Possessed a Healing Game, but It’s a Zombie Apocalypse - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 16

Just then, the warehouse door creaked open and Ishanka emerged. He was holding a long bow in his hands.

“It took some time to prepare.”

At first glance, it was a longbow that was half his height. The bow looked like it would take three strong men to draw, but Ishanka pulled it as easily as handling a child’s toy.

【Ishanka has hunted the leader of the unknown birds. With their leader gone, all the birds leave the farm at once. As a party member hunting effect, Adrienne Rogueton receives a small amount of experience points.】

“They’re Pheasants. They usually eat tree fruits and insects deep in the forest, but since there’s nothing to eat around here, they must have come this far.”

Ding!

【You have discovered the name of the unknown birds. They will be registered in the newly added animal encyclopedia. Adrienne Rogueton receives experience points.】

The system seems determined since the update – now it even gives experience points just for learning the name of a new bird.

Do you think I’ll be grateful just because you’re handing out experience points like this? Yes, I’m grateful. Thank you very much.

“Where did you get the bow?”

“I made it. There aren’t any suitable trees for bow-making around here, so I made this as a temporary solution. It won’t last long.”

“It looks well-made to me though. But your archery skills are quite impressive – I guess you were also a hunter.”

‘Well, this isn’t like the modern world where jobs are highly specialized. And hunting and meat are inseparable.’

Watching Nana nod to herself as she convinced herself with her own logic, Ishanka smiled silently.

He couldn’t tell what strange thoughts were going through that little head of hers, but it didn’t seem like she suspected him of being from a minority ethnic group. Sometimes it’s not a bad choice to let misunderstandings resolve themselves.

“Let’s say that’s the case. How about roasted Pheasant for lunch? Since it’s been eating the crops here for several days, it’s gotten quite plump.”

Not fish, but meat! At the thought of eating juicy meat after so long, Nana’s stomach, which had been quiet until now, rumbled loudly. But there was one problem.

“But I don’t know how to prepare birds.”

“I do. Excuse me for a moment.”

Ishanka headed to the warehouse backyard, already drawing a short knife from his chest. A few minutes later, there was a sharp chopping sound from the backyard, followed by black feathers, presumably from the caught bird, fluttering over the wall.

“I guess being a butcher helps. He’s handling the bird preparation without hesitation.”

Oh, this isn’t the time for that. Nana, who had been staring blankly toward the backyard, headed to the vegetable garden where tender vegetables grew to make a salad to go with the meat.

* * *

“Wow!”

Nana’s mouth opened wide at the feast spread before her. The roasted Pheasant that Ishanka had prepared and cooked, along with the bread he had kneaded and baked himself, gave off delicious aromas.

“It’s freshly cooked, so it should be delicious. Please eat it before it gets cold.”

Ishanka placed a large wooden bowl in the center of the table. The bowl contained the tender leafy vegetables that Nana had prepared earlier, mixed with an unfamiliar sauce.

“Wow. This taste is really. Wow.”

Unable to continue speaking as she ate, Ishanka watched Nana’s face with a pleased smile.

“Is it that delicious?”

“Is it that delicious, you ask? This is the best food I’ve ever eaten! Even Dorothy from the village, who had the best cooking skills, couldn’t make anything better than this.”

As Nana chewed the meat with a genuinely happy expression, Ishanka naturally added vegetables from the wooden bowl to her plate.

“Try splitting the bread in half and putting the vegetables and meat inside to eat together. The taste will be different.”

When Nana wrapped the meat and vegetables in bread as Ishanka instructed and took a bite, a new flavor filled her mouth just as he had said.

“Wow, wow! To think such a taste exists in the world. This is why people say to travel. I’ve been living too narrowly.”

“That’s an interesting way to put it. Is it really that good?”

“Are you asking if it’s just words? Especially this spicy seasoning goes well with the meat, and the salad you told me to eat with it cuts through the greasiness of the meat, so I can keep eating endlessly.”

“Please eat as much as you want. There’s still plenty of meat left.”

“You eat too, Isha.”

“I am eating.”

Watching Nana happily eating the food he had made, Ishanka suddenly recalled old memories.

When he was just a child, he often helped his parents prepare meals.

When the whole family sat around together to eat the finished food, especially seeing his young siblings eating with bright smiles, he felt full just from watching.

Perhaps because Nana’s innocent laughter resembled his younger siblings from back then, Ishanka found himself wishing time would stop flowing like this.

“What’s the spice in this meat? I don’t think I’ve seen it at the general store.”

“It’s called ‘Ternuga.’ It grows in the barren lands where minority ethnic groups live.”

At that moment, Nana’s fork, which had been busily moving around her plate, stopped abruptly.

‘Oh no, I made a mistake.’

He frowned slightly. Caught up in Nana’s bright face, he had unknowingly made a fatal error.

Kingdom people basically disliked minority ethnic groups. The ones they had mocked as northern barbarians were rapidly conquering the south, establishing nations of minority ethnic groups and growing powerful enough to threaten the kingdom.

To kingdom people, minority ethnic groups were no longer barbarians living in distant northern lands. They were a great enemy that had approached right before their eyes.

At this rate, Nana might report him to the authorities. Should he deal with her before that happened?

Even if she had good feelings toward him, Nana was a kingdom person and Ishanka was from a minority ethnic group. Not just any minority ethnic group member, but a king who stood above them all.

The moment a king was captured by an enemy nation, the country would collapse. Ishanka habitually prioritized duty over his own emotions.

Normally, killing her to silence her would be the most certain method, but for some reason he didn’t want to do that, so he decided to just knock her unconscious and was about to stand up when Nana, who had been silent, opened her mouth.

“This spice. Does it grow well in fertile soil too?”

At Nana’s unexpected words, Ishanka, who had been getting up, slowly sat back down.

“…What?”

“I’m asking if it’s a plant that only grows in barren environments.”

“That… probably not.”

“Then do you happen to have seeds for this spice?”

“Ternuga itself is a spice made by grinding seeds. Of course I have them.”

At that moment, Nana’s eyes sparkled. Ishanka opened his mouth with a suspicious expression, thinking surely not…

“Shall I give you some?”

Nana’s eyes sparkled even more.

My goodness, she wouldn’t be this happy even if I brought her a deer.

Ishanka took out a small pouch from his chest and handed it to Nana. A bright smile bloomed on Nana’s face.

“Oh my. You don’t need to give me this much.”

Despite her words, watching Nana express joy with her whole body, Ishanka smiled gently.

“Are you that pleased?”

“Of course. Researching and growing new crops always excites a farmer.”

But in truth, there was a bit of Nana’s personal interest mixed in here too.

‘The spicy taste was similar to peppers. If I grow this well, I might be able to make something like chili powder.’

If there was one thing missing from her otherwise satisfying life in the game, it was the lack of crops that provided spicy flavors.

Food made with freshly harvested crops and fresh ingredients was always delicious, but sometimes there were dishes that left her wishing she could just add some chili powder to make them perfectly spicy.

But now that she had found a spice that provided spicy flavor, she could satisfy that longing. Nana had the zombies plant the Ternuga seeds by hand in the newly cleared land and watered them, hoping they would grow healthy and strong.

However, Nana’s wish ended just three days later when she found the field completely devastated and dug up everywhere.

“Wild boars came through and made a mess. This area only had the ground dug up, but the damage to other fields might be more serious.”

The zombies that had been patrolling at night were all hanging from trees, flailing about, apparently having been charged by the wild boars.

“It seems like they know the farm zombies aren’t aggressive. Most animals instinctively avoid them.”

“…I’ll get rid of them all.”

“What?”

Nana muttered quietly while emanating an ominous atmosphere. Then she stood up with a determined expression.

“Let’s go to the Eastern Forest.”

“Why do you suddenly want to go there?”

When Nana raised her head, madness was already gleaming in her eyes.

“I’m going to make that forest my land.”

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