I Reincarnated Into a Healing Game… and It’s a Zombie Apocalypse?! - Chapter 74

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

Episode 74

The alley as evening settled in.

After parting with the children, only Nana and Ishanka remained, just the two of them.

They moved their lips several times trying to speak to each other, but ultimately closed them, leaving only hesitation behind.

A brief silence lingered between the two.

“Um…”

Ishanka was the first to speak.

Nana looked up in surprise.

He hesitated for a moment, then turned his flushed face to the side and spoke briefly.

“…It will be night soon, so I’ll escort you back.”

“Oh, oh… yes, yes. The night is cold.”

Nana nodded hurriedly.

After that, the two began walking side by side in silence.

One step beside each other, at a distance both very close and far, Nana glanced at Ishanka beside her.

Her heart was pounding.

It felt like it would burst even while staying still.

It was as if a small bird was trapped in her chest, struggling.

They were close enough to touch if they just reached out, but that made it even more agonizing.

Nana turned her gaze down to her feet for no reason.

She clenched and unclenched her fingers several times, trying not to let her trembling heart be noticed.

‘No. Why am I getting so nervous just from walking together?’

Of course, the reason was obvious.

Because the person she liked was right beside her.

‘It’s not like I’ve never dated before. Why am I more nervous than during my first relationship?’

Nana was the type whose words got tangled and movements became clumsy when she liked someone.

But now, beyond being clumsy, she didn’t know what to do with even a single fingertip, like a young girl starting her first love.

Her ears were turning red as she kept her head down.

‘Right, this is because I haven’t dated for 5 years. My romantic cells have all dried up. Yeah, that must be it.’

Though she convinced herself of this, the pounding only grew stronger.

That’s when it happened.

“Adrien?”

“Uh, uh-uh-uh-uh?”

Nana’s voice completely cracked. Even so, Ishanka continued speaking with a calm expression.

“There’s a tree ahead. You’ll bump into it. Come this way.”

Only then did Nana notice the thick tree standing in front of her.

“Oh, haha, I was lost in thought…”

She laughed awkwardly and hurried to his side.

But Nana wasn’t the only one who was nervous.

Ishanka also treasured every little thing, wanting to share even the winter wind brushing past with her.

He wanted to call her name right now and hold her hand, even just lightly.

But he was afraid.

Afraid that their current relationship might crumble because of his greed.

Just then, a sudden wind swept through the alley.

Nana instinctively hunched her body and lost her balance, staggering. In that moment, Ishanka reflexively reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

It was a very brief moment.

But from where they touched, a hot thrill spread deep into both their hearts like sparks flying.

Swallowing their breath at the unfamiliar heat, the two hurriedly separated from each other as if electrocuted.

“Oh, uh, sorry. The wind suddenly blew…”

“No. The winter wind here is… cold.”

Ishanka answered awkwardly.

He didn’t even know what he was saying.

Both their hearts cried out the same thing.

‘What on earth am I saying?’

The wind died down and quiet settled over the alley again. After a moment of silence, Ishanka suddenly spoke up.

“…Do you like the clothes here?”

“Huh? Clothes? Oh… yes. I like them. The patterns are pretty, and they’re warm…”

She added while fidgeting with her clothes.

“Actually, I was worried because what I wore when I came here were autumn clothes. Thanks to this, I survived.”

“That’s fortunate. If you need anything else, please tell me anytime. You are…”

He forcibly refined the words he had swallowed for a moment.

“My colleague.”

Ishanka wanted to hit his own mouth.

Colleague.

All he could say was colleague.

That wasn’t the stiff, distant word he had wanted.

‘Sigh…’

In the past, he couldn’t understand those who lavished clothes and jewels on the women they loved.

He even looked down on such people as pathetic.

But now he envied them.

At least they wouldn’t do something as stupid as calling the woman they loved a colleague.

When Ishanka let out a long sigh, Nana burst into laughter.

“Even if I’m a colleague of the King, I can’t just accept expensive gifts. What if rumors spread later that I’m a Kingdom person who took bribes from the King?”

“Bribes? It’s just simple goodwill.”

“Well. From what I’ve experienced, there’s no such thing as free in this world.”

Nana shrugged her shoulders playfully.

“Especially gifts from those in power need extra caution. Who knows what they’ll demand later?”

Ishanka chuckled softly at Nana’s joke. He gazed at Nana as if lost in thought, then asked in a voice much softer than usual.

“Then how about this? This time, you give me a gift. That would be fair, wouldn’t it?”

“That sounds good. What would Isha like to have?”

You.

The answer rose to his throat, but he couldn’t bring it out.

His heart was racing madly, making him breathless.

He wanted to say it.

That she wasn’t just a passing connection or colleague to him, but someone more precious than anything else.

That he wanted to stand by her side as a man.

‘I adore you.’

The sincerity that had risen to his chin was beyond suppression.

Ishanka clenched his trembling fist. Using the pain of his nails digging into his palm to push away his fear, he barely opened his mouth.

“I… you…”

“Yaaaah! You bastard brother!”

A voice that seemed to tear the throat shook the alley.

Ishanka abruptly swallowed his words.

Nana also turned around in surprise.

There was Ateruna, waving both arms and running like an arrow.

“Save me! The old folks’ nagging is making my ears bleed!”

Ishanka despaired inwardly.

‘Why now of all times!’

The courage he had barely managed to take one step with scattered into thin air in an instant.

Ateruna came to a sliding stop in front of Nana, panting.

“Huh? The butler was here too?”

“Yes? I’m sorry, who might you be…?”

When Nana looked puzzled, Ateruna flinched.

Ah, right. The butler is seeing my human form for the first time.

“Oh, no! Nice to meet you! I’m this human’s, ah, no, this oppa’s real younger sister, Ateruna.”

Being short, Ateruna patted Ishanka’s waist instead of his shoulder.

“Ah, I’m…”

She was about to say the word “employer” out of habit but quickly shut her mouth.

This wasn’t her farm.

This was clearly a kingdom ruled by Ishanka, and the person in front of her was a princess of royal blood.

No matter how private their relationship was, introducing herself as “I’m the employer who works your oppa” in front of a princess would be insane.

She could easily be misunderstood as insulting the royal family or be treated like a madwoman.

‘But calling him a friend seems a bit awkward too…’

Then what word could define their relationship? The answer came surprisingly easily.

“I’m Adrienne Rogueton, Ishanka’s colleague.”

Watching Nana answer with a bright smile, Ishanka regretted his words even more.

* * *

In front of the fireplace at the manor.

With warm light quietly flickering, Ishanka was leaning back into the deep sofa.

Ateruna, sitting across from him, stared at Ishanka intently before breaking into a mischievous smile.

“Oppa, you know you were really funny today?”

“…What do you mean.”

“You were fidgeting next to the butler like a puppy that needs to poop. I almost died trying not to laugh.”

Ishanka didn’t respond and just stared at the logs burning in the fireplace.

“But oppa, you like the butler, don’t you?”

At the casually thrown remark, Ishanka’s hand stopped moving.

“…What?”

A slight blush rose on Ishanka’s face as he looked up.

“How did I know? Puhahaha!”

Ateruna clutched her stomach and laughed.

“It’s so obvious that I’d be a stupid idiot not to notice!”

Ishanka couldn’t hide his flustered expression and fell silent for a moment.

Did it really look that way?

“…”

After quietly lost in thought, he finally asked in a low voice.

“Then what should I do.”

Ishanka asked carefully.

“What?”

“For Nana to…”

Though he couldn’t finish the sentence, Ateruna was already wiggling her eyebrows, having caught on.

“Hmm-“

Ateruna nodded meaningfully, then raised her finger and declared.

“There’s only one answer.”

Ishanka looked up with a serious expression.

“Take her to a secluded place and pounce on her.”

“…What?”

“No, I’m serious. If your bodies get close first, your hearts will follow. This is called the expansion of emotional contact… Ow ow ow! Why are you hitting me! I’m giving you good advice!”

“I’m an idiot for asking you for advice.”

He let out a deep sigh, then leaned back against the sofa and rested his head.

Watching him with her arms crossed, Ateruna smirked and shook her head.

“Oppa, you really don’t get it. If you keep dawdling like that and some other guy steals her away, that’ll be the end. You’ll definitely regret it and beat the ground.”

Ishanka didn’t respond.

However, the fact that Ateruna’s words were strangely realistic and couldn’t be easily dismissed made him feel even more uncomfortable.

Ateruna rolled her eyes and glanced at Ishanka.

‘But I really didn’t expect him to get this serious?’

Ateruna chuckled and stretched out on the sofa, yawning as she muttered to herself.

‘Since he likes her that much, the wedding will be grand, right? Ah, I’m already excited. And the first niece should definitely be a girl.’

And so Ateruna smiled contentedly while arbitrarily drawing up Ishanka’s future in her mind.

* * *

The next morning.

Nana slowly sat up in bed.

Faint winter sunlight streaming through the window.

Ishanka.

She remembered his hesitant expression, as if he had been trying to say something.

‘No way…’

Nana gripped the blanket tightly.

‘He wasn’t trying to confess, was he?’

No way, no way that could be it.

Nana shook her head vigorously.

But what if it really was?

When her thoughts reached that point, her heart started pounding like it would burst.

‘No, calm down. I’m just getting worked up by myself for no reason.’

She needed to move her body to calm down.

She remembered Grandma Rosha muttering, ‘I should buy some bread for breakfast in the morning.’

Nana jumped up, hastily threw on some clothes, and left the house.

The winter wind blew quietly.

Nana warmed her fingertips with her breath while deliberately pretending not to know why she was in such a hurry.

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