With a wave signaling the middle-aged man to return to the ranks, the Third Prince of the Kingdom of Skelly rose to his feet and said in a deep voice, "We will proceed according to General Tross's suggestion and implement scorched-earth defenses."
"Pass on my order. Relocate the civilians, destroy the roads, burn the grain, demolish the mine caves, set the forests alight, and turn every area our army controls in North Sea Province and Noir Province into barren ground. Leave nothing usable for the Palambrians."
"We obey." Hearing this, the generals placed their right hands over their chests and answered in unison.
"You may all withdraw."
"Our time is limited. I hope you will all stand united. May the Holy God protect the Kingdom of Skelly."
"Yes, Your Highness."
In moments, only the Third Prince of the Kingdom of Skelly remained in the hall.
Lowering his head to look at the sand table, he could not understand why those heretics would help the Palambrians. Was it simply because they obediently did as they were told and were willing to hand over all their land?
"I hope the Sky Battleships can defeat those heretics' Sky Battleships. Otherwise..."
The Third Prince of the Kingdom of Skelly raised his head and looked outside the hall at the afterglow of the setting sun, deep worry in his eyes.
For some reason, he had begun to worry about the direction this war would take.
He shook his head, casting that terrible thought from his mind, and said in a low voice, "The kingdom still has a million border troops, the Imperial Guard, and tens of millions of reservists. We absolutely cannot lose. Absolutely not."
After convincing himself, the Third Prince of the Kingdom of Skelly began studying the situation, pondering how to resist the