After the promotion in December 1522, a storm began brewing within the territories of the Solaris Reach Kingdom. In March 1523, the Lord of Stormvale declared the region's independence, establishing the Kingdom of Stormvale. This declaration threw the Imperial Palace of the Solaris Reach Kingdom into a panic, as there was now not just one but two kings, leading to rising hostilities between them.
Tensions escalated, and it became clear that another war was imminent. Although the Kingdom of Stormvale is five times smaller than the Solaris Reach Kingdom, it is heavily militarized, boasting a significant number of trained soldiers with superior skills. In terms of military forces, the Solaris Reach Kingdom can muster between 10 to 20 times more troops. The Kingdom of Stormvale has approximately 15 million active soldiers, supported by unknown alliances, while the Solaris Reach Kingdom has around 35 million active soldiers. Additionally, they have reinforcements of 10 million soldiers from the Kingdom of Highdawn Glory, bringing their total to 45 million soldiers.
The Kingdom of Highdawn Glory has stipulated that its support comes with a demand for food resources. In response, the Kingdom of Solaris Reach has arranged to transport food supplies using magical means. With the formation of the Kingdom of Stormvale, the Kingdom of Unified Crowns has effectively been dismantled, leaving only the Kingdom of Stormvale and the Solaris Reach Kingdom in existence.
The small islands located between the Kingdom of Stormvale and the Kingdom of Solaris Reach have declared a neutral status with the assistance of the Starcrest Empire. As a result, neither kingdom can interfere with or occupy the islands. If either kingdom were to step onto any of the six small islands, it would be seen as a declaration of hostility against the Empire, which would then intervene in the conflict.
The Starcrest Empire is the largest nation and serves as the central authority within the Cradle of Crowns. Its ruler, Empress Elara de Dawnstrike, is regarded as the most powerful human in history, despite being over 40 years old. She possesses mastery over both powerful aura and advanced magical techniques. An esteemed member of the Unity Faction—a group dedicated to the study and integration of mana and aura—she is the first woman to achieve both Transcendent Level Aura Master and Transcendent Level Mana Master.
Among her abilities are Command Manipulation, Time Manipulation (which allows her to restore her youth), and Aura Manipulation. She is still growing in power, knowing that when the Black Veil Continent makes its move, she will also take action with her armies and the entire Cradle of Crowns. Although the Cradle of Crowns constantly wages war against one another, she has established some rules to minimize conflict, understanding that decreasing military strength would be detrimental when the Cradle of Crowns prepares for war with the Black Veil Continent.
In April 1523, an all-out war began between the Kingdom of Stormvale and the Kingdom of Solaris Reach. The battle took place in the waters between both kingdoms and involved fierce fighting over territory. Fortunately for Lord Rowan de Ashbourne, no enemies ventured into his territory, which is composed of mountains and snow. This rugged and icy landscape makes it difficult for both allies and enemies to engage effectively in combat.
In late April 1523, Lord Rowan embarked on a campaign with a force of 1,500 soldiers and 1,000 mercenaries willing to join him. The reason for this recruitment effort was straightforward: Rowan announced that any mercenary who could kill ten enemy soldiers, providing proof by returning with their badge, would be knighted and welcomed into the Knight Order. This incentive drew many mercenaries eager for the reward to join the battle. Before Rowan departed, his mother, Seren, temporarily took over as the head of their family, knowing that her son would be fighting alongside the allies.
In early May 1523, Rowan and his army made their battle debut in the mountain ranges of the former lands of the Lord of Grimsbane, which Rowan had claimed for himself. They successfully eliminated all hostile forces with only a few hundred casualties. After this victory, they marched toward the beaches, where their allies were engaged in combat against other hostile forces. The allies included the Lady of Blackwood and the Lady of Valehaven, both of whom were Countess Noble Households and held the military rank of Tempered Knightess. Each commanded between 5,000 and 7,500 soldiers, bringing their combined force to approximately 12,500 to 17,500 soldiers alongside Rowan's army.
The battle was brutal, with waves of enemy soldiers continuously arriving by boat. The fighting lasted for three months. By early August 1523, the total losses exceeded those of the three commanders: the Lady of Blackwood, the Lady of Valehaven, and the Lord of Wintermere. Out of an army of 17,500 soldiers, only 10,500 remained; the rest were either heavily injured or killed in battle.
Rowan's Knight Order, originally composed of 1,500 soldiers, had dwindled to just 750, while the mercenaries decreased from 1,000 to only 250. Due to these devastating losses, Rowan was awarded honors and allowed to return to Wintermere with his remaining troops. He had sustained an injury to his back from a powerful explosive spell and needed to recuperate.
In mid-August 1523, they safely returned to Rowan's territory, where a funeral was held for both his knights and the mercenaries who had fought alongside him. Of the 250 mercenaries, many were knighted and integrated into the Knight Order, and recruitment began for new members should another conflict arise due to the ongoing war.
By early September 1523, Rowan celebrated his 18th birthday. He received a gift from the Imperial Palace of the Solaris Reach Kingdom: untrained squires and soldiers to bolster his military strength. This support was crucial as Rowan's territory bordered a snowy beach and a wall. After his contributions during the three-month war alongside his allies, Rowan was promoted from Field Knight to Battle Knight and now commanded a force of 2,500 soldiers.
In mid-September 1523, the Solaris Reach Kingdom achieved a significant breakthrough by claiming a beach territory in the Kingdom of Stormvale. This victory resulted in allied casualties of 550,000 soldiers and enemy casualties of 950,000. The war concluded three months later, with total casualties from both sides exceeding 20,000,000 soldiers, including those killed in action, missing, or severely injured and unable to recover.
By early December 1523, the Kingdom of Stormvale had descended into anarchy, allowing low and mid-ranking nobles to occupy the territories. Among them, Lord Rowan, as a baron from a noble household, participated in the territorial occupation with a force of 3,000 soldiers. As a result, the two kingdoms, Stormvale and Solaris Reach, ultimately returned to the Kingdom of Unified Crown.