The End of Paradise

As the fighting begins, the Balt-Rhein army learns that the Lince mercenaries has a large force within Espada, contradicting Lily's initial calculation. Greatly outmatched, the Imperial army are quickly destroyed, with Mahmut personally beheading Pineau, and the rest of the high-ranking personnel are killed. As the spoils and prisoners are divided among the allies, Mahmut and the Turkish army choose to rest before returning to Chielo. Meanwhile, Blanca and Vasco continue to travel to the Türkiye Stratocracy in spite of the waging battle. At Chielo, Frentzen receives news of Pineau's defeat at Murmullo basin and his march to Esapda, but realizes that the main army is beyond saving and orders a full retreat. In the republic, Kyros, Cassandra, and co. are able to locate where Carvajal is being held by the rest of the rebels, but are stopped by more dissenters, who are grief-stricken by their loved ones's deaths due to the lack of supplies and wants the siege to end. As discord erupts, the remaining rebels choose to publicly execute Carvajal, who makes a heartfelt speech before graciously accepting his death. Moments after the rebels beheads Carvajal, they receive news that the Balt-Rhein army has withdrawn. Once Mahmut arrives back at Chielo, Mahmut assets that the citizens are unable to govern their own city and declares that Chielo will be controlled by the Anti-Imperial Alliance, which Cassandra accepts.