Two days later, Velin led an army of thirty thousand to the outskirts of Liebeck City.
Within the camp, more than ten thousand able-bodied men who had been forcibly conscripted were building fortifications and setting up the encampment.
Velin merely glanced at the scene before paying it no further attention.
During military campaigns, forcibly recruiting local young men was commonplace. Some armies even used them as cannon fodder for sieges after they had finished the work.
Inside the central command tent, two guards saw their lord arrive, lifted the curtain, and bowed respectfully.
Velin nodded and entered the tent.
"My lord, once we take Liebeck City, only the Al-Heciras Fortress Group will stand between us and Solomon City, the heartland of Stovia," Kyle said, seated to Velin's left as he pointed to the location on the map.
Velin lowered his gaze to the map and nodded. "The Al-Heciras Fortress Group supposedly has a thousand fortresses. I wonder whether that is an exaggeration or the truth."
"Once we take it, you'll know whether it's true or false."
Neither Velin nor Kyle regarded the Al-Heciras Fortress Group as a serious threat.
That afternoon, a pre-war meeting was held in the central command tent.
"Carlisle."
Carlisle, seated at the last position on the left, immediately rose upon hearing his name. He bowed respectfully and said, "Lord Velin, please give your orders."
"Can the Blackrock Army handle the task of leading the first assault?"
Facing Velin's question, Carlisle's expression did not change in the slightest as he spoke his mind.
"My lord, the six thousand soldiers of the Blackrock Army are the Goddess of Life's most steadfast warriors. They have long been eager to fight for you. In this siege, the Blackrock Army will prove its loyalty to you with the enemy's blood."
"Very