The Exiled Lord: My Maid is a Battle Goddess-Chapter 112: Fallen into the trap

"True. After all, the enemy is just a band of demi-humans. With strength like that, no serious power would dare launch an attack."

No one dared to offend him, and they reluctantly agreed.

Moan let out a cold laugh and immediately went to the barracks to mobilize troops. Unova and his light cavalry unit included three second-tier knights, ten first-tier knights, and the rest were handpicked elite riders. They were one of Wind Orchid City’s most formidable mobile forces.

The following afternoon.

"Move faster! You lame, sick dogs!" Moan shouted from atop his horse, hurling abuse at the infantry who had fallen behind. "Too slow! You’re all worthless! The lord’s food would be better fed to dogs than to the likes of you!"

"Forward! Faster, faster, faster!"

"If we don’t reach Goat Hoof Village by tonight, every one of you will taste the whip!"

Moan cursed until he was drenched in sweat. It streamed down his forehead and across his cheeks. He tore open his collar and fanned himself frantically.

Even Knight Unova couldn’t stand it anymore. "My lord, there’s no need to rush like this. If we force the pace, the soldiers won’t have the strength to fight. We should let them rest."

"Absolutely not. If those demi-humans scatter elsewhere, the baron will suffer enormous losses."

Moan feared that if he arrived too late and the demi-humans had already been wiped out by nearby knights, he would be met with knowing, amused stares. In that case, he would spend the rest of his life rotting in prison, ambushed by disgusting inmates—perhaps even reduced to utter humiliation.

The best-case scenario was that the demi-humans had fled and Agim was already dead. Then all he would need to do was dispose of the evidence.

"But—"

Unova tried to persuade him again, but Moan cut him off with a taunt. "What? Are you afraid a pack of demi-humans can defeat you?"

"Of course not! Even the Roaring Legion of the Forest Bear demi-humans would be no match for me, Knight Unova!"

With that, the two of them pressed the army onward, accelerating under the fat steward’s guidance toward Agim’s villa.

Before sunset, the army of Wind Orchid City reached the reed marsh.

"Do you hear drums?" Unova frowned in confusion and raised a hand to halt the troops. "It’s coming from ahead."

Moan was impatient. "I’m no knight—I don’t have your keen hearing. Stop wasting time and charge in."

Soon, they arrived at Agim’s villa. The drumming was indeed coming from inside. The soldiers surged forward, expecting fierce resistance from demi-humans—but none came. They smashed open the gates and streamed inside.

The courtyard was piled high with debris—reeds, planks, broken furniture. Moan immediately spotted Moon Sugar scattered on the ground and broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, Unova merely frowned and looked around without asking questions.

They soon found the source of the noise. It was two sheep and three men with their legs tied. Each time they struggled, they knocked into nearby objects, producing a clamor of sounds.

"My lord, it seems the demi-humans have left," the soldiers reported after circling the villa twice.

Moan felt greatly relieved. Calling over two trusted aides, he announced loudly, "I’ll search inside. You wait outside. Unova, I’ll trouble you to stand guard."

"Yes."

Unova’s face darkened with displeasure. So that’s why he hurried us here—to loot the place. And he doesn’t even plan to share.

None of them noticed that Phield had sent his black crow soaring from the rooftop. The bird let out three piercing cries.

In the distance, Ashina’s wolf ears twitched slightly, and a beautiful smile curved her lips.

"Set it ablaze!"

The demi-humans had long prepared torches—wood wrapped in cloth and soaked in oil. They ignited instantly with a whoosh. It was the turn of spring into summer; the air was dry. Though heavy rain had fallen two days earlier, the villa and the reeds remained highly flammable.

Fires were set throughout the marsh. Ashina drove her giant wolf swiftly to the villa, commanding the black wolf to spew dragon fire into the courtyard.

They had deliberately stacked large amounts of tinder inside beforehand. Moan hadn’t even reached the second floor—he was still staring blankly at the mountain of reeds indoors when flames erupted outside and soldiers screamed in panic.

"Run! It’s a trap!" Unova turned and saw a massive black wolf, huge as a bear, clawing at the villa wall and breathing fire into the yard. His heart clenched violently. Even a fool could understand now. His eyes split with rage. "You damned idiot—I’ll kill you first!"

With a thrust of his lance, violent magic struck the steward who had led the way. The man exploded into fragments.

Unova yanked the reins, magic surging wildly. "Brothers, break out with me! I’ll carve the path!"

"Third-Tier Combat Art: Titanic Charge!"

Worthy of a third-tier knight, Unova shattered the wall with a single strike, even blasting the black wolf backward.

A third-tier knight could contend with a Divine Chosen for a long time—let alone with so many cavalry and armored infantry at his back.

Ashina laughed lightly and refused to linger. She drove the giant wolf away at terrifying speed.

"Captain, Lord Moan is still inside!" a knight reminded urgently, coughing repeatedly. For some reason, he felt short of breath—yet strangely lightheaded.

Unova clenched his teeth. "You get out first. I’ll rescue him."

With that, he dismounted and rushed into the most fiercely burning section of the villa.

The entire reed marsh turned into a sea of fire. Worse still, because of the earlier rain, some shadowed corners remained damp. The moist fuel would not ignite easily, but instead released endless billows of thick smoke.

"What heavy fog," Ashina remarked as she emerged and positioned herself at the marsh’s exit, her eyes scanning constantly. Whoever broke through would be met with her finishing strike.

Likewise, the demi-humans and the Corrupted Greatswordsmen had formed ranks, ready to grant their enemies release at any moment. Interestingly, each of them wore a crude version of a "mask."

"That’s poisonous smoke, not fog. Try not to inhale it. If you start hallucinating, don’t blame me," Phield chuckled. "I call this operation: Smoke Eradication."

"Smoke Eradication?" Ashina didn’t understand at all, but she still smiled at Phield indulgently.

Tons of Moon Sugar seized from Agim’s villa had been spread across the courtyard. Once ignited, the thick smoke it released was enough to make the enemy cry out in shock:

"Damn! It’s poison!"

The flames raged. The cavalry of Wind Orchid City tried to charge out, but within the inferno they either lost their way or were choked unconscious by smoke. Warhorses naturally feared fire; they panicked wildly, trampling and knocking over ranks of infantry. The unfortunate foot soldiers were burned into fireballs or crushed underfoot. Wails and screams echoed everywhere—like hell itself.

"Whoosh—whoosh—"

They waited for quite a while, yet no one broke through.

Growing bored, Ashina even began giving archery lessons. Listening for the direction of screams, she lofted arrows toward the sound. The wolf demi-humans with strong talent for archery immediately imitated her, firing blindly into the smoke.