The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 1036 Mapping the Battlefield

Butterfly Wing Valley…

As one of the largest valleys in the southern region, Butterfly Wing Valley stretched for tens of kilometers.

It was so vast that the tens of thousands of troops Elina had brought with her seemed tiny compared to the valley's immense expanse.

The cliffs on both sides were also extremely high, reaching about thirty meters.

Wild animals could be seen scampering along the cliffs, clearly visible from below.

"Butterfly Wing Valley…"

Elina raised her head and looked out over the vast valley. It was her first time seeing it in person.

The valley was huge, and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. But something about it didn't feel right. Her instincts told her that this beautiful view was just an illusion.

There was a terrible danger waiting for them ahead.

"Everyone, stop!" Elina shouted, raising her right hand.

The others immediately stopped.

"We'll set up camp here," she ordered.

"Okay!" they replied in unison.

The soldiers scattered to find suitable spots to set up camp.

Elina pulled on her horse's reins and rode over to Freya and Evalyn.

"Sister Evalyn, Sister Freya, would you like to check the condition of the cliffs with me?"

Freya nodded.

"Of course."

"I'll come too," Evalyn chimed in.

The three of them then directed their horses toward the southern side, where a path leading up to the cliff face was located.

…

"Reporting, General! I've received word that the imperial forces have arrived in Butterfly Wing Valley!" a soldier reported.

Corvin, who was in the middle of eating his meal, grinned widely.

"Oh? That fast, huh? They're really eager."

He picked up a chicken drumstick and took a bite.

"What are your orders?" the soldier asked respectfully.

"Hmmm…"

Corvin chewed his food before swallowing.

"Of course, we'll welcome them. What do you think?"

The soldier remained silent, not daring to answer.

"Just kidding."

Corvin burst out laughing.

"We won't face them. We'll just take the western route."

The soldier was startled by his words.

"The western route? Isn't that dangerous? We'll have to cross the Andros Plains, which are notorious for their terrifying magic field. Are you sure?"

If Butterfly Wing Valley was dangerous because of the monsters within it, then the Andros Plains were far more terrifying—not because of the monsters, but because of their magic field.

A magic field was a strange phenomenon where mages were unable to use magic within the affected area. Their mana would be automatically sealed, leaving them even weaker than ordinary people.

Although non-mages were not directly affected, spending too much time within a magic field would still have adverse effects.

One of them was the gradual weakening of physical strength, which would worsen over time.

"It's fine. I've thought it through carefully."

Corvin waved his hand dismissively.

"Pass my orders on to the others. Oh, right. To throw them off, we'll send five hundred troops into Butterfly Wing Valley. That way, they won't be prepared when they realize we've changed course. Got it?"

The soldier didn't dare to object. He bowed his head once before turning and walking away.

Watching him disappear from view, Corvin smiled broadly and took another bite of his chicken drumstick.

"Hehehe… I wonder how Elina Lorian and the others will react. This should be interesting to watch," he chuckled.

…

"Whoa! That cliff is huge! It connects to the mainland on the southern side!"

Evalyn couldn't contain her awe as she looked out at the vast stretch of land before her.

They were standing on top of the cliff on the left side. It turned out to be a large stretch of land without any forest, with the ground covered in beautiful green grass.

Many weak monsters hunted even weaker ones, while animals like cliff deer ran around like little children.

Elina gave a slight nod.

"You're right. This area is perfect for attacking the enemies below. We can use the large boulders and push them down from above. What do you think, Sister Freya?"

Freya, who had been silent until then, nodded in agreement.

"You're right. But Butterfly Wing Valley is huge. Dropping boulders from above will require careful planning. Otherwise, it could backfire on us."

"In that case, let's map out the area first. We can't let the enemy forces do it before we do."

Freya and Evalyn agreed. They spurred their horses onward.

The ground beneath them rose higher and higher before eventually leveling out again.

The cliff on their right was incredibly steep. A fall from there would mean certain death.

It took Elina, Freya, and Evalyn a long time to map out the area.

They also coordinated with the mages and archers who would be responsible for carrying out the stealth attack.

Before they knew it, a day had passed, and the time had come to attack the rebel forces, who should have already reached the end of the valley.

"Everyone!" Elina shouted, raising her sword high. "Get ready! We'll advance slowly. The enemy forces should already be waiting ahead. When we see them, we'll wipe them out without hesitation! Understood?"

With the help of magic, her voice boomed all the way to the rear ranks.

"Understood!" the soldiers replied in unison.

"March forward!"

The fifteen-thousand-strong army began to advance.

Meanwhile, Evalyn and Freya led two units along the left and right cliffs. They stayed in contact with each other through the mages.

"Your Highness Freya, Princess Elina's forces have moved ahead. We should get moving too," the female mage beside her reported.

Freya gave a slight nod and led her troops forward.

The same was true for Evalyn on the left cliff. She led five thousand archers and infantry forward.

...

"Oh? They've already entered the valley?"

Corvin took a sip of his beer before bursting into laughter.

"Excellent! In that case, we'll head out too. Oh, right. I almost forgot. I've changed my mind about the strategy. We'll send ten thousand troops into the valley. Ledin will lead them."

He patted the shoulder of a burly, disheveled old man standing beside him.

The two soldiers who had just delivered the news were stunned.

"T-Ten thousand troops?"

They both swallowed hard.

That was a huge number—about forty percent of their entire force.

They never expected Corvin to be this reckless.

Seeing their uneasy expressions, Corvin laughed and quickly reassured them.

"Don't worry. Those ten thousand soldiers are ready to die. Besides, if we manage to destroy the southern region—hell, even the entire empire—their families will be able to live comfortably. That's the promise I made to all of you earlier."

The two soldiers relaxed.

"We understand!" they replied in unison.

Corvin nodded in satisfaction before turning to Ledin.

"I'm leaving the imperial troops in your hands. Leave the rest to me. I'll make sure your mother and the rest of your family are safe. You have my word."

Ledin gave a slight nod.

"I understand…"