Over those five years, war raged across the Qio Continent. Empires large and small, including the Lancelot Empire, the Kasi Empire, the Bart Trade Alliance, the Angela Empire, and the Auden Empire, all took part in the war.
The former Seven Grand Duchies had been successfully occupied through the Lancelot Empire's surprise attack and the secret betrayal of Helen Tina and Bert Zili.
The Auden Empire, the strongest on the continent, joined forces with the Kasi Empire and constantly expanded outward. The two countries swallowed up many small nations across a vast surrounding region. Even the Angela Empire had lost more than half its territory. The Bart Trade Alliance was likewise in a precarious position, struggling desperately to resist the Auden Empire's relentless advance.
Not long after occupying the Seven Grand Duchies, the Lancelot Empire faced an invasion from the Orcs Empire. This offensive was far fiercer than in previous years. Van Razer, commander of the empire's Roaring Legion, had great difficulty holding the Southern Border. Most of the Lancelot Empire's troops were stationed there, tying down the entire nation's military strength.
As the Orcs Empire continued attacking along the Southern Border, the Kasi Empire also seized the opportunity to launch repeated attacks on the Lancelot Empire. Having only just managed to conquer the Seven Grand Duchies, the Lancelot Empire had no time to deal with the aftermath of that war before attacks from both front and rear dealt it a heavy blow.
The massive Orc invasion left the empire's citizens deeply unsettled. Buleiteer City, by contrast, remained relatively peaceful and grew increasingly prosperous under the administration of Jack, Dokes, and the others.
The territories that had originally belonged to the Seven Grand Duchies were now also administered by Jack, Dokes, and the others. Dokes's talent for commanding troops had