While the crown prince's camp in the Stellar Empire was full of scheming, blame-shifting, and distrust, the atmosphere on the Serpent Empire's side was the complete opposite.
Charles, General Sost, and the others were doing everything they could to prepare for the coming battle.
General Sost stayed at Withered Tree Fortress. He decided to further strengthen its defenses—at the very least, he wanted the outer walls to hold out for as long as possible.
Zara, on the other hand, chose to return to Serpent's Eye Lake Oasis. The Serpent Queen's condition had grown even worse compared to before. As the one the Queen trusted most, Zara felt she had to remain by her side in such a fragile time.
Everyone respected Zara's decision.
High Priest Kent also chose to go back with her. He believed that Charles and General Sost were enough to handle the battles at the front. His role now was to stay behind the lines and make sure supplies reached the army without interruption.
