8. The Sound of Military Boots (Part Five)

"Ardennes Forest?"

Minerva lifted her head, glanced at Roland, then turned back to look at the emerald green section on the map table, her eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

"Break through there? How is that possible?!"

She didn't doubt Roland's vision and judgment, as time and again, this young man had proven to possess insight far exceeding that of generals and marshals. But a breakthrough at Ardennes... It was far from an ideal place to launch an attack.

The Ardennes region was considered unsuitable for large-scale military operations for good reason, as it was the most complex terrain on the front between the Elf Camp and Charlemagne, apart from the Vosges Mountains. Surrounded by rivers and forests, it offered an extremely narrow field for maneuver; light infantry might manage to pass through, but artillery and supply units would find it difficult to cross. Any attack that got bogged down would quickly face a lack of follow-up forces.