A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 83

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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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A few hours earlier. Dawn.
When the book and cream that Praha had sent arrived, Cyprus was already awake, bathed, and selecting which clothes to wear.
Should he wear a composed navy shirt to make his radiant blonde hair stand out? Or perhaps a pale pink shirt instead?
“Have you ever seen a man wearing a pale pink shirt with a black harness?”
“Pardon?”
“Would it be too much if I wore the shirt a size too small?”
The Servant standing beside Cyprus, who spared no effort in his grooming, wore an expression of utter exhaustion.
‘Are all Capital men like this?’
More precisely, he wasn’t a Capital man—he was from the Southern Region.
Unlike Praha, who used the harness across his chest purely for function and gave no thought to how it looked on him, Cyprus knew exactly how he appeared when the harness was fastened over a perfectly fitted shirt.
The errand-running Servant entered Cyprus’s chamber just as he was delicately adjusting the leather straps’ length—emphasizing his toned physique while maintaining an air of refinement.
It was the same Servant to whom Praha had entrusted the cream and book the previous day.
Intimidated by Cyprus’s radiant expression from the moment morning broke, the Servant shrank his shoulders and extended the bottle and book.
“Hmm? What’s this?”
“Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince….”
“Praha?”
“Yes. And he had a message to accompany these items.”
“What is it?”
“H-He said you should study a bit….”
At those words, Cyprus’s expression turned glacial.
“When did Praha order you to deliver these things to me?”
“L-Last night, Your Highness.”
“…What? Then why now…!”
“I-I apologize! When I received the items, it was far too late! I thought Your Highness would be sleeping!”
“…Sigh.”
Cyprus discarded the two shirts he’d been alternately holding against his skin and rose from his seat.
The Servants’ faces drained of color at his imposing stature.
‘H-He’s angry…!’
Why was he angry?
Because the message wasn’t relayed promptly? Or because the Crown Prince had disparaged the Grand Duke, who concerned himself only with grooming and not study?
It was Praha’s misfortune to have seized upon a passing Servant—one utterly devoid of sense and perception—to deliver his words.
Cyprus spoke to that very Servant.
“How could this happen?”
“Your Highness?”
“I am scheduled to visit a new city today. Since it is a new city, surely new ladies will greet me. Nothing is more important than making a favorable impression on those one meets for the first time—wouldn’t you agree?”
“Y-Yes, of course….”
“Study, out of nowhere! Praha is clearly trying to undermine me. He’s afraid I’ll look more handsome than he does.”
“Y-Yes, I see….”
“Sigh. Truly. The life of a beautiful man is exhausting.”
No matter what Praha does, I will not yield.
“I won’t read books. I won’t eat cream either. Eating cream makes you gain weight.”
So leave this here and go, Cyprus said, waving his hand dismissively.
‘The Grand Duke’s mind seems a bit… empty.’
At least he wasn’t angry, which was a relief.
The servant, glancing sideways at Cyprus with his lips pouted stubbornly, closed the door and left.
“You leave too.”
“Pardon? Me… me as well?”
“Yes. You can’t tie a necktie as carefully as I can, can you?”
I’ll dress myself, Cyprus said, waving his hand and dismissing all the servants.
Soon, left alone, Cyprus fastened the weapon he’d kept within arm’s reach. He slung the backpack containing emergency rations and medical supplies—likewise kept within reach—over his shoulder and opened the door.
“…”
His hair wasn’t even combed.
It took Cyprus less than five minutes to gather Tangerine and Yujein and confirm that Praha and Yusara were absent.
“Something must have happened to Yusara. Praha witnessed it and followed her.”
“The culprit is almost certainly Marquis Prome.”
“Oh, what do we do? If the Crown Prince followed the lady yesterday… several hours must have already passed by now.”
Yujein whispered, her face turning pale.
Cyprus asked.
“Tangerine, how many armed soldiers does this castle have?”
“More than ten, fewer than fifteen. If we include the street thugs barely capable of throwing a punch, over sixty.”
“That’s excessive.”
“Yes. There’s definitely something going on. Beating down trash who only know how to swing their fists is nothing, but if they press their numbers, it won’t be easy.”
Tangerine, her usual whiny tone completely gone, reported on the security of Promae Castle that she’d learned about in the meantime.
When Praha was absent, Cyprus was Tangerine’s highest superior.
The two spoke in rapid succession, more serious than ever before.
Secret passages in Promae Castle, the times when guards changed shifts on the castle walls, back alleys… Yujein, listening, was astonished.
‘How did Tangerine learn all of that?’
It was a moment when Tangerine’s preparedness—having rummaged through the castle talking about roasting birds and such the moment she arrived in Promé—shone brilliantly.
“Here’s what we’ll do.”
Cyprus, after thinking briefly, made his proposal.
“They only kidnapped the lady. There’s a high probability they don’t know that Praha followed the kidnapped lady. If they did, things wouldn’t be as quiet as they are now.”
“Then.”
“We have no chance of winning a direct confrontation. We’ll leave Promé right now as planned. After that…”
“We’ll return through the secret passage Tangerine discovered, is that what you mean?”
“Yes. We’ll come back and follow the traces Praha left behind. It won’t be easy since time has already passed, but fortunately I have good eyes.”
Besides, I’ve already executed operations this way multiple times with Praha.
‘Though this is the first time that fool has rushed off without telling me.’
He must have been quite desperate.
To be clear, Praha isn’t normally this foolish.
He surely must have known.
How reckless it was to dash out with nothing but a word to an untrustworthy Servant, leaving him behind.
‘Yet he wouldn’t have seen anything coming.’
What man keeps his wits about him when the woman he loves has been dragged away?
Still, even so.
Madman.
Cyprus, sighing inwardly, spoke to Yujein.
“And I must ask you an unfortunate favor, Miss Yujein.”
“Yes?”
“Since considerable time has already been lost, Tangerine and I will infiltrate Promé again ourselves. In exchange, I ask that you take a carriage to the Nearby City and bring back the military forces stationed there.”
“Military forces….”
“Yes. Even if Tangerine and I manage to rescue the two of them, we’ll still be outnumbered. Can you do this?”
“Yes, I can! I just need to bring the Imperial Family’s military forces stationed in the city, correct?”
“Precisely.”
“I’ll do my best!”
Cyprus nearly added that she needn’t strain herself, but stopped. It wouldn’t have been sincere.
Telling her not to strain herself would be a lie. Rather, he hoped Yujein would push herself to the limit. He wanted her to hurry, to bring as many troops as possible.
‘Hours wasted, knowing nothing.’
Though he maintained composure, Cyprus was inwardly anxious.
And Yujein truly delivered.
To the extent that when Cyprus and Tangerine, who had been tracking the traces Praha left behind, discovered the Mansion, Yujein, who had brought military forces from the Nearby City, arrived at almost precisely the same moment.
“Your Holiness! You’ve arrived!”
Tangerine, with leaves clinging to her crown from the carriage ride, greeted the pale-faced Yujein. Cyprus was observing the sacks piled around the Mansion, the corpses within them, and the final traces Praha had left behind.
“There’s a magical security device at the front gate. …Wait, but it doesn’t seem to be functioning….”
Boom!
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
A sudden explosion echoed.
The three of them, who had been huddled together at the Mansion’s front entrance, startled and looked up.
What lay before their eyes was a sight of wonder.
The Mansion, which had stood intact moments before, was collapsing from the foundation up as if a dam had burst. Windows shattered in unison, vibrations, noise, and sparks of fire….
Yet remarkably, there was no damage on their side.
Cyprus grasped the situation precisely.
“An artificial explosion caused by magic.”
“Then the Princess and the Crown Prince inside are….”
Yujein covered her mouth with her hand. Tangerine, brushing the falling ash from Yujein’s hair with a wave of her hand, let out a soft laugh.
“I believe those two created that explosion.”
“…Ah!”
By then, Cyprus was already running.
He rounded the corner of the Mansion in a frantic sprint. Between the dense trees, a pair of man and woman came into view.
The man lay collapsed, and the woman tore open his shirt, pressing down on his heart.
Yusara, her hands upon Praha’s chest, was crying out something unintelligible.
Her hair whipped about her face, sweat streaming down her forehead and chin.
Cyprus, who had been about to rush toward them, slowly came to a halt.
“….”
Light scattered across Yusara’s entire body.
It seemed like pearls of gathered sunlight bursting forth, or delicate golden petals dancing upon the wind.
Or perhaps pale golden wings fluttering once, spreading a breeze across the surroundings.
Wake up!
Her cry, the wind—
had become light, soaring through the air.
When that light reached Praha, his eyes opened.
In that moment, Cyprus saw only Yusara.
“….”
His eyes were dazzled.
‘What on earth is that?’
Sun. Wings. Gold. Light. Angel.
…Magic.
Yes, it was truly magic.
Praha, regaining his senses, whispered something to Yusara, then gently folded up her sleeve. She smiled through her tear-stained face.
When the corners of her weeping mouth lifted into a smile.
‘Ah….’
A tingling thrill coursed down his spine.
The world brightened.
“Good heavens….”
Tangerine and Yujein, who had followed from behind, gasped in astonishment.
But Cyprus could not hear their voices.
His eyes were simply dazzled.
The forest was dense with trees, the air acrid from the explosion of the mansion, light barely penetrated through the leaves, and Yusara possessed hair far from bright in color, now covered in blood and dust—yet.
Cyprus thought.
That Yusara had cast magic to save Praha. That her magic had brought him back to life.
No….
That she herself was magic.
And that he, too, was not free from that magic.
Cyprus had been enchanted.
[Mount Prome]
-Yusara, Praha, Cyprus, Yujein, Tangerine (Survived)

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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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