A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 85

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

About how I, once called the Empire’s representative villainess, suddenly became a fairy.
Tangerine’s eyes gleamed as she cried out.
“My lady, I saw it!”
“Saw what?”
“I saw you saving the Crown Prince!”
“Ah… that.”
Certainly, in the forest yesterday, I had made Praha’s heart—which had stopped once—beat again.
The moment I spoke, the surroundings blazed with light and particles scattered everywhere, so there was no way to deny it.
It was something I had done.
‘Honestly, I have no idea how I managed it, and even if you asked me to do it again, I couldn’t….’
In any case, it was my ability.
“What happened? Do you possess divine power as well, my lady?”
“The truth is….”
After explaining briefly, Cyprus spoke.
“It’s magic.”
Magic.
Power manifested through human will.
Even those not chosen by God, even those without favorable innate conditions.
It was proof that if a person possessed will, they could accomplish anything.
Saving Praha was the result of my will to save him.
Tangerine’s cheeks flushed as she struck the table repeatedly.
“This is truly a rare talent! Ordinary mages, even when they awaken their talents, use magic through calculation and mediums—they don’t cast spells with just an incantation like you do, my lady!”
Right, Mascarpone had said something similar before.
“My lady, have you never used magic before?”
At Tangerine’s question, I naturally turned to look at Cyprus.
Cyprus, who had been gazing down at Praha sleeping like a baby with an expression of displeasure, felt my gaze and turned to look at me. He raised one eyebrow as if asking, ‘Why?’
I turned my eyes away from his flawless face and spoke to the group.
“Actually….”
Yusara’s dark history confession time.
I told them about the hypnotic ability I had manifested at the New Year’s banquet after being rejected by Cyprus when I was young.
“The Crown Prince, who was reading a book behind the curtain at the time, saved me….”
Cyprus’s expression became peculiar as he listened to my words.
‘Right, I rejected you then and wasn’t in my right mind.’
It was embarrassing to have to tell from my own mouth how, in a past I could barely remember now, I had pretended to be fine in front of others while crying my eyes out behind closed doors and even awakened magic.
‘At least I awakened magic thanks to it, so there’s one good thing that came from it.’
Fortunately, the group’s interest lay elsewhere after hearing my dark history.
Bang. Tangerine struck the table once more. The table was going to break.
“Then you’ve been a mage since back then!”
Yujein chimed in.
“That’s right! That’s really amazing! Why didn’t you tell us?!”
“…Are you embarrassed?”
“Embarrassed?!”
“You’re embarrassed about being capable?!”
“It’s not quite that…”
I met Yujein’s gaze as she clasped her hands together, studying me intently, and spoke honestly.
“It feels wrong, somehow. You, Yujein—the one I used to feel inferior to—you manifest sacred power that saves lives, while I only awakened this creeping hypnotic ability to control others. That’s the difference.”
“…”
“If that ability became known, I was afraid people would either curse me more or avoid me entirely, refuse to even acknowledge me.”
“…”
“But don’t worry—I don’t feel inferior to you anymore now.”
I’m a person who has achieved things through my own strength now.
I graduated from university, secured a good job. I’ve saved money, and even if I were fired tomorrow, I have the skills and experience to find new employment.
Everything I’ve accomplished through my own effort becomes my pride, anchoring me firmly so I won’t be shaken by others.
…Even if this world doesn’t have such things.
After listening to my story, Yujein, who had been lost in thought, suddenly spoke.
“But you saved someone yesterday with that ability, didn’t you? Then it’s no longer just a creeping hypnotic power, is it?”
“…”
“I believe your ability is a force that can drive human will forward. A power capable of making a dying person’s heart beat again, of drawing out a person’s latent potential to its absolute limit and creating miracles.”
“Exactly! In the past, you only used that power to force some petty noblewoman’s mouth shut, but this time you saved a life! It all depends on how you use it! And that choice comes from your will!”
And honestly, I don’t even think forcing that noblewoman’s mouth shut was wrong—it felt satisfying! Tangerine struck the table again and finally shattered it.
“When I go into battle, I’d love it if you’d use your power for me!”
“But the duration barely lasts a minute…”
“Do you know how long a minute is in a fight?!”
Tangerine added as she carefully gathered up the broken pieces of the table.
“Like a Valkyrie!”
“…A Valkyrie?”
A Valkyrie—a fairy said to have brought the banner of victory to humans in the ancient battles between gods and mankind.
The pronunciation isn’t exactly the same, but it’s close enough to Earth’s Valkyrie, so let’s call it that.
It’s far too grand a title for me.
Tangerine asked with a giggle.
“Which do you prefer—fairy or Valkyrie?”
“They’re both fairies anyway…”
As I shook my head, everyone laughed.
It was absurd, but honestly, I felt relieved.
I’d been secretly worried about how they’d react when I brought this up.
The anxiety I’d carried with me ever since joining the Investigation Team.
—’What if in a crisis, I use my hypnotic ability like my past self? What if I become someone like Troublemaker, pushing others into danger instead of facing it myself?’
If I were to witness my worst possible self, something I didn’t even know lurked within me.
Even if I’m always careful and vigilant to prevent that, what if such actions burst forth instinctively?
But my companions showed me a different direction.
A different application for the hypnotic ability I’d once deemed my greatest curse.
Not a method to kill others, but to save them.
It felt like a shackle that had always bound my ankles was finally breaking free.
“I believe the Lady’s fainting was likely an aftereffect of overusing magic!”
“Is that so.”
“When the Crown Prince awakens, I must tell him! That His Highness was revived by a Valkyrie’s kiss!”
“What? I didn’t kiss him!”
“Oh? You didn’t? How strange… I could have sworn yesterday…”
“Ah, that reminds me!”
I hastily changed the subject.
“What happened to Smoothie? And the Marquise Prome and her son?”
Given that we now occupied Promae Castle, it seemed everything had gone well, but I still needed confirmation.
At my question, Tangerine swung a fragment of the table she was holding.
“Smoothie was clever, wasn’t he? The Grand Duke found him hiding in the Library with his younger siblings after sensing something was amiss!”
“The Library?”
“A place the Lord Promé’s family would never visit!”
That was certainly true.
“How did His Highness know Smoothie was hiding there?”
I turned to Cyprus, who was still gazing intently at Praha (why are you bothering the sleeping boy), and he chuckled.
“Thanks to your Ladyship’s maids.”
“My maids?”
“Yes.”
Cyprus, who had carried me down from the Mountain yesterday, had initially intended to replace all my maids.
“Why?”
“Those maids disrespected the Grand Duchess.”
Did they?
“The Grand Duchess’s memory seems poor.”
“I’m quite certain I’m not the Grand Duchess, so don’t worry.”
“Hmph. Anyway.”
But when he brought me down injured, he found that the maids adored me so much. Seeing my wounds, they wept, asking how such a thing could have happened.
‘Of course they would. I’m a boss who lets them clock out on time.’
Watching the maids care for me with such devotion, Cyprus immediately changed his stance.
“The maids know many things. They gather information their master carelessly reveals, never considering that maids are people with ears and opinions of their own.”
“Indeed.”
Nobles never think that ‘maids have ears and their own thoughts.’ Treated like NPCs, the maids gathered information.
Yet unlike NPCs, they could act according to their own will.
“The maids, who had always pitied Smoothie, hid him in the Baron’s Library. We retrieved him from where he was buried among the books.”
“Then the Baron’s family…”
“They are now imprisoned. An administrator arriving from the Capital will soon deliver appropriate punishment.”
“Will Smoothie also face punishment?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Thank goodness.”
Despite our chatter, Praha remained silent, sleeping as peacefully as an infant. I gazed down at his pale face, which showed no signs of waking.
Look at those dark circles under his eyes.
He’s gone from coldly handsome to hauntingly beautiful…
“You said he woke briefly earlier? There’s nothing preventing him from staying awake, is there?”
“Rest assured, Grand Duchess—there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”
“He seems to have a fever.”
I leaned my face close to Praha’s and studied him intently. His cheekbones and the tips of his ears were definitely flushed. Was he overheated?
I turned to Cyprus.
“Isn’t this room too warm for the Crown Prince?”
“It’s likely from having so many people here. It should resolve once we leave.”
“Hmm. May I check his forehead?”
“Absolutely not. The Court Physician forbade it.”
“…Is that so?”
Why would that be forbidden?
There must be some medical reason I wasn’t aware of. Being one to respect expert opinion, I withdrew my hand from Praha’s forehead.
Tangerine, who had been cleaning up the broken table, interjected.
“The Court Physician said that? Why didn’t I hear about it!”
“He told me.”
…I was still worried.
I pulled the blanket higher over sleeping Praha and rose to my feet.
“It’s best not to disturb someone who’s resting. I’ll step out. Tangerine, would you mind helping me?”
I didn’t want to be carried by Cyprus again.
“Of course!”
“I’m coming too!”
Yujein quickly stood. Whenever her strength returned, she channeled her sacred power into Praha bit by bit, contributing to his wound treatment.
“I’ll remain here. Someone needs to watch over Praha.”
I nodded to Cyprus as he said this.
“Please let me know when the Crown Prince wakes. I’m worried.”
“Of course.”
I took one last look at sleeping Praha before leaving the room.
* * *
“Valkyrie!”
“Please just call me normally!”
“Hehe.”
“Yujein, why are you laughing quietly!”
The three women chattered merrily as they departed.
Click.
The door closed.
“….”
“….”
Cyprus looked down at Praha.
With a soft thud, Cyprus kicked the bed and spoke.
“Stop that. Get up.”
At his words, Praha’s eyes opened.
His clear amber eyes held no trace of drowsiness.
He looked perfectly fine.
[(Safe Zone) Promae Castle]
– Yusara, Praha, Cyprus, Yujein, Tangerine (Alive)

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