When Baron Kyle and his cavalry escort arrived at the Second Legion headquarters deep within the Arse Mountains, Marquis Sandro was already there. The Second Legion, a composite force made up of private armies from various nobles, was a web of intricate relationships. As one of the Four Marquises of Garrel, Marquis Sandro naturally stood out as a leader among the great nobles. In fact, among the Four Marquises, Sandro was the most well-liked and socially adept.
Unlike the hot-tempered Marquis Mamon, the straightforward Marquis Wood, or the royal-aligned Marquis Thea, Marquis Sandro excelled in noble diplomacy. The other three, despite their ranks, were cautious about forming alliances with minor nobles due to the complex web of noble politics. However, reaching the rank of marquis, even the brashest of leaders would have a council of capable advisors.
Marquis Sandro, on the other hand, had no such hesitation. He was the only one among the Four Marquises who did not directly command a legion. Marquis Mamon led the Eagle Legion, Marquis Wood commanded the Stormwind Legion, and Marquis Thea oversaw the Guardian Legion stationed in the capital. The Lion Legion, meanwhile, was under the command of Prince Kensel.
Perhaps it was a result of balancing power among the four marquises, a political compromise, or an effort to unite the great noble houses that allowed Marquis Sandro to openly draw mid-tier and minor nobles to his cause. Thanks to his political acumen and considerable family influence, Sandro had more than twenty children. While a few were groomed as successors, the rest were married off strategically, weaving a powerful network of alliances.
Baron Kyle was fortunate to be among those alliances—and notably, he was the only baron in the group. In Garrel, only counts and marquises were considered great nobles. Viscounts occupied a transitional rank; some families rivaled counts in power, while others had faded into obscurity. Barons, knights, and lower-ranking nobles made up the minor aristocracy. In fact, nearly half of the Third Legion was composed of these minor nobles' private forces.
Marquis Sandro was in his command tent discussing matters with several counts when he noticed Baron Kyle waiting outside. Smiling, the marquis waved him in. Sandro was genuinely pleased with his son-in-law. Despite holding only a baronial title, Kyle had managed to maintain a capable military force. Moreover, Sandro knew that Kyle had once studied abroad with Prince Kensel in Ormorian, and after several interactions, Sandro had grown fonder of Kyle than of his own daughter.
"We are discussing the search operation in the Bering Mountains. Since you're involved, come in and listen," the marquis said warmly.
Baron Kyle dismounted and entered the tent, where several counts greeted him with polite smiles. They, too, had heard of this remarkable baron, whose forces rivaled those of many viscounts.
Through their discussions, Baron Kyle learned something shocking: Princess Angelina, Prince Kensel's younger sister, had secretly traveled to the frontlines. Her arrival was not officially reported, her guard detail was unknown, and her exact whereabouts were unclear. Prince Kensel had ordered all legions to search for her and ensure her safe return to the Lion Legion's headquarters.
The only clue was that the princess was last expected to arrive near the southern border of Shiloh and the Mophy Forest. The nobles all realized the task was like searching for a needle in a haystack, but given the princess's significance as Prince Kensel's only sister, their dedication was understandable. It was even joked among nobles that marrying Princess Angelina was akin to claiming half of the Garrel Kingdom.
"For this mission, three major legions will mobilize forces. The Stormwind Legion will search from the north, the Lion Legion from the east, and our Eagle Legion will comb the Bering Mountains. We must find the princess," Marquis Sandro declared firmly.
"Understood," the nobles responded in unison.
For the nobles in the tent, this mission was more opportunity than burden. It was relatively low-risk, and the rewards for success were monumental. Moreover, participating in this mission allowed them to conveniently avoid the looming siege of Bimor City—a challenging battle no one wanted to endure.
After the meeting, Baron Kyle stayed behind for a private conversation with Marquis Sandro. In this more relaxed setting, the rigid hierarchy between them softened, and the two spoke more like family.
Baron Kyle's cavalry company had been heavily supported by Marquis Sandro, both in its initial formation and in ongoing logistical aid. Many of Kyle's military successes could be attributed, in part, to Sandro's backing.
During their conversation, Kyle had his guards bring in an ornate wooden chest. Channeling his fighting energy into his palm, Kyle struck the chest, causing it to snap open. The dimly lit tent was suddenly bathed in a soft, radiant glow—the chest was filled with gemstones in the distinct Shiloh style.
"These were spoils from the attack on Phalanx City," Kyle explained.
"Ah, from the domain of that marquis's son? Excellent!" Sandro said with satisfaction as his attendants swiftly closed the chest and carried it away.
The gemstones' value was easily over two thousand gold buc, enough to make even a marquis smile. Sandro had, after all, subtly hinted at attacking Phalanx City, knowing its wealth and vulnerability.
After their meeting, Baron Kyle made his way to the Eagle Legion's command tent. Although he had ties in the Second Legion through Sandro, he was still formally part of the Eagle Legion and had to report to Marquis Mamon.
Marquis Mamon, though notoriously hot-tempered, listened patiently as Baron Kyle detailed his troop losses and rescue plans for the Bering Mountains. While Kyle's rank wasn't high enough to warrant such an audience, his involvement in the princess's rescue mission gave him temporary importance.
Leaving Mamon's tent, Baron Kyle rejoined Sir Will, his trusted knight and closest confidant. Will had just returned from the logistics department, where he procured expensive potions essential for high-level knight squires to maintain peak combat ability.
Sir Will was Baron Kyle's trump card—a knight of such caliber that even many viscounts could not match his prowess. Many nobles had tried to lure Will away, but he remained loyal, bound by years of shared hardships and an unbreakable bond forged during their youth in Ormorian.
As they exited the camp, they crossed paths with Baron Kashir, who was arriving with his troops. Kashir hesitated, raising his hand to greet Kyle, but Kyle merely nodded and continued walking.
Baron Kashir was left standing awkwardly, his hand slowly lowering as frustration flashed across his face. Though they had worked together multiple times, their relationship had grown strained, particularly after their heated argument during the Phalanx City campaign.
Yet Kashir could do little about it. Despite having a low-tier mage in his ranks, that mage answered more to Kashir's influential viscount backer than to Kashir himself.
Shaking off his frustration, Baron Kashir led his men into the camp. Unlike Kyle, he had no powerful patron like Marquis Sandro. He still had to pay his respects to the Third Legion's commander personally.