The Abandoned Villainess Became a Zombie - Chapter 3

Cracks slowly began forming in the backrest of the chair, and soon it split into several pieces and shattered. The moment I saw that with my own eyes, laughter escaped me, and my mind began turning rapidly.

If I played my cards right, maybe I could even beat the Grand Duke or the Crown Prince in a fight?

Thud, thud.

Thud.

But those happy thoughts ended as soon as I recalled the contents of the novel.

Who were they, after all? The male leads of an apocalypse novel. Survivors who had made it through hellish conditions, possessing monstrous strength that allowed them to rip off a zombie’s arm with their bare hands.

The very idea of picking a fight with such monsters—even for a moment—was beyond foolish.

The brief awakening ended along with the now-stilled heart.

Knock knock.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door, but they didn’t seem to be waiting for permission; the door opened right after.

“What was that about, just walking off like that?”

The Crown Prince glanced around the room meaninglessly and then closed the door.

“Is your hand okay?”

“……”

I was about to answer vaguely that it was fine, but the awakening was over, and it took a bit of time before I could speak.

“It was an unavoidable situation. We can’t all die just to save you.”

But the Crown Prince didn’t wait even that long. He sighed deeply and spoke.

“None of us had any obligation to look after you. Up until now, everything we did to help you was out of kindness and generosity.”

He seemed angry that I had snapped at Lilia.

“I’m saying you have no right to demand anything here.”

Perhaps worried I would hold a grudge over what had happened and cause problems down the line, he seemed intent on clearly stating who was right and wrong.

…Of course, everything you said is true.

I know we’re all supposed to look after ourselves!

Even so, I couldn’t easily forget the image of the Crown Prince turning away from me without hesitation, nor the cold look in his eyes.

“So stop throwing tantrums. Especially, don’t take it out on Lady Sweedy, who was worried about you.”

“……”

It wasn’t that I didn’t have anything to say, but trying to explain how I felt when I was no longer awakened would only come out slurred again. Not wanting to raise any more suspicion, I simply nodded quietly.

The Crown Prince blinked, his brows furrowed as if surprised I had backed down so easily.

“…If I really wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have opened the gate.”

When I lifted my head, he looked at me for a moment, then turned away—as if that was all he had come to say.

“Come down. Eat something.”

When I shook my head, he frowned silently for a moment, then spoke again.

“I’ll bring it to you.”

“……”

‘…I know you don’t care if I live or die, but why come all the way here just to scold me?’

In the end, all he had to say to me, who had barely survived and made it back, was “Don’t take it out on Lilia.”

He didn’t seem the least bit interested in how I had survived or what I had gone through.

***

The novel In Search of Paradise begins with a zombie outbreak in the capital of the empire. Where exactly it originated was never detailed in the novel, but within just four days, the zombie infection had spread throughout the empire before anyone could do anything to stop it.

While the capital was in chaos due to this mysterious outbreak, the main characters happened to be in the nearby Mendwill territory for their own reasons.

Having met by chance, they were about to share a meal and return to the capital when a carrier pigeon arrived for the Crown Prince. It carried a report on the capital’s situation and an imperial order instructing him to leave the capital immediately and protect himself.

After receiving the message, the Crown Prince informed the local lords and fled with the people of Mendwill.

However, the lords who had already been informed by the Emperor had sealed their gates tightly and refused to let in any refugees.

The Lord of Rettern offered to let only the Crown Prince’s group inside the fortress, but the Crown Prince refused and chose to stay with the refugees.

Thus, they headed toward the nearest fortress, but due to the zombies pursuing them so quickly, only five people from among the hundreds of refugees made it to the fortress in the end.

The Crown Prince, Idorian Fidentre.

The Grand Duke, Heresden Dwayne.

The heroine, Lilia Sweedy.

The nine-year-old Uben.

And Penelope Lloyd.

The novel ends with these five characters dramatically developing a cure after four years and saving the people. Of course, many things happened before they reached that point—but that was the basic storyline.

“……”

So the thing I needed to focus on most now was surviving for four years without being found out as a zombie. You might think I could just reveal that I’m a zombie and ask for help, but among the group was the ruthless Grand Duke Heresden.

When a knight from his family—his longtime friend—got infected, he didn’t hesitate even a moment before beheading him. A man who could kill his own friend wouldn’t spare someone like me, Penelope.

Then there was the boy, Uben, who loathed zombies to his core. Whether he couldn’t comprehend that zombies used to be human, or whether he simply didn’t care, he had no qualms about killing them.

No—he glared with murderous intent at every zombie he saw, as if each one had personally killed his parents.

Even so, the reason I couldn’t leave these people was that, in this forest, this was the safest place to avoid attacks from wild animals. And most importantly, if a cure was developed, I would be among the first to benefit.

Due to limited supply, the first to receive the cure would be the capital. The distribution would gradually expand to the surrounding areas—but no matter what, staying near the main characters was the fastest way to become human again.

So no matter how humiliating or degrading it might be, I intended to endure it all.

***

Dinner time, when everyone was gathered to eat.

‘So petty, seriously!’

I stared silently at the chicken neck half-submerged in the deeply simmered broth.

The Crown Prince had two drumsticks on his plate. The Grand Duke and Lilia each had a drumstick and a wing. And Uben had two wings.

But me? I got a measly chicken neck. I wasn’t even hungry. I didn’t want to eat, didn’t feel the need to eat either!

But still, this was just cruel.

I glared at the culprit behind all this: Uben the cook.

He was a resident of Mendwill Territory, rescued from zombies by the heroine and the Crown Prince. In the novel, he took charge of cooking…

Uben’s mother, heavily pregnant, had been bitten by a zombie right before his eyes. Maybe that’s why his hatred of zombies ran so deep. And if there was something he hated as much as zombies, it was me—Penelope.

“What’s so sad about a woman who couldn’t even walk straight dying? She’s dead, so what? She should’ve died anyway.”

Recalling Penelope’s past words and actions, I lowered my head.

He gave me two necks.

That child must be an angel.

“Penelope, why aren’t you eating?”

The Crown Prince sighed as he scolded me.

“You didn’t even touch the potatoes I gave you earlier.”

When I looked up again, everyone seated at the table was staring at me. I didn’t want the attention, so I quickly grabbed the spoon.

“It’s an emergency no different from wartime. And you’re still being picky about food?”

Even while I was focusing all my energy on finely controlling my dulled body, the Crown Prince wouldn’t stop nagging.

“We’re not going to serve you meals tailored to your preferences anymore. So stop being stubborn and eat.”

He took my bowl, swapped it with his own, and even pushed a baked potato in front of me, gesturing with his chin for me to eat.

‘I could barely hold one utensil, and now you’re doing this to me too…’

Before the cold-blooded spectators who wouldn’t hesitate to slice my throat at the slightest mistake, a dinner show was about to begin—where a clumsy zombie who could barely grip cutlery would now try to debone a chicken leg with a fork and spoon.

“…My stomach doesn’t feel well, so I’ll just eat this.”

I pulled the bowl he had taken from me back toward myself. He frowned again, clearly displeased, but I quickly lowered my head before he could start scolding me again.

‘Yeah, I should eat.’

Zombies digested food extremely slowly. If I kept eating meals like this, wouldn’t my stomach burst eventually?

But judging by the Crown Prince’s expression, it seemed I wouldn’t get out of this dinner unless I ate something. So I scooped up the pale broth and brought it to my lips.

“How did you get to the fortress without getting attacked by zombies?” Uben asked in a sharp tone.