Lakeheart Town Lords Manor, Paul is reading a report about dynamite experiments.
Suddenly, a guard whispered outside the door, "Sir, Mr. Alvis requests an audience, saying he has urgent business."
Paul looked up: " Alvis? Isn't he at Blackwater Lake Fortress?"
"Yes, he just arrived, looking travel-worn, as if he had rushed back overnight."
"Let him in."
The door was quickly pushed open, and Alvis walked in. His robe was covered in dust, his boots were covered in dried mud, and his face was full of fatigue, but his eyes were unusually sharp.
Without exchanging pleasantries or bowing, he stood still and asked directly, " Lord Glaeman, why did you call a halt to the attack on the orcs?"
Paul was slightly surprised: "You came back just for this?"
"Yes." Alvis's voice was a little hoarse. " Andrew showed me the letter from the Staff Department, which said that the planned offensive was suspended and the troops were to switch to defense—but if I may be so bold, now is not the time to stop."
He stepped forward: " Abar will not give up because of our retreat. He needs time to regroup, and by giving him a chance to breathe, we are handing over the initiative. The newly surrendered tribes will waver, the morale on the front lines will collapse, and it will be much more costly to advance further."
Paul listened quietly without interrupting.
Alvis stared at him, his tone firm: "You've always been decisive, never hesitating to seize an opportunity. Did you stop this time because of pressure from the royal family? Or did the Duke's investiture frustrate you? I don't care about the reasons behind it—I just want to say that stopping was a mistake. Even if there's only one soldier left, we should have continued pushing forward."
"I have traveled day and night to get here, not to question you, but to implore you to reconsider and not to stop your attack on the orcs now that they are in such a state."
Paul leaned back in his chair, looking calmly at Alvis: "You're right, Abar is a threat. But you also know that Northwest alone cannot sustain a long-term war deep into the plains. Food, manpower, supplies—all of these require the support of the entire Aldor. Right now, the royal family's attitude is unclear, and I don't want to go deep into the plains alone."
He said helplessly, "An attack without rear support is not brave, it's reckless."
Alvis, however, did not back down. He straightened up, cleared his throat heavily, and said:
" Lord Glaeman, that's precisely why we can't stop now. Do you know what lies beneath the grasslands? Iron, copper, coal—the entire land is rich in resources. In the past, orcs didn't know how to mine and could only survive by plundering. But Abar is different. He's traveled around the human world, seen human mines and furnaces with his own eyes, and it's said that dwarves from the Rocky Mountains are working for him. That race is experts in mining. Abar must be sending people to explore for mineral veins. Once he organizes a mining team and establishes a smelting workshop, the orcs can use this to accumulate wealth and upgrade their weapons."
"What's even more dangerous is that Abar is imitating human institutions, establishing tribal councils, unifying taxation, training standing armies, and even starting to record laws in writing—he doesn't want to be a tribal chief; he wants to build a real nation."
"We are no longer facing a group of nomadic barbarians, but an opponent who is awakening. If we stop now and give him three or five years to catch his breath, once he has his own arsenal and an organized army, it will be more than an expeditionary force that can eliminate him."
Alvis warned gravely, "Then it won't be us chasing him, but him attacking Aldor again with a well-equipped army. You'll regret this 'prudent' decision today."
Paul frowned slightly, about to reply, when the door was gently pushed open.
Mariana walked in, wearing a dark robe, her hair slightly tied back, her footsteps so light they were almost silent.
Although the guards did not know Mariana's identity, Paul had instructed them that this woman had the authority to see him without prior notice.
She turned her gaze to Alvis. "It's been a long time, Scholar Alvis."
Before he could finish speaking, Alvis suddenly took a step back, bumping into the bookshelf behind him, and several books fell to the ground with a clatter.
" Mariana!"
His face turned deathly pale instantly, his hand trembled as he raised it, pointing at Mariana, his voice trembling:
"She...she's the witch of the Arcane Society! Lord Glaeman, you must leave immediately! She's here to kill me!"
He staggered and blocked Paul's path, his voice trembling but resolute: " Antoni failed in his assassination attempt last time, and this time... he's sent her personally! You must run! She's not someone you can handle!"
Mariana paused slightly, then her eyes sparkled with a smile as she quietly watched the terrified old scholar —but Alvis took it as a cat playing a trick on a mouse before it was caught.
Paul immediately stood up and reached out to support Alvis: "Calm down, Mr. Alvis."
Just as he was hesitating about how to explain Mariana's presence, Mariana spoke up.
"You are right, I was indeed sent by His Majesty Antonio."
Alvis was deathly pale and could barely stand.
"But I'm not here to kill you." Her tone was calm, with a hint of sarcasm. "If I really wanted to kill you, why would I need to do it in front of Marquis Glaeman?"
Alvis frowned.
The red-haired witch glanced around the study, her gaze finally settling on Paul: "I came to Northwest Bay specifically to visit Marquis Glaeman."
Paul then spoke up, continuing his mother's words, " Mr. Alvis, it seems you know each other. Oh, by the way, you're both from Gabella. You don't need to worry, this lady is not a threat to you."
The room was deathly silent. Alvis still gripped his cane tightly, his eyes wary.
" Lord Glaeman," the witch began, her voice low but clear, "I know the difficulties you are currently facing—a lack of manpower, the Political Affairs Council has issued a large number of war bonds, and the finances are tight—the war against the orcs cannot be sustained."
"In that case, why not reconsider my previous sincere suggestion?"
"Well, I need to think about it some more..." Paul was a little confused, but in front of Alvis, he could only play along.
He felt a little resentful that his mother had to barge in at this time and say some nonsensical things.
Mariana continued, "Please consider my proposal carefully! Since Crystal Radiance doesn't support you, you should seek help outside of Aldor. There's no need to bow down to the royal family or wait for those corrupt nobles to whine in the council chamber!"
Alvis couldn't help but frown and asked, "Wait, ma'am, you mean..."
" The Arcane Society," Mariana said calmly. "It transcends worldly affairs and possesses magical resources, intelligence networks, and even armed forces that no other country in the world has. If Marquis Glaeman is willing to work for the Arcane Society, I can guarantee you will receive a continuous stream of support."