Rebirth in Another World as the Undead Queen

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Scene Was Once Rather Awkward

Outside the main gate, dibek and Diberu waited with fifty naga, while the blood slaves and elves on the camp’s palisade kept vigilant watch.

”Hmph, making us wait so long—these newcomers really have some nerve,”

Dibek grumbled impatiently. He had already been annoyed at being sent to look for ’that person,’ and now this foreign tribe that had just arrived in the western jungle dared to leave members of the Whirlpool Tide clan waiting outside. His frustration was nearly at its peak.

”Hey, elf! How much longer are we supposed to wait?”

Dibek snapped, his tone harsh enough to put Doluka on edge as well.

”I’ve already reported it. Just wait a little longer,” she replied evenly.

”You’re really making us stand out here?”

Dibek pressed, irritation growing as snowflakes drifted from the sky. Although the naga could endure the cold, that was underwater—the temperature on land was much lower.

”We ask for your patience,”

Doluka responded politely.

”Damn it...”

Dibek stood with his arms crossed, waiting. Soon, a group of young women appeared atop the palisade, but he showed no reaction; by naga standards, all land creatures were unsightly—unless...

When Serea ascended the wall, dibek’s eyes widened with surprise.

”A mermaid!” he exclaimed, shocked to meet a mermaid here—was this fate at work?

Judging by the others’ attitudes, it appeared this mermaid was in charge of the camp. Serea felt unsettled by Dibek’s intense stare; it reminded her of how the naga had looked at her in Tethys’s mind realm.

”Master, let me tell you—the mermaid girls are considered the most ideal mates among oceanic intelligent beings. Thanks to their charm, any mermaid clan can earn the protection of many sea tribes,” someone explained to Serea.

”Is that so?”

Serea mused, glancing at Dibek. His tail swayed side to side—a clear sign...

”Beautiful mermaid miss, greetings,”

Dibek said, his attitude doing a complete 180 from earlier.

”Uh... hello,”

Serea replied hesitantly.

”Miss mermaid, are you the master of this camp?”

Dibek asked.

”I am,”

Serea confirmed.

”My father sent me to bring you this letter,”

Dibek said, handing over the correspondence. Serea recognized it as the very letter she had sent.

”Yes, I sent this letter. Come inside so we can talk,” she said.

The camp’s main gate opened, and the naga followed procedure—only five guards accompanied Dibek and Diberu inside.

Seven naga were led into a spacious wooden house, where everyone took their seats. But as soon as they did, dibek suddenly leaned over and grabbed Serea’s hand.

”Beautiful mermaid miss, allow me to introduce myself: I am Dibek Whirlpool Tide. My father is the clan chief of Whirlpool Tide, and my mother, like you, is a beautiful mermaid. It seems we are quite fated,” he declared.

”......”

Serea remained unmoved, but this action irked Maro and the Holy Knights.

”This guy actually touched Lady Serea’s hand!”

Maro whispered furiously.

”Shall we cut it off?” another muttered.

The Holy Knights and blood slaves exchanged glances, the malice directed at Dibek thickening in the room.

There was killing intent! Dibek immediately grew alert, and Diberu hurriedly pulled him back.

”Brother, please restrain yourself a bit,”

Diberu urged.

Forced to release Serea’s hand, dibek suavely sat back, assuming what he believed was an elegant posture.

”By the way, may I ask your name, miss?”

Dibek inquired.

”Serea.”

”Such a charming and melodious name—worthy of a mermaid lady,”

Dibek said, his gaze intent. Maro and the others squinted, displeased.

”This guy managed to say things to Queen Serea that none of us have ever had the nerve to say!” someone whispered.

”Shall we just kill him?” was the response.

A silent war was brewing, though Serea paid little attention to her followers’ reactions or Dibek’s words. She intervened calmly, ”Let’s discuss the main business first.”

”Of course! I like decisive girls,”

Dibek replied, causing Serea to cringe internally at the cheesiness of his tone. Doluka nearly barked ”impudent!” but, seeing the potential alliance, chose not to escalate things.

”Have they arrived?”

Serea asked.

”They’re outside,” came the reply.

”Let them in,” she said.

Vina went out and returned with a dozen naga. Dibek was still fixated on Serea, paying no attention to who walked in, until Diberu suddenly cried out in surprise.

”Teusha, brother!”

Dibek’s attention snapped to the lead naga. ”Teusha!”

Dibek’s face instantly darkened. Spotting the others, teusha hesitated only for a moment before walking quietly to Serea’s side.

”Master”,

Teusha said, kneeling before Serea with the Cold Iron Trident in hand.

”Bastard! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Dibek shouted in outrage, startling Serea, who was unsure why he had suddenly become so angry.

All the naga present were in shock—they witnessed the Whirlpool Tide clan’s warrior, after reclaiming the Cold Iron Trident, kneel before an outsider. A disgrace!

”What do you mean by this?”

Dibek demanded.

Teusha glanced back, locking eyes with Dibek. Sparks flew.

”To perform such a shameful act, teusha, you do not deserve to be the wielder of the Cold Iron Trident!”

Dibek, in a rage, Thrust his trident at Teusha. The sudden turn of events left Serea dumbfounded.

Was there really about to be a fight?

”Protect the Queen!”

Maro and the others hurried to shield Serea as Teusha declared, ”How dare you assault my master—face death!”

Clang! Two tridents clashed. Unsurprisingly, at only level 27, dibek was knocked flying.

Thud! He crashed hard against the wall. Diberu rushed to help him up.

”Control them!”

Lola’s command rang out, and the elves and blood slaves surrounded the naga. The naga wanted to retaliate, but Diberu, maintaining his composure, stopped them.

”I believe this is all a misunderstanding, everyone—”

Diberu began, but Dibek, in a fit of rage, leapt up again, and Teusha, thinking this rude fool wanted to harm his master, met him head-on.

Thud! Their collision shattered the wooden house and sprawled them on the open ground. Clanging sounds continued.

”Follow outside,”

Serea led her people out, the blood slaves restraining Diberu’s group.

Outside the camp, at the sound of fighting, the Skeleton Warriors roused and surrounded the combatants.

Water Blade!

A razor-sharp water blade slashed the ground toward Dibek, leaving a deep groove in his trident on contact. Outmatched, dibek was forced back as Teusha pressed the attack, the two soon locked in bitter combat.

Unable to stop the fight, diberu turned to Serea. ”According to jungle custom, I respectfully address you as Queen Serea. But why have you humiliated my clan so?”

”Please clarify what you mean,”

Serea replied.

”Hmph! The one who wields the Cold Iron Trident is Whirlpool Tide’s future king—and yet you made our future king kneel before you! If that isn’t an insult, what is?”

Diberu snapped. The naga all looked angry; Serea looked at Teusha.

The weapon in his hand was... the Cold Iron Trident (gold, sealed)!

Because it looked so plain, Serea had assumed it was just an ordinary weapon—no different from those the other naga wielded.

Unaware of the weapon’s significance or Teusha’s identity, both sides had blundered into this mess. Serea hastened to explain.

”I didn’t force him. When I rescued Teusha and the others, they all had amnesia. I didn’t know their identities; he knelt to me to show gratitude and chose me as his master.”

Diberu seemed dubious, but on closer look... the ten naga with Teusha now stood in opposition to them, having no memory of their own tribe at all.

”It seems we were too hasty,”

Diberu said, regaining his composure. Although the fault did not lie with Serea, he still felt uneasy about the incident, though it was not the time to express it.

”Queen, if you could please stop my two brothers—let’s not let the misunderstanding grow.”

”Alright,”

Serea agreed.

Watching the two fighting, she saw clearly that Teusha, wielding the Cold Iron Trident, had the upper hand, and Dibek was covered in injuries. Just as the trident was about to pierce Dibek’s chest, Serea shouted, ”Stop!”

Teusha halted instantly, the trident’s point just a centimeter from Dibek’s skin—a hair’s breadth from disaster.

Realizing that Serea’s command had saved him from serious injury, dibek, humiliated, slapped Teusha away with his tail.

Teusha staggered back to Serea’s side but didn’t resume fighting, for his master had forbidden it.

”Why are you stopping? Come on—again!”

Dibek yelled, stumbling as he tried to charge Teusha, only to be steadied by Diberu.

”Brother, it’s a misunderstanding—Teusha and the others lost their memories, and the Queen saved them,”

Diberu explained.

”Huh?”

Dibek was momentarily confused, but seeing Teusha and his ten naga standing with Serea, he thought it through. Although he and Teusha never got along, and Teusha was proud, he took the clan’s dignity seriously and would never do such a thing—not attack kin nor disgrace the clan. Diberu must be telling the truth.

After catching on to a key point, teusha turned to Diberu. ”Did you just call me brother?”

”Yes, teusha, I’m your younger brother Diberu, and that’s our second brother Dibek—plus everyone else. Don’t you remember?”

Diberu pleaded.

Teusha glanced at the naga—each was looking at him with awe. Their appearances matched his own. After a moment’s silence, teusha shook his head.

”I remember nothing. Only that Queen Serea saved me, and to repay that kindness, I will serve her all my life.”

Diberu was immediately anxious. ”Brother, what are you saying? You’re our future king—how can you serve an outsider!”

”I’m not a king. You’re mistaken,”

Teusha replied firmly. Diberu glanced at Serea, as if waiting for her to explain.

Wishing for good relations with the Whirlpool Tide clan, Serea realized this might be an opportunity. So...

”Teusha, I think it’s best if you return to your clan—you might regain your memory,” she suggested.

”If regaining my memory means leaving Queen Serea, I’d rather remain as I am,”

Teusha replied.

”Uh...”

The atmosphere was painfully awkward. He’s so stubborn, Serea thought.

”To say such things—you’re unworthy of the Cold Iron Trident! Unworthy to be our king!”

Dibek roared.

Teusha turned to face him, then looked at the Cold Iron Trident in his hand.

”I’m sorry. But since you care for it so much, to avoid troubling the Queen, here—it’s yours,” he said, tossing the weapon so it landed at Dibek’s side. The naga all stared, their eyes wide.

He’d thrown away the Cold Iron Trident!

That weapon—the prize he and Teusha had fought over since childhood—had ended up in his hands like this.

Dibek’s fists clenched tightly. He felt his dignity had been trampled upon.

”Teusha!” he shouted furiously.

”You’re giving up the trident and the clan—for a woman!”

Serea thought the phrasing was odd: For a woman?

”All that is meaningless to me—I will dedicate my life to Queen Serea,”

Teusha answered resolutely. Dibek, incensed, tried to break free from Diberu’s hold, but the strain tore his wound. He collapsed with a thud.

”Brother! Brother!”

Diberu cried.

Whether from injury or rage, dibek had fainted.

”Go check on him,”

Serea ordered, and they approached as Lola examined Dibek’s wounds.

”His injuries aren’t serious. He temporarily fainted from blood loss and rage, but a little treatment and rest are all he needs,” she diagnosed.

”Treat him at once.”

”Yes.”

With the help of several blood slaves, the unconscious Dibek was carried to the infirmary for treatment, his naga guards following. Only Diberu remained behind.

Now that things had reached this stage, diberu glanced at Teusha, but got no response.

”Forgive us, queen Serea. My brother’s actions were excessive. Please accept our apologies,” he said, sincere regret in his voice.

”It’s alright. Let’s wait until Dibek wakes before discussing it further. Meanwhile, you may stay in the camp for now.”

”Thank you for your understanding, queen, and again, my apologies.”

With a respectful bow, diberu rushed after Dibek, clearly still worried for his brother.

Turning to see Teusha looking unconcerned, Serea felt a headache coming on.

She had hoped to cement an alliance with Whirlpool Tide, but instead, she’d taken their future king under her wing. Things were only getting messier.

All she could do was hope the clan resolved their internal issues.

As for herself, staying neutral was probably best.

Thus ended their first, awkward meeting with the Whirlpool Tide clan. The naga did not accept Serea’s offer of refuge; aside from a few guards with Diberu, the others camped beside the Mohr River, awaiting further developments.

(To be continued...)