A Korean Office Worker Who Became a Nuisance Villainess in a Zombie Story - Chapter 90
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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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“Yujein!”
I rushed over in alarm.
The bathwater looked like spilled wine, with a rich bergamot fragrance wafting through the air….
Fragrance?
“…My lady?”
Yujein, who had been lounging with her nose submerged in the water, lifted her head with a drowsy shake. She glanced between my pallid face and her own state before breaking into a sheepish smile.
“I’m sorry. I must have dozed off because I was so tired.”
“…Why is the water that color?”
“Oh, I dissolved a bath additive in it.”
“A bath additive?”
“Yes. Since this city is famous for its flower industry, I heard these bath additives made from flower extracts are quite popular here.”
The door burst open!
“My lady!”
Tangerine came rushing in at that very moment.
“I’ve brought refreshments!”
An excited Tangerine set a tray on the rim of the enormous bathtub containing Yujein.
What is this. I was startled for nothing.
I spoke with a deflated tone.
“Well then, I’ll just step outside.”
“Where are you going, my lady?”
“Where are you going, fairy?”
“Out…side?”
“What?! Didn’t we agree to enjoy a night just for us women!”
“That’s right! We said we’d have fun together today!”
Did we?
It seems like we might have mentioned something like that while eating dinner.
But what does that have to do with bathing?
“A night for women begins with bathing together!”
“Exactly! That’s why we specifically reserved a room with a large bathtub!”
“And Tangerine even brought refreshments!”
“Right!”
“….”
…And so I found myself sitting in the enormous bathtub alongside Tangerine and Yujein, eating sherbet….
“So, my lady, what are your feelings?”
Yujein, her pink hair neatly tucked into a towel, asked me while eating sherbet. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“What feelings?”
“What do you mean, what feelings! Your feelings toward Smoothie, of course.”
Tangerine quickly chimed in from beside me.
“It certainly seems like he has feelings for our lady, doesn’t it?”
“Of course!”
“Heh heh heh….”
“What, just because I gave her a bouquet once….”
“It wasn’t just a bouquet! You said you’d make a donation in the Lady’s name too!”
“That’s right!”
“If you’re giving money and flowers! You’ve given everything!”
“That’s right!”
“Smoothie may not be a nobleman and has no fortune, but the Lady possesses both of those things anyway, so it doesn’t matter, does it?”
“That’s right!”
The two of them were perfectly in sync.
In Yujein and Tangerine’s minds, Smoothie had already become a pure-hearted man harboring an ardent, unrequited love for me.
But I remained skeptical.
‘If he likes me just because I gave him a bouquet once, then what was that about taking a blade meant for me because he didn’t want to see me hurt?’
If Smoothie liked me, then what about Praha?
The moment he learned I’d been kidnapped, he came to rescue me without hesitation, and even when his own life hung by a thread, he prioritized my safety first.
Was that the love of the century?
‘Praha liking me doesn’t make sense.’
The thought left a hollow ache in my chest. I scooped up a large spoonful of sherbet and put it in my mouth without thinking.
The moment I fell silent with the spoon in my mouth, Yujein and Tangerine exchanged meaningful glances with each other.
“It seems the Lady’s heart isn’t entirely unmoved either.”
“Honestly, he is quite handsome.”
“Is he? I see the faces of the two Highnesses every day, so at this point, I can barely recognize what counts as handsome anymore.”
Contrary to what the two of them assumed—that I must be thinking of Smoothie—my mind was filled entirely with thoughts of Praha.
The reflections on Praha that I’d postponed due to the urgency of recent events seized my mind the moment an opportunity presented itself.
‘Don’t get ahead of yourself. Praha may have come to rescue me simply out of a sense of responsibility.’
He would have done the same if Cyprus had been in my place.
‘Then what about that strange atmosphere in the Prison?’
Emotions naturally run high in urgent situations. That must have been it.
I couldn’t forget that in my past life, I died at Praha’s hands because I jumped to conclusions and acted rashly.
Repeating the same mistake twice is something only a fool would do.
‘So if Praha is just someone prone to kindness, then what about Cyprus?’
Why is Cyprus suddenly acting that way?
‘Because Praha is treating me differently now, he’s probably just amused watching from the sidelines and poking at me for fun.’
Cyprus’s gaze when he looked at me earlier was so intense that I almost fell for it for a moment.
No.
I couldn’t act without concrete evidence.
“…Um, Lady.”
My deliberation must have taken too long.
Yujein called out to me tentatively.
“Regardless of Smoothie’s feelings, the most important thing is your own heart, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. What are your feelings, Lady?”
“…I don’t know.”
I really don’t know.
What do I feel toward Praha, or Cyprus?
First, my feelings toward Cyprus can be summed up in one word.
= Ugh.
He’s devastatingly handsome and flamboyant, yet whenever I look at him, I find myself rolling my eyes and sighing.
Praha, on the other hand.
Praha is….
‘I can’t look him straight in the eye.’
I can’t meet his gaze, it feels awkward, uncomfortable, and unnatural when I’m near him. One thing was certain—I became acutely self-conscious of every single action I took in front of Praha.
Ah, I don’t know.
I turned to Yujein and Tangerine, who were scraping away the last of their sherbet.
“Do either of you have someone you like? An ideal type, perhaps?”
Tangerine answered confidently.
“I like any handsome man.”
“Oh.”
She knows how to appreciate a man.
“What about you, Yujein?”
“Ah, well, I… I do have an ideal type, but….”
Yujein’s cheeks flushed as red as her hair color, and she could barely speak. In that instant, Tangerine and I exchanged a knowing glance. We immediately cornered Yujein.
“What’s your ideal type?”
“Yes! We’re curious!”
It better not be something like a kind man who treats me well.
That’s just the bare minimum!
“Why won’t you tell us, Saint?”
“Come on!”
“Just say ‘a kind man’ or something!”
“Right! I’m getting worried about you!”
“Um, is it really okay if I say it?”
“Of course! Go ahead!”
“We’re listening!”
“Well… then I’ll tell you….”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“First, he needs to be at least a head taller than me, but not if that height comes from a large head—his head needs to be small with a long neck. His lower body should be longer than his upper body. The back of his head shouldn’t be flat; it should have good shape. His eyebrows and bridge of his nose should be distinct. His skin should be clean, and stubble shouldn’t be prominent. I don’t like beards either. His eyebrows should be full but not messy—I’d like them to be groomed. Short eyelashes are fine, but his sclera should be clear, and I hate dull eyes. I’d prefer bright, clear eyes with vitality. His nose should be high and pointed as I mentioned, and I prefer larger eyes that are wide and open rather than small and cramped ones. His upper lip shouldn’t be too thin, and his teeth should be straight. Bad breath is absolutely unacceptable! I’d prefer someone more sensitive to scent than I am. His overall harmony should give the impression of a handsome man at first glance. His limbs should be long, shoulders broad and angular, with a large chest and hands and feet. His muscles should be well-defined throughout his body, his abdomen flat and toned, his calves long, and his pelvis should form a straight line when he wears pants. His hands should be large with nails always trimmed short, and his voice should be a pleasant deep tone…. (and so on)”
“….”
“….”
“And finally, his spelling should be correct, and no matter how knowledgeable he is, I absolutely hate men who try to teach me things. I also dislike men who mumble or stammer. When sitting in a chair, spreading his legs wide without considering the person next to him is the worst. Oh, and! When someone likes another person, I’d prefer they not be cowardly and probe uncertainly or weigh and question things out of fear of rejection. If you like someone, be honest with your feelings. I hate being confused. But I also hate it even more when someone forces their feelings on me without asking for my consent!”
“….”
“….”
Yujein….
She outranks me?
“You seem to be living quite well, Miss Yujein.”
“Right? I learned a thing or two from you!”
Tangerine giggled.
Watching Yujein feel embarrassed after saying everything on her mind, I couldn’t help but laugh as well.
“Exactly. A man who nitpicks inventory is the absolute worst.”
Even as we emerged from the bath with our skin all pruned and wrinkled, we continued that conversation.
“If he’s going to poke at a dessert he doesn’t even like, I wish he wouldn’t show that he likes it in the first place.”
“Right. If you like something, make it clear without confusion, or just keep it hidden in silence forever… Your Highness the Crown Prince?”
I opened the door to set out the empty sherbet bowl, then froze in surprise.
Praha stood before the door, his posture awkward as if he’d been about to knock.
Praha, eyes wide, hesitated.
“…I have something to tell Lord Tangerine, so….”
“Ah. Oh. I see.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
“Would you like to come in?”
“No, no. It’s just….”
“Your Highness! What’s the matter?!”
Tangerine rushed out wearing her nightclothes inside-out. Even after obtaining the Tangerine he sought, Praha’s gaze lingered on me for a moment before he stiffly closed the door.
Click.
Yujein murmured.
“The Crown Prince must have heard everything we were saying, right?”
“…Probably.”
I felt terribly embarrassed, but….
“Well, so what if he did? It’s not like we cursed anyone out.”
“That’s right! Then shall we lie down and finish our conversation, my lady?”
“Sounds good!”
Ignoring the uncomfortable prickling sensation at the back of my head, I went to bed that night.
The next day.
“What in the world is this?!”
I woke up last after sleeping sprawled out, and I was astonished.
I thought someone had kidnapped me in my sleep and released me in a Flower Field.
Our entire three-person room was overflowing with flowers.
Yujein and Tangerine sat on the adjacent bed with expressions just as dazed as mine.
“The Crown Prince sent them….”
“…Is this all of them…?”
“Yes….”
“It’s not just here…. There are flowers in the Dining Room we use, the bathrooms, and, um, the Corridor as well….”
“There are some outside the window too….”
“Outside the window?”
I turned my head. It was true. The outer wall of the building across from our room was completely decorated with fresh flowers.
As if someone had resolved to transform every place my eyes could reach into a Flower Field.
“The entire City is in an uproar. Some handsome young man stormed into the Flower Market at dawn and bought every single flower.”
“Every single one?!”
Why would he do that?
I was bewildered by Praha’s sudden impulse—I’d never thought he particularly cared for flowers. I slipped on my slippers and climbed down from the bed, when Tangerine handed me a card.
“The Crown Prince said to give this to you when you woke, my lady!”
I received the card written in blue ink on cream-colored paper and opened it.
There was only a single sentence written there.
[I am, without question, the type who makes things clear.]
[Second Floor, Inn]
– 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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