Cataclysm #3

 

It was only after another full day of chasing that Camula finally admitted that he would never catch Alice.

“For a bone dragon, you’re so damn fast.”

Camula grumbled all the way back, venting his anger on his attendants and constantly grumbling to himself.

“If you had run just a little faster, you could have caught it!”

The undead soldiers made no excuses. Camula’s army was completely loyal to him alone.

No matter how unreasonably the owner annoys you, you just have to endure it.

But Camula didn’t know. That gap, so close to touching, that never seemed to close, was Alice’s deliberate attempt to seduce her.

Anyway, after a somewhat bittersweet victory, we headed back to the castle.

Only after reaching the castle did Camula realize something was wrong.

“Why isn’t anyone coming to pick me up?”

Camula tilted her head. Normally, the butler would have come out to fetch her.

But the castle was quiet. There was no sign of life.

An unpleasant feeling that something is lurking around, but it is waiting for this side without showing it and keeping its mouth shut.

Finally, a flag came into view. It wasn’t Camula’s red flag, but a pitch-black flag I’d never seen before.

“⋯What is that?”

Camula narrowed her eyes and glared at the flag waving high atop the castle’s spire.

“What’s that rag? I never asked you to hang that shabby flag.”

Did the butler do something useless without being asked to do it?

If that’s the case, I won’t let that happen. Camula gritted his teeth.

I didn’t think that tying it up with a rope and hanging it from a chandelier for three days like usual would appease me.

I’ll boil the broth in a boiling cauldron until every bone is soaked. Just as I was making that promise,

Swish.

Skeleton soldiers leaned out all at once from the wall.

At first glance, it didn’t seem like a welcome surprise event. They were all aiming their bows at Camula.

By this point, even the oblivious Camula could guess that something was wrong.

It wouldn’t be a rebellion by his subordinates. The butler is incompetent, but he lacks the courage to do so. In the first place, the necromancer’s servants don’t possess the will to commit such treason.

If so, the enemy—

“What kind of son of a bitch is this, to dare to barge into my castle without permission?”

As if in response to Camula’s angry words, a girl appeared on the wall.

“It’s been a while.”

She was a girl who looked as young as Camula. But she seemed to have known Camula for a long time.

The way he spoke to me so friendly and without hesitation made me feel like we were old friends.

Of course, the situation itself, with thick walls and brutal cold weapons between them, was not at all friendly.

“⋯Look here. Who are you? Do you know me?”

“Why, like this is the first time we’re seeing each other? Oh, sorry. I see this is the first time I’ve seen you like this. I blinked. Camula, it’s me. Estelle.”

“Estelle!”

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck Camula’s head.

Estelle. Estelle, Estelle.

The nemesis who had inflicted an unforgettable defeat was right before my eyes. And he was brazenly staring down at Camula, his temper flailing.

Camula felt her vision narrowing to the size of a pinhole.

I was so angry that I almost felt like my breath was tinged with rage. I thought I might explode if I lit a match.

“Yeah, that’s what happened.”

Camula finally understood the situation. Alice wasn’t the mastermind behind the attack on Camula’s kingdom. Estelle, the mastermind, was the mastermind.

Flutter.

A massive bone dragon flapped its wings and landed behind Estelle. It transformed into a humanoid form, radiating light.

“Camula, I have a suggestion.”

Estelle said.

“Come under me. My army needs talented individuals right now. You’re more than enough to be a unit commander. I won’t treat you badly.”

“Me, yeah, down? Are you kidding me?”

Camula was so angry that he couldn’t even speak properly.

It felt somehow familiar. Decades ago, Camula had been toyed with by Richie like this.

And then I remembered. Back then, I had rushed in blindly, consumed by rage, and ended up getting crushed.

For a moment, an ominous feeling passed through me.

Surely, I won’t lose to that guy again.

“No. It’s different than before. I’m stronger now!”

Camula shook her head sharply.

It was clearly a painful mistake to have the castle taken over by an unexpected plot.

However, Camula’s power is not limited to nature.

90% of the main force is now under her command.

The situation has changed, and Camula is now in a position where she has to attack the castle, but conversely, this means that Camula already knows the castle’s well-defended points and vulnerabilities.

We can win. We clearly have the upper hand in terms of troops.

While Camula was reaching that conclusion.

“Huh, huh?”

Suddenly, the elite undead soldiers guarding Kamula began to fall one by one.

Like an electronic device whose fuse suddenly blew out, the soldiers collapsed in place without warning.

“Why, why are you guys like this? Hey! Get up!”

Even when Camula grabbed her by the collar and shook her, there was no response. Estelle looked down at the flustered Camula and continued speaking calmly.

“That’s what I told you before. Even if it’s a hassle, miniaturize the magic cores and install them in each soldier’s body. If the castle is taken, the main cores will be taken as well, so your entire army will be incapacitated.”

“Miss⋯.”

Camula gritted his teeth.

Estelle’s point was certainly valid. But it felt unfair.

First of all, I’ve never even considered the possibility of losing my castle in vain, and even if that were to happen, it would be difficult to even touch the main core with normal technology.

Without the highest level of necromancy knowledge, it would be impossible to penetrate the security spells surrounding the main core and manipulate it.

‘Why did it have to be that guy!’

If it weren’t for Estelle, this wouldn’t have happened.

There was no way to complain. It had already happened.

“It’s okay. I can just sweep it away with my own strength, even without an army.”

Camula obtained the artifact “Life Harvester”.

As long as she wields the “Shadow of the Grim Reaper,” there’s no one who can compete with Camula. Not even Estelle.

If you break through the castle and reclaim the main core, the army will be revived and the war will end with Camula’s victory.

But at that moment.

“Is that mine, Camula?”

Estelle smiled warmly. The moment she saw that bright smile, an ominous cloud began to rise in Camula’s chest.

“Wow, you took good care of it while I was away. You even sharpened the blade and polished it so it’s shiny, huh?”

“Shut up, Poet! This is my weapon now. I’ll cut off your head with it, so prepare yourself!”

“Really? Ahaha-”

Estelle smiled brightly and snapped her fingers. The Life Harvester in Camula’s hand vibrated, then flew out of her grasp and towards Estelle.

Okay—

Estelle picked up the Life Harvester as if it were nothing and swung it in the air a few times as a test.

“The Harvester of Life knows its owner. It wasn’t meant to be your weapon. What can I do, considering the difference in the vessels?”

“W-That’s ridiculous⋯.”

Camula, who suddenly lost his weapon, trembled with fear.

His troops were also crippled. He was stripped of his trusted secret weapon.

Although the fire inside him was boiling, at this point even Camula had no choice but to admit it.

That I lost again.

***

“Our master will not let this end. Estelle, I am certain that our master will be of great help to you! Please believe me!”

After the war ended.

The skeleton butler bowed his head at my feet, begging.

Camula still had her mouth shut with a look of discontent, as if she wasn’t convinced.

The loyal butler was desperate to save Camula at any cost.

“If you’re going to kill me, then kill me.”

Camula blurted out in a resigned tone. The butler’s eyes widened and he scolded Camula.

“T-what do you mean! Don’t you still have much to do, Camula? You should forget your old grudges and lend your strength to Estelle. That would be wise!”

“I have pride. How can I live under him? In that case, I’d rather die.”

“Does pride feed you?”

The butler was furious like a grandfather scolding his reckless granddaughter.

“Camula.”

When I called out softly, Camula looked up at me with her eyes slightly raised.

“The choice is yours. If you come under my command, I intend to leave the rule of this northern region in your hands, as it is now.”

“Estelle, what are you talking about!”

Jonathan, who had been listening, jumped in surprise and raised his voice.

“That girl is the enemy of our orcs! Even if I tear her limbs apart and kill her, I won’t be satisfied!”

“know.”

“You know that and you still say that…!”

“But Jonathan, just as that butler said, pride doesn’t feed you, neither does revenge. We’ll face stronger, bigger enemies in the future. It’s only right to make the most of those we can.”

“Still⋯.”

Since Jonathan still looked dissatisfied, I quickly added.

“Of course, even if Kamula rules, things will be different than they were before. The orcs are no longer slaves, but equals to Kamula. If Kamula rules arbitrarily, you can overthrow her at any time. I will allow it. And I will help you.”

“Estelle, is that girl worth it?”

“of course.”

As I said, Jonathan pursed his lips and stopped complaining.

Camula, who had been watching, still didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes was clearly different from before.

“Now, Camula. See? I’ve given you, the loser, a generous treatment. I wouldn’t offer such a thing to a bunch of trash. You’re that strong, a rival so capable of giving me trouble, that’s why I’m going to go to all this trouble. I think this is enough to save your face. As I said, the choice is yours. If you still feel the same, I’ll respect your wishes.”

“⋯.”

The butler whispered incessantly in Camula’s ear, seemingly trying to persuade her to immediately accept my generous offer.

“I⋯.”

And then, finally, Camula opened his mouth.