A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 181

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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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“….”
“….”
“…How is it?”
“How does it feel, Kiriel?”
“How is it?!”
The blinding light faded, and the room fell silent.
All three of us stood in silence for exactly three seconds.
Then chaos erupted.
“How is it?! How is it?! How is it?! How is it?!”
“Consomme, you look like a zombie. Stop it….”
Mascarpone held back the bouncing Consomme. The Grand Duke Household’s Court Physician rushed over and removed the socks from Kiriel’s feet.
Everyone’s eyes, now unified in their gaze, fixed upon Kiriel’s withered feet.
A gulp.
Someone’s swallow echoed through the room.
Kiriel, gripping the armrests of the wheelchair with both hands, slowly lowered her head.
In that position, she seemed to strain her body until her face flushed red.
First the right big toe, then the left.
They moved.
“We did it!”
Mascarpone threw down the notebook she’d been holding and leapt to her feet, swinging her fists.
“We did it! We succeeded!”
She thrashed about in excitement, scattering all the magical artifacts that had been resting on her lap across the floor. Expensive magical tools rolled across the ground. But no one pointed it out.
“We succeeded!”
“We did it!”
“Ahhh!”
“Kyaaah!”
Amidst the dolphin-like shrieks that were neither screams nor cheers, only Cyprus remained silent.
He didn’t respond to the Butler and Court Physician offering congratulations through tears, and though he seemed to want to say something to his sister Kiriel, who was gazing down at her own feet in wonder, his lips merely trembled before he abruptly left the room.
I didn’t stop Cyprus as he fled the room. His eyes were unmistakably red as he passed by.
“Kiriel….”
“Miss….”
The elderly Grand Duke’s Butler crumpled his face and wept like a child. The Court Physician, who had delivered Kiriel and Cyprus when they were born, had already collapsed to the floor.
“Hueong….”
“Ueong….”
Yujein and Consomme, of similar height, embraced and wept.
“Why is everyone crying on such a joyous day! We should be laughing!”
“But you’re crying too, Tangerine….”
“And so is Yusara….”
“That’s true….”
I was crying too, actually….
We all embraced each other, tears streaming down our faces.
“Why is everyone crying like this? If someone saw, they’d think we failed…oh….”
Sob, sob, sob….
Even Kiriel, who had remained composed until the very end, finally broke down in tears.
The opinion of the Empire’s sole Grand Duke, Yusara, regarding tears.
Tears aren’t inherently bad. When the time comes to cry, we should cry freely.
“Of course, just because we’ve healed the legs doesn’t mean she can walk and run like a normal person immediately. First, we need to rebuild the muscle in her legs and go through a rehabilitation process….”
“Now that you mention it, if we apply this magic, we could help disabled veterans with their rehabilitation too?”
“Exactly. Our nation hasn’t been at peace for very long after the war….”
“This will be the first Achievement of the new era we’re leading!”
“By inscribing this magic onto magical artifacts and sending them throughout the nation via Portal….”
“Then, you three—how much are you planning to charge for this magic?”
Tangerine, who had been poking at Kiriel’s leg while standing beside the Court Physician, asked the question.
At that question, Yujein, Mascarpone, and I exchanged glances.
We blinked at each other.
“F-free?”
“I never intended to charge money from the start.”
“Neither did I.”
These are people who were injured fighting for their nation. The state must take responsibility for them.
If we don’t show that the state will always repay those who have devoted themselves to it, how could we expect anyone in the future to sacrifice themselves for their country?
“To be honest, a few months ago I might have hesitated a little….”
Do you all remember?
That I was a beggar?
My Younger Brother squandered the family fortune through gambling.
“But I’m fine now.”
I crossed my arms proudly.
That’s right. After formally inheriting the Grand Duke title, the first thing I tackled was the household’s financial problems.
I sold off unnecessary jewels and plugged the holes where money was leaking away.
Just that alone made things breathe easier.
On top of that, I even received Sodom, which was once a pleasure city, as a reward for resolving the zombie catastrophe.
The Emperor Praha, who granted me that Territory, is my fiancé—doesn’t that seem ridiculous?
Not at all!
‘I could have received something bigger, but I got Sodom because he’s my fiancé!’
I’m that virtuous!
“The Imperial Palace will cover the costs of purchasing the magical artifacts and transmitting them via Portal. I’ll mention it to Praha when I return.”
I felt the shocked gazes of the Grand Duke’s Castle servants fixate on me as I casually spoke the Emperor’s name, but I pretended not to notice.
Yes. I am the Emperor’s fiancée.
We’re about to be married soon.
And there was one thing my fiancé was curious about when he sent me here.
“Well then, there’s one important matter we need to address before moving forward…. Could this work cause any changes in the hierarchy of the Grand Duke Household?”
Originally, as Cyprus de Mer’s older sister, Kiriel held the first position in the succession order of the Grand Duke Household. Had circumstances been different, it would have been Kiriel, not Cyprus de Mer, who became the Southern Region’s Grand Duke.
The reason Kiriel had relinquished her title to her younger brother and stepped back was due to the disability she’d sustained in her legs. Given the Southern Region’s nature—requiring frequent inspections of its territories—someone with impaired mobility could not serve as its leader.
But now her legs had been restored.
“Then that means….”
Southern Region Grand Duke Cyprus de Mer would become the Grand Duke’s younger brother?
(For reference, Praha said, “I really hope that happens.” He couldn’t stand the sight of Cyprus de Mer.)
The answer came from beyond the door.
“That’s right. My sister is going to become the new ruler of the Southern Region.”
Cyprus de Mer entered, his lustrous golden hair in complete disarray.
He’d clearly cried so much that his eyes and nose were red. His hair stuck up in all directions like an unwashed puppy’s fur from how many times he’d run his hands through it while weeping.
In his hand, he held a thick ring that served as the seal of the Grand Duke Household.
He must have gone to the Office while crying.
The servants must have been quite flustered seeing their master—an adult man—walking about while sobbing uncontrollably.
Sniff! Cyprus de Mer wiped his nose and spoke.
“The Southern Region’s rightful ruler was always my sister. I only inherited it temporarily due to unavoidable circumstances. Now that my sister’s disqualification has been removed, naturally she should….”
“Cyprus de Mer.”
It was Kiriel who cut off Cyprus de Mer’s rapid words.
Still seated in her wheelchair, Kiriel extended her arm toward her younger brother.
“Shut up and come here.”
“Hic.”
At the same moment, Cyprus de Mer hiccupped. Regardless, Kiriel beckoned with her hand.
“Hurry.”
“….”
“You’re not coming?”
“…I’m coming.”
Cyprus de Mer, suddenly as docile as a lamb, approached his sister.
“Bow down.”
“Okay.”
Even Cyprus de Mer couldn’t win against his older sister, it seemed.
Cyprus de Mer, embraced in Kiriel’s arms, placed his hands on his sister’s back.
Pat, pat—Kiriel gently tapped the back of her younger brother’s head a couple of times.
From my vantage point, I could only see Kiriel’s face, so I couldn’t tell what expression Cyprus de Mer was making now.
“…Sniff.”
But I could tell he was crying.
“Sister….”
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
As if transported back to childhood when she’d witnessed her legs being destroyed, Kiriel soothed her trembling younger brother’s shoulders, stroking them as he sobbed.
Then.
Smack!
“Ow!”
I flicked her temple with my finger.
“Who gave you permission to hand over the Grand Duke’s position? The war just ended and we’ve barely found stability—and now you want to change rulers? Do you have any idea how anxious the people of the Territory will be?”
“But originally, the Southern Region’s ruler was you, sister….”
“Tch.”
“Yeah.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
Watching this exchange, we locked eyes with one another.
A side of Cyprus I’d never seen before.
He was a complete sister’s boy.
“Ever since I injured my leg, I’ve spent most of my time in this room. I didn’t want to show people my weakened leg… and whenever I tried to go anywhere, the servants would swarm around me, and I hated seeing them suffer because of me.”
So what I’m saying is.
“I want to see a wider world now.”
“A wider world, you say.”
“In other words, I want to travel.”
Do you know I’ve only been to the Capital once?
“I’ve never even been to a Ball!”
Kiriel laughed.
Her bare feet twitched as she burst into bright laughter, as if she wanted to jump up and run anywhere at that very moment.
“Once my legs can walk properly, I’ll explore every corner of the Southern Region first. I want to see how much it’s changed while I was stuck inside the Castle, and visit the Lavender Hill outside the Castle that I loved so much. And then.”
“Come to the Capital!”
“That’s right! Come to the Capital!”
“I’ll invite you!”
“Did you know that Grand Duke Cyprus bestowed a Mansion upon me?!”
Tangerine spread her arms wide.
“It’s a three-story house near the Imperial Palace! Thanks to it, I was finally able to escape from my nagging parents and older brother and live independently! I’ll invite you, Kiriel!”
“Me too!”
“Our house is probably the largest, Kiriel. Since we need to check your condition, come to our Mansion. We have many fascinating magical artifacts.”
“If you come to our house, you can meet both Yujein and me at the same time.”
Mascarpone chimed in eagerly.
Kiriel burst into laughter as we all rushed to invite her.
“Alright then, first I’ll go to Tangerine’s house, then to Mascarpone’s house, and then….”
What do you think, Cyprus?
I have so much to do that I can’t possibly take over the Grand Duke’s position.
Kiriel winked at her much younger brother, looking up at him.
“You stay here and grow old toiling away in grueling work. Your sister will roam the world freely. Just send money on time.”
“…You’re something else.”
“Something else? How dare you speak to your sister that way?”
“How much should I send each time?”
The lackey quickly shifted his stance.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Once I started laughing, my friends one by one covered their mouths and turned their heads away.
“Heh.”
“Heh.”
“Pfft.”
“…Everyone, you don’t have to hold back… heh.”
In the end, Cyprus laughed too.

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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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