Triumphant Return

Minister Foss gathers with five hooded conspirators to weigh Griffith's swift climb through Midland's ranks. By Foss's account, the king means to name Griffith a general and lift the Band of the Falcon to stand among Midland's most esteemed regiments. The group plots to kill him by lacing his cup with antiaris poison during the feast honoring his promotion. When some voice doubt that the scheme will work, the Queen of Midland, whose presence only Foss had known of, vows to finish Griffith herself should it fail.

While the Queen speaks with the others, Foss reflects that although he knew certain secrets about her, he never expected her to take part directly. The Queen, for her part, recalls how she came to the plot. Wed to the king, she nonetheless carried on a fervent affair with his brother, Julius, and Foss had confided his belief that Griffith was behind Julius's killing. That suspicion, alongside the wounded standing of nobles like Foss's allies, has earned Griffith no shortage of foes. The meeting closes as Foss has the conspirators seal a blood-oath.

Through the streets of Wyndham, the citizens of Midland hail the Band of the Falcon and celebrate the triumph at Doldrey. Most of the band bask in their sudden renown, but Guts drifts in thought until Gaston pulls him back, marveling that three years earlier such honors were unthinkable for mere mercenaries. Guts credits it all to Griffith, certain no one else could have carried so impossible an ambition this far. Griffith fails to notice Princess Charlotte calling to him from her balcony above. From a higher vantage, the Queen, Foss, and the conspirators observe him, and Foss's colleagues confirm all is arranged for his death. A guard then hands Foss a letter, which he reads in private. Its contents visibly terrify him, and when the Queen asks whether anything is wrong, he masters himself, claims to be fine, and departs seething at whoever sent it.

Minister Foss and five conspirators plot to assassinate Griffith with antiaris poison during his promotion feast. The Queen of Midland reveals her involvement and vows to kill Griffith herself if the plan fails, motivated by her affair with the late Julius, whom she believes Griffith murdered. The conspirators seal a blood-oath. The Band of the Falcon is celebrated in Wyndham for its victory at Doldrey. Foss receives a terrifying letter, secretly from Griffith, that leaves him shaken and enraged.

This nineteen-page chapter belongs to the Golden Age Arc and was published in Young Animal issue three on January 28, 1994. The panels showing Corkus showing off are captioned Hulk Hogan in the original Japanese, a nod to how the mercenary mimics the real-life wrestler's mannerisms.