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Airis and company achieved everything they wanted from their trip to Umbraedomis, and then some.

The Aestori offered their support in every field: knights, mages, artificers, administrative personnel—you name it, they brought it.

And Tolin needed it.

Immediately upon returning to the reviving city, Airis was presented with a concerning discovery. Minister of State, Ridwan Bashir, who had been acting as a refugee was actually working against the Vanixians as an agent of the Renaultians.

Airis dealt with Bashir harshly, ultimately obtaining the details of his plot to overthrow Tolin through unsavory means.

Capricorn showed up with an untimely warning that one of her daughters would be visiting Airis. In the process, Airis both upgraded her primary weapon, the Crimson Blade, and got the thing cursed just in time for the wayward celestial offspring to arrive.

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Ikuye made an unforgettable appearance. After being antagonized by Vanixian soldiers she challenged Airis to a duel, revealing herself as an angelic six-winged Alaetüs.

With Ikuye’s help, Airis unlocked a mysterious pathway to her soul—Iteria—and gained a great many powerful boons, one of which garnered the attention of the Goddess Virgo.

Airis’ new powers unlocked a path to divinity. Once just a strange statistic on her status after gaining access to chaos magick, Airis now gained physical strength and enhanced regenerative abilities from the attribute.

Surprise visitors weren’t limited to the Celestials and their offspring, however.

Hikita, the “Azure Rose” and oddly behaved agent of the Renaultians, teleported into the city to give Airis a warning: More conspirators were in the city. Struggling against the curse that afflicted her, Hikita managed to deliver her message and teleported away—leaving Airis confused.

Embolstered by the aid of the Aestori reinforcements, Airis’ array of senior officers—Hanna, Luke, and Julius—along with the support of Primarch Karina, began the tedious process of unveiling the spies in the city.

Tolin soon upgraded from a barely functioning haven to a full-fledged secure military garrison.

As the days passed the drums of war beat ever louder. The imperial forces tirelessly made preparations for a siege against the city of Axio and at long last, the army departed from Tolin.