Sometime in autumn.

In a vast land called Raging Sun Empire—a world where nobles and knights reigned supreme—everything is currently in turmoil.

A once peaceful plane is on the edge of falling into pieces. And the seeming quiet autumn incredibly transforms itself into signs of the times.

Nobles are in a constant struggle for power so much so that the overall picture appeared to be beyond salvation. Chaos seems to be the right word to describe the present aristocracy.

The current emperor is in deathbed and the crown prince is a mere child.

Plotting and scheming, all of a sudden, became the name of the game. If one cannot muster great power to overthrow greater authority, then resorting to acting behind the shadows becomes the most potent weapon.

Thus, factions in the imperial court bloom like mushrooms and the bastards of the emperor, once and for all, became eager to give a shot at the throne.

Dukes from the territories in the North, South, East, and West of the Empire simultaneously took advantage of the crisis as well and grabbed the opportunity to hoard the support of every aristocratic family within their jurisdiction, starting from the marquises down to the weakest baron, apparently in anticipation of a major change in the empire—either with the intention of forming their own smaller kingdoms, or conceitedly, of usurping the current throne.

Down to the very bottom, every noble is preparing, training the army. In fact, skirmishes and small scale war have already started perhaps trying to test the waters. To bolster one’s own power and influence, a noble could only conquer a neighboring noble's fief and assimilate its territory.

The common people cannot but fear for their lives. Townsfolk are forcefully conscripted. Everyone is asked to fight in the name of the noble in a war that is obviously not his, to begin with.

One could only imagine the deathly atmosphere hovering the entire lands. But it is what it is. A new era in the empire is emerging on the horizon.

It is autumn.

And as the dried leaves start to wither from the branches, a looming bloodbath fills the air.