After hearing Chancellor Hercheg's analysis, the mood among the crowd improved considerably, followed by an air of embarrassment.
Having finally gathered a batch of veterans, they managed to squander their fighting capacity in order to save on food expenses.
They couldn't even object, as they were also "fools who gave up watermelons for the sake of sesame seeds."
Once the last war ended, the Duchy immediately assumed peace had come, and let the horses graze unfettered in the southern hills.
Not only was the combat ability of the Serf Soldiers worn down, but the numbers of the Standing Army were also drastically reduced, such that they were caught off guard when the Continental war erupted.
After all, one can't nourish the body in just a day or two. Before being conscripted, they couldn't even eat their fill, and after the conscription, they were just barely able to fend off hunger.
