I Reincarnated Into a Healing Game… and It’s a Zombie Apocalypse?! - Chapter 78

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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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Chapter 78

Outside, it was still a blizzard.

Cold, white wind lashed against the ger walls, howling fiercely. Snowflakes danced endlessly beyond the window, and the world seemed completely consumed by pure whiteness.

“We won’t be able to depart today either.”

Ishanka spoke in a calm voice. Then he lit the campfire with practiced hands.

Small sparks flickered, pushing back the darkness.

Nana stood by the window, gazing outside for a long while.

A pure white world where nothing could be seen.

It had already been three days since they arrived at the Ger Village, but the blizzard showed no signs of stopping.

No, it was actually getting more intense.

‘I just came here to have fun with a simple heart… Now I’m starting to worry.’

Nana muttered to herself.

‘What if the snow doesn’t stop like this?’

Nature was truly a terrifying force.

Who was it that said we should protect nature?

Something this frightening wasn’t worthy of human protection.

Rather, it seemed like nature should spare humans a little.

A sigh escaped her naturally.

‘Haah… How did it come to this?’

“The wind is very cold. Please come inside.”

Ishanka’s voice approached from behind. Nana nodded and turned away from the window.

“In winter here, this is common. Even if the snow is this heavy today, sometimes it clears up like magic by the next morning. Don’t worry too much.”

‘That’s not really what I’m concerned about…’

“When this much snow falls, what do the people here do about next year’s farming?”

“Pardon?”

Nana rested her chin on her hand with a serious expression.

“When all this snow melts, the ground will become muddy, and if there’s no drainage, that year’s farming is ruined. In spring, it’ll be hard to level the fields, and if it gets too humid, the seeds will rot before they’re even planted.”

Nana, who had been muttering as if talking to herself, looked at Ishanka.

“Do they dig drainage ditches here when spring comes? Or do they at least lay down straw to prevent the soil from getting damaged?”

Ishanka paused for a moment, then a small smile formed on his lips.

“Don’t laugh. I’m being serious.”

“I know.”

Ishanka nodded while suppressing his laughter, his lips slightly curved upward.

“You really think about farming wherever you are.”

Nana felt her cheeks grow warm and grumbled in a sulky voice.

“It’s an occupational hazard. Thinking about this makes me worry about my farm in Sweet Little Village too.”

The image of the farm buried in snow flickered before her eyes.

The zombie workers wouldn’t lay straw on the ground by themselves. No, before that, since the system is deactivated, I wonder if the farmland effects are still being maintained.

‘At this rate, next year’s farming might be ruined.’

“You don’t need to worry about the people here. They’re nomads, so when spring comes, they’ll migrate to places with abundant pasture.”

‘Right, I’m barely keeping my head above water, so why am I worrying about other people’s farming…’

Nana let out a small sigh inwardly.

“Come closer to the campfire. The air is cold.”

At Ishanka’s suggestion, Nana nodded and moved closer to the campfire.

Still, it was cold enough to make her body shiver.

“Are you very cold?”

Ishanka asked quietly.

“Yeah. I’m naturally sensitive to cold.”

Nana answered in a small voice.

A moment of silence.

Then Ishanka suddenly spoke up.

“Then would you like to come into my arms?”

“…What?”

Ishanka had a serious face without a hint of playfulness.

“In weather like this, sharing body heat is the most efficient way to keep warm.”

It felt like her heart dropped with a thud. Instantly, all sorts of excuses swirled around in her head.

‘Isha is just speaking for survival purposes. It’s just a medical and rational judgment. I’m just accepting it in that context too. Yes, that’s right!’

“Th-then excuse me.”

Trying hard to ignore her burning face, Nana carefully leaned into his embrace.

Ishanka’s arm carefully wrapped around her shoulders.

Nana’s heart pounded as if it would burst out.

‘Please, please quiet down. If he notices like this, I’ll be too embarrassed to recover!’

But contrary to her wishes, the moment his breath brushed her crown, her cheeks flushed hot.

Her body was cold, but only her face was burning. Nana became careful even with her breathing.

Her heart was beating so loudly that she was afraid Ishanka might hear it. That was strangely both scary and embarrassing.

Just as she was about to move slightly to distance herself from his embrace, Ishanka pulled his cloak forward and wrapped her up snugly.

“There’s a draft coming in. This should be fine.”

“Y-yeah.”

Nana answered quietly as if biting her lips and nodded.

Only the sound of the campfire crackling intermittently broke the quiet silence.

She felt like this wouldn’t do. She felt like she needed to say something.

“Um, Isha. Is there anything you’re afraid of?”

Words that hadn’t gone through her thoughts spilled from her mouth.

“There is.”

“You?”

“I’m human too.”

There was laughter in his voice.

“What I fear is not being able to protect the people by my side.”

A moment of silence passed, and he quietly continued.

“It was the same when I lost my parents. I couldn’t do anything. And even after that, I was always afraid. Afraid that I might lose precious people before my eyes again. That’s probably why I’ve been trying to become stronger.”

Ishanka smiled softly at the end of his words.

“It was a bit difficult, but it wasn’t bad. It suited my aptitude too.”

His smile contained a strange resignation.

Nana quietly looked at his face.

Today’s version of him was much more human than his usual upright appearance. Perhaps that’s why.

“I have something to confess too.”

Nana hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Remember what I told you before? About my ability that god gave me.”

Ishanka nodded.

“That power is gone.”

His eyes wavered subtly.

“Is it because of Rakshan’s curse?”

“Yeah. Most people die from that curse, but I survived and instead, nothing remained. I just feel like something’s empty. My heart feels hollow.”

At her confession, Ishanka thought for a moment before carefully speaking.

“That must be sad.”

“Huh?”

“When you lose something that was always by your side, no matter how heavy and burdensome it was, you can’t help but feel empty and sad because you were used to it.”

At those words, Nana was momentarily stunned. To think she was only now realizing that this hollow feeling she’d been experiencing was sadness.

“You’re right. I was sad that the ability disappeared.”

“And that’s not your fault.”

Ishanka said quietly, pulling her closer.

“The gods left because of the curse. You did nothing wrong. So don’t blame yourself.”

His arms tightened around her carefully.

As if he would never let go.

Nana leaned into his embrace and whispered softly.

“…Thank you.”

A warmth blooming like a small flame.

Their time together was quietly deepening in the snowy silence.

* * *

The next morning, fortunately the blizzard had calmed down.

But the winter sky was as unreliable as always.

With weather that could turn harsh again at any moment, Ishanka and Nana decided to leave the ger village before sunrise.

Though no words were spoken, a different atmosphere flowed between them than yesterday.

Before setting out on the road, Ishanka naturally took care of Nana’s luggage.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“This much is fine. Last night was colder.”

Nana shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

At that smile, Ishanka silently lowered his gaze, then lightly nodded.

On the road, only their footprints were stamped side by side.

Footprints continuing one after another in the snow.

Through the gaps between them, unspoken feelings were slowly melting in.

On a cold winter day, perhaps that alone was enough.

* * *

Several days later.

Nana’s daily life flowed peacefully again.

Having grown much closer to the children than before, Nana was sitting in the yard spending time with them.

“Nya-nya! Look at this!”

A child puffed out their breath while proudly showing off their toy.

Perhaps because their pronunciation was still clumsy, the children called Nana “Nya-nya” instead of Nana.

“Wow, where did you get this?”

Nana deliberately made a surprised face and met the child’s eyes. The child began proudly boasting about their toy with a pleased expression.

While they were playing like this for a while, one child casually opened their mouth.

“My mom says the King has a fiancée.”

“What?”

Her heart felt like it dropped with a thud.

“What’s a fiancée?”

“Someone who promised to get married.”

“Then is the King getting married soon?”

The children chattered in excited voices, but to Nana’s ears it sounded distant and faint.

‘Marriage… fiancée…?’

“Kids, is that really true?”

“Yeah! Mom said so. Dad said everything Mom says is true.”

The children’s innocent conviction stung her heart for no reason.

“Nya-nya, are you hurt somewhere?”

Seeing Nana turn pale, a child asked worriedly.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

Nana forced a smile and waved her hand.

‘Calm down, calm down. It’s just a rumor, right? The children might have heard wrong, or it could be false rumors circulating among the adults.’

Rumors naturally tend to grow and become distorted as they pass from person to person. There was no need to be swayed by uncertain stories like this.

‘Right, nothing is certain right now. I’ll ask Isha directly later.’

But despite that resolve, a chilling anxiety spread like ripples from deep within her heart.

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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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