With preparations for Orhan and Ayşe's wedding and the assassination underway, Ismail voices concerns about gaining public approval since the new rulers will claim the thrones dishonorably.

In a series of flashbacks, Louis persuades Balaban to join forces with Balt-Rhein, appealing to Balaban's long-sought dream of independence from Greater Türkiye. Concerned for his ambitious brother, Beyazit approach Zağanos to become one of his spies to safeguard his homeland and keep Balaban from going down a dark path. Present day, Mahmut explains to the others that the Divan is planning to take the other sultanates' capitals, thus they cannot expect reinforcements from Türkiye.

As Mahmut and co. enter the Cuore di Rumeliana region, they quickly learn that all 34 city-states lack the military power to defend themselves against Balt-Rhein and are annoyed by their seemingly complacent attitude. After learning that they must get the Republic of Florence's permission to allow the Turkish army passage through their territory, the group heads there and sets up a meeting with Gonfaloniere Caterina di Rossi, the leader of Florence and Süleyman's former lover.

As the siege beings, the Balt-Rhein army is short on food supplies, causing Pineau to take a large platoon of soldiers to steal from the more vulnerable Turkish army. Wanting to avoid conflict, Halil and his army choose to maintain a two-day distance from the Imperial army, since the latter is mostly made of infantry. After successfully avoiding conflict for ten days, the Imperial army manages to catch up to them after Military Supervisor, Lily Kokoschka, intercepts their marching routes on the eleventh day and orders the army to use river rafts to close the distance gap.

With Halil's death and the remaining Turkish army scattered, Mahmut requests for Venedik to send supplies by sea, but they are intercepted by the L'isonlani's Boccanegra armada, who are working with Balt-Rhein. However, Venedik is able to win and breaks the blockade with the help of Doge Doria, who betrays the empire in favor gaining complete reign over L'isonlani and eliminating the rivaling Boccanegra family. Despite freeing the Centro from the empire's grasp, a large, nonseasonal storm hinders the Venedik fleet and prevents them from traveling to Chielo.

Despite their superior numbers, the Balt-Rhein army is boxed in by the Anti-Imperial Alliance and burns their rafts with fire arrows. Pineau orders his commanders to deal with their enemies that encircled them from the outside as the rest deals with the Turkish army that they have in an envelopment. Having chosen the battlefield beforehand, the Anti-Imperial Alliance has molded the area to their advantage and quickly overwhelms the Imperial army. After the El Toro mercenaries takes out the 13th division's ballista, Mahmut and his army escape the encirclement to take on the more vulnerable troops, decimating two imperial divisions.

During a meeting between the nation leaders of the Anti-Imperial Alliance, Doge Lucio convinces the others to give Türkiye control of Chielo since they are the strongest opposing force against Balt-Rhein. At the Divan, military assignments are being distributed and Mahmut is appointed as the governor of the new Chielo province. When discussing how to remodeling the city, Mimar Zeki Pasha, a student of Halil and the architect in charge of the remodeling, proposes to get rid of its poorhouses to make room for the Imaret they plan to build.