Hearing Camilla's words, Morak could not help falling into thought as well. The orc general known as the Champion Warrior sighed softly. "A clever beast would not willingly walk itself onto a path with no retreat—we have placed too much faith these past years in the false 'sense of security' brought by the Great Wall and the Mountain Barrier..."
"Yes," Camilla said, tugging at the corner of her mouth. "But Wenna and Stur had already realized it over the past two years—the only pity is that we came to our senses too late. The monsters in the wasteland will not obediently cooperate while we rebuild our defenses... Hiss."
Morak immediately grew tense. "Do you need a physician?"
"No, I am not that fragile." Camilla waved a hand, then braced herself against the edge of the bed and stood. "All right, time for fragile sentiments is over. I should go do what I ought to do. Morak, bring me my armor."
Seeing that Camilla looked ready to leave the tent at once, Morak was so shocked that even the fur atop his head stood on end. "Great Chieftain? Your condition is still not..."
"Am I supposed to lie in this bed until I recover? We are at war, my general." Camilla glanced at the subordinate she trusted most. "The warriors need to see their leader, and I need to see the battlefield with my own eyes. Sighing is one thing, but lying in bed and lamenting things that cannot be undone will not drive the monsters invading the mountains and forests back into the wasteland."
The mountains were especially cold on a winter night. After leaving the tent, Camilla shivered violently several times in the night wind. As a great cat, she suddenly missed the warm hearths and thick woolen rugs