The Sequel to the Romance Fantasy Was a Zombie Apocalypse – Chapter 99

Robertze walked over here, his steps lacking energy and seeming exhausted.

Upon spotting the three individuals, he squeezed out every last bit of strength to run towards them.

“Haah, huff…”

Finally reaching them, Robertze leaned on his knees and gasped for breath.

“Haah… long time no see. All three of you… huff… all…”

His greetings, punctuated by his heavy breaths, were met with…

“…”

The three of them stared down at him, dumbfounded and speechless.

“…Hey, you.”

Tikhah broke the awkward silence.

Pointing her hunting dagger, which she seemed to have pulled out from somewhere, at Robertze, she continued,

“You seem like a person from the south, but what brings you all the way here? And what’s up with that weird outfit?”

Not recognizing the prince, she was interrogating Robertze with a hostile expression.

“Wait a minute, Tikhah!”

Lanit quickly stepped forward and grabbed her arm.

“What’s up, Lanit?”

“This is His Royal Highness, Prince Robertze of Arkeisia!”

“What? From that royal family?”

In disbelief, Tikhah scanned Robertze from top to bottom with a skeptical look.

“…Tch.”

As she sheathed her sword, she clicked her tongue, clearly unimpressed.

“Haha… it seems I’m not quite welcome among northern folks after all.”

Despite having just been threatened with a blade, Robertze said this with a calm demeanor, showing no hint of fear.

“…So, what’s going on with you?”

This time it was Esmela who stepped in.

“How on earth did you make it all the way here from the northern territories? Where are your servants? Don’t tell me you’re all alone?”

Esmela aggressively questioned Robertze.

“Whoa, you’re asking too many questions at once. First of all, I’m really cold, okay?”

At his words, Lanit looked again at Robertze’s outfit, realizing that he was still wearing the royal uniform he always donned during official duties.

Naturally, he had nothing else on top of that, making it understandable that he was cold.

In fact, it was astounding how he had managed to traverse the vast snowy plains in such attire.

“Let’s go inside and talk. Oh! It looks like someone is coming from the town over there. Esmela, isn’t that your servant?”

Robertze seemed to spot someone behind the three and the others turned their heads as well.

As he said, a figure was running toward them from the town, shouting,

“Young lady!”

It was none other than Helinante.

“The head of the household is looking for you!”

As Helinante ran toward Esmela, he noticed the mysterious figure with them and began to show signs of wariness,

“!”

Recognizing it was Robertze, he halted some distance away from the group.

“…”

He stared at Robertze in shock, as if surprised by the unexpected acquaintance.

“Oh! It’s a familiar face. So, your name was Helinante, right?”

Remembering their encounter three years prior at the palace, Robertze greeted him cheerfully.

Whoosh, pat pat!

However, Helinante turned and dashed back towards the town without saying a word.

“…What’s his deal?”

Robertze, puzzled by Helinante’s actions, would soon have his question answered when a group of dozens began rushing toward them from the town shortly after.

“For a welcoming ceremony, this is a bit too much…?”

There was a hint of anxiety mingled into Robertze’s previously nonchalant tone.

As the crowd drew closer, their murmurs began to swell into louder shouts…

“Kill the trash prince!!!”

And when they got close enough for Robertze to comprehend what was being shouted, Lanit clearly witnessed the fiery wrath radiating from the eyes of the Herta locals.

“Hey, wait—”

Whoosh—bang!

A flame from Herta, shot by one of the servants, was hurriedly blocked by a magical barrier created by Robertze.

“J-just wait—”

Whoosh—clang!

This time, Robertze swung his sword to deflect the flames raining down above his head.

Whoosh—

The servants of Herta, not knowing how to handle the flame, were throwing whatever rocks they could muster at the prince with all their might.

“Let’s talk! I want to talk!”

Robertze’s desperate cries were drowned out by the furious roars of the crowd.

“How dare you brazenly crawl in here!”

“Let’s avenge the young lady!”

“Don’t engage in close combat! We’ll get caught in friendly fire! Keep your distance and surround him, bombarding him from afar until he’s dead!”

“Isn’t that last order a bit too strategic?!”

Robertze panicked, while using various magical spells to fend off the attacks coming from all directions.

“Wow… the prince is really holding his own. Look at that, he’s blocking everything…”

“Well, until Yuria shows up, he was ranked just below me and the magic tower master Magion in combat magic.”

“If he gets hurt during all this… I’m worried that Herta will be held accountable for it later.”

“Hahaha! Keep fighting! You’re doing pretty well, Prince!”

The four were watching the chaotic scene unfold with a carefree attitude from a safe distance.

“You guys! Do something!”

At Robertze’s desperate shout,

“Haah…”

Esmela was about to step forward when suddenly…

“Stop!”

A commanding voice halted the servants in their tracks.

All eyes turned towards the direction of the voice.

From the town came the Duke, striding towards them, with the head butler trailing behind.

His dignified posture and serious expression evoked memories of the Duke’s prime era.

“Master!”

Helinante broke through the crowd and rushed to the Duke.

“Helinante. What is going on here?”

“Yes. As you can see, that despicable prince has dared to come here, so everyone is banding together to fight him.”

“…Hmm.”

After hearing the answer, Duke Herta merely murmured under his breath and continued walking toward the servants.

Whoosh—

The crowd parted seamlessly, clearing the path for the Duke toward the prince.

He walked slowly down that path and finally stood before Robertze.

“…”

The Duke glared at him in silence.

“It’s been a while, Tereed… I mean, Duke Herta.”

“That’s really him!”

Someone from the servants shouted angrily at Robertze’s slip of the tongue.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop?!”

The Duke’s second shout was even more forceful than the first, causing the servants to bow their heads and fall silent.

“So, Prince, what brings you here?”

As the crowd settled, the Duke asked Robertze with a cold demeanor.

“…I apologize for my rudeness. I’ve come to ask for a favor, fully aware that I might not be welcomed.”

Straightening up, Robertze replied in an equally solemn tone.

‘He actually looks really handsome when he stands like that.’

Even amidst the tension, Lanit couldn’t help but admire the prince’s looks.

“Is that favor an order from the royal family?”

From the Duke’s voice laced with anger, Lanit could sense the Duke’s animosity towards the royal family.

It was obvious that he would keep that tucked away, but given his position, he likely harbored more ill feelings toward the Arkeisia royal family than anyone else present.

“…”

Noticing this, Robertze seemed to close his lips tightly for a moment, looking down before finally replying with a firm voice,

“…No. This is a personal request from me, Robertze of Arkeisia.”

Meeting the Duke’s gaze again, he answered resolutely.

“…”

After a long stare at the prince, the Duke finally said,

“Very well, follow me.”

Turning away, he walked toward the town.

Normally, with Esmela and Lanit joining the group, the lunch at the House of Herta would have flowed warmly, but now it had transformed into an uncomfortable silence with the unwanted guest, the prince, sitting among them.

The Herta family took their seats, while Arit and Robertze joined as guests, with the head butler and Lanit standing behind them.

While the table wasn’t set with a luxurious spread in silver dishes like before the zombie incident, the family’s cook had prepared a decent meal of roasted turkey for those who had returned alive, enough to satisfy everyone.

Yet, those who attended the meal only moved their cutlery in silence to eat.

“…By the way, where did the person guiding you go?”

“Tikhah just left, master.”

“Okay.”

The family exchanged a few dry words, then fell silent again.

“…Um.”

Finally, the prince mustered the courage to speak up.

“What is it?”

The master replied, not bothering to turn his gaze.

“It seems my soup is a bit too watery.”

Robertze said, tilting his spoon slightly to show the others how thin the soup he was served actually was.

Indeed, the soup in his bowl was so watered down it hardly resembled soup at all.

It was so clear that Lanit could see the bottom of the dish; it was just barely flavored water with a few ingredients tossed in.

“Just eat it.”

However, the master coldly interrupted his complaint.

“…”

With no choice, Robertze shut his mouth and picked up his spoon again.

‘Well, at least he’s eating it.’

As Lanit was amazed by the prince’s unexpected willingness to eat, suddenly,

Clink.

It seemed the prince had made up his mind and set his spoon down on the table.

All eyes turned toward him—

“I, Robertze of Arkeisia, would like to make a request of the House of Herta.”

At last, he got to the heart of the matter.

“…Speak.”

“This request concerns the survival of the royal family. In fact, it may well be a matter that hangs the fate of the entire kingdom.”

After making that declaration, Robertze paused for a moment before continuing,

“…The royal family has fallen into the hands of Yuria.”

He uttered the shocking sentence with a sorrowful expression.