Chapter 268 : Releasing Camilla

Releasing ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Camilla

When they arrived in front of the dungeon, four blood slaves were stationed here as guards.

"Queen!" x4

"Mm, you may withdraw for now."

After dismissing the blood slaves, Serea walked into the dungeon with Celia and Maro. The dungeon, originally built for imprisoning prisoners of war, now held only one inmate—a companion.

Standing outside the cell's bars, Camilla, having already noticed the commotion, stared outwards. The moment she saw Serea, she shouted excitedly.

"Queen Serea!"

Seeing Camilla, her limbs shackled by chains, Serea's face showed no emotion. Although Dogsius' mind-reading had confirmed that Camilla harbored no betrayal, she had still helped the enemy. Without punishment, there would be no way to convince the others.

"You asked to see me?"

"Yes, I heard that Queen Serea is going to war with Maregof, and Beverly is there."

At these words, Serea glanced at Maro, who nervously avoided her gaze. Clearly, it was Maro who had leaked this information to Camilla.

"So what if I am? Are you trying to beg me to save that 'Beverly'?"

"I..."

"Think carefully before you speak. You should know Beverly is already dead; what's in her body is a lich."

"......"

Camilla fell silent. She hesitated, but after a moment's pause...

"I know. That's why I want to atone for my past mistakes. Please, queen, take me with you. I am willing to fight for you!"

As Camilla spoke, her tone was firm. In the past, she always displayed cowardice in every battle, so this resolve showed the great courage she had mustered.

However, her intentions did not escape Dogsius's notice.

Fighting alongside Serea was one thing, but she also wanted to make amends to Beverly—hoping to persuade Beverly not to fight against her, or even to plead for Serea to spare Beverly at a crucial moment. In summary, Camilla still cared about Beverly, even if she knew it was Morzada's soul beneath Beverly's skin. Or perhaps, she never truly believed Beverly was Morzada all along.

Because of this, Serea fell deep into thought. Unexpectedly, maro spoke up.

"Queen Serea, I also request that you take Camilla with us."

"Oh?"

Serea glared coldly at Maro, who stiffened and quickly bowed her head. Then, gritting her teeth, maro looked Serea in the eyes.

"Camilla is extremely powerful, queen Serea. You know this. With her, our chances of victory will be higher."

"And how should we account for her helping the enemy escape earlier?"

"I... I will watch her closely. Please trust me, My Queen."

Maro bowed her head in a pleading manner. Seeing this, Serea remained silent, prompting Maro to summon all her courage.

"By the way, Your Majesty, you once promised to give me a reward, did you not?"

"I did. So what?"

"Please treat this request as my reward. Also, consider it giving Camilla a chance to redeem herself."

"......"

Even Maro, who always obeyed her without question, had pleaded for her sake. At this, Serea glanced at Camilla.

"Are you sure this one shows no intention to betray us?"

"Yes, My Queen. Camilla is absolutely loyal and has no thoughts of betrayal."

Dogsius spoke, and upon hearing this, Serea breathed a long sigh.

"Remember what you both said."

Leaving these words, Serea walked out of the dungeon. After a moment of reaction, maro realized what she meant.

"Thank you, queen!"

Behind her came the sound of the cell opening and the chains being unlocked. Serea surfaced and found Chips, the dragonhawk, and two Gargoyles already prepared for departure.

"I really don't know if my decision is right or wrong."

"But Queen, even without Maro's plea, you would have eventually found a chance to release Camilla, wouldn't you?"

Dogsius's voice echoed in Serea's mind.

"So what if I would? After all, training another alchemist is too troublesome."

Serea replied, though this was only one of the reasons.

She and Celia mounted Chips, preparing to fly to the Eriwin dwarf tribe, but just then a female voice called out.

"Wait!"

She turned her head and saw a young woman running toward them.

"Lilith?"

"Here, take this."

Lilith tossed Serea a mask, and Serea caught it, looking at her with curiosity.

"Please come back safely."

Upon hearing this, Serea froze for a moment, then smiled with relief.

"Don't worry. I will definitely return safely."

"Mm."

After saying this, Serea fastened the mask to her face.

"Let's go!"

Chips soared into the air, the Shadow Drakehawk and several Ravens following, and behind them, two enormous Gargoyles.

After Serea's departure, those in the camp made preparations and set out for the old Jawfang tribe site. A great battle was imminent!

......

Flying above, they looked down upon the forest, which was crawling with zombies and skeletons. The entire jungle, overrun by the multitude of zombies and skeletons, had become a land of deathly silence.

"Though it's not exactly control, being able to command so many undead to migrate is no small feat. Adolf's strength can't be underestimated."

"So, are you heading to the Eriwin dwarf tribe to unite all the major jungle tribes against him?"

"Yes. Dealing with Maregof alone would be easy for me, but in this situation, I'd better not be overconfident. I'll unite as many forces as I can."

As they spoke, the Ravens brought back information. It was now confirmed that every tribe was being blocked by undead tides, with the Eriwin dwarf tribe and themselves facing especially severe ones.

Soon after, a letter arrived—it was a reply from the Whirlpool Tide clan. They stated they could bypass the undead tide by waterway, and would join in stopping the ritual.

Upon seeing this, Serea immediately relayed her own troops' plans to the Whirlpool Tide clan.

"Looks like these people are pretty reliable."

"Of course. The whole jungle will benefit if we resolve this undead eruption. No one wants to see the home they've painstakingly nurtured for years be destroyed."

"That makes sense."

As they conversed, they continued heading toward the Eriwin dwarf tribe. Chips, now evolved into Bone Yan, made their travel much easier; after just over ten minutes, they could already see the mountains where the Eriwin tribe resided—not much further now.

But just then, Serea spotted several black dots in the distance.

The black dots grew larger; they seemed to be flying toward them. As they approached, Serea could finally make out who they were.

They were all Holy Knights clad in gold and silver armor, flying on powerful monsters known as 'griffins'.

When they got close enough, one called out:

"People ahead, stop immediately!"

Hearing this, Serea thought for a moment, then chose to stop and wait.

(To be continued.)