Feynapotter, Snason Region, Alako Fortress,
Bede, a sentry at the fortress, climbed the stairs of the watchtower step by step to relieve another sentry.
Upon reaching the top of the brick-and-stone watchtower, Bede exchanged salutes with the other sentry and took his post with a rifle slung over his back.
This watchtower was the tallest structure in Alako Fortress, and the fortress itself stood on relatively high ground. From here, the northern mountains of the Snason Region could be seen clearly.
Among those mountains stood another fortress, facing this one from afar. That fortress belonged to Lenburg.
Recently, Bede had actually grown fond of standing guard. It was early summer now, neither cold nor hot, and the breeze against his face at the post was very pleasant.
Especially after the Feynapotter Army had reinforced Alako Fortress several times recently, the already cramped fortress had become somewhat crowded.
Even the base of this watchtower housed a squad of soldiers.
That made Bede even more eager to stand watch. At least it was less crowded up here.
Bede had been stationed at this fortress for seven or eight years, and in all his memory, this had never happened before.
Previously, the fortress had at least one company of soldiers and at most one battalion. Now, it held no fewer than two regiments.
Bede had also noticed that the proportion of officers among the newly arrived reinforcements was quite high.
All of this had begun changing at the end of last year.
In the depths of winter last year, Bede and the others suddenly saw the Lenburg flag rise over the fortress opposite them. Only then did they receive word that Lenburg had annexed Masin.
For the past several centuries, this had been the front line facing Masin.
With the target across the