A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 88

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

The day I left Promé.
‘Never again. I never want to see this wretched city again.’
If every place I went turned out like this, my lifespan would be cut short long before I ever faced a zombie.
“My lady, wait just a moment! Please take this with you!”
“And this too!”
As I climbed into the waiting carriage, the maids of Promae Castle who had served me all this time came rushing over. One of them thrust a brown envelope still steaming with warmth into my hands, and I accepted it without thinking. When I opened it, I found it filled with florentines and orangettes.
“We baked them fresh this morning at dawn.”
“You were the finest mistress we could have asked for….”
“We’ll never forget you….”
“Heh.”
I could have sworn that at first, they treated me coldly, as if I were disrespecting their true master. Yet in such a short time, their attitude had shifted so completely.
Such is the power of leaving work on time.
One punctual departure is enough to win over the hearts of workers, while employers who force overtime should really take a beating.
‘Not a single person mourned the annihilation of the local lord’s household they once served. They must have suffered terribly under his rule.’
I’d keep the truth about the gall wine that Lord Promé used to force-feed his retainers a secret….
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
I bowed politely and accepted the envelope. Tangerine beside me gazed at the snack pouch in my hands, her eyes gleaming.
“My lady, might you perhaps….”
“I’ll share it with you. Don’t worry.”
“You truly are a fairy!”
“….”
-Yusara’s Fairy Contract-
Fairy: Call me a fairy one more time
And: I’m going to give you a serious talking-to….
I shook my head and looked toward the castle’s main gate. Just then, Praha emerged, supported by a servant’s arm.
When our eyes met, Praha stepped forward to stand before me. Through the collar of an oversized shirt worn to avoid touching his wounds, I caught a glimpse of his collarbone stretching in a clean line.
I hadn’t noticed it during the CPR, too rushed to pay attention, but even his bones were handsome….
“….”
“….”
“Did you sleep well, my lady?”
“Yes… it’s noon now, so I slept well.”
This was practically the first time I’d seen him since we escaped together from the mansion.
‘I did see Praha sleeping, but his eyes were closed then.’
Unable to meet the amber gaze bearing down on me directly, I rolled my eyes away and asked, “Are your injuries all right?”
“Yes. Are you all right, my lady?”
“Yes. I’m fine too.”
“Yes. I’m fine too.”
“….”
“….”
An awkward silence settled between me, barely maintaining composure, and the taciturn Praha.
“….”
“….”
‘Why does this feel so awkward?’
There was nothing awkward about it, yet awkward it remained.
Somehow I found myself being more formal than usual, my nerves bristling at every small gesture Praha made.
‘Something is different from before.’
It wasn’t as though Praha and I had been particularly close before, but at least we’d exchanged jokes comfortably. Now, it was more like….
‘It feels like meeting someone for the first time on a blind date.’
Thinking back on what had transpired between Praha and me during those days we were kidnapped together, it was genuinely laughable.
‘I should have calculated and then jumped in!’
‘That was my calculation!’
‘I think you’ll need to do it again!’
Praha spoke to me casually, got irritated with me, called me “you”….
I, in turn, called him “Your Highness” and then “Lord Praha,” and I wept desperately saying I wouldn’t let him off easy if he died.
‘We were both out of our minds back then.’
At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it, but now, facing him with my sanity restored, every action from that day felt unbearably embarrassing.
The memory of me biting Praha’s finger as he spouted nonsense in the wardrobe and threatening him with “Are you a puppy? I’m a beast!” made my face burn so intensely it felt like it might catch fire.
Why on earth had I done that? Had I been drinking?
“Your wound hasn’t fully healed yet—are you certain you can ride in a carriage?”
“It won’t be pleasant, but we can’t afford to delay any longer.”
“Oh dear.”
Now that I thought about it, his face still looked rather gaunt.
Suppressing the awkward feeling that made even a single touch feel risky, I deliberately placed my hand on Praha’s forehead with feigned composure.
“No fever.”
“I have no strength.”
“My goodness….”
So he really was in pain. The way he was whimpering proved it.
Watching Praha accept my touch so meekly, a wave of sympathy and responsibility swelled within me. The man standing before me—all six feet three inches of him with shoulders broad as a mountain—looked as soft and fluffy as clover.
“Sit beside me on the ride. I’ll share some sweets with you.”
I supported the muscular clover that looked like it would collapse with a single tap. As I linked my arm through his, Praha flinched for a moment, but then naturally leaned against me.
“You can lean more.”
“I am leaning.”
“You’re not putting any of your weight on me at all.”
I looked up at Praha, telling him not to act tough now and to just lean on me, but our eyes met again.
“….”
“….”
“By the way, where did the Grand Duke go?”
This time, I was the first to look away.
‘Why am I suddenly being so shy about this?’
“Oh, there he comes!”
Just then, Cyprus appeared from the main gate.
He flashed a grin at me and strutted over like a model.
His golden hair, kissed by the noon sun, fell naturally just past his forehead, and he wore a pale green shirt. The soles of his shoes, barely visible, were a striking red.
Cyprus, dressed to the nines, caught sight of Praha leaning on my arm and let out a hollow laugh.
“Ha!”
What was that about?
“Good morning, Grand Duchess. And how is our ailing Praha this fine day?”
“Yes, good morning. Your Highness appears to be in excellent health.”
I spoke while surveying his dazzling attire. Cyprus smiled at my words.
“Given Praha’s condition, this is my chance to become the most handsome man in the Empire. How could I let that slip away?”
“….”
“Of course, even when Praha is perfectly fine, the most handsome man in the Empire is still me….”
“Let’s go.”
I was exhausted. I needed to leave this place quickly.
We boarded the spacious carriage we’d had refitted during our stay in Promé—large enough for all five of us with room to spare. Yujein, Tangerine, Cyprus, and Praha were already inside when I was about to board after saying my final farewells to the maids.
“My lady!”
Smoothie, whom I’d already greeted this morning in the Dining Room, came rushing over from the distance.
“Smoothie?”
What was this? I’d told him there was no need for a send-off since he’d be busy.
“My lady!”
Smoothie, his face flushed crimson, stopped before me and thrust what he’d been cradling into my hands.
It was a bouquet of flowers.
“Oh my!”
“Goodness!”
Yujein and Tangerine gasped softly in unison.
Every eye turned toward us.
Tangerine looked absolutely delighted, while Yujein’s cheeks had turned crimson. One of the maids surrounding us let out an involuntary squeak before covering her mouth with her hand.
Everyone was watching us with keen interest. Especially the gazes of Praha and Cyprus—both men’s eyes were relentless.
‘What on earth is happening….’
It didn’t seem like a confession, so what was it?
“Um… thank you?”
Seeing Smoothie kneeling and offering the bouquet with a face about to burst, I accepted it. As he rose to his feet, Smoothie gazed down at me with glistening eyes.
“Would you… like to talk over there?”
“No, please! I cannot take up so much of your time!”
Smoothie cried out that he’d rushed over because he felt he’d regret it if he didn’t say this.
“You are my savior, my lady! You saved me!”
“I did…?”
Strictly speaking, wasn’t it Praha who saved you?
As I glanced toward the carriage with that thought, I could see Praha holding his forehead.
Smoothie continued speaking.
“Thanks to Your Highnesses and the Lady’s grace, I’ve finally recovered the wages that were extorted from me all this time. It’s enough to send my younger sibling to university and secure lodging in the Capital. And thanks to the Crown Prince’s kindness, I’ve even obtained a position at the Imperial Palace. So… if I happen to pass the Imperial Tax Collector Position examination and receive my first month’s salary… would it be alright if I made a donation to an orphanage in the Lady’s name?”
“If you receive it?”
“I wanted to ask if I could make a donation under the Lady’s name!”
“Oh…”
Of course you can!
It’s not as though I’m committing crimes under my name—it’s a donation!
“Of course! You don’t even need to ask about something like that!”
At my words, Smoothie’s face brightened.
“It is the glory of my family! Every time I breathe the air of the Capital from now on, I shall think of the Lady who exists beneath the same sky!”
“No, don’t do that. Just write to our house instead. When I return, let’s share a meal together.”
“Ah…! Yes! I’ll send flowers with the letter!”
No, flowers aren’t necessary…
“Take care, Smoothie. I’ll see you in the Capital.”
“Yes! My Lady!”
I grasped Smoothie’s hand—trembling with emotion—and shook it firmly. Leaving him behind as he seemed ready to weep, I boarded the carriage. I opened the window to finish my farewell when—
Tap, tap!
The moment I sat down, Praha rapped on the carriage roof.
“Depart at once.”
Before I could even say goodbye, the carriage lurched into motion.
Why the sudden rush?
Beside me, bewildered, Tangerine and Yujein giggled while admiring the flowers.
“Wow, peonies!”
“I’ve never seen blooms this large before!”
“Did he really give his entire salary?!”
“How adorable!”
“My Lady, do you know the flower language of peonies?”
“…I don’t.”
“Bashfulness!”
“Oh, that suits him perfectly! His face is so small, so pale, so slender—and his cheeks have that lovely rosy tint.”
Tangerine clapped her hands, declaring it her type, then turned to me with a question.
“What do you think, my Lady? His skin is incredibly soft, isn’t it? It certainly looks that way.”
“…His hands were soft, I suppose.”
When we shook hands, I was surprised by how his skin felt like some sort of cream. As I gave an ambiguous reply, Cyprus across from me curved the corners of his eyes with amusement.
“‘Every time I breathe the Capital’s air, I shall think of the Lady who exists beneath the same sky.’ How romantic. Quite different from someone who can only manage gruff words.”
He laughed softly while glancing at Praha.
Praha, who had remained silent amid the lively chatter in the carriage, turned to me with a question.
“My Lady.”
“Ah… yes?”
“Do you have a preference for men with soft hands?”
“…”
I have a feeling I need to answer this carefully.
[(Safe Zone) Promae Castle]
– Yusara, Praha, Cyprus, Yujein, Tangerine (Survived)

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