A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 17

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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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The Crown Prince unwound the magical rope from his wrist as he stepped toward the cabin’s exit. He glanced at each member of our hesitant group in turn before approaching me directly.
“Take this.”
“What? Why me?”
“The others here are without weapons.”
That wasn’t the point, though.
Why was he giving it to me instead of Yujein?
‘Does he think I look most ruthless when slicing through zombies?’
Since he was offering it, I reached out to accept it.
The moment my fingertips touched the rope—
Whoosh. The Crown Prince lifted his hand. My grasp closed on empty air.
I stared at him, bewildered.
“You’ll cut yourself if you hold it that way.”
The Crown Prince extended his own wrist as demonstration.
“Like this.”
I awkwardly mimicked his movements.
My dress, which had been plain but pristine when I first possessed this body, was now nothing short of rags. The Crown Prince carefully grasped my tattered sleeves with both hands.
He pulled them down slowly, taking care not to let skin touch skin, then wound the rope around the fabric.
Yet skin contact was inevitable.
‘I’ve been thinking about this since earlier—his hands are rough. From wielding a sword, no doubt.’
I found myself staring only at my wrist and at the Crown Prince’s hands, which held mine with deliberate gentleness.
Large and beautiful hands, yet callused and rough.
The sensation of those hands against my skin.
Still keeping my gaze fixed on my wrist, I asked.
“Do you always wear this rope on your arm?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I never know when I might have to kill someone.”
“Pardon?”
“I was joking.”
“….”
“….”
“…That wasn’t a joke, was it?”
“No.”
Done, the Crown Prince released my wrist.
The rope that had required only three or four wraps around his wrist had taken seven around mine.
With this, I could sever zombie necks and bind them….
“From the moment you put it on, it obeys your will. If you want it sharp, it becomes sharp. Otherwise, it’s no different from ordinary string. If you wish to cut a small piece of rope, you do it like this.”
The Crown Prince demonstrated by wrapping two fingers around the rope and making a cutting motion.
“Would you like to try?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
Let me think—what could I test cutting first?
There’s a severed arm sticking out over there, but my conscience won’t let me cut that.
“Oh, there’s a chair. Let me try cutting one of its legs.”
“Very well.”
As I crouched down and gingerly touched the rope, the Crown Prince stood beside me like an instructor, arms crossed, watching intently.
Slice.
It cut cleanly.
“You’re quite skilled.”
“I’m thinking of making it my profession.”
“That’s not quite what I meant.”
Smack.
“Return safely.”
“I will.”
“I’ll bring back a gift when I return.”
The Crown Prince, Grand Duke, and Dazling, each having received words of encouragement from everyone, opened the Cabin door.
Before leaving, the Crown Prince pointed to a cuckoo clock hanging on the Cabin wall and spoke.
“I’ll be back within the hour.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll be waiting.”
Yujein, clasping her hands tightly together, replied.
Two handsome men pledging to return alive to her, and Yujein with glistening tears begging them to come back to her….
Whatever. I kept my eyes fixed on the rope wound around my wrist.
‘Loot acquired.’
A magical rope that expands and contracts! Could it be a goblin’s club?
Despite the gravity of the situation, I felt oddly exhilarated.
After making a promise with Yujein, the male leads turned back toward me and saw me giggling as I pulled and released the rope.
“….”
“…Hey, I’m leaving now. Could you at least….”
“…Just go.”
Creak. Slam.
He simply left.
From that moment on, only anxiety filled the Cabin.
Pitch-black night. Corpses wandering outside. Our isolation. Five people with no physical abilities, armed only with a magical rope. Wooden walls that looked like they’d shatter if struck. Corpses in one corner.
Screams echoing from afar.
Without anyone telling us to, we all naturally huddled together as far from the door as possible.
“It’s so cold….”
“I wonder if my parents are well. What’s happening in the Capital right now?”
“I just hope they’re safe….”
Mascarpone and Supporting Character 2 whispered a few words to each other before falling silent.
The feet of the two in slippers had turned black. The fine stitching of Mascarpone’s expensive stockings had come undone in long runs, but no one noticed or mentioned it.
A pitiful, bedraggled appearance.
‘Like five-year-olds abandoned by their parents.’
I at least understand what kind of situation this is, but they don’t know anything.
Thinking of that, their slouched shoulders, drained of all spirit, looked pitiable.
“….”
“….”
Blood pooling from the heap of corpses stacked in the corner had soaked through the sheet and stopped spreading.
Pretending to survey the surroundings, I picked up a few more red stones and pocketed them.
“….”
“….”
There was a lantern on the desk, but we weren’t lighting it.
We were afraid the zombies might swarm if they saw the light.
Even though we already knew they had no vision.
I breathed warmth onto my hands, stiffened by the cold, and made a vow.
‘If I get out of here, I’m definitely learning self-defense.’
I’ll pick up archery again—the sport I did in college—and learn taekwondo too. Build up my stamina!
‘So please, just send me home….’
“Sniff.”
The unheated cabin was bitterly cold, and the stench of blood was overwhelming. I couldn’t tell if the chills running through me came from the cold or from anxiety.
Every time a fierce wind rattled the windows, Yujein sitting beside me flinched.
Amid the faint sound of breathing—whose, I couldn’t tell.
I spoke first.
“This is damn terrifying.”
This is the kind of fear that demands a curse. Seriously, I’m absolutely terrified. Someone please get me out of here. I’m going to cry.
Of course, I know this is inside a book! I know that once I escape this Island, things should be fine for a while!
But knowing the plot of a horror movie doesn’t make it any less scary!
“I really damn want to go home….”
-Yusara’s profanity haiku-
Line one: I really damn want to go home.
Line two: I want to leave, from here.
At my muttering—all pretense of a noblewoman abandoned—Mascarpone snorted, but Yujein and Supporting Character 2 giggled softly.
“You’re right. It’s really scary.”
“I wish this were just a dream.”
From that point on, conversation continued sporadically.
“How much time has passed?”
“Right? It feels like at least 100 minutes have gone by. Yujein, can you see the clock on the wall? How much time has actually passed?”
“Nine minutes….”
“That’s all?!”
The despair in my voice must have been palpable. Yujein and Supporting Character 2 burst into laughter again. This time, louder.
I asked.
“This Garden here—how long would it take to cross it at a brisk pace without any interruptions?”
Yujein answered.
“I believe they said it takes about twenty minutes.”
‘Damn, it’s huge.’
Doesn’t the walk from the National Assembly Building to Yeouido Station take about that long? I remember taking a stroll after lunch once, and it felt similar.
‘What time is it in Seoul right now?’
Surely, after possessing someone for over four hours, they’d grant me at least an hour of rest. But possessees don’t get lunch breaks.
Here I am, unpaid and suffering through this incomprehensible ordeal, unable to even catch my breath in between.
This grinding sensation—it’s like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Friday, Friday.
‘No, not Friday, Friday, Friday. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, Monday.’
“But then, wouldn’t Your Highnesses and Dazling have to fight off wandering corpses across that twenty-minute distance and then return to pick us up?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“That’s rather sobering….”
No wonder they call us dead weight. Everyone’s expression had grown gloomy.
Supporting Character 2 spoke brightly, as if trying to dispel the heavy mood.
“But I was truly amazed earlier.”
“When?”
“Earlier, when… when the Princess struck down that corpse’s head.”
“Oh. That.”
It was nothing special.
“We were right beside you and didn’t know what to do, but the Princess….”
Speaking with genuine admiration, Supporting Character 2 soon grew despondent, shoulders drooping as she continued.
“It feels like I’m the only one not helping here. The Princess handled the corpses, Yujein cast blessings, Mascarpone found the portal entrance… but me…”
“Come on.”
You’re not the only one not helping. The Troublemaker’s here too. I waved my hand dismissively with that sentiment in mind.
“In situations like this, it’s actually normal to not be helpful. Has anyone here ever encountered a moving corpse before?”
“I… haven’t.”
“Neither have I.”
Mascarpone, who didn’t respond, probably hasn’t either.
“Seeing something for the first time, how could you automatically know how to help? Just keeping your wits about you is already impressive.”
Even tasks you handle with your eyes closed after time passes are daunting for newcomers. That’s just how it is.
“But… the Princess was helpful.”
“I see them often.”
I watched a lot of zombie movies back in Korea.
I’m experienced staff; you’re all interns.
But I couldn’t say that aloud.
“You’ve seen moving corpses often?”
“Yes. Mannequins.”
“Mannequins move?”
“If you look with the eyes of your heart, they do? Since I’m absolutely obsessed with fashion.”
Look at this dress I’m wearing. You can’t pull off an outfit like this unless you have a genuine passion for fashion.
I straightened my shoulders confidently, and Supporting Character 2 laughed again.
“I had no idea you were like this, my lady.”
“Me?”
“Yes. To be honest, I never thought the day would come when you’d be the one comforting me.”
Supporting Character 2, her cheeks flushed, extended her hand for a handshake.
“My name is Consomme.”
“Pleased to meet you, Consomme. I’ll make sure to remember this time. My name is Yusara.”
Consomme, who had been glancing nervously at the Troublemaker, leaned toward me slightly.
“Thank you for taking our side when Papri was causing a scene earlier. Honestly, it felt great.”
Yujein nodded enthusiastically at those words.
“I was so frightened. I was worried Papri would say we’re useless and tell us to go back to our rooms and wait. Of course, I know the two Highnesses would never do such a thing.”
Mascarpone said nothing, merely watching us with her lips sealed, though she didn’t raise any objections either.
“Thank you, my lady.”
“Don’t mention it. I was just speaking the truth.”
I glared at the Troublemaker, who stood apart from us with his arms crossed and his chin jutting out, and moved only my lips to speak.
‘That guy is really insufferable.’
Consomme and Yujein, their mouths covered, nodded vigorously. A subtle sense of camaraderie formed among the giggling women.
And so an hour and a half passed.
The Crown Prince, the Grand Duke, and Dazling had not returned.
[Huntsman’s Cabin, Imperial Villa Exterior Hunting Grounds]
– Yusara, Yujein, Mascarpone, Consomme, 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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