A few months passed.
The war in the Frontier showed no sign of ending. Reports kept coming, and every one of them carried the same message.
More losses with no sign of clear victory.
What troubled many people was the Empire's silence. They watched from a distance and did not move. It felt as if they were cold spectators, sitting high above and watching the suffering unfold.
During this time, Ethan was extremely busy.
The family's fiefdom had expanded several times. New cities were already planned, but progress was slow. There were too many things to handle, and every matter needed attention.
Ray was away, and Rina was busy with trade meetings. Most of the burden fell on Ethan's shoulders.
Rathlos was there, but he was still inexperienced in handling delicate matters. His way of dealing with problems was too direct and too crude. Ethan often had to step in and smooth things out.
