The Sequel to the Romance Fantasy Was a Zombie Apocalypse – Chapter 115

“Hmm…”

Yuria’s sultry voice softly echoed in the dark Audience Room.

The room was engulfed in pitch-black darkness, without chandeliers or candles. On the highest platform sat the Throne.

However, the place where King Pirot of Arkeisia should have been was occupied by the black-haired Princess.

“…I see. Prince Robertze has led reinforcements and joined the remnants of Terelude, huh…”

She spoke as if she were reporting to someone in the empty air.

No. If one looked closely through the thick darkness, there was something resembling an ominous shadow floating before her.

“The corpses have been led outside the territory by the Butler of House Herta, is that so? Heh… such a useless act.”

With a cruel smile, Yuria stood from the Throne and walked toward the figure sitting in the queen’s seat to her left.

“Ugh. Ughh.”

The figure had black bobbed hair and appeared to be a woman in her late twenties.

Dressed in an incongruous, dazzling silver dress, she had a gag in her mouth.

She struggled as if trying to say something to Yuria, but no coherent words could escape her lips.

“I’ll be back soon. I need to bring back Prince Robertze. We need to scrape off the parasites attached to him.”

As Yuria caressed the woman’s chin with her hand, her gaze shifted to the right side of the Throne.

A spot that should have been empty.

Yet, for some unknown reason, a matching throne had also been set up there.

“I’ve even prepared a seat for Prince Robertze, just like this.”

Leaving those words behind, Yuria stepped into the shadows, her black hair flowing behind her.

“Yuria has devoured the entire Terelude territory with her zombie legion, and thanks to the royal decree she forged and sent to various localities, the Terelude family has been branded as traitors assisting Prince Robertze’s rebellion. Because of this, while the whole territory is being swallowed up, no support has come from around.”

Esmela succinctly summarized Lopez’s lengthy explanation.

However, despite the clarity of the summary, a grim silence lingered in the Reception Room of the Terelude family after Lopez finished speaking.

Robertze seemed completely broken mentally the moment Lopez started recounting Yuria’s misdeeds, staring blankly into the void with unfocused eyes.

“What about the remaining troops?”

“Everything you’ve seen is all there is.”

“…That’s quite insufficient.”

Iiergo was absorbed in deep thought after those words.

“Lopez, I need to confirm something first. The zombies attacking our mansion and the brainwashed nobles isolated are all acting under the order of the Princess, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“In that case, the zombies I lured outside the territory are likely to attack the mansion again in no time.”

“Almost 100%. Maybe Yuria has already sensed the anomaly and is coming here herself. We’ve encountered her on the battlefield a few times.”

“Really met her?”

Lopez nodded affirmatively at Esmela’s question.

“While battling the zombies, she appeared in the sky just when things began to swing in our favor. I don’t know what kind of magic she uses, but the zombies in the areas where she appeared became significantly stronger and more ferocious as if they had received a buff. Not to mention, she cast confusion spells on our forces, causing chaos among us more than once.”

The expression on Lopez’s face as he recalled his experience with Yuria was one of annoyance.

“Because of that, we kept losing and were pushed back, ultimately getting stuck in this mansion with only a handful of soldiers left.”

“Hmm…”

After listening to Lopez’s story, Lanit fell into contemplation.

While Lanit pondered, the rest of the group, excluding Robertze, was passionately engaged in a strategy meeting.

“How about we escape the territory with the remaining ones and plan for the future?”

“Absolutely not. That would be exactly what Yuria wants. In reality, the entire kingdom, except for the northern territories, is under her control, so where do you plan to regroup?”

“…So we can’t retreat. But launching a full-scale offensive against Yuria with just our current numbers seems unrealistic.”

“Exactly, just as Iiergo said. Yuria’s forces are not limited to just zombies. Most of the palace guards and the royal family’s troops are also under her command.”

“Oh my. I never imagined the power of darkness would be this strong…”

“I’m not sure about that… Can’t we just smash through everything and advance?”

“””…”””

“…Even you, Dion, can’t do that. Hand-to-hand combat and sheer numbers don’t match well against this.”

At that moment, the quiet Lanit spoke up again.

“Princess, would it be alright for a moment?”

“…What is it?”

Robertze’s voice was tinged with fatigue.

“When you escaped from the palace, the Princess expressed her desire to build a new kingdom with you, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Then I have one suggestion—”

*Bang!*

“Lopez!”

Lanit’s words were interrupted by a soldier’s shout as he suddenly burst into the Reception Room.

“What is it?”

“Y-You need to come! From the western area—”

It was a scale that could only be described as a zombie army.

A horde of zombies densely packed at the horizon’s edge.

“…So this was just the warm-up, huh?”

Lopez’s lament was mixed with exhaustion and despair as he observed it.

“Hmph. They are certainly numerous. But that doesn’t matter. I’ll burn them all to ashes with my flames.”

“No, that seems difficult.”

Iiergo, narrowing his eyes while watching the advancing zombies, spoke.

“What?”

“Indeed, there are humans mixed among the zombies.”

“Another crappy trick…!”

Esmela exclaimed in outrage.

“Additionally, there are mutant and monster zombies as well. It seems impossible to counter them like this.”

“…There’s no choice. Issue the retreat order.”

“Wait.”

Lanit spoke again.

“It only needs to be temporary, everyone. Please hear my proposal just once.”

“A proposal?”

“Yes. Your Highness.”

Robertze looked at Lanit. His eyes lacked vigor.

“As I just mentioned, the Princess’s most important objective is likely you, Your Highness.”

“…So?”

“…”

At this juncture, Lanit seemed to hesitate, searching for the next words to say.

“What do you want to say?”

With Robertze’s irritation evident, Lanit finally spoke up.

He glanced at everyone watching, not just addressing the Prince.

“I would like to propose a feint maneuver.”

“…Oh?”

Flying slowly above the zombies was Yuria.

She witnessed the scene of people escaping from Terelude Mansion in the opposite direction of the advancing zombies.

“Heh. Such a useless struggle.”

Her black eyes delightedly followed the flustered soldiers and at the forefront, those running with Lanit.

“Prince Robertze, don’t you think it’s time to give up? But I guess it can’t be helped.”

She descended right above the horde.

With her eyes closed, she raised both hands above her head and began to chant an incantation in an unknown language, forming a black sphere in her palms.

“-Spread.”

With that single word escaping her lips, shadows surged forth from the sphere in all directions.

The sheer amount of black filth radiating from that small sphere gracefully settled down upon the heads of zombies and humans alike.

-Graaah!

As the zombies and humans touched the shadow, their pupils began to glow red.

“Shall we pursue?”

“Hah, huff…”

Exhausted breaths escaped the weary soldiers.

“Don’t give up! Keep running! Just get a bit further from the mansion!”

While running, Lopez occasionally turned back to shout encouraging words to the soldiers.

“Do you think this will work?”

Dion, running beside him, posed the uneasy question.

“It will definitely work.”

Esmela’s eyes brimmed with confidence as she answered.

“Because it’s a strategy that Lanit thought up.”

“Yes. We have to trust the two of you.”

Subscribing to Esmela’s sentiments, Arit seemed to resolve herself, biting her lip repeatedly as they ran.

“The enemy is nearly on our heels! Just meters behind!”

The scout cried out urgently.

“Everyone, move according to the strategy given earlier! When my signal drops, immediately form ranks!”

Lopez shouted, his gaze fixed behind him.

And about a minute later,

“Everyone, where are you rushing off to?”

A voice so familiar yet horrifying echoed in the ears of those at the forefront.

“Stop! Move!”

Rumble—

“Hahaha!”

As the soldiers formed ranks against the horde of zombies led by Yuria, she looked down upon them from above, as if finding it ridiculous.

“What well-trained soldiers you have, Lopez.”

“…”

“Moreover, they are loyal soldiers who have not left your side until you were cornered. You wouldn’t want to lose even those soldiers, would you? As a friend, let me make one last suggestion. Hand over Prince Robertze. Then, I promise not to touch you until you all can escape outside the territory, even including that worthless Esmela.”

She twisted her lips into a mocking grin.

“Well, I can’t say whether you’ll find a place to go after that.”

“That’s quite an enticing proposal, Yuria.”

Lopez stepped forward.

“But I won’t accept that proposal. No, I should say I can’t.”

“…?”

On seeing the peculiar smile creep onto Lopez’s face, Yuria’s eyes shifted toward Robertze, standing beside Lopez.

“…!”

No. To be precise, toward his doppelgänger, who wore the Prince’s silver uniform and even dyed his hair silver.