A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 86

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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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“You’re one to talk. Do you want to do the same?”
Praha, ignoring Cyprus’s reproach, rose from the bed. The blanket covering him slipped away with a soft rustle.
Seeing the firm torso laid bare, Cyprus couldn’t help but suspect, ‘Was he deliberately going shirtless this whole time?’
Praha swung both legs over the edge of the bed and silently pulled on a shirt. His lean, muscular frame looked remarkably healthy, save for the raw scrapes and bandaged ribs on his side.
‘He was absolutely doing it on purpose.’
That despicable man who would stop at nothing to seduce others….
Cyprus thought this shamelessly, even though he himself had been lying beside Yusara wearing nothing but a robe just moments ago.
Praha draped the shirt over his shoulders and tidied the bedding. He smoothed out the large blanket with practiced motions and repositioned the pillows. With each movement, the muscles of his back rippled visibly.
Watching this display with arms crossed, Cyprus scoffed.
“Does it feel good to play the weakling and get everyone’s sympathy?”
“Yeah.”
“….”
“It feels really good.”
What shamelessness!
“Why are you even getting dressed? Just stay half-naked.”
“I’m cold.”
‘See? He was definitely doing it on purpose!’
Do you have no shame?
Cyprus felt his frustration boiling over.
Praha, it seemed, harbored his own grievances toward Cyprus.
Praha touched his forehead where a few strands of hair had fallen loose (Yusara had tried to brush them back just moments ago, but Cyprus had stopped her) before asking Cyprus a question.
“Cyprus.”
“What.”
“Why are you being so unhelpful?”
“Because I don’t intend to help.”
“….”
So much for friends sticking together.
Praha, shirt on but buttons still undone, settled into the chair by the window. Before him lay the table that Tangerine had destroyed.
Staring at the table, now cleanly split in two, Praha picked up the teacup that had been placed on the floor in its stead and took an elegant sip.
“Button your shirt properly.”
Cyprus nagged, determined not to let his eyes linger on his repulsive friend’s well-developed muscles, but Praha paid him no mind.
The two spoke simultaneously, each asking their own question.
“Why do you call Yusara the Grand Duchess?”
“Did you help Yusara at that New Year’s banquet?”
“Did Yusara permit you to use that title?”
“And you haven’t told anyone about it all this time?”
“Isn’t that title too grand to use as a mere jest?”
“Setting aside that you helped her, you knew she had magical abilities and never told a soul?”
“What happened between the two of you?”
“Have you actually been interested in Yusara since childhood?”
“….”
“….”
Someone answer me!
Yet both of them seemed intent only on hearing answers to their own questions, unwilling to provide any in return.
Praha set his teacup down on his knee, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.
His tea-dampened lips were, as always, full and warm, soft to the touch, slightly dry. And sufficiently tender.
I recalled the sensation of another’s touch upon those lips.
Though it hadn’t been ‘that kind of intention’, or so they claimed.
Yet I myself….
‘My heart nearly stopped the moment I opened my eyes.’
It wasn’t an exaggeration—even now, merely thinking of that moment made my heart tremble and my limbs tingle. I knew that accepting another’s pure goodwill in such a manner was a sordid act, and yet it happened regardless.
Though I needed rest, that memory kept surfacing, making daily life difficult.
‘No, wait—do I even have a daily life anymore?’
After all, I’m usually just thinking about Yusara anyway, aren’t I?
Thinking of it that way, nothing seemed to have changed much.
Cyprus, who had been glaring at Praha with icy eyes as he suddenly fell silent mid-conversation, spoke irritably.
“Were you actually planning to die?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I thought I had no choice but to accept death.”
“….”
“But.”
“But?”
“When I think of a man like you calling her by your side the Grand Duchess, I can’t close my eyes.”
“….”
Praha clearly disliked the title Grand Duchess.
Cyprus pressed his objection.
“What’s wrong with Grand Duchess? Do you know how pleasant the Southern Region is to live in?”
“The Southern Region isn’t the problem—it’s you being by her side that is.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“A philanderer. Many women. You never refuse them outright, leaving them all with hope. You speak well, feigning kindness, but there’s no sincerity behind it.”
“…Are you really my friend?”
Cyprus sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“I’ve done nothing with Yusara. There was never time for it anyway. The title Grand Duchess was just a joke.”
“A most unpleasant joke.”
“Yes.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
“If I answered you, you should answer me too…. Did you know from the beginning that Yusara was a mage? Have you harbored feelings for her all along?”
“I don’t feel like answering.”
“Hey!”
It was quite the heartwarming friendship to witness.
After huffing indignantly for a while, Cyprus snatched the teacup that Praha had rested on his knee and gulped it down greedily.
He drank so forcefully that the sound of liquid pouring down his throat was audible, then wiped the water that had dribbled down his chin with the back of his hand—a crude gesture utterly unlike the perpetually elegant Cyprus de Mer, Grand Duke.
Exhaling deeply, Cyprus suddenly spoke.
“I can’t afford to like her.”
Whether Cyprus drank the tea he’d stolen or not, Praha, who had been stretching his neck, lifted his head at those words.
“Can’t afford to?”
“That’s right. I can’t.”
“….”
Since when had affection become a matter of permission and prohibition?
Yet Cyprus was deadly serious.
“Until now, there were no problems. Ignoring her, not liking her—everything went according to my will. Until now.”
“….”
“But now I truly don’t know anymore.”
“….”
“For the first time… I feel as though my heart has slipped beyond my control.”
“…Then why can’t you like her?”
“There are reasons. Such things exist.”
What could those be? Praha’s brow furrowed.
“I can’t understand a word of what you’re saying.”
“That’s fine. I wasn’t asking you to understand.”
“Then why are you saying it?”
“To warn you.”
“…A warning?”
“Yes. A warning.”
Cyprus set down the empty teacup carelessly and met Praha’s gaze.
Those verdant green eyes—the same ones Yusara had always praised in their childhood.
Looking into those eyes, so captivating in both form and luminescence, Praha felt a surge of displeasure.
Cyprus made his declaration.
“My conviction that I mustn’t like her remains unchanged. But I also don’t wish to see her standing beside you as the Crown Princess once this torment of mine has ended.”
“…So?”
“I’ll do my utmost to refuse you my aid.”
“….”
“I look forward to our rivalry, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Cyprus rose to his feet and extended his hand to Praha. He grasped the unmoving hand, shook it firmly, then departed the room with refreshing cheerfulness.
“You’re perfectly fine, so you won’t need an escort, will you?”
Leaving only those words behind.
“….”
Left alone, Praha furrowed his brow.
* * *
“Smoothie is probably in the Local Lord’s office right now!”
The Grand Duke entrusted him with acting as Local Lord until the Imperial Family’s administrator arrives!
Tangerine spoke with characteristic cheerfulness.
Being carried by Tangerine… I simply nodded quietly as we made our way.
If only I possessed strength comparable to Tangerine’s, I wouldn’t have suffered so much at the Mansion yesterday.
“Is that really acceptable? After all, Smoothie is a criminal who participated in tax evasion.”
“There’s no one else in Promé I can trust! If he tries anything funny, I’ll break his legs, so rest assured!”
“Oh….”
If Tangerine says she’ll do it, she really will do it….
Yujein, who had been following alongside us with quick steps, asked with innocent eyes.
“But Princess, why are you looking for him?”
“Ah. Well, you see.”
* * *
“…So that’s what happened.”
When I met Smoothie shortly after, his face was hollow. Even with the help of the Maids, hiding in the Library and trembling with anxiety had been quite a significant ordeal for this timid man.
I explained to Smoothie what had occurred at the Mansion where I was kidnapped, describing the Underground Dungeon and the people imprisoned there.
“…There was a boy and an elderly man with a large mole on his forehead… and a girl who appeared to be around twelve years old. I didn’t see everyone imprisoned there, though.”
“…Yes. Thank you, Princess. I will cross-reference the descriptions you’ve provided with our missing persons list.”
Smoothie nodded, his lips trembling slightly as he pressed them together.
Though neither of us spoke it aloud, we both understood.
Smoothie’s youngest sibling, who had gone missing years ago, was likely kidnapped by Lord Promé.
Lord Promé had kidnapped Smoothie’s sibling shortly after moving to this city, and used the excuse of finding the kidnapped sibling to embezzle Smoothie’s wages.
He had never even attempted to search for them, of course.
If they had been taken somewhere as a slave—
“Should I interrogate the Marquise Prome? Ask her what became of Smoothie’s sibling?”
I asked this with the intention of using my hypnotic ability to question the Lady of Prome and find out, but Smoothie shook his head.
“I’ve already asked the Lady myself.”
“…And?”
“She said they died. During the process of having their tongue cut off.”
“….”
Smoothie removed his glasses and wiped his reddened eyes as he spoke.
“Still, thanks to you, Princess, I’ve learned what happened to my sibling.”
Smoothie said that there were many times when he simply wanted to know whether they were dead or alive, or what had happened to them at all.
Surely everyone who had lost family without reason felt the same way.
My heart ached.
“Smoothie, if there’s anything I can help with separately, please tell me.”
“I’ll help too!”
“M-me too!”
“Your words alone are gratitude enough. …Well, I also have some information I’d like to share with you, Lady Yusara.”
With that, Smoothie retrieved a document envelope from the desk.
[(Safe Zone) Promae Castle]
– Yusara, Praha, Cyprus, Yujein, Tangerine (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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