Lyle and his party have gained the key to conquering Zayin: the theocracy's holy maiden, Thelma. However, Lyle still has a few problems to solve before his party heads off to wage war—particularly their lack of troops. And faced with the costs of funding an entire army, it quickly becomes apparent that they'll need to find a backer.

Enter the Trēs family, the founders of one of the leading merchant houses in Baym. When Lyle is approached with the opportunity to guard one of their vessels, he seizes the chance to prove himself and gain their support. But Lyle's ancestors and his other party members seem to have a different approach in mind—namely, seducing the head of House Trēs's beloved daughter and the captain of the ship they've been hired to protect, Vera.