Dear Cato,

We had an extensive chat with Landar just before you left for the expedition, we now have a roadmap for the iron recrystallization technology. The drawing technique we discussed has scaling potential and Landar's samples appear to stabilize magic to a far higher degree than previously possible. Our research branch will be beginning another project with your university.

In other areas, the Ironworkers would like to discuss the development of electrical technology. We understand that you have decided to focus on developing magical applications and consider electricity too hard to develop given our technology level. Nevertheless, the Ironworkers wish to try. We request that you allow Polankal to release your books on electric physics.

Willio,

Ironworkers, Minmay Branch

Dear Willio,

Certainly, if you wish to develop electrical technology, I will support your efforts with a partnership arrangement. However, I must impose a requirement that you restrain the excesses of your Corbin branch; a number of my Fuka friends have reported cases of harassment and abuse of power. While I have turned a blind eye to these actions so far as the Fukas can defend themselves, we cannot have a working relationship if your subordinates continue to be hostile towards them.

I am glad to know that your academic research projects are bearing fruit, keep in mind that the university is a public institution and will not tolerate attempts to monopolize knowledge the university discovers.

Cato

"Those little balls of fur are going to get it!"

Her scream sent the cowering servants and maids scuttle around trying to look busy. Once again the fat man tried to calm the mayor down, her gnarled hands only bent the spoon in half this time. How this old crone had the strength to destroy iron cutlery with bare hands was beyond Selabia but he supposed it wasn't his army who had been spied on.

Not that the army had been very secret, it was impossible to conceal after all. But the official line was that the soldiers were merely in reaction to Ektal's and Duport's aggression, a guard unit.

The Fukas had blown that wide open, at the same time unveiling a hidden printing press. Run by a mere child too! Apparently, the little spy had been working with the Ironworkers, who were understandably pissed at Corbin's attempts to muscle into what they considered their territory. The sheets she had printed were dense badly written text but their contents had been broadly spread by those literate peasants.

Now everyone knew that Corbin had been raising an army in order to oppress the peasantry and seize control of Corbin town by force.

Never mind that the peasants could believe such blatantly false lies , but even the knights had the temerity to 'investigate' Corbin's actions.

"I knew they were up to no good," Corbin snarled again, the fire of her anger simmering under her stern exterior.

"We need to focus on what is important," Selabia reminded her, "the Fukas aren't going to try spying again once that girl got found out. "

"What we really need is to send a message that this cannot be tolerated!" Corbin grabbed the spoon right as a servant brought the replacement and disappeared like a startled grassracer.

"Are we going to attack the Fukas then?" Selabia asked.

"By all things under Selna's light we will," Corbin sniffed, staring at her official stamp on the table. Selabia had pushed it and all the documents to the middle during lunch, safely out of immediate reach. It wouldn't do to have her take hasty actions.

"Spending money that should be going to the army? Or are you going to make the soldiers attack them again?" Selabia asked, "no doubt they'll do better now that they're prepared but it doesn't change the fact that a little Fuka girl could punch right through a cast iron plate. "

Corbin's eyes twitched as she got reminded of the disastrous trap that was Duport's messenger's idea.

"You don't seem very enthusiastic," she said, looking at him. Her suspicious beady eyes were fixed right at Selabia.

He gulped visibly. Which was a feat given how large his throat was.

"Just remember that we are in this together," Corbin said, "once Minmay goes, I wouldn't want to find Duport knocking on my gates and neither should you. "

She drew out a small envelope from a hidden pocket under her coat, "I'm not dumb enough to not notice you've been preventing me from using my own seal. "

The letter was undoubtedly a contract for the Order of Knights. Duport gulped, he wondered just how crazy for revenge Corbin and how much of their money she was going to spend on this personal vendetta.

"I'm still not crazy, I haven't spent all our money," Corbin cackled, as if reading his mind. She called over a servant and put the envelope into his hands. The servant left. "It's just a little warning. "

Selabia gulped again, wondering if following this woman was the right idea.

He looked at the warm soup still in the pot and helped himself to another serving. When in doubt, or any other circumstance really, have a snack. That was his philosophy and by Selna he needed one now.

"A messenger from Duport has arrived," a servant said from outside the room. Corbin grunted.

"So a replacement finally deigns to show up," Corbin said acidly as the man walked into the room. He was thinner and had a sharper nose but the two men had the same oily smooth feeling to them.

"And in time too," the man said, ignoring her abrasive tone, "on my way through Minmay, I encountered signs of the Minmay adventurers preparing to attack. The war has begun. "

Corbin sprang to her feet, all her anger forgotten. "What? That was earlier than we planned!"

"Minmay made the first move, probably hoping to catch us off guard. The enemy will not wait for you, Mayor," the messenger said.

Corbin took a few deep breaths then nodded forcefully, "all right. The Corbin soldiers will be ready to move with you. "

The knights rode out of Minmay in a chaotic mess. Groups of Rekis and their parties of riders laden with journey supplies, a bewildering array of colourful flags all competing to be unique. Like any army of knights, the supply train of opportunistic peddlers and merchants followed behind.

Hino stood on the roof of the tiny gate with the Chancellor, gazing out at the late leavers.

"You know, I never realized just how different Cato's world was until now," Minmay remarked, indicating the gaggle of children and young adults swarming around the knight parties still nearby the gate.

"What do you mean?"

"Look at that," Minmay pointed, one young boy had been nearly trampled by a Reki, saved only by a hastily cast shield. It only made the boys around them clamour for more magic. Minmay explained, "Cato worries about things like cart collisions causing injury and insists on safety measures in factory machines. His world is a safe world, they would not tolerate such dangerous things as these children are doing. "

"They also hate freedom," Hino shrugged, "such is the difference between countries. "

Minmay raised an eyebrow, "surely not, one of the largest countries in his world has freedom as a core principle!"

Hino shook her head, "that's just words. The military you are building is modeled off theirs, and what do we have? Identical groups of people trained and drilled into pieces of a machine. Your Minmay Guards have no freedom, whatever the originators of the concept have to say about that word. "

Minmay looked at the knights again. Now that he had spent some time with Cato, he was beginning to see the chaos underlying the knights. Chaos that anyone could exploit, if only he could see the flaws.

"We shall see when the Guards meet Duport," Minmay said.

"It is a dangerous move you made, chancellor," the leader of the knights said, looking up at him, "if you win, or even if you can just drive them off, the Minmay Guards will be acknowledged as a dangerous foe. All of that power answering to one government... one man really, is far too much. "

"Indeed it is," Minmay nodded.

Hino raised her eyebrows this time. Of course, she wouldn't expect that out of a noble.

"You will not seek to control the use of combat magic?" Hino asked, "it is every noble's dream to have the knights answering to him and him alone. With your Minmay Guards, you have a chance of making that true and becoming the absolute ruler of this region. I will admit that with the spell cannons and bowguns, your Guards are more than a match for my knights. "

"Actually, in the design of this government's rules," Minmay explained, "Cato said to enshrine into law that the government will allow all citizens to learn any magic they choose, especially combat magic. It is a parallel to the principle that same freedom loving country of his had. "

Hino had a strange look on her face, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I won't be around forever," Minmay explained, "we need a strong fighting force, the Guards are it. But as you said, command over so much military power is a corrupting influence. Arisacrota will almost certainly succeed my position and I will do my best to make sure she is fit for it, but there are other ways to gain control of Minmay than direct succession and while I have faith in my daughter, I do not know what my grandchildren will be like, or their children. A corrupt person in power, commanding the Minmay Guards, that scenario does not bear thinking about. "

"That's the reason for the Rule of Arms," Hino said. So far he had not said anything surprising, even if Cato's analysis of his world's history of revolutions had added some detail.

Minmay continued, "which is why the Knights need to be a counterbalance to that. That was the reason Cato convinced me to allow the sale of Landar's spell cannon design. It is his hope that the knights can become part of the military force of this government, and yet remain outside the direct command of the leader. "

Hino chewed on her lower lip for a while. "Something like a citizen's army? Like the Guards are the noble's army?" she said finally.

"Indeed, you understand. "

Kupo crept out of the laboratory room, the rattling on her door was getting too noisy to ignore.

"Who is it?!" she shouted.

"I'm Kalny!" came the shout back, "open the door!"

She blinked and walked unsteadily to the door of her shop to open it for him.

The bright glare of the afternoon sun made her wince.

"Oh Selna, not another crazy scientist," the food merchant muttered, "do you even know what you look like?"

"I sure don't smell of roses," Kupo chuckled, "I know. What is it?"

"Never mind that," Kalny said, walking into her shop and closing the door behind him, "I didn't think you were the sort to work until you collapse. That's sort of Landar's specialty, no?"

"Haha," Kupo laughed weakly. Another bout of heat swept up her legs and she shivered. "I was testing the drug. This one just had a nasty side-effect. "

Kalny sighed and shook his head, "and what in the world made you think that you should test it on yourself?! Not even Landar would... all right, she would, but that just makes my point for me. "

Kupo waved him into the chair and snuggled down onto the sofa that Cato had gifted her. There was no better comfort when you were down with a fever after testing your own medicine.

"I was quite sure it wouldn't kill me," Kupo explained, "the piyos lived after all. But the piyos can't talk so I won't know if a drug merely causes reactions like this. Plus piyos aren't humans, a drug might just work differently. "

Kalny shook his head, "find someone else to try it. If you die from this, this entire investigation into antibiotic drugs has to start over. "

"You want me to try it on patients," she said flatly.

"Yes. "

She stared at him and noted the concern in his eyes. Kalny wasn't thinking of the loss to his partnership profits if Kupo died from a drug reaction. Or well, he was but he was more concerned for her than he was for his wallet.

"When we don't even know if it will kill them or save them," Kupo said.

"Yes! That's exactly why you shouldn't be testing these drugs!"

Kupo raised an eyebrow, "and what makes my patients good testers for the drugs?"

Kalny sighed, "if you're worried about safety, then you need to worry about yourself first! If you need to, I can find some people who would be willing to try a new drug if it might just save them. "

Kupo said skeptically, "an unproven drug that might kill you? You won't find ten people in all of Minmay. "

"Well, then," Kalny got up, "if this is what it takes to prevent you from killing yourself. Ten people you said? I'll find fifty volunteers here by next week. "

Kupo waved him out, not finding any energy to go lock the door after him. She curled up on the sofa and went to sleep.

She went through nearly twenty patients, who were comically eager to test a new drug, before she realized that Kalny was simply paying sick people to try it. The argument they had after that was loud enough to cause the neighbours to complain of noise.

Duport waved to the knights heading out of town. The mighty host in front of him, all three hundred of them, were a fine sight to see. Pennants and banners danced and waved merrily, despite the total lack of wind. Rekis and Pakas grunted and pulled their loads amidst the screams of excitement that greeted any major procession of the knights. Then the band started playing.

The new fanfare music style definitely suited the knights, Duport thought. The soaring trumpets certainly matched the beating drums, sending the onlookers into a frenzy of cheers. Knights saluted the chancellor standing atop the viewing platform as they moved past, one party after another. The inspiring march made the knights pull themselves straighter, armour and shields flashing in the afternoon sun.

Behind the temporary viewing stand, the crowd of onlookers cheered the knights on.

A certain bartender, surrounded by her regular customers, waved her hat merrily. The men and women around her cheered and whistled as the knights moved past. It was a sight she was long waiting to see, finally, finally, they were going to go.

The first almost-fight wasn't the last incident. Various foreign knights tried to throw their weight around and two fights actually drew blood. The second had destroyed not a few tables and killed one of her customers. That party had been forcibly ejected after Ture made good on his protection contract and pursued arbitration on her behalf.

It wasn't just her of course, she had seen the decline in law and order in the twin port towns of Duport herself every time she walked through the city. It wasn't safe to do her shopping in the evenings anymore and each day a new shop put up bars behind doors and windows.

She sincerely hoped the knights wouldn't come back.

In hindsight, the battle for Corbin was completely predictable. It was after all, what anyone expected to happen when the knights clashed with an army untrained in magic. What was unexpected was the price they paid to do so.

The pennants of the knights flew high and proudly in the wind, a colourful line of banners facing the lines of iron shields and weapons waiting for them across the plains. At a signal, the knights began to charge forwards, the formation breaking up into the race to be first.

The hail of crossbow bolts from behind the shields were met with a deflecting wall of magic. But while the bolts swerved and deflected to the sides and above, the knights began to receive hits from the sides. The few groups right at the front were targeted by so many bolts that their shields simply failed and the bolts proceeded to smash into armour and Reki alike.

As the parties began to separate to avoid getting hit by deflected bolts, the fire shifted. The second wave was targeted at single groups, aiming to overwhelm shields and slaughter entire parties of knights. Battlemages began to fall, armour and magic failing under a deadly storm of iron. Some groups even had bowguns, their bolts could pierce right through an armoured knight.

The return fire finally came, the relatively slower moving firebolts burning on shields and men alike. The first salvoes of the spellstorms reached the line of soldiers, reaping them like a heavy wind in a crop field. The death screams of men set ablaze with magical fire, the soft sighs of those stripped of lifeforce and the choked cries where cruel force ripped apart men and armour alike, the clamour and panic that ate into the line of Corbin's soldiers broke their coordinated firing, bolts flying wildly as the pockets of soldiers still standing worked their crossbows independently.

The knights broke off, riding out of range to regroup and count their losses. The soldiers tried to rescue those who would live but the holes in their line were greater. In that very first exchange, Corbin's soldiers had lost far more men than the knights. At the last rate of exchange, Corbin would lose the battle; that was what both sides were aware of, even if none mentioned the cold calculus of life and blood.

But the knights wavered, hanging out of bow shot on their Rekis, unwilling to brave the storm of iron again, not even to rescue their fallen comrades who were not quite dead. Bit by bit, the cowering soldiers realized.

The knights were afraid of them.

Except in disastrous battles against the monsters, the knights rarely suffered losses of this magnitude. The later count put the casualties at nearly one in five knights. Without magic, the simple mechanism of the crossbow and the mass produced cast iron armour had allowed them to fight the knights of Inath.

Even so, the knights were not out of options. The spellstorms formed ranks and approached on foot, a thick interlocking shield of multiple layers buzzing with magic in front of them. The battlemages rode off to either side, aiming to flank and cut off their retreat back to the forest.

With more than half fallen and no way to escape Reki mounted battlemages, the remaining soldiers surrendered without firing a shot.

Quickly and anti-climatically, the first human on human military battle in more than a hundred years came to a close. Happening in a relative backwater compared to the later shockwaves, no stories were told and no songs were sung of the battle in Corbin plains. After all, it was grossly overshadowed by what happened to the south.