The changing situation in the Northern Land took the Third Prince by surprise, but it simultaneously solidified his resolve to head north as soon as possible, seizing the optimal opportunity to declare war on the Northern Land while Castel was still not fully successful in quelling the rebellion.
Count Gaston had already betrayed him, and the Third Prince was certain that Castel must have also learned about his faction's plans by now, so he had to launch the attack before the opponent's main forces could return.
Luckily, with the pretext of military exercises, the Violet Duchy had already assembled their troops, and even the elite standing forces from the Bold Duchy had been transported by ship to Violet.
To combine the strength of the two duchies was staggering; even without mobilizing the nobility, and only calling up the conscripts and standing forces from the directly administered domains, they had gathered a mighty force of twenty-five thousand men.
