Chapter 83: The Conversation: Erica and Colin Felt Somewhat Ashamed Before the Overwhelmingly Dominant Erica

Castle study room.

Erica sat gracefully in a large armchair, a faint smile on her face.

Across from her—

Colin and Daniels, who had once again narrowly escaped capture.

And in the corner, the uneasy Rathead had just taken a seat.

Daniels listened to the commotion outside.

It was obvious that Lord Servan’s guards were mobilizing in full force.

There was even a faint air of impending assault on the castle!

He couldn’t help but ask, “Lady Erica, it seems that Servan’s men are really about to make a move.”

“Shouldn’t we make preparations in advance?”

Rathead nervously swallowed hard.

This place, resplendent with gold and grandeur, made a sewer rat like him feel suffocated.

Not to mention the tense atmosphere outside, where swords were practically drawn.

Erica raised a delicate bone-china teacup,

took a light sip of black tea, her demeanor calm and elegant.

“Prepare?” She let out a soft laugh.

Her red lips curved into a cold, sharp smile. “Prepare for what?”

“The undead faction that’s working with Servan will not easily break the balance of Lemon Port right now.”

“As for those useless men under Servan…”

She put down the teacup, her gaze full of undisguised contempt.

“With just that little bit of military strength, he wants to take my castle?”

“Heh, even if I gave him ten years, he couldn’t do it~!”

Colin’s expression subtly changed.

He keenly caught the crucial point.

“Lady Erica, you already knew that Servan colluded with the Undead and became a traitor to humanity?”

Erica gave a faint nod, her gaze deep. “That’s right.”

“From the moment he began secretly capturing infected civilians, I started my own covert investigation.”

“I even found out where the undead envoy contacting him was hiding outside the city.”

She paused for a moment,

then spoke again with a tone dripping in irony. “But that fool Servan… he’s truly too stupid.”

“So stupid that I couldn’t even be bothered to waste much effort on him.”

“He thinks he’s in control of the situation?”

“He thinks the undead really see him as an ally?”

“He’s nothing but a pawn being used! A disposable shield meant to draw attention!”

Erica stood and walked to the tall floor-to-ceiling window.

She looked down at the Servan guards below, moving like ants in formation.

“The reason I’ve remained still, letting him run around, even pretending to be cornered by him…”

“Was simply to see what the big fish behind him truly intends to do.”

“And at the same time…”

She turned back, a sly smile on her lips.

“To let those wavering fence-sitters in Lemon Port expose themselves.”

“After all, when you’re cleaning house, it’s best to have a righteous reason, isn’t it?”

!!!

Hearing this—

Colin and Daniels exchanged glances.

Both saw the shock in each other’s eyes!

The scheming and foresight of this baroness far exceeded their expectations!

She wasn’t on the defensive at all.

She was treating the entire Lemon Port as her chessboard—

and had even included Servan and the undead in her calculations!

What a masterful move! What confidence!

“All right, I’ve said all that needs to be said.”

“You now have a clearer grasp of Lemon Port’s situation.”

Erica turned her gaze meaningfully toward Colin.

“So then, Priest, would you care to reveal your trump card now?”

“Your ability to cure the parasitic plague is indeed significant—and worthy of being my honored guest.”

“But that alone isn’t enough to become the winning piece in this game~.”

“I can tell you quite clearly—”

“When this war reaches its end, it’ll still come down to a battle of blades, of hard strength!”

“It’s just that our forces, heh…”

Erica shook her head, a self-deprecating smile on her lips. “Compared to the Undead Legion, we’re far too weak…”

Colin gritted his teeth.

Though she hadn’t said it outright, her true concern was clear.

From an overall perspective—

the undead indeed held the absolute advantage!

This inevitably caused smaller local conflicts to be equally one-sided.

Because, in the end—

it took humans ten, even twenty years to cultivate a single powerful warrior.

But the undead?

As long as there was enough flesh and energy, strong ones, cannon fodder—it didn’t matter. They could make as many as they wished!

How could one fight such a war?!

The pace of army building wasn’t even on the same scale!

Colin understood this perfectly.

And since this baroness had been so forthright,

there was no need for him to beat around the bush any longer.

“Thank you for your regard, Lady Erica.”

“But the situation isn’t as hopeless as you imagine.”

“By the Holy Light—”

“The Angel will be humanity’s true hope!”

Faced with Colin’s devout, almost religious tone,

Erica narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice. “You mean your so-called trump card is this ‘Angel’?”

“Heh, pardon my bluntness.”

“I’m a practical person. I only believe in help I can actually see.”

“As for those intangible beliefs—sorry, I can’t accept them.”

“…” Colin was left speechless.

Her meaning was clear.

Unless they could show a power that could actually affect the battle,

everything else was meaningless.

However—

Colin’s greatest trump card was undoubtedly the almighty Angel!

But to have the Angel personally intervene in combat—

with tens or even hundreds of thousands of undead soldiers on the field, what could he possibly do himself?

Even during the fierce battle at Oak Town,

Colin had barely slain a handful of undead—his role had been mostly healing and support.

‘But lately… the Angel has not given me any divine oracle.’

Thinking of this, Colin could only sigh inwardly.

Without the Angel’s powerful aid,

he was completely at a loss—even convincing Erica seemed impossible.

He felt deeply ashamed.

And silently made a firm resolve—

once he returned to the Sanctuary, he would strive to comprehend the true essence of the Holy Light!

He must elevate his personal level as soon as possible.

If he were now a Fifth-tier Priest—a Saint,

the situation would be entirely different!

At the very least, he could wipe out all the parasites in the city at once,

eliminating their greatest hidden danger.

…Just as Colin was caught in awkward silence, unsure how to respond—

a deep, resonant hum suddenly reverberated through the entire castle!

On the castle’s walls, floors, and ceilings,

countless hidden magical patterns instantly flared to life!

Azure light flowed like a river of stars, rapidly weaving and spreading.

A vast, intricate magic formation emerged faintly above the castle!

The protective shield born from that powerful energy surge enveloped the entire structure.

As for the sudden rise of this magical barrier—

Erica showed no surprise; instead, a trace of satisfaction crossed her face.

“See? Servan’s lost his patience. He’s begun his assault.”

Her tone was relaxed, as if she were commenting on the weather.

“Perfect timing. Let me show you—”

“the foundation my Floyd family has built in Lemon Port over the years!”

At this, not only Colin,

but even Daniels felt a bit embarrassed.

No wonder she was so calm and confident.

So the entire castle itself was a small-scale magic formation!!

Such heritage—

was leagues beyond that of Old John or Baron Gregor Wells!

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