So the story finally ends. That was a REALLY fun ride.

When the epilogue began on Qasam's point of view, it threw me for a minor loop, as I hadn't considered him as a prominent enough character to be included in the epilogue, but after the brief surprise, I realized it made perfect sense. When it comes to the others... I had expected all of them to have suffered socially in some way from this, but I wasn't expecting the extent of what Cravat and Shillelagh dealt with. The characters weren't expecting it either, though, and it was a perfectly natural consequence, so it comes off as surprising yet obvious in hindsight at the same time. I wasn't expecting Autumn Brisk to BENEFIT from this whole incident the way she did, and I do wonder if there are major things she isn't mentioning about how she's doing that simply weren't mentioned in front of so many nobles.

Finally... I was not expecting Nocturne to be involved in those EIS-approved assassinations. It just... Threw me for a MAJOR loop. I guess that we didn't get to see much about what Celestia and Luna were like in this setting, though, and it's entirely possible they could have approved that sort of thing here. It's so rare to see well-written fics that show the princesses as benevolent dictators willing to suspend the rule of law for the sake of good- as stories either portray them as constraining themselves within the law or as non-benevolent dictators. Still, even if it was a MAJOR surprise, it didn't conflict with anything written before it, and it also succeeded at wrapping up the story with a true sense of finality.

Overall, thank you for writing such an enjoyable work.

Yeah, I know Qasam doesn't come off as being a "main character"; and, to an extent, he isn't. But the "B Plot" events of the story that none of the main cast were privy to deserved to be wrapped up as well, and he offered the best perspective for it.

I wasn't expecting Autumn Brisk to BENEFIT from this whole incident the way she did, and I do wonder if there are major things she isn't mentioning about how she's doing that simply weren't mentioned in front of so many nobles.

Well, we have seen that Autumn is willing to do, erm..."favors" for ponies to get ahead if she has to...

I was not expecting Nocturne to be involved in those EIS-approved assassinations. It just... Threw me for a MAJOR loop. I guess that we didn't get to see much about what Celestia and Luna were like in this setting, though, and it's entirely possible they could have approved that sort of thing here.

On the other hand, what we have seen in this story is that the sisters aren't "all knowing" when it comes to what the ponies they trust to help them run Equestrtia get up to behind the scenes. And it's not that I'm trying to paint them as incompetent; they just aren't omniscient and want to believe the best of their ponies. Sometimes that means that ponies like Alabaster are able to dabble in corruption and get up to no good in his belief that a few dead ponies will lead to Equestria being a better place...

...And sometimes that means ponies like Director Em-Dash bend the spirit of their oaths to "protect Equestria from all threats, foreign and domestic"...in her belief that a few dead ponies will lead to Equestria being a better place.

And, of course, the princesses are far too busy with all of the many, much more important, demands on their time and attention that Em-Dash doesn't need to bother them with every little detail about every single operation she authorizes...

...Right?

Sometimes, nobody is more dangerous than a "True Patriot".

I'm really glad you had fun with this story and I hope you continue to like the stuff I write in the future! A also wish you continued luck with your own work!

Great story!