Even in winter, Nuln was bitterly cold.
The snow-covered streets were as bustling as ever, with the festive atmosphere of Winterfest still lingering. Shops were running promotions everywhere: "The Ultimate Carnival of 2520," "Grab the Lowest Prices of the Year," "Billions in Subsidies for Hot Deals," "Spend 100, Get 50 Off; Spend 200, Get 120 Off."
Everywhere, there were sales.
Many were also participating in shopping parades. Refugees from all directions flocked to Nuln to seek a livelihood, while various orders poured into Nuln's military factories. The gun and cannon factories worked day and night, producing firearms and war machines.
Large quantities of grain were transported from the rivers Aver and Sol, filling the insatiable appetite of this industrial city. Additionally, trade with Bretonnia brought hundreds of carts of grain, if not more, each time.
The people of Nuln proudly proclaimed, "The Countess will not let us go hungry. The Baron will protect our city. Nuln has its own court. We are the most important city in the Empire."
This might not be an exaggeration. As the southern gem of the Empire, only the capital, Altdorf, could rival Nuln in wealth, industrial technology, and population. Nuln was also the academic and industrial center of the Empire, boasting everything an imperial court needed: a complete College of Magic with all eight winds of magic, the Nuln Royal Zoo, a dozen local knightly orders, and grand cathedrals dedicated to Sigmar and Myrmidia.
It was worth noting that the people of Nuln were not particularly welcoming of the Ulricans, as their barbaric ways interfered with business. However, they greatly revered the cult of Myrmidia, the Goddess of War, whose teachings emphasized strategy, tactics, flexible formations, and the importance of knowledge and learning—far more civilized than the brutish Ulric.
At this moment, Baron Frederik of Nuln was leading a group of Nuln Ironclad soldiers and two dozen Black Guard through the streets, followed by a detachment of Nuln city guards. The Baron was on a routine patrol. After his performance in the initial battles of the Thousand-Gun War and the subsequent Battle of Blackfire Pass, Frederik's military prowess had been widely recognized. His mother, Countess Emmanuelle, was pleased and had appointed him as the captain of the city patrol.
Thus, Frederik spent his days roaming the city with his entourage.
"It is said that the more dire the Empire's situation, the more Nuln's importance shines," boasted a young Nuln Ironclad soldier, Otto von Saxony. "Without Nuln, over 60% of the Empire's firearms would be cut off. Without Nuln, the Empire would lack the cannons to pacify the world. Without Nuln, what would the Empire have left? In these trying times, only Nuln remains strong. Only Nuln has the capacity to support the Empire in its hour of need. Only Nuln..."
"Alright, alright," Frederik chuckled impatiently. "I've heard this countless times. Nuln is destined for greatness, and I do believe it is one of the Empire's most important cities. But without the military orders, grain supplies, and the constant influx of talent from other provinces, we would face many troubles ourselves."
"True."
"We must also thank the Countess. In these times of poor harvests, she always manages to secure large quantities of affordable grain from across the mountains," Otto reluctantly conceded. "Of course, my Baron, it would be even better if you could drop the 'one of' and simply declare Nuln the most important city."
"Hah," Frederik shook his head in amusement. Arrogance and disdain for the other provinces of the Empire (except Reikland and Averland, which Nulners loved to mock), along with a constant need to compare Nuln to Altdorf and Middenheim, were part of daily life in Nuln. The locals, especially the middle-class and upper-class military nobles, harbored a "Greater Nuln" mentality, believing their city to be the finest and most powerful in the Old World.
Though he didn't say it aloud, Frederik knew that his mother's coffers were indeed overflowing. Due to the need to defend the city and fulfill military orders, the army and factories had expanded repeatedly. Nuln now boasted the Empire's most formidable steel legions and the largest arsenal of firearms and cannons.
Walking beside Frederik was Nathan Drake, the captain of the Black Guard and a Nuln general. Frederik had taken a liking to Drake and had requested his transfer from Emmanuelle to serve as his deputy.
It was an interesting story. Nathan Drake had originally been a maritime explorer, traveling the world and venturing as far as Lustria and Cathay. He had even met with the leader of the Ashen Legion, Fulgrim. Through his explorations of ancient Lizardmen ruins, he had amassed great wealth and formed a mercenary company that gained fame. Eventually, he was recruited by the Empire and, being a native of Nuln, returned to his homeland. He rose through the ranks to join the Black Tower Guard (Nuln's internal security force) and later passed the Black Guard trials to become a member of the Countess's personal guard.
Frederik enjoyed conversing with Drake, as the former mercenary captain's vast knowledge provided insights on nearly any topic. More importantly, Captain Drake was one of the few Nuln officers who firmly believed in the existence of Skaven, a belief that aligned with Frederik's own suspicions.
Frederik needed such a hardliner, and Drake, having faced repeated setbacks, was deeply moved to finally find someone in Nuln's upper echelons who believed him—especially since that someone was the Baron of Nuln and the Countess's heir apparent.
"How goes the investigation?" Frederik asked Drake.
"My Baron, according to our findings, at least a quarter of the Nuln Ironclad and a fifth to a sixth of the Black Guard have been corrupted by Chaos," Drake reported in a low voice. "Fortunately, aside from a very few, most of them are unaware of their corruption. They still believe they worship Sigmar, Myrmidia, Ulric, Shallya, or Verena. Their corruption is not deep, and through your purification rituals and those of Casimir IX, they can be reintegrated into their posts."
"Damn it! Good thing we caught it early!" Frederik cursed under his breath. If not for his acute sensitivity to Chaos, who would have known that the ancient human altar beneath the Nuln Ironclad barracks was actually a Khornate shrine?
Just how many Chaos worshippers were there in the Empire?
At the same time, Frederik felt as though he was missing something.
What was it?
"And the rest?" the Baron asked softly.
"They have all been secretly executed and handed over to the Cult of Sigmar for cremation," Captain Drake nodded.
"I'm not entirely convinced the church is reliable," Frederik frowned. The eldest son's thoughtful expression bore a striking resemblance to his father, Ryan. As he grew older, Frederik's features, which had initially resembled Emmanuelle's, began to show more of Ryan's traits. "But it's fine. I can identify them myself. I'll take a look later."
"Understood."
The patrol passed by the Myrmidia Academy of War. Despite the cold, the academy was still in session, with students having just returned from their Winterfest break.
"Ah, listening to this takes me back to my youth," Frederik said with pride. He had also studied at the Myrmidia Academy, completing the entire curriculum in just three years.
"Your youth?" A voice, both commanding and alluring, rang out from above. "You dare call yourself young? Look at yourself. You're just a child."
"A child?" Frederik was immediately annoyed, and the soldiers behind him bristled. The Baron looked up to see a strikingly beautiful young woman sitting on the branch of a tree outside the Myrmidia Academy. She lounged casually, her bright green eyes sparkling with amusement as she gazed at Frederik. Her shoulder-length, ash-gray hair framed her face, and she wore a golden crown shaped like a blazing sun. Red roses adorned her ears.
Her eyes, filled with mischief and curiosity, seemed to speak volumes. Every movement exuded an aura of sacred inviolability, combined with an air of rationality and wisdom. Her delicate, heroic face bore a faint smile. At first glance, she appeared to be wearing a traditional high-society maid's outfit in red, white, and black, with a large ribbon at her chest. Upon closer inspection, however, it became clear that the "maid outfit" was actually an exquisitely crafted suit of armor. Her knee-high iron boots could not conceal her long, shapely legs, and a hand-and-a-half sword with a hilt shaped like a blazing sun hung at her waist, its pure flames flickering. Long tassels draped from her sides.
"Who are you calling a child?" Frederik shouted indignantly. If his parents, uncles, godfather, or mentors had said this, he might have let it slide, but from anyone else, it was unacceptable!
"Aren't you just a child?" The young woman giggled, her eyes fixed on Frederik's still-downy upper lip. "Don't you remember? I held you when you were born!"
"!" Frederik's eyes widened. "You... you're?!"
"Me? I am the newly appointed 'Northern Falcon,' Noelle von Ascot-Margaret. With the disappearance of Archbishop Isabella, I now command the Empire's Falcon Knights, the Knights of the Blazing Sun, and the Knights of the Righteous Spear. Pleased to meet you, Baron of Nuln." The young woman nodded slightly at Frederik, showing no trace of deference. "But I fear our time for conversation is limited."
"Why?" Frederik, instead of taking offense, bowed respectfully. He drew his sword, the Elven rune blade known as "Hero's Bane," and held it upright before his chest.
"A riot," Noelle said gravely. "A riot is breaking out at the gates of the Elector's Palace. If I were you, I'd hurry back with my men."
"Oh, oh, oh!" Frederik's excitement surged. A series of historical events flashed through his mind.
The Jingnan Campaign!
The Black Gate Incident!
The Coup of 18 Brumaire!
The Glorious Revolution!
Of course, these were just random thoughts. Frederik deeply loved and respected his mother. Upon hearing Noelle's warning, the Baron of Nuln realized what he had overlooked—his mother's court!
"Otto! Take some men and deliver my orders to Engineer Meibach!" Frederik roared. "Tell him to bring the Repeater Handgun Corps to the Elector's Palace immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Drake! Take my seal and go find Lady Elspeth, the head of the Amethyst College, and Master Berndt, the Amber Wizard!"
"Yes, sir!"
"The rest of you, follow me! To rescue Mother!" Frederik led his men away in haste, leaving Noelle still perched in the tree. The young woman pulled a small steel flask from her waist, filled with sherry, and took a deep swig, sighing.
"Indeed, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. In moments of crisis, he shows the same decisiveness as his father. Perhaps following him will increase our chances of success."
Meanwhile, a massive riot had indeed erupted in Nuln. Crowds of fanatics and doomsayers suddenly appeared, storming the city's major institutions and the palace, flooding the streets. Their pretext was "witch-hunting," seeking evidence of nobles and officers "consorting with Chaos." Thousands of rioters charged the Elector's Palace, while others began wreaking havoc in the city. Each sought to prove their own "purity" by killing and denouncing those deemed "impure."
Inside the palace, Countess Emmanuelle of Nuln was bound to a pyre. She had been taking a nap when her maids and a trusted lady-in-waiting dragged her from her bed. While the palace guards were distracted by the chaos outside, the maids suddenly roused Emmanuelle.
"Countess, something terrible is happening! The rioters are storming the palace!"
"Don't panic," Emmanuelle, still in her nightgown, said calmly. "The palace is heavily guarded. The Black Guard and the Black Tower Guard are more than a match for a mob. They won't get in. But why is this happening..."
"What if they're already inside?" The maids suddenly laughed, and Emmanuelle's most trusted lady-in-waiting, Marie, spoke up. "My Countess, I sent everyone away—in your name."
"What?!"
Caught off guard, Emmanuelle was seized by the maids. Though protected by Ryan's magical wards, the Chaos cultists had prepared for this. They bound her to the pyre, accusing her of being a "witch" and "harlot." The Countess's screams, as the pyre was lit, were piercing and filled with despair.
However, at that moment, a gunshot rang out, and Marie was shot dead. Frederik, leading the Nuln Ironclad and Black Guard, burst into the room, slaughtering the maids.
"Mother! Are you alright?" Frederik cast a spell of Death's Wind to extinguish the flames and freed Emmanuelle from the pyre.
"Fred! My son, oh!" Emmanuelle hugged her son tightly. The Countess, furious, immediately grabbed her rune sword, the Western Flame, from beside her bed. "Come, my son. Let's fight our way out, rally the troops, and quell this rebellion!"
"Roar!" Frederik, like a young lion, responded immediately.
With the Countess of Nuln leading the charge, the leaderless Nuln army quickly rallied. The suppression of the riot began, and within two days, the large-scale uprising was quelled. It was estimated that at least twenty thousand people had died in the chaos.
However, after the riot was put down, Emmanuelle's first instinct was to flee. She ordered her servants to pack her belongings, her mind filled with thoughts of escaping to Ryan.
This place was no longer safe!
"Only Ryan's side is free from such things! Only he can keep me safe!"
Nuln could be someone else's problem. She was done with it.
...
A month after the Nuln riot, in the Empire, in the province of Talabecland, in the outskirts of Talabheim, about twenty to thirty kilometers from the city.
The Elector Count's insistence on a "Winter Hunt" had led to disastrous consequences.
"Go, Longma, my superman!" Elector Count Helmut Feuerbach of Talabecland, the Grand Duke of Talabheim, fell to the ground as he watched his guard being slaughtered by a group of Khornate berserkers, Beastmen minotaurs, and Nurgle cultists.
Longma, Helmut's mount, a half-griffon and the Elector's primary source of combat power, fought valiantly against the Khornate berserkers until it was hacked to pieces.
"Fight, fight, Zion, you can do it, you can do it~!" Helmut screamed as his greatsword guards fell one by one, protecting the Elector as he retreated. Helmut's personal champion, Zion Williamson-Lamb, swung his greatsword like a whirlwind until he was impaled by a row of halberds wielded by Khornate Chaos Warriors and pinned to a wall, bleeding to death.
"I'm done~ I'm done!" Helmut, terrified and panicked, fled desperately until he reached a small slope overlooking the cold, rushing Talabec River.
By now, the Elector's guard had been completely wiped out, leaving him alone.
"This is it!" Behind him were several minotaurs, a group (dozens) of Khornate berserkers, scores of Khornate Chaos Warriors, and a band of Nurgle cultists.
In his despair, the Elector let out a mournful cry: "Is this fair?"
Then he leaped into the freezing river below and was swept away by the current.
As he lost consciousness, a single thought flashed through his mind.
"This is very river."
From that day on, Grand Duke Helmut Feuerbach of Talabecland, Elector Count of Talabheim, was declared missing.
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