Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Revodan was bound to come eventually.

Conversely, Winters was also waiting for them to come.

Outside the town, Winters saw Captain Apel being stopped by sentries.

The solitary Captain Apel.

"Just let me stand here then," Captain Apel, with only one escort, saw Winters in the distance and laughed heartily, "This is hardly the way to treat a guest!"

Apel was not a direct senior to Winters, but he had helped Winters greatly with matters during his service in Little Dusack.

Last time Winters visited Revodan's garrison, Apel had also welcomed him warmly.

Seeing Apel, a smile appeared on Winters's face, "Sorry, Captain. They're building houses inside, and with all the dust and dirt flying around, it's not suitable for receiving guests."

"What's there to be sorry about?" Apel laughed heartily, "Aren't you a captain as well?"

Having said that, Apel took a silk-wrapped package from his escort's saddlebag.

He slowly unwrapped the package in front of Winters, revealing a set of captain's uniform.

Apel gently explained, "I didn't know your exact size, but I thought you'd be about the same build as Asko, so I had this uniform made according to his. The tailor is the best in Revodan, and the material is top-notch."

"Thank you," Winters said, without taking the uniform.

Apel carefully looked over his junior, feeling somewhat emotional, "Last year at this time, you were about the same size as Asko. Look at you now, the uniform I had made seems a bit large. Wherever it doesn't fit, just have it altered to suit yourself."

Winters sighed too, and as he took the uniform with both hands, he slowly asked, "I would like to know, who is it that sends me this uniform...?"

"The Republic of Palatu," Apel said with a smile.

"Which Republic?" Winters responded with an enthusiastic smile as well, "The first? The second? The third? Or General Adams's Republic?"

...

The news that Kingsfort was reorganizing the Grand Council to reform [the First Republic] into [the New Republic] spread like wildfire, creating a huge stir in Paratu and across the Alliance.

The Blue Blood Faction, situated across the river from Kingsfort, immediately responded with fervor.

Amidst a barrage of gunfire, the [Provisional Military Government of the Republic of Palatu] was established in the capital of the North River Province, Rainbow River.

Alpad Duyome took the position of [Marshal of Palatu], controlling all significant and minor affairs.

The officers who followed Alpad and the Blue Blood Faction legislators became prominent officials of the military government.

The military government declared: the establishment of the [Pseudo Republic] goes against the "Charter of Sovereignty," and Palatu is thus in a state of war with the Pseudo Republic as the enemy.

"'Under the protection of divine justice and worldly fairness,' unless we eradicate the Pseudo Republic and purify the filth of Palatu, the provisional military government will not rest."

The Second Republic, on the other hand, had little to say on the matter, as they had long branded Alpad's group as [rebels].

On the lands of the old Republic of Palatu, there appeared two factions, two governments, two nations at once.

The situation changed so rapidly it was dizzying.

Fortunately, the Republic of Palatu was vast in territory; even divided in half, it was still larger than The Federated Provinces and Vineta combined.

To distinguish between "two nations," people informally referred to the Kingsfort government as [the Second Republic], while the Rainbow River Military Government was addressed as [the Third Republic].

Of course, whether it was Kingsfort or Rainbow River, they still inscribed the official title [People's Republic of Palatu] on the crown, excluding descriptors like second or third.

That's because the Second Republic claimed it was the legitimate successor to the First Republic.

While the Third Republic declared that it had been the one and only First Republic from beginning to end.

In May and June, both sides clashed in the heartland of Palatu, each achieving victories and suffering defeats.

Eventually, the two exhausted armies vaguely settled into a standoff across the river.

However, with a steady stream of reinforcements and supplies, the Second Republic was already firmly suppressing the enemy.

In July, the Kingsfort Blood Night ensued, and General Sekler met his death.

Grand Speaker Grof of Kingsfort had been gradually usurping Sekler's military authority, but suddenly faced the collapse of his main pillar of strength.

Eyeing the opportunity, Alpad launched a counter-offensive, routing Major Roland, whom Grof had personally appointed as the frontline commander, to the point of utter disarray.

The Second Republic forces north of the Ashen Stream River were swept clean, an incalculable number of corpses floating downriver, even into the moat surrounding Kingsfort.

But Alpad ultimately failed to break through the Ashen Stream River, and the standoff across the river not only remained but solidified over time.

All these were matters of the previous September.

While the two armies were shedding blood in vast quantities, causing another outbreak of vast conflict, Winters was blissfully unaware.

During that time, all he thought about was "What shall I eat tomorrow? The day after? The day after that?"

It was only when Father Caman brought news of the remnants of the Montagne Brigade in Revodan, and Winters rushed to the county seat to rendezvous with his comrades, that he learned of the events in the outside world after his escape from Kingsfort.

...

And now, Winters Montagne, one of the main participants of the Kingsfort Blood Night, asked Apel with a smile, "Which Republic? The first? The second? The third? Or General Adams's Republic?"

"There is only one Republic of Palatu," Apel did not answer directly.

He brushed off a small speck of dust from the uniform, but the dust still left a small white mark on the fabric, "You don't need to concern yourself with these things. Just think of it as a gift from Major Ronald."

"Major Ronald, is he doing well?"