Chapter 178: A Witchs Forest (3)

If you played by the book, you would try to avoid places like forests and gorges when moving your army since the enemy might ambush you. However, in Marquis Maroons case, they had already been delayed a lot, and time was running short.

A bit of risk is manageable.

If she was being honest, Marquis Maroon would much rather have the enemy appear. They hadnt even had a proper battle, yet were continuing to lose time. She really didnt like it.

***

Is everything prepared?

Yes, everythings been done as you ordered, Maam.

Eliza checked the situation with subordinates that Siegfried had given her. The ones receiving and moving according to her instructions was Ghost Group 7. Among the Ghost members, Group 7 specialized in assassinations and frequently received secret missions rather than ones having to do with individual strength. If those given to Jake were soldiers who prioritized strength, then those given to Eliza focused on secrecy. By sending with her those who could move secretly and stealthily, Siegfried had made them into her hands and feet.

From the moment Eliza had accepted the assignment, there had been something she had instructed Ghost Group 7. However, that instruction wasnt something that could be carried out in a short period of time, so it was taking some time. Thats why she had used her magic to buy some time. Bringing actual fog over or widening the river was something that was impossible to do with her magic but, with her Fantasy Magic, one of her specialties, she could create a similar effect and implant it into humans.

Fantasy Magics always been the one magic that Im better at than Bianca.

Thanks to that, she was able to buy some time, and thanks to that extra time, the preparations were over. The only thing left for her to do now was to thoroughly harass and invade the enemy.

Hohohoho good. Itll be an amazing time.

Elizas face was full of anticipation.

***

Marquis Maroon boldly entered the forest with her troops. Of course, she had sent in a reconnaissance team first, but that teams focus hadnt been to avoid the army, but to locate them. Regardless of whether there were enemies or not, as long as they located the enemies, she was planning to push through them with brute strength.

Whatever tricks the enemy tries to use, its useless. Ill just bust through it with force.

She was only able to think this because she had confidence in her skills but at the same time, it was rather unlike her to think like that. Thats how short on time she was. Unintentionally, her impatience was passed onto the soldiers and it caused them to become anxious. The problem was, she didnt realize it.

It was the first day Marquis Maroon led her army and entered the forest. Since the forest was quite large, it would take at least two days for all 20,000 troops to pass through. Running short on time, she wanted to pass through the forest in just one day, but that was impossible. Eventually, her army had to prepare to spend the night in the forest. Marquis Maroon sent out many reconnaissance units to prepare for enemy attacks before setting up camp.

But how strange, there are no enemies. If the enemy was planning to ambush us, the forest would be the best place to do so. Maybe

A thought crossed her mind.

Maybe the enemy isnt planning to fight us? Maybe theyre planning to avoid fighting and just continue to drag things out?

When she thought about it, it seemed plausible. Disregarding the fast flowing river, she couldnt help but think that perhaps the enemy hadnt planned on using the fog to fight deceptively, but used it to buy some time. If they planned to use the fog to fight, they wouldnt have set up scarecrows everywhere and ended it there. If it had been her, she would have set up scarecrows in the front as bait and attacked the enemy from the sides or the rear to inflict as much damage as possible to them. But the enemy hadnt done that. Why hadnt they?

What if its not that they didnt, but that they couldnt? That would make sense then.

The enemy, Siegfried, was said to be an unparalleled genius strategist. If such a strategists goal was to drag things out as much as possible, then everything would fit and make sense.

Too much prudencethats what the enemy might be aiming for.

Marquis Maroon thought as she laid down on the bed that had been prepared for her in the camp. She planned to have her army move much quicker starting from the next day.

***

That night, Marquis Maroon had a dream. Having reached a high level in her abilities, she rarely dreamt because she was able to control her mind and body. However That night, she strangely dreamed.

In her dream, she had returned to a time when she was a little girl. There, she was fighting against a muscular adult male with a wooden sword. Using all her strength, she was fighting with a wooden sword that was much bigger than she was, but the opponent in front of her was too big and too strong, but more than that, that opponent had no mercy even though she was just a little girl.

Ow!

The young Marquis Maroon dropp