Chapter 305 ·Shelter

Shelter

With ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the help of the dragonhawks, everyone managed to avoid the large wave of Undead. After several hours of travel, they finally arrived at the camp Serea had mentioned, but when they saw the camp...

"Is... is this really a camp?!"

Staring at the tall black city walls, not only Naoli but everyone else was stunned. Honestly, isn't this supposed to be in the jungle? Why is there a town in the jungle?

"Could we have gone the wrong way and ended up inside Otto Kingdom's territory?"

Naoli couldn't help but harbor such doubts, but those Shadow Drakehawks had already flown inside the high walls, and the elves and werewolves standing guard on the walls had already noticed Naoli and her group.

"These must be the foreigners the Queen mentioned."

Doluka thought so, but to confirm it, she shouted out.

"You outside, state your identity and your purpose."

Shouted at like this, naoli quickly reacted.

"We are the 'Ailwen' elf clan who migrated here from the Eastern Jungle. We encountered some trouble. An elf 'Queen' said we could come here for help."

"Then please wait a moment."

After confirming their identity, Doluka opened the city gates.

Bang!

As the drawbridge dropped, the metal gate inside also slowly opened.

"Bring your wounded inside; the others, please wait outside for now."

As requested, naoli led the wounded in. The main gate slowly closed behind them, but the elves inside the town thoughtfully sent some food out to those waiting outside.

Once inside the town, naoli was shocked yet again. She had originally thought this town had only built walls to ward off zombies, but the rows of houses and neatly planned streets—still under construction by Skeletons—shattered her preconceptions.

"They really built a town in the jungle!"

While marveling at the power of this camp, she also noticed the huge statues within the town, the towering Blood Tree Guardians, and most important of all...

"The elf king tree!"

As one of the Elves, naoli immediately recognized the ancient towering tree—it was a memory engraved in her bones, and she fully understood what the appearance of such a giant tree represented.

Because of this, she couldn't help but wonder what sort of elf lineage could have achieved such a level of civilization in the jungle.

High elves? Or perhaps the forbidden dark elves?

As she pondered, naoli examined Doluka and the elf guards who were leading her. She saw a head of silver hair, which confirmed they were not dark elves. Looking at their ears, they resembled humans' more than elves', so they weren't high elves either.

Taking everything into account, she concluded that these elves were—

The forest elves with the thinnest bloodline!

However, after witnessing the power of the "camp,"

Naoli no longer dared to look down on these "jungle elves."

Once the wounded had been settled for treatment, naoli followed Doluka into the inner city alone, climbing the elf king tree with an excited heart.

Even after entering the treehouse, she looked around like a curious child until—

"Queen Serea, she has arrived."

Seeing Doluka bow, naoli noticed Serea sitting on the rattan chair—the very person who rode the Skeletal Dragon to save them earlier.

So her name is Serea...

"Greetings to the esteemed Queen of the Darkmoon clan, and thank you for your help and kindness."

"It was only a small favor. But after hearing about your clansmen's plight, I would like to ask you a few questions."

"Please, Your Majesty. I will answer all you ask."

"Very well. Then tell me, how many tribes in the Eastern Jungle are migrating here, and how many people are in your 'Ailwen' tribe?"

"I... I cannot say. After the collapse of the Eastern Jungle, it became very difficult to get information. But regarding my clan, I can tell Your Majesty that we originally had 1,000 people, but now only a little more than 400 remain."

"And the others?"

"Many fell along the migration route, but most went to the human world to seek our king."

When she heard this, Serea was intrigued.

"Royal clan?"

"Yes. Originally, my clan, like Your Majesty's, also had a Queen among the Elves, but..."

As she spoke, naoli's eyes grew dim, and Serea understood the meaning behind that "but".

Their clan had lost its Queen!

"What about your Queen's Mark? Why wasn't it passed down?"

"......"

At this point, naoli hesitated. Just as she was about to speak—

"If it is hard to answer, I won't press further."

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty."

"But what do you plan to do next?"

"To find a new home."

"But the western jungle's territory is already saturated. If you wish to find a home, you would have to go to war over territory. You know what the end of that road would be, don't you?"

"......"

Naoli fell silent again, but from her silence, Serea understood—regardless of whether they were willing to start such a war, even if they wanted to, what could they achieve in their current state?

Even united, 800 people would only have about 200 who could fight. In the current western jungle, which is united against outsiders, causing trouble would be suicide.

As Naoli fell silent, Serea began calculating in her mind. After much thought, she spoke:

"It seems you haven't decided yet. In that case, as we are of the same kin, I can allow you to rest here for a while."

"Really?!"

Naoli was extremely excited, as what they needed most was a safe place to stay.

"Yes. After all, we are kin."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. We will never forget your great kindness. As thanks, we are willing to serve under your command for now."

With these words, naoli and her group were essentially becoming temporary vassals, though it sounded more pleasant to call it "staying to recuperate."

"Very well. Doluka, go arrange it. Give them a certain amount of food, allow the wounded to enter the city to recover, and the rest may remain outside if they wish to seek asylum."

"Yes."

Doluka acknowledged the order and turned to Naoli.

"Miss Naoli, please come with me."

"Okay, thank you, thank you all!"

Naoli followed her away, and after they left, Lola, who had remained silent for a long while, finally spoke.

"Queen Serea, do you intend to keep them?"

"Yes. The camp's development needs some support."

"Then why not tell them directly, like you did when you hired the Crimson Moon fox tribe? Besides, they've already 'lost their Queen,' so if Your Majesty is willing, you could become their Queen with no problem. In that case, they'd become our vassal clan."

"Benefits that come too easily will be taken for granted by others."

"I see. Your Majesty is truly far-sighted."

Lola didn't say any more.

"Besides, I have my plans. You'll see in due time."

Serea kept her intentions secret, but what she really thought was—

She had to find ways to keep these foreign tribes from the Eastern Jungle under control. If she didn't, they might try to seize her territory in search of a home, which would be troublesome.

Moreover, the current situation was becoming increasingly unclear, and even if she wanted to expand quickly, she had to wait and see for a while.

(To be continued...)

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