"What?" Aldrian widened his eyes.
"Yes, the devils have suddenly launched a surprise attack along the border with the Doria Empire. I heard the northeastern border of the empire has been pushed back, and they've already lost some territory to the devils. It's strange, though, as this time the empire doesn't seem able to regain momentum," King Douwin said.
"What about the Rivas Grand Duchy? How are they holding up?" Aldrian's voice was laced with worry. He knew that the Rivas Grand Duchy bordered devil territory and was one of the Doria Empire's primary defenses on the northwestern side of the empire. He thought his mother might already be in her family's territory to take care of the situation.
King Douwin felt puzzled by Aldrian's question. "Does this young man have some connection with the Rivas family?" he thought but answered nonetheless.
