Although the dirt-blooded army retreated, it did not mean that their presence around Lothel went down or weakened overall, they kept close tabs on what was happening in and around the city, seeking any signs of what or who might have called upon an army of spectres, but primarily, they were to make sure that the inhabitants of the city were unable to flee.
Certainly, willingly allowing civilians to run away to another fortified city, so as to force them to use more of their food reserves was a decent strategy, but here, the dirt-bloods were instead aiming to send a message.
