In a militaristic empire where war mages are prized and steam knights celebrated, Mikolai reluctantly signed up to be a steam suit mechanic to avoid conscription into the regular infantry. In this world, magical talent is rare, precious, and a pathway into the nobility. But Mikolai is a peasant from a small farming village with simple ambitions: Stay alive and do the right thing.

When an unfortunate accident leads to Mikolai's assignment to a special task force commanded by the notorious war mage Ognyan Spitignov, surviving with a clean conscience becomes very difficult. Ognyan's mission: To stamp out resistance to imperial rule in newly-conquered territory. However, Mikolai will try everything in his power to make the best of a bad situation - and he has more power than he realizes.

Mikolai's journey will take him through the horrors of war and the grinding clash between empires. Can he find his feet fast enough to stand up against a cruel world? Can he save himself and his friends from the enemy - and from the Imperial Army itself? And will he be able to live with himself afterwards?