October 12th, 1799

Laupin left the army on the first of October, after fighting in five more battles down in the south, alongside Francis. The general was so beloved by his soldiers, that some even wept as they watched him go. The gardener was, unfortunately, one of them.

But something good did come out of his departure: a promotion. Obermann was in an urgent need of a new general. And, thanks to Laupin's recommendation, Francis was ascended into one. Now, Charlie and Jacques had been moved to his staff, and he was in charge of his friends' actions. And, of course, of the actions of more than 5000 men.

The first conflict he oversaw as a general was the Battle of Muddy Water. It was a dispute between the republican army and the joined forces of the Staeltorn Kingdom and the Ruhm Empire.

Because yes, the Ruhmnians had broken their peace treaty to forge an alliance with the Staelians. How original. Thankfully, Laura had managed to gain another kingdom as an ally; the nation of Karras. They were neighbors to the Ruhmnians and had been almost conquered by said empire at least 5 times. Key word: almost.

—We own a lot to your wife —Charlie commented, as Francis read out loud the last letter the woman had sent him, explaining her diplomatic conversations with the Karranites—. She helped us form a coalition to fight against these Ruhmnian bastards. If it wasn't for her political influence, and her eloquence and charm, the republic would have fallen already. We're in so much debt with her.

—Laura was always a good communicator and a smart woman. Her husband was the brute that held her back and stopped her from being the genius that she is.

—And how is the bastard?

—Oh, you haven't heard? He's dead —Francis replied to his friend, and folded the letter he was holding once again, before leaving it over his desk.

—Are you serious?

—Yes. He was executed back in august.

—Huh... I had no idea. I haven't been in the capital for a while. Why didn't you mention this before?

—I don't like to speak about the devils we've already slayed, but the ones we still haven't, and as you see... —the general gestured to the map that occupied most of his desk—. We have a whole Pandemonium to kill.

Him and Charlie were resting their legs inside his tent, after the Battle of Muddy Water had come to a successful end. They had fought near the Onix river, and were drenched from head to toe. A little scratched and bruised, but alive and in one piece.

Still, they couldn't rest. Not until they secured the deep south of their territory, and defeated all of their enemies.

Francis was right, they still had work to do. And focusing on the past would lead them nowhere.

—I have a plan that could compromise the Ruhm empire and force the Staeltorn kingdom to break their alliance.

—You do? – Charlie asked, as he poured himself a bit of wine.

—Yes. And I've spoken to Obermann about it, and he believes it's a good idea. But, we still have to convince one more man for everything to happen; the director of our army, Justine Neckel.

—Oh, that will be tough. Neckel it's as stubborn as one could be... But you still haven't said anything at all about the plan; what's it about?

—A new campaign —Francis gestured to the wine bottle, and asked for the commander to pour him a glass as well, while he spoke—. To conquer one of the countries of the Ruhm empire, that connects the other ones to the sea: Harmania. If we cut their access to trade routes, their economy will suffer. And if we cut their access to the water, their army will suffer, because...

—They'll lose contact with the Staeltorn kingdom.

—Exactly.

The general pointed to the map again. To the north and the west, they had their allies, the Vannes Kingdom and the Karras Kingdom. To the east, across the sea, their most threatening enemy, the Staeltorn Kindgom. And to the south, their biggest foe, the Ruhm empire —comprised of four small countries, Harmania being one of them—.

—The idea is that our army will invade Harmania, while the Karras Kingdom takes care of Athrasis —Francis gestured towards the latter country, which shared a border with said kingdom—. By attacking the Ruhmnians from the east and from the west, they'll be squished in the middle. They'll have the option to surrender, and keep the two center nations to themselves, or...

— Be defeated by us, and lose it all —Charlie said in a small voice, as if deep in thought—. I assume that, while we attack the Ruhmnians through the land, our navy will be distracting the Staelians on the sea.

—That's right.

—So this will be a giant campaign.

—Indeed.

—And it will take a few months to plan...

—That's why we need Neckel's approval as soon as possible —Francis nodded—. If he agrees to listen to us, and to put all of this in motion, we might be able to end this international conflict once and for all.