A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 3. Am I Really That Easy to Push Around?
If you eat food splattered with zombie blood and flesh, do you get infected? Or is it fine as long as you don’t get bitten?
‘I should have read that book more carefully.’
Regret comes too late.
Since I had no idea, I could only eat what looked clean.
As I rummaged through drawers and cabinets, I found several edible ingredients besides nuts. I discarded raw meat and distributed only what could be eaten immediately to my companions.
Once I took the lead and began searching the First Floor Kitchen, the others who had been sitting also came to help.
“There’s water here! Oh, but there’s something in it…”
“Do fish normally bleed like this?”
“Why is this mushroom so cold?”
The nobles, who had eaten only prepared meals their entire lives, wandered through the kitchen they’d never seen before, holding ingredients in confusion.
Each of them settled back down on the floor with soft white bread, apples, and oranges in their hands.
“I wish I had truffle mushroom soup with crackers…”
“I want sea bass.”
‘I want kimchi stew.’
In extreme situations, people lose the luxury of maintaining dignity. Mascarpone, who had been so prim, was lying down whining that she couldn’t go on, the Crown Prince was searching for a portal, and Supporting Character 2 was whimpering about being hungry.
Now they were all sitting on the dirty bare floor with just a jacket spread beneath them, eating apples with the skin on without even washing their hands.
These children who could barely sit in the chairs they’d reluctantly been given out of politeness—seeing them like this.
‘Why does this feel so pitiful?’
I also found a spot behind the counter, out of sight from everyone, and collapsed onto it.
“Phew…”
This was my precious alone time.
“I want to lie down…”
I worked late yesterday and missed the last train, so I took a taxi home. I didn’t even eat breakfast because I was sleeping.
I possessed this body on an empty stomach and spent the whole day fighting and running, so I have no energy left.
‘Originally I was going to buy gelato at the food court in the shopping mall on my way back to the office. Ugh…’
If I go back, I’ll really work hard and not even get angry at my coworkers, so please send me back.
Isn’t regression fiction trending these days?
Send me back to before I possessed this body.
I want to just collapse and sleep right here with the food and everything, but I can’t because I’m afraid they’ll leave me behind if I fall asleep.
I forced my blurring eyes open and focused on the voices coming from behind me.
“I keep getting distracted by sounds from outside…”
“I jump every time someone talks to me from the side…”
After confirming that no one was paying attention to me, I quietly pulled out what I’d hidden in my dress pocket.
The zombie that had been lying in the Gallery earlier.
The red jewel that had been shining in that zombie’s chest.
I held the red stone, about the size of an AirPods case, between my thumb and index finger and examined it from all angles.
‘The zombies in the Sealed Room on the Second Floor had their chests glowing like this too.’
Since no one else said anything about it, it seemed only visible to my eyes.
Not knowing what it was, I just brought it with me.
When it was buried in my chest, it gleamed as if begging to be found. But now that I’d extracted it, the light didn’t shine quite so brilliantly.
It was strange—I’d pulled it from someone’s chest without a single drop of blood clinging to it.
‘It wasn’t so much that I pulled it out as… when I touched it, it just slid right up into my hand.’
Which meant.
It was exactly like an item dropped from a defeated monster in a game.
‘Is this some kind of clue about the possession?’
I tested the stone cautiously, speaking to it.
“Hey.”
“Yes.”
“You scared me!”
I jerked my head up in surprise. The Crown Prince was standing beside me, looking down at me.
There was already a height difference when we stood, but sitting down and looking up at him like this was something else entirely.
‘All I can see is his thighs.’
Wait—did this man just answer my “hey”?
I stared at him in confusion, and he tilted his head slightly.
“I thought you were calling for me.”
“….”
“Didn’t you call me that way earlier?”
Me?
‘Hey! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!’
I think I said that when the zombie burst out on the second floor….
So he heard that.
“It was just so urgent back then….”
“….”
“I apologize.”
Fortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t seem to mind.
His gaze, difficult to read, slowly traced from my hastily tied hair down to my eyes, nose, and mouth, then drifted back up to settle on my eyes.
From my perspective, I could mainly see his flat stomach and long legs.
‘It’s awkward to talk while staring at someone’s lower abdomen… should I stand up?’
Just as I was thinking that.
The Crown Prince quietly took a seat beside me and asked.
“How is your ankle?”
“Pardon?”
“I heard you were injured.”
He hesitated before adding another word.
“On the second floor, I was panicked… I didn’t think to check. I apologize.”
“Ah, well. There’s no need to apologize….”
The woman he cares for was injured—of course I wouldn’t have been on his mind.
With that thought, I waved my hand dismissively.
“I’m fine. My shoes are thick enough that it didn’t do much damage. Yujein was hurt much worse.”
Even after hearing me say it was fine, the Crown Prince didn’t move. His inscrutable gaze remained fixed on me.
I had no choice but to meet his eyes in return.
‘He’s handsome.’
Cold and composed in appearance, yet there’s something melancholic about him. Dangerous-looking too….
He resembled a third-generation chaebol heir from a drama.
The kind who works overtime until 2:23 AM, calls a taxi, and leaves the office—only to coincidentally encounter me at the exact elevator I’m about to board, despite six elevators in the building.
His eyes had been closed from exhaustion, but when the elevator doors chimed open, he looked up startled, and our gazes met.
A third-generation chaebol heir, the chairman’s grandson.
Famous since birth, yet he doesn’t use the executive elevator, and sometimes appears at the company gym around 4 AM—the kind who makes people keep their distance.
☆A drama☆ third-generation chaebol heir. ☆Not reality☆.
‘He looks like he despises incompetent people.’
As far as I know, he dislikes Yusara too. Surely he didn’t come here to appease me like the Grand Duke did.
‘Did he come to soothe me because he’s worried I might throw a tantrum like the Grand Duke?’
“I’m not sulking or protesting. I’m genuinely saying I’m fine because I am. So….”
“That’s not the issue.”
What do you mean it’s not? Seriously.
I widened my eyes and stared at the Crown Prince to convey my disbelief.
After a prolonged staring contest, it was the Crown Prince who yielded.
The Crown Prince sighed and gestured toward the red stone in my hand.
“Cyprus said he saw you picking something up from the corpse.”
“The Grand Duke saw?”
He pretended not to notice earlier. So he did see.
Since there was nothing particularly worth hiding, I opened my palm to show him.
“Your Highness didn’t see it?”
“See what?”
“From the corpse….”
“I understand you retrieved it from the corpse in the Gallery. Is it something important?”
“….”
So this stone really is invisible to others’ eyes. It only becomes visible once I pick it up.
‘For now, I shouldn’t tell the truth. I should hide it.’
“It’s not important. I just found it curious that the Attendant had something so pretty, so I picked it up.”
Once I finished speaking, the Crown Prince fell silent as well.
We awkwardly killed time like that for a while.
Then the Crown Prince set down something he’d been wiping with his sleeve onto the table before me.
It was an apple—his portion.
“You are my guest.”
“….”
“I apologize for the inadequate hospitality. When we return to the Imperial Palace, please grant me another opportunity.”
* * *
After the Crown Prince left, Dazling came to find me.
“My lady! Are you alright?!”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
‘What is this, visiting hours?’
Does it really show that I’m sulking about being left alone here?
I smiled inwardly, grumbling to myself.
“You came because you were worried about me?”
“Of course I was worried! I apologize. I promised I would protect you.”
“Don’t mention it. You have plenty to do.”
Attending to the nobles, keeping watch, wielding a sword, and serving as an attendant. And besides, the only other combat personnel in this group are the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke.
= A regular employee sandwiched between executives.
In a way, Dazling was the most pitiful person in this entire group.
The fact that he came to look after me, someone he met for the first time today, was moving enough….
“Speaking of which, my lady, your hand is injured too.”
“It’s just a small tear. It’s not serious enough to call it an injury.”
“This must be your first time experiencing such a wound….”
“There’s always a first time for everything.”
“Still, my lady, I—”
Dazling hesitated, speaking haltingly.
“It may sound presumptuous, but I’m grateful that you’re with us.”
“Yes? Why?”
“Why else? Because you showed unexpected prowess today.”
A voice came from above my head.
The Grand Duke, leaning against the counter, was grinning.
‘When did this guy show up?’
This really is visiting hours.
“If it weren’t for my lady, we’d all still be in the Gallery right now, wouldn’t we?”
“Don’t lie. You would have figured it out even without me.”
I hadn’t come up with some brilliant trick—it was merely a distraction.
How foolish must he think I am normally to praise me for something this trivial?
The Grand Duke spoke.
“I’m thinking about something right now.”
“What?”
“Why I keep making mistakes with my lady today.”
“….”
“Why didn’t you tell me your ankle was injured?”
“…You’re still making mistakes.”
“Huh?”
“I said I wasn’t injured. So believe me, will you?”
“My lady, where are you going?”
“Stop picking a fight.”
There was something I’d been meaning to do since we started sharing food, and it seemed like now was the time to take care of it.
I rose from my seat, leaving the bewildered Grand Duke and Dazling behind.
I walked over with heavy footsteps and stood before Yujein.
Yujein, who had been sitting quietly with a pastry in her hand, looked up at me standing before her.
“My lady…”
I got straight to the point.
“Hey, eat that already.”
“Pardon?”
“Now.”
When I pointed to the pastry in Yujein’s hand, she looked flustered. I furrowed my brow at her hesitation.
“Everyone else finished theirs, but you’re the only one who left yours. What a waste.”
I dropped the formality entirely.
“Why aren’t you eating it?”
“Oh, no, my lady. I’ll eat it. Right now.”
Sensing my irritation, Yujein quickly popped the pastry into her mouth.
‘She listens well.’
To put it kindly, she was the type to ask for explanations and hold out until she understood. I didn’t have the time or energy for that, so this blunt approach was far more efficient.
“Chew it thoroughly.”
After confirming that Yujein swallowed the pastry and drank water, I turned around.
I grabbed two hard pieces of bread—clearly not fit for nobility—that sat alone in the open drawer, wrapped them in paper.
The dress I was wearing had a deep neckline that exposed my chest halfway. I removed the two padding inserts from inside and tossed them aside, filling the empty space with the bread instead.
‘I’d prefer to use my pockets, but they’re weighted with stones, so this will have to do.’
By now, people had stopped being surprised by my antics.
“You really do the strangest things…”
Ignoring Mascarpone’s sarcasm, I searched for any other food worth taking.
‘It’s not over until it’s over.’
It would be fortunate if I could use the portal to leave right now, but what if it doesn’t work?
Even if my possession ends in five minutes, I’m keeping these two pieces of bread.
Supporting Character 2 spoke, deliberately looking away from me as I adjusted my dress.
“At least we’ll survive if we eat something… I think we can move now.”
“That’s right. I think we can use the portal to leave now.”
The Crown Prince, who had been tapping on the walls this whole time, turned to look at us at those words.
“I have something to report regarding that matter.”
“Yes?”
“The portal is not where it should be.”
What?
[Imperial Villa First Floor Kitchen]
– Yusara, Yujein, Crown Prince, Grand Duke, Dazling, Mascarpone, Supporting Character 2, Troublemaker (Alive)

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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