Overall Framework The player is the head of a landless Count's family and the acting governor of a frontier territory. The lord, Leo, does nothing but sign off on decisions, leaving all practical administration to the player. The story consists of five acts: Protecting the Port → Eliminating the Enemy → Uncovering the Conspiracy → Winning through Economics → Overthrowing through Politics. The player's weapons change in each act. The hand grows in the order of Military Force, Intelligence, Diplomacy, Economics, and Parliamentary Seats. The underlying structure is consistent: the Holy See is manipulating Aufleben to exhaust and partition the small frontier powers. Damian and the Duke of Lichtenia are merely pieces on that board. The one who grasps this truth wins.

Act I: The Port is Closed Situation The player arrives at the frontier territory as the acting governor. Lord Leo is not in his office; when found in a tavern, he pushes back the documents and says only, "Do as you like." The player gains de facto full authority, but the territory is exhausted and the treasury is empty. Damian's Arrival Damian, son of the Cathedral family, is appointed as the Northern Trade Inspector of the Aufleben Royal Ministry of Trade and Industry. A position newly created by the royalist faction to advance annexation, he holds control over customs, port entry permits, and route licensing in northern Rubent. Damian begins to squeeze the frontier's shipping by gradually raising port taxes in the town of Alto and granting permits only to specific companies. Player's Initial Moves Grasp the atmosphere of the port at Yuka's tavern, meet Lina during a hunt, and find Gallo in a mining village. Meet Eliza in the back room of the Gold Spring Inn to learn the full scope of the company and the circumstances of the previous head's death. Find a mention of a "Three-Hundred-Year-Old Royal Charter" in a corner of the ledger. End of the Act Steward Sebald arrives from the capital and informs the player that the Lancaster family's Senate seat has not expired despite being vacant for three generations. Taking the seat requires achievements and backing. Simultaneously, Sebald points out that Damian's appointment went through with unusual speed—someone is pushing from behind.

Act II: Eliminating Damian Intelligence War Damian uses his authority as Trade Inspector to set up a surveillance network in Alto Port. Pretext: smuggling crackdown. Reality: grasping the trade flows and personal connections of the frontier. He begins to reach for the company's ledgers. Toby infiltrates the Inspectorate in Hafenstadt and grabs fragments of evidence that Damian is receiving funds and personnel from the Holy See. However, due to the lack of a base in the capital's center, infiltration is difficult, and Toby is injured. The player mobilizes the underground syndicate for the first time, seizing the source of the private soldiers Damian hired and forcing them to withdraw. Thrilling Elimination The player does not fight head-on. Damian's weakness lies in the fact that his authority is newly created and lacks a strong legal basis. • Horst points out flaws in the Trade Department's forms, accumulating procedural defects. • Eliza gathers testimonies of private favors from Inspectorate officials at the Gold Spring Inn. • Sebald identifies the person who pushed for Damian's appointment through the capital's steward network. • Barrow organizes the ledgers to ensure the company is beyond reproach. Bundling these together, the player does not file a formal accusation but hands the complete dossier to Martin Vogel, the Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Director, a member of the Crown Prince's faction, teams up with the trade faction within the ministry to abolish the Inspector position itself. Damian loses his job and tries to resist using his family status, but he is powerless against law and procedure. As he leaves, Damian spits out that he was merely being used. This becomes the door to the third act. Overall Framework The player is the head of a landless Count's family and the acting governor of a frontier territory. The lord, Leo, does nothing but sign off on decisions, leaving all practical administration to the player. The story consists of five acts: Protecting the Port → Eliminating the Enemy → Uncovering the Conspiracy → Winning through Economics → Overthrowing through Politics. The player's weapons change in each act. The hand grows in the order of Military Force, Intelligence, Diplomacy, Economics, and Parliamentary Seats. The underlying structure is consistent: the Holy See is manipulating Aufleben to exhaust and partition the small frontier powers. Damian and the Duke of Lichtenia are merely pieces on that board. The one who grasps this truth wins.

Act I: The Port is Closed Situation The player arrives at the frontier territory as the acting governor. Lord Leo is not in his office; when found in a tavern, he pushes back the documents and says only, "Do as you like." The player gains de facto full authority, but the territory is exhausted and the treasury is empty. Damian's Arrival Damian, son of the Cathedral family, is appointed as the Northern Trade Inspector of the Aufleben Royal Ministry of Trade and Industry. A position newly created by the royalist faction to advance annexation, he holds control over customs, port entry permits, and route licensing in northern Rubent. Damian begins to squeeze the frontier's shipping by gradually raising port taxes in the town of Alto and granting permits only to specific companies. Player's Initial Moves Grasp the atmosphere of the port at Yuka's tavern, meet Lina during a hunt, and find Gallo in a mining village. Meet Eliza in the back room of the Gold Spring Inn to learn the full scope of the company and the circumstances of the previous head's death. Find a mention of a "Three-Hundred-Year-Old Royal Charter" in a corner of the ledger. End of the Act Steward Sebald arrives from the capital and informs the player that the Lancaster family's Senate seat has not expired despite being vacant for three generations. Taking the seat requires achievements and backing. Simultaneously, Sebald points out that Damian's appointment went through with unusual speed—someone is pushing from behind.

Act II: Eliminating Damian Intelligence War Damian uses his authority as Trade Inspector to set up a surveillance network in Alto Port. Pretext: smuggling crackdown. Reality: grasping the trade flows and personal connections of the frontier. He begins to reach for the company's ledgers. Toby infiltrates the Inspectorate in Hafenstadt and grabs fragments of evidence that Damian is receiving funds and personnel from the Holy See. However, due to the lack of a base in the capital's center, infiltration is difficult, and Toby is injured. The player mobilizes the underground syndicate for the first time, seizing the source of the private soldiers Damian hired and forcing them to withdraw. Thrilling Elimination The player does not fight head-on. Damian's weakness lies in the fact that his authority is newly created and lacks a strong legal basis. • Horst points out flaws in the Trade Department's forms, accumulating procedural defects. • Eliza gathers testimonies of private favors from Inspectorate officials at the Gold Spring Inn. • Sebald identifies the person who pushed for Damian's appointment through the capital's steward network. • Barrow organizes the ledgers to ensure the company is beyond reproach. Bundling these together, the player does not file a formal accusation but hands the complete dossier to Martin Vogel, the Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Director, a member of the Crown Prince's faction, teams up with the trade faction within the ministry to abolish the Inspector position itself. Damian loses his job and tries to resist using his family status, but he is powerless against law and procedure. As he leaves, Damian spits out that he was merely being used. This becomes the door to the third act.