize Bahamut Town.
• John went to the council chamber to discuss the remaining economic policies with Glenn.
• Roxy ordered Lieutenant Colonel Bolt out of General Orco’s study, then accused Orco of using her name to order a failed assassination.
• Orco blamed Roxy for losing the war and rejected her criticism, while Roxy said she would join the battle at Fauken Bay after the northern front had been secured.
• Orco tried to freeze Roxy’s command authority, but she revealed that the Queen had approved her departure and said she would no longer call him teacher.

John put his retirement gold toward Dragon Eye Domain’s land reform and road-building plans, but the recruitment drive in Bahamut Town drew only twenty-three applicants. He remained committed to proceeding without forcing residents to work, and by nightfall he saw signs that the townspeople were beginning to watch the town government with interest.

• John and Glenn finalized the implementation plan, and John ordered recruitment notices posted for factory and road-construction jobs.
• Wendy announced her promotion to second lieutenant, and John pinched her cheek while reacting angrily to his gold being moved into the town’s development fund.
• Glenn sent the Unity Society members across Bahamut Town to distribute recruitment flyers, while John prepared a recruitment site and asked Wendy to summon troops to maintain order.
• By noon, Glenn reported that only twenty-three residents had signed up and urged John to deploy soldiers to seize workers, but John refused and told him to begin construction with the applicants they had.
• After the workers returned at night, John noticed residents watching the town government from behind their curtains and believed Bahamut Town’s revival was approaching.

Carl, a frightened former Silver Hook Gang member, reconsidered his life after his rival Jorden described the new government's well-paid work and urged him to join. Carl decided to try the job and appeared with the workers the next morning as they set out for work.

• After the Imperial Army crushed Bahamut Town's gangs, Carl hid at home, fearing he would be punished for his Silver Hook Gang tattoo.
• Carl spotted Jorden dressed as a worker and followed him into an alley, where Jorden urged him to join the town government's work crew.
• Jorden told Carl that the job paid three hundred Penny a day, included three meals with meat, and had already changed his own opinion of Lord John and the new government.
• Carl returned home, noticed his mother's reddened eyes, and later hugged her before running to the town government, where he saw Jorden counting his wages.
• The next morning, Carl joined the workers waiting to depart, and Jorden climbed aboard his truck as the crews set out at dawn.

As Bahamut Town’s revitalization policies drew a flood of applicants, John and Glenn exhausted themselves handling the resulting work and paperwork. Sellviya arrived with Wendy and Laiya, sorted the documents by urgency, and helped John finally get some rest.

• Bahamut Town residents rushed to apply for jobs, so John added an age limit to the recruitment notice.
• John created an Inspection Department, requested administrative officers from Dormammu, and posted notices seeking local staff.
• After John and Glenn worked themselves to exhaustion, Wendy brought Sellviya and Laiya to the office as reinforcements.
• Sellviya criticized John and Glenn for handling every document personally, then sorted the paperwork by urgency.
• John thanked Sellviya and went to rest while she continued reviewing the documents more gently after hearing him snore.

After resting from their official duties, John learned that Myka Hartman’s trial was ready and was urged to bring hope to Dragon Eye Domain. Myka prepared to face the trial after demanding a bath, then Wendy’s soldiers escorted him from prison toward the execution ground.

• Glenn told John that the trial was ready and asked him to fulfill the people of Dragon Eye Domain’s hopes.
• Myka Hartman reflected on his downfall and the sunlight he had once taken for granted while imprisoned.
• Wendy told Myka that his trial was about to begin, and Myka asked to bathe before his death.
• Myka insisted that his noble status entitled him to respect, so Wendy ordered soldiers to clean him and give him a fresh prison uniform.
• Wendy’s soldiers put Myka on a truck and escorted him toward the execution ground.

John Maslow presided over the execution of Bahamut Town’s corrupt judge and other criminals, sentencing them under Imperial law as townspeople watched. The executions stirred grief and hope among the residents, while the chapter ended with the author noting the chapter was still being written.

• John worried that judging Myka Hartman would make him a target of the Empire’s nobles, but prepared to begin when the prisoners arrived.
• Sergeant Hawk ordered the bound criminals brought from the truck to the execution platform.
• John sentenced Sako Dahl, the former Bahamut Court president, to death for corruption, abuse, and murder, and soldiers executed him.
• John pronounced death sentences on Orang Samuel, Russ Darat, and other criminals as the guillotine blades repeatedly fell.
• The crowd grew larger and called for execution, finding hope and a sense of justice in the proceedings.
• The chapter ended with the author’s note that it was still being written and would be posted once finished.

Baron Myka insisted that nobles were born to rule commoners, but John Maslow challenged him to question a tradition merely because it had always existed. The crowd attacked Myka, and after John delivered the final judgment, Myka’s son Dick Hardman executed him as the clouds cleared.

• Baron Myka taunted John Maslow and declared that noble blood made him superior to commoners.
• John asked whether something was right simply because it had always been so, and the crowd began throwing stones at Myka.
• John ordered the soldiers to stop the crowd, read Myka’s final charges, and announced that Dick Hardman would carry out the execution.
• Dick Hardman pulled the guillotine lever while Myka tried to speak to his son, and Myka died as the crowd roared.
• The dark clouds dispersed and sunlight returned.

After Baron Myka's death, John inspected farmland near Bahamut Town, but Dormammu learned that political enemies had ordered John's transfer to a dangerous assignment. The chapter ended with Dormammu suppressing his anger and directing his hatred at the Prime Minister.

• John returned to town hall with Wendy and discussed Dragon Eye Domain's development plans with Glenn.
• John inspected the farmland outside Bahamut Town, and Wendy told him that General Dormammu had urgently summoned him to army headquarters.
• Major General Conrad Slavert presented Dormammu with an approved order transferring John and his troops to Faoken within three days.
• Conrad threatened to execute John for disobeying orders if he missed the deadline, then taunted Dormammu about his older brother.
• Dormammu smashed the table in anger but restrained himself from attacking the Old Guard Party and blamed the Prime Minister.

John arrived in Cronie City and unexpectedly encountered Conrad Slavert, the Empire’s legendary spy. Conrad realized John had recognized him and suspected that Prime Minister Wolf viewed John as a dangerous threat.

• John handed temporary command of the troops to Laiya and flew with Wendy to Cronie City.
• Conrad Slavert approached John and addressed him by name.
• John recognized Conrad and recalled his shifting loyalties and later career as a legendary Imperial spy.
• Conrad noticed John’s reaction and inferred that John knew his identity.
• Conrad considered Wolf’s suspicious treatment of John and asked whether he needed a doctor.

John met Conrad in Cronie and tried to avoid drawing his attention, then learned from Dormammu that he would be sent to reinforce Fauken Bay under Conrad’s supervision. John was shocked to discover he would soon have to work with the man he had vowed never to seek out.

• John pretended not to know Conrad, who praised his military record and directed him to City Hall.
• John and Wendy left in a hurry, and John guessed that Conrad had come to negotiate over Mage Soldier reserves for the newly established Third Air Force Army.
• Wendy warned John that Conrad seemed suspicious, and John insisted he would never voluntarily seek him out again.
• At City Hall, Dormammu told John he would reinforce Fauken Bay and that Conrad would take him there to carry out the mission.

Major John received orders to lead a support mission at Fauken Bay, where the Empire faced overwhelming Allied naval and ground forces. He accepted the mission and requested eight hundred Mage Soldiers; Dormammu instead assigned him one thousand and charged him with winning the war.

• John considered the Allied Forces’ 241 warships, the Empire’s weakened troops, and the threats facing his Mage Soldiers, and concluded the mission looked like a death sentence.
• Dormammu told John that the War Affairs Department had ordered him to the Fauken Bay campaign and that he could not change the decision.
• John calmly requested at least eight hundred Mage Soldiers so he could win the war.
• Dormammu assigned John one thousand Mage Soldiers and challenged him to win the campaign.
• John swore to Dormammu that he would not disappoint him.