From the Watcher's Fortress in the northern border of the Kingdom of Aldor to the northwestern border of the Gabera Empire, lies a vast desert.
For thousands of years, humans have relied on underground water veins to build several oasis cities here, forming an important passage for trade between the north and south.
These city-states varied in size and mostly relied on agriculture, animal husbandry, and caravan supplies. In peacetime, their political affiliation was generally determined by geographical location: city-states closer to Gabera were mostly influenced by the Empire, accepting its protection or nominal suzerainty; while city-states near Watchers' Fortress and the Narodane Corridor mostly maintained a vassal relationship with the Kingdom of Aldor, relying on its military protection and trade.
However, in recent decades, as the Aldor's power has gradually declined, internal strife has plagued it, and its military has weakened, its control over the east has continued to erode. At the same time, the orc tribes on the plains, under the powerful leader Abar, have rapidly risen to prominence, establishing a royal court and repeatedly invading southward.
Against this backdrop, the oasis city-states east of Watcher's Keep fell one after another. Some states were forced to submit under the threat of the orc army, while others were isolated and helpless due to the loss of Aldor support and were eventually conquered one by one. These areas were gradually incorporated into the grasslands' sphere of influence and became outposts for the orcs to enter the human world.
Unable to retaliate, the Kingdom of Aldor had no choice but to shrink its defenses and retreat to the line between Watcher's Fortress and the Narodan Corridor. As a result, the once continuous system of oasis city-states was broken, and the central desert region became a desolate area with no one to control it. Trade routes were cut off and the population was sparse.
Today, travelers heading north from the northwestern border of Gabera to Aldo must traverse this politically fragmented desert, and only a few powerful caravans or official envoys can cautiously pass through under armed escort.
Mariana, a high-ranking member of the Secret Order, recently set off from the capital and is currently traversing this region, heading northwest through these small oasis countries. The places she is passing through are witnesses to the power shifts and territorial changes of the past few decades.
On the edge of the desert near Watcher's Fortress lies an oasis city-state called "Shajing". It was once a supply point on the East-West trade route. Although it has now submitted to the Grassland Kings, most of the city's inhabitants are still human, living in the shadow of the orc garrison.
As night fell, the dimly lit tavern in Shajing was filled with the smell of cheap beer and roasted meat.
Travelers, locals, and a few daring vendors sat around a rough wooden table, talking in hushed tones.
A woman dressed in a dark robe quietly entered, her face covered by a light veil, revealing only a pair of calm eyes.
She found a seat in the corner, ordered a glass of water, and sat down. Her demeanor was unassuming, yet her aloof air was undeniable; she was none other than Marianna, on her journey north. The light veil was not only to shield her from the wind and sand, but also to conceal her face and avoid attracting unnecessary attention and entanglement because of her beauty.
Before she could even take a sip of water, she overheard the conversation at the next table.
"Have you heard?" a weathered caravan worker asked in a low voice. "The orcs suffered a major defeat in Aldor! They've been driven back to the plains!"
Another person scoffed, "It should have been done long ago! Those hairy-faced monsters have been running rampant here, robbing us of grain and taxes, even charging for well water! Now someone has finally taken care of them."
"The news came from the west," the third person interjected. "It says that the Aldor army, led by Marquis Aldar, has won several battles in a row, and has even recaptured Watcher's Fortress. The remnants of the orcs are fleeing all the way, and they have even moved their royal tent."
"Ha! Serves them right!" The former worker slammed his fist on the table. "I knew it! No matter how fierce they are, they're still just barbarians! How can they compare to our human army?"
The crowd echoed, their voices filled with a long-suppressed sense of relief and catharsis. Someone raised their glass and whispered, "To Aldo! To that Marquis of Arda!"
Mariana listened quietly, her fingertips gently stroking the rim of her glass, her eyes flickering slightly.
The laughter and conversation from her neighbors continued, and the words about "the orcs' crushing defeat," "the recapture of Storm's End," and "the retreat of the grasslands" were like pebbles thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples in her heart.
Her gaze sharpened slightly, and her fingertips unconsciously hovered over the rim of the glass.
She knew, of course, that Paul had been running the town of Lakeside for many years, training an army that was far more powerful than before. She also believed that with his abilities, he could easily defend his territory and ensure his own safety.
But she never imagined that Paul would have the ability to completely drive the orcs out of Aldor.
In her mind, this war would be a brutal tug-of-war, and it would be fortunate if the orcs' westward advance could be stopped. But the current rumors are that the Aldor have turned defense into offense, recapturing lost territory one after another, and even recaptured the highly symbolic Watcher's Keep.
This is no longer a victory in defending the border, but a strategic reversal.
The first thought that flashed through her mind was: the royal family of Jingyao has used its hidden trump card.
After all, it wouldn't make sense for a ruling power that has been established for hundreds of years and continues to this day to not have any means of protection... Otherwise, how could a marquis from a remote border region reverse the entire war situation?
Paul, however, was trusted by the royal family, and with their unwavering support, he ultimately triumphed.
Mariana's fingertips remained on the rim of the glass, but her thoughts were already churning.
She knew nothing about the organizational structure of modern armies, the tactical application of gunpowder fortifications, or the quietly emerging industrial production capacity of Lakeside Town. In her mind, the outcome of war still depended on the bravery of the generals, the number and morale of the soldiers, and whether some hidden and powerful force was behind them—such as ancient relics, secret weaponry, or long-hidden elite troops.
That is why she was even more convinced that Paul's victory was not solely due to his own efforts, but rather that the Aldo royal family must have used some kind of "trump card" that had never been revealed before in a critical moment to turn the tide.
Just then, the conversation at the next table came through again, pushing her suspicions closer to confirmation.
"Have you heard? In the Battle of Storm's End, it was Prince Yuriko who personally led the vanguard!" a merchant-looking man said in a low voice. "He led the Knights of the Kingdom into Storm's End and subdued hundreds of orc warriors on the spot. Even the centurions on the plains knelt down in submission!"
"No wonder they fought so quickly!" another person exclaimed. "This Royal Guardian Knights must be Aldor's most elite force, right? I've never heard of them before; it seems they rarely deploy. The fact that even the Prince has gone shows that the royal family is truly determined!"
"Yes, the Aldo royal family is really good at hiding their strength. Even Greedy Wolf Giles couldn't force this knightly order to come out!"
"Hey, what do you know? Giles is, after all, a vassal of Aldor. It's a civil war within the kingdom; how can you just casually use such powerful weapons? Those barbarians from the steppes don't know what's good for them; they've kicked a hornet's nest!"
Mariana was startled when she heard the name "Knights of the Nation".
Is that really the case?