For Howard, another advantage of Tarl City was its distance from the empire's power center, offering a degree of separation from the intricate political machinations he sought to avoid.
In Tarl City, the influence of the empire was weak, with even the Empire Knights Order lacking a garrison there.
This meant Howard could disregard the empire's prohibition on recruiting private soldiers, fulfilling Kellman's last wish and keeping his own promise to rebuild the Frostwolf Mercenaries.
Despite some risks, it was worth a try.
With the empire's limited military presence in the area, Chris's strength alone could give Howard confidence.
The journey to Tarl City required three days of travel, with the group taking less-traveled paths and setting out at night.
Traveling in the dark terrified the hired civilians, especially after encountering their first Night Demon, leaving some in a state of panic.
