After Princess Griffine and Brand left the Wood Mansion, most of what happened could already be anticipated.
The Crown Prince reassuming the position of Duke Xifah seemed like another compromise by the Royal Family towards the local powers, a repeated theme in the kingdom's history. Ever since the Thunder Year, as local strength grew increasingly powerful, it formed a vicious cycle.
History seemed to be repeating itself. However, at least for the moment, under the intervention of the Flame Temple and the appeasement from the Crown Prince himself, the restless northern tide was temporarily calmed again, turning to tranquillity.
Privately, it was said that some nobles celebrated a rare victory after the Battle of Ambeser, as if the kingdom had returned to the days around the astrologer's time. Thieves ran rampant in the regions again, causing merchants to lament, but beneath all these surface phenomena, subtle changes were underway quietly.
