Carl, still covered in blood after the Lemig castle massacre, is brought into Queen Imogen’s private kitchen for an official field ruling adjudication. The three warlords present are Carl, Commander Stockade of the Lemig Sortion, and Architect Houston of the Madness, each represented by adjutants Panford, Baroness Victory, and Opiee. Stockade is furious and grief-stricken over Luke’s death, while Carl notices an incongruous bag of Earth cat food labeled as a Pet Angels gift.

Panford reconstructs Stockade’s scheme. Stockade used warlord chat to offer peace terms, requested a face-to-face parlay, then timed a level-15 Summon Ally spell for the moment Carl was sedated and undergoing treatment for Shi Maria. Because Carl was technically conscious when the request arrived, it persisted through his incapacitation, allowing Shi Maria to accept the teleport request when Imani removed Carl’s toe ring.

Mordecai privately explains that Summon Ally normally gives the summoned person control and cannot be used simply as an attack. In Carl’s unusual state, the system compensated by sending only a non-corporeal avatar to the Lemig castle rather than fully teleporting Carl. Stockade had apparently hoped to ruin the treatment, kill Carl, or unleash Shi Maria among Carl’s allies, but the partial teleport thwarted the plan.

The adjudicators then discuss the additional complication caused when Carl and Katia touched during the treatment, leaving Carl’s consciousness inside Katia’s dreamscape while Carl’s avatar existed in two locations. The ruling screen displays parts of Katia’s nightmare, exposing private memories about Fannar, the failed adoption of Annie, and Katia’s grief. Carl demands that the display stop, but the adjudication continues, revealing Shi Maria and Hapanzi entering the dream in spider forms.

Panford states that Shi Maria was eventually pulled into Katia’s dreamscape while both Carl’s allies and Stockade’s side tried to exploit the situation. Panford also reveals that Stockade delayed his next action because he again received outside information about the Princess Posse’s plans. When Stockade angrily accuses Carl’s team of cheating too, Victory formally refutes it, and Panford records Stockade’s admission of guilt.

Before the ruling can fully settle, Prepotente contacts Carl and Donut from near the southern Naga border, reporting hidden enemy movement, trebuchets, Madness mercenaries, and camouflaged vehicles. Elle and Florin confirm suspicious movement on other fronts despite nearly twenty hours remaining in the ceasefire. With defenses incomplete and Louis only halfway through installing bombs, Carl declares code red and orders everyone to man the lines.