As war drew ever closer, eighty percent of the Kingdom's forces gathered at the northern border.
In early June, the order to assemble arrived.
The Cadro Province nobles first gathered in the Provincial Capital for three months of training, after which they would undergo a second reorganization according to the Kingdom Army's structure.
Seven days later, when Velin led his troops to the Provincial Capital, no fewer than thirty thousand soldiers had already gathered there.
Unlike previous wars, in this conflict between the two kingdoms, the participating nobles had brought out all the elite forces they possessed.
The larger the war, the more opportunities there were to earn battle merit—and the more nobles worth cultivating ties with.
As soon as Velin arrived at the training camp outside the Provincial Capital, Viscount Moncas came to visit with several other nobles.
"Viscount Moncas, what is this about?"
"May we go inside and talk?" Moncas asked Velin with a smile.
Velin lifted the tent flap and warmly replied, "Please, come in."
After entering the tent, the men quietly took their seats, waiting for Moncas and Velin to discuss the matter while they listened from the side.
Only then did Velin vaguely recall that the three nobles following Viscount Moncas were all viscounts. He had met them only a few times and was not particularly familiar with them.
"Velin, my army suffered severe losses during this probing operation. I fear I no longer have the strength to serve as Speaker of the Cadro Province Noble Council. I hope you can take up the banner," Moncas said, dropping his superficial disguise and pleading with Velin.
Velin could not tell whether this middle-aged man's display of sincerity was genuine or merely another layer of pretense.
Still, taking up the banner as the leader of the Cadro