The Sequel to the Romance Fantasy Was a Zombie Apocalypse – Chapter 81

Rigid returned with a middle-aged, plump man in a bowler hat exactly 20 minutes after Log had disappeared, leaving three people standing by the gate.

The middle-aged man hurried over to Esmela, trying to say something, but he was so out of breath that it took him a while to catch his breath before he could finally speak.

“Oh my, oh my. This is unbelievable.”

He exclaimed, flashing a wide smile at Esmela in admiration.

“Surely, it is indeed you, Lady Esmela. I can’t believe this.”

“Have you been well, Sir Peltion?”

Esmela, wearing pants, opted to place her hand on her chest and slightly bow her head instead of performing a curtsey.

“It is truly an honor to see you again, Lady Esmela. Ah, thanks to Lord Juten! The day I heard that you went missing, I was so shocked…”

The Count was wildly gesticulating, welcoming Esmela’s return with all sorts of flowery words, like he was trying to make a big splash in high society.

Wearing a mask of composed elegance, Esmela listened quietly to his words, her impeccable, dignified smile firmly in place.

Lanit had stepped slightly away from them, quietly waiting for their conversation to conclude.

At that moment, Kelya approached Lanit and whispered in his ear.

“…It really is you, Lady Esmela.”

Lanit couldn’t help but smile as Kelya’s words made him relax unexpectedly.

“So you were doubting until now that it was a fake?”

“Not really, but seeing the town mayor rush out like this really brings it home.”

Lanit noticed Kelya’s gaze mixed with awe and a hint of discomfort as she looked at Esmela.

“Lanit. Kelya.”

Suddenly, Esmela called for them as their conversation wrapped up.

“Have you finished your chat, Young Lady?”

Lanit, seeing Esmela again after three years and interacting with another noble, felt compelled to respond with extra formality.

“Lady Esmela, might I ask who this is?”

“He is my personal butler, Lanit. It was thanks to him that I endured three years in the Royal Capital.”

“Oh, how reassuring! Welcome to Pedina City, Mr. Lanit.”

“Thank you for your warm welcome, Count.”

“Then, who is this next to you?”

“She is Kelya, who we rescued from a Zombie Wood Wolf ambush while on our way to Pedina City.”

“Hello, hello! I’m Kelya, working as a stablehand in Pedina!”

“Oh, I see! You’re quite lucky, my friend. You were saved by the Young Lady of the House of Herta and her butler.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s right.”

“Then we’ll escort you to the residence, Lady Esmela. This way…”

Lanit couldn’t help but smirk as he watched the Count’s back leading Esmela away.

In this world where he had been born for 20 years, he should have been getting used to such things, yet every time he faced a facet of the class society, it was hard to shake off the discomfort.

Kelya informed Lanit that she would submit the supplies she had brought to the Hunter Guild and shared the location of her lodging in the west of Pedina before parting ways with the group.

The two climbed into the carriage heading to the mayor’s residence, guided by the Count.

As they jostled along, the carriage began to slowly roll down the bustling main street.

Throughout the journey, the mayor kept chatting away to Esmela.

He peppered her with questions about how she ended up stranded in the Royal Capital, what had happened to her while she was there, how she managed to escape…

Even amidst the mayor’s barrage of questions, Esmela remained calm and answered one by one without losing her composure.

As the two exchanged words, Lanit, with nothing else to do, pretended to listen intently while sneaking glances at the scenery of Pedina City through the window.

The streets seemed quite ordinary at first glance.

People bustled about, shops lining the streets had their doors wide open, ready to greet customers.

The citizens of Pedina appeared to be going about their daily lives, just as they had before the incident.

However, Lanit’s keen observation picked out the anomalies hidden among the normalcy.

The pedestrians’ clothes looked shabby, as if they hadn’t been maintained.

The outfits of the street vendors were patched with rags, and the jacket of an elderly gentleman in a well-fitted suit, who was walking with a cane, was faded and wrinkled as though it hadn’t been ironed in ages.

Instead of the usual prominent merchandise, the shop windows bore signs like “Coming Soon.”

There were abandoned street patches with missing bricks, broken windows from derelict houses, and what appeared to be a gang of thuggish hunters swaggering about, brandishing their weapons…

Yet what struck Lanit most was the lifeless expressions of the pedestrians, drained of vitality.

He sensed a precariousness about them that felt like they were on the brink of collapse.

“Let me once again extend my greetings. I truly welcome you both to Pedina City. I am Peltion, head of the Giz family, serving the Earl of Perelude and authorized to govern here in Pedina City.”

Leading them to his office, Peltion bowed deeply and formally.

“Thank you for your sincere hospitality, Count Peltion.”

Esmela slightly nodded, while Lanit bowed deeply in reply.

“I apologize for repeatedly saying the same thing, but I am genuinely glad to see Lady Esmela safe. While this city is facing many troubles, I promise to provide you both with the utmost convenience as the mayor.”

“Thank you.”

Esmela briefly expressed her gratitude to the mayor.

“Is there anything you need? If you inform me right now, I will take care of it as quickly as possible.”

“…”

Lanit exchanged glances with Esmela, both sensing something unsettling about the mayor’s excessive hospitality.

Recognizing she shared his thoughts, he straightened his posture and kept his tension in check.

‘This Peltion fellow wants something from us.’

He decided to observe how Esmela would navigate the conversation.

“Oh my, no need to go this far…”

“No, no, it would be more of a problem if the Young Lady of the House of Herta couldn’t find satisfaction during her stay here.”

Despite her polite refusals, Esmela finally said,

“Then, it wouldn’t be proper to dismiss the Count’s hospitality.”

With that, she reluctantly asked for a lodging with a bathroom and a hearty meal to fill their bellies.

‘For Esmela, that’s quite a modest request.’

At first, Lanit thought so, but as he saw the mayor’s troubled expression while he hurriedly called in his secretary to relay urgent instructions, he began to realize something.

The state of Pedina City was far worse than he had anticipated, as even the mayor, leading a city, couldn’t provide basic hospitality to his guests.

Once again, Lanit was acutely aware that the game-like world he lived in was set in a zombie apocalypse genre.

‘Under these circumstances, the Royal Capital and this place aren’t really all that different. At least in the Royal Capital, we could use the vast palace as we wished.’

As he lamented internally about the present situation, the secretary who had rushed out following the mayor’s orders came back, whispering something hurriedly to the mayor.

“…Yes! It’s possible. We will guide the two of you to your lodging once the discussion ends.”

Hearing this, the mayor’s anxious expression brightened, and he spoke to Esmela with renewed cheer.

“Oh, and Count Peltion, I truly apologize for having to keep asking you for favors, but…”

“No, it’s fine! You can ask for anything!”

The mayor’s tone was forcedly cheerful despite his clearly troubled expression.

“We plan to stay in the city for just a few days before setting off again.”

“What?! No, won’t you stay longer…? After suffering for three years among those zombies, it would be better for you to relax here a bit longer…”

“Thank you for your concern, but… we need to meet those we were separated from. Such as my father, Duke Tereed, and the others in our family. So, if I may ask, do you have any information about my father’s whereabouts? Or could you recommend a place where I might gather such information?”

The mayor’s expression grew even more troubled upon realizing the two were likely to leave soon.

It was as if he were thinking, this could end badly.

“…”

His previously fluid and persuasive speech finally came to a halt.

“…Count Peltion? Why the sudden change? Is there something difficult you are facing…?”

“…Hmm.”

Pondering for a moment, Peltion finally seemed to make a decision and opened his mouth.

“Actually… I have something I’d like to ask of you both.”

Esmela looked as if she expected this, waiting for the next words to spill from the mayor’s mouth.

“The cities and towns surrounding Pedina City have mostly fallen to the zombies, and the land remaining inhabited by people is confined to the territories of the House of Perelude and here in Pedina City.”

“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard. Kelya provided an explanation about the city’s situation on her way here.”

“Ah, that makes things quicker. Anyway, while barely managing to run the city in cooperation with the House of Perelude, we’ve encountered a problem.”

“What sort of problem?”

“The passage between the two territories has been completely overrun by hordes of zombie monsters, severing any exchange.”

“Oh my, that sounds like a serious issue.”

“It truly is. Therefore, although I realize it’s a terrible and shameless request, I would like to ask the two of you to eliminate that monster horde.”

“Umm…”

Esmela seemed to think carefully, resting her fingers on her chin, before finally speaking after savoring the mayor’s pitiful gaze.

“It’s difficult to give a direct answer right away… but let’s hear more about it first. What kind of monsters are causing such trouble?”

“Ah, you’re right. That is indeed the first step.”

The mayor seemed to regain his composure before he began explaining.

“The monsters occupying the passage are none other than Zombie Wyverns. Over fifty of them.”