The Sequel to the Romance Fantasy Was a Zombie Apocalypse – Chapter 65

Three days passed after a small commotion in the underground.

It had been just another ordinary few days. If something happened, it could be said that it happened, and if nothing happened, well, nothing happened.

The passage leading to the underground sewer was discovered in a corner of the first floor’s main entrance just as Esmela walked in through the front door the next day, not from the basement.

As she muttered a small incantation, the space that had clearly been a wall crumbled away, revealing a magic circle etched into the floor large enough for two people to stand in.

“I didn’t expect it to be hidden in a place like this… should I say it was dark under the candlestick?”

Esmela left that sentiment with a dejected expression.

After cautiously stepping onto the magic circle with her, I felt a peculiar sensation as if my body was being pulled, and we were indeed transported to the underground sewer beneath the royal palace.

Specifically, a heavy iron gate was blocking the passage leading to the sewer, but Esmela managed to unlock it after fiddling with it for a bit.

Now we had a way to sneak out of the royal palace without attracting the attention of the zombies.

A huge palace, isolated from the zombies—truly a shelter for just the two of us where we could rest safely.

Oh, and I couldn’t leave out Piyo.

After our argument, Piyo didn’t show up for about two days.

To be precise, she only revealed herself after confirming I was alone.

My relationship with Piyo hadn’t changed. I’d give her a plate of food and water, and she would show me a bit of her cute side occasionally.

However, seeing Piyo fly away at the mere sight of Esmela made my heart uneasy.

I hoped they could get along, but there was really no proper way to facilitate that.

The change in the relationship between Esmela and Piyo happened yesterday, on the exact morning of the third day.

That morning, after finally finishing the inspection of the palace’s facilities and supplies, I was enjoying a simple breakfast I made with Esmela in the restaurant of a building we were using as temporary quarters.

“How’s the taste?”

“It’s passable.”

Esmela said, scooping a spoonful of potato soup.

Of course, I knew that was her trying to be nice.

My cooking skills had stagnated since my days as a hunter, where I would just throw any ingredients I had into a pot with some water and boil it.

There was no way my hastily made potato soup could satisfy someone who was used to the gourmet dishes prepared by the chefs of the House of Herta.

Nevertheless, Esmela didn’t complain even once while eating the meals I prepared over the last three days.

It was surprising. Normally, she would have loudly complained about how awful the food was and thrown me under the bus.

Well, she would have eaten it in the end, of course.

“…What? Do you have something to say?”

Feeling my intense stare, Esmela glared at me with a pout.

“No, nothing like that.”

I also lowered my head and shifted my gaze back to my soup bowl, resuming my meal.

While silently spooning the soup into my mouth, I recalled a question I hadn’t gotten to ask Esmela when we found the fairy tale book that day.

“Um, Young Lady. I just realized I forgot to ask you one thing…”

“What is it?”

“That fairy tale book… well…”

“…”

Esmela slammed her spoon down on the table.

There was a hint of irritation in her previously calm gaze.

“What about it?”

As expected… she wasn’t showing a good reaction, as I had anticipated.

But I needed to ask this one thing.

“There was a strange phrase written on the inside of the back cover of that fairy tale book. It looked like someone’s doodling…”

I said that as I carefully took out the fairy tale book from my bag on the right, which I had kept with me for some reason, feeling that it might play some important role.

“…”

At first, Esmela didn’t accept it, only staring intently at the book.

After a while of holding out, she reluctantly took the book and opened the back cover.

“…The fabrication of the Puppet Gods?”

“Yes. It was randomly written there. Do you have any idea what this phrase means? I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before, but I just can’t place it…”

“The fabrication of the Puppet Gods… Puppet…”

Esmela, forgetting her annoyance, started to mutter that phrase repeatedly and fell deep into thought. She seemed so focused that she didn’t even hear me speak.

After what felt like three minutes had passed,

“Ah! Arit!”

Esmela suddenly exclaimed, as if she had remembered something.

“The Saintess? Why her out of the blue?”

“Don’t you remember? During the strategy meeting at the mansion! Arit told us about her first encounter with the zombies in the Harka Great Forest.”

“Uh… did she say that?”

“Oh, so frustrating! When will your dim-wittedness improve? Arit said that she first met the Black Witch in a small village inside that Harka Great Forest!”

“Ah… right. I remember.”

“Exactly! And among the words that the Black Witch told Arit, there was an expression exactly like this.”

“So humorous, and so pitiful. The puppets of the Puppet Gods, and our Saintess at their mercy.”

“Ah!”

Only after hearing Esmela’s words did that memory come rushing back.

“That’s right! I was wondering where I had heard it, and there it was in Arit’s testimony.”

I nodded vigorously while simultaneously marveling at Esmela’s memory.

“To remember something like that—indeed, you are the Young Lady.”

“…Wait a moment?”

But then Esmela suddenly fell deep in thought again, her expression serious as if she had realized something.

“What is it?”

“You said it came from Yuria’s room.”

“Yes.”

“And the phrase ‘Puppet God’ written in that book was first mentioned by the Black Witch.”

“In that context, yes. But wait, could it be…?”

The excitement of ‘finally grabbing something’ began to spread across Esmela’s face.

“I knew it. That Yuria and the Black Witch are in cahoots.”

“Uh, um…”

I faltered, taken aback by Esmela’s sudden outburst, and struggled to retort against her claim.

“Right?”

“Are you suggesting that Princess Yuria has some sort of connection to the Black Witch? Oh, come on…”

No way.

Though I had seen a different side of Yuria from that innocent girl in [Roina], it couldn’t be true.

I wanted to believe it wasn’t true.

While not as much as Esmela, Yuria was still the heroine of [Roina]. After playing through hundreds of hours from her perspective, I had developed some affection for her.

If Esmela’s theory turned out to be true…

“…”

However, unfortunately, my rationality couldn’t comprehend my feelings; instead, it unearthed evidence from my memories to counter them.

“I just wanted to see you one last time. Your face, Esmela.”

That was the last thing Yuria left us during the escape operation.

Not long after, Esmela was indeed kidnapped by the Black Witch, who then subdued the Head Maid and me, taking the Head Maid somewhere, leaving me trapped in the capital with Esmela.

“…No way…”

“I only have this fairy tale book as material evidence, but if we investigate properly, more evidence will surely arise. I’m certain of it. After all… that sly vixen must be pretending to be innocent on the outside while scheming behind the scenes.”

Esmela declared confidently with a smile.

I couldn’t find any words to respond, my expression turning sour.

Just then,

“Swish!”

Piyo flew into the dining room through the open window.

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, she always came to me in the mornings for food.

“Swish…”

Piyo, who was fluttering her little wings and flying toward me, froze mid-air the moment she saw Esmela, displaying a wary expression.

“Oh? Piyo! Perfect timing!”

Esmela started treating Piyo sweetly, as if welcoming her, which surprised me.

“Pip?”

Piyo seemed baffled by her sudden change in demeanor, tilting her head this way and that.

“Come sit here. I happen to have something to discuss with you. We just found out some very interesting facts!”

Esmela gestured to Piyo with a voice dripping with sweetness.

However, there was a cold malice lurking beneath that voice.

Perhaps sensing that, Piyo cautiously landed on the table in front of me, shivering as if feeling cold.

“Hehe… Yes, now I’m quite curious to see how you’ll react when I tell you about your master.”

Esmela beamed a refreshing smile, just like a villainous noble lady.