The tent was quiet for a long moment as Allen processed and digested the new information given to him. He had expected something out of a fantasy novel since he was pretty much living in one, but still, this was a little more than he had expected.

The highlanders seemed a little too overpowered, and according to him, it was a bit unfair.

"Then since you guys are fighting said highlanders, I guess it is safe to assume that you are trying to oppose them?" he finally asked, looking at Lishia. "If it's really that impossible to fight against them, then how are you people holding out?"

A flicker of an emotion flashed in Lishia's eyes and it was not sadness or despair but rather a strong sense of disdain, perhaps for the highlanders or perhaps for the entire world.

"You're right, we are opposing the highlanders. However, we're not a centralized force, you can say the Perseverance knights are more like a liberation army that is more spread out," she said with a steady voice.

"Although, yeah, despite that, we do have a headquarters that is based in Luminara, that's also the country the three of us are from. However, while the main base of the Perseverance knights is based in Luminara, its members are quite diverse.

She paused, then continued. "The opposition against the highlanders officially started because the people were slowly growing discontent with their way of living and being under the rules of the highlanders.

"We were treated no different from cattle, and if you weren't in the military or in a high paying job, then it was almost impossible to meet daily needs. This, combined with the fact that they could just take our children whenever they wanted, made the rage of the people grow before it turned into a movement.

"And it wasn't just Luminara that went through this change, it was all the countries. That's why the members of the Knights come from many different countries and there are people in almost every kingdom who are secretly aligned with us and waiting for the right moment to strike."

Lishia's expression turned into a sharp and strategic smile.

"It's a game of hide and seek," she explained. "On one side, we, the Knights are openly fighting against the countries controlled by the highlanders and are the public face of the war."

She tapped a finger on the map, on a country bordering their current location.

"On the other side," she continued, her voice dropping a little lower, "the people from inside those countries are helping support us by giving us information, sending us supplies while they patiently wait. So once the army falls and the highlanders are defeated, the internal control of the country can be quickly toppled and a new government can be established."

"I see," Allen said, processing the information. "That does seem like a reasonable plan, but it doesn't change the fact you said one highlander can wipe out an army. How are you even standing against such an enemy for so long without being wiped out in an instant like that kingdom?"

A small and grim smile touched Lishia's lips. "That is a good question," she said with her voice low. "The reason we can fight back, well... it is because of the very children that they try to steal from us."

She saw the confusion on Allen's face and explained.

"A lot of the children of the Knights and our undercover allies are Gifted. And since their parents are part of the Perseverance Knights, we don't let the highlanders take them. Instead, we hide them and smuggle them to safe locations in order to train them so they develop their powers and reach their true potential.

"After all, Gifted ones are the only humans capable of fighting head on against a highlander. We already have the first generation of them ready for battle, and they are deployed in multiple frontlines, already helping us stand a chance against those monsters."

Lishia's gaze then shifted, moving from Allen and landing on Luna who stood silently beside her with her arms crossed.

"Luna is also one of them," she said simply.

Lishia then looked back at Allen. "However, along with this, there's also one more reason the highlanders haven't just wiped Luminara off the map like they did with that other kingdom.

"A few years ago, we found an ancient magical artifact deep within our mountains. It turns out that that artifact is capable of creating a strong protective barrier around the entirety of the capital city of Luminara, and the barrier is so strong that even the highlanders cannot break through it.

"It has turned Luminara into an impenetrable fortress and a sanctuary, as currently it's the only place free from the rule of highlanders."

"Wait, so your country is already free from the highlanders?" Allen asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah, it's the first country to do so. Since the highlanders weren't aware of the plotting at first, we took advantage and attacked when they were off guard and weren't expecting us. The existing government was toppled instantly, and before the highlanders could arrive at the scene, the barrier was set up."

"I see. That's certainly an achievement," Allen replied, though it was more of a filler response with not much thinking behind it.

All the questions from him were just tools that he was using to probe out as much information as he could about the situation here.

Lishia's expression, which had held a flicker of pride, suddenly grew dark again. Her face was lined with a deep, weary concern.

"However," she added, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "It's not a permanent solution. The artifact is old and is running out of mana at a staggering rate with each passing year. And once that shield falls, we know that they will attack us with all their force, and Luminara would be completely wiped out.

"We've tried replicating the artifact as well as trying to find ways to recharge it, but it is so advanced that our technology is simply not compatible with it. It has turned into a ticking clock of doom that, once stopped, would be our end."

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