Welkin, Isara, and Alicia manage to escape using the prototype tank Edelweiss, which was designed and built by Isara's biological father, a Darcsen engineer. They flee to Bruhl, with the Imperial forces in close pursuit. The Bruhl Townwatch has to delay the Imperials to allow the evacuation to proceed unhindered and hold out until the Regular Army arrives; however, they are handicapped by their lack of combat experience and poorly maintained equipment and suffer badly...