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ABZ 15
Idorian was left behind as I entered the room and closed the door.
He seemed to want to clear up my misunderstanding, but it was difficult to prolong the conversation in front of Lumi's room.
And it wasn't a misunderstanding in the first place.
Perhaps Idorian himself wasn't aware of it, but I, who had read the novel, knew.
If it had been Lilia, not me, who was in danger in the mountains, he would have saved her no matter what.
Of course, Lilia was a lovely person, even to my eyes. On the other hand, Penelope Lloyd was a woman who always caused trouble instead of being helpful, so it was only natural that there was a difference in Idorian's feelings.
'I know that it's not natural for him to help me, as Idorian said...'
It was bitter that things that weren't allowed for Lilia were unavoidable for me, Penelope. That meant I could die at any moment.
He abandoned me without hesitation.
It wasn't a mistake, so even if Idorian had to make a choice again, I would be abandoned.
The moment I was revealed to be a zombie.
'Is there anyone in this fortress who cares about me?'
I would be less anxious if I were sure that I would be chased out without being killed.
Being near the main characters is the fastest and safest way to return to being human, but if I just stay alive, there will be a way somehow.
I would not have worried about dying like this even if I became a zombie if I had possessed Lilia instead.
Uven, who followed her obediently, thinking he owed her his life, Heresdon, who contorted his face in pain even at a small scratch on Lilia's palm, and even Idorian, who would have saved her no matter what if Lilia was in danger. They all had feelings for Lilia.
If they became favorable to me too....
'Wouldn't they at least let me live and chase me out?'
Of course, no matter how hard I tried, I could never be the same as Lilia to them, but if they had even a little bit of affection for me, I could prevent the worst-case scenario.
So, should I start being kind like Lilia?
“......”
I doubted whether I could change their animosity towards Penelope into affection even if I tried, but I shook my head to cut off the anxiety.
It would be best if I wasn't revealed to be a zombie, but I had to do everything I could for the sake of the worst-case scenario.
Even if I wasn't sure, I had to do it.
First of all, I decided to make curtains for Lumi, who was staying here for the time being.
It would only be a loss for me if he couldn't sleep because of the dazzling sunlight and had another nosebleed. I hurriedly started sewing.
It was a little helpful that Penelope had learned how to embroider in the past to give a gift to Idorian, whom she loved.
I cut out unused blankets and bedsheets a little larger than the window size and sewed them so that the curtain rod could fit in.
Of course, the sewing wasn't perfect. The gaps were large, and it was messy here and there, but it was still good enough to block the sunlight.
Above all, this was the best I could do with this body.
Still, as I got closer to the end, the sewing gaps gradually decreased, and the shape was improving. I seemed to be getting used to using my body little by little.
By the time I finished making the curtains, it was already dark.
Knock, knock.
"Princess, dinner is ready."
Lilia knocked on the door as I was inspecting the finished curtains.
"Princess, are the curtains all done? I'll help you hang them."
When I left the room, she was waiting for me. She tilted her head, checked the room, and pointed to the window.
"Oh, no. I don't need them for my room."
"Huh? Really?"
Lilia blinked rapidly.
"Lumi. He can't sleep, so he seems to get nosebleeds when he's tired."
Lilia looked at me with a 'why?' expression. As if she didn't understand why I made curtains because he couldn't sleep.
"You made them for him?"
Lilia, who had been pondering for a while, expressed her doubts.
"Ah...."
I didn't expect her, who had just accepted whatever I said, to ask me this....
"It would take a while to explain, but I'm afraid of zombies. Of course, I know it's safe inside, but I get scared just by hearing the sounds they make."
I hesitated for a moment and made up a story.
"So, I just don't want to attract zombies by spreading the smell of blood."
I hesitated for a moment when I saw Lilia's eyes, which had become full of kindness, but I continued to speak until the end.
“...I see.”
Looking at her face, which looked almost tearful and distressed, she seemed to be imagining something, and I knew what that imagination was.
She was probably picturing me alone in the mountains, trembling at the sound of zombies.
Because of what I said just now, Lilia seemed to have accepted that I had severe trauma from zombies.
"Ah, I...."
...But isn't it good?
"I hate the smell of blood."
If I did this well, I might be able to openly run away from blood from now on.
"It's too, too scary."
"Ah, ah."
She lowered her head as much as possible as if she was in pain, and when she wrapped her arms around herself, Lilia finally let out a small sigh and hugged me, as if I looked unbearably pitiful.
The moment I was gaining justification.
I don't know when it started, but Idorian was also in the hallway. I didn't turn around and see exactly what expression he was making.
His red lips were tightly shut.
* * *
Okay, let's summarize.
All physical abilities are reduced when you become a zombie. However, when you smell blood and awaken, you surpass human physical abilities.
When you awaken, the zombie's instinct to bite people increases, and the blood vessels swell noticeably.
After awakening, the body becomes very tired. You may suddenly fall asleep. Also, for a while, you become more sensitive to the smell of blood than usual.
Tap, tap, tap.
I sat down to write down what I had learned about my body, but it ended quickly.
Tap tap, tap.
I thought I was used to this body to some extent, but the number I confidently wrote was too shabby, and the paper was still empty.
I tapped the paper meaninglessly, and then neatly folded the paper and pushed it deep into the desk drawer because I couldn't think of any more zombie characteristics.
Instead, I went back to the contents of the novel.
The main characters spent quite a long time in this fortress until the Emperor's army reached this fortress to save the Crown Prince.
It was only half a day's ride from the capital to this Mendwill territory, but due to the terrible situation where zombies were constantly appearing, it took the Imperial Army as long as 8 months to reach this fortress.
8 months....
It was sure to be a long and difficult time, but if I could just endure that time, I could safely return to the capital under the protection of the Imperial Army.
Of course, it would take about 4 more months to return to the capital.
If I survived like this for a total of one year as in the original story and returned to the capital, I was planning to lock myself in the Duke's mansion until the cure came out.
If I lived with people, the risk of being revealed as a zombie would only increase.
I barely survived and went to the capital, but if I was caught there, what a futile thing that would be.
Fortunately, since Lumi did not die unlike in the original story, there was a possibility that this situation would be resolved faster than in the novel.
He was the only man called a genius in the novel.
I don't remember exactly, but the reason why Idorian often regretted Lumi's death was because he had developed some kind of cure before.
'What kind of cure was it exactly?'
I pondered for a long time, but I couldn't remember anything else because I didn't remember all the contents of the novel.
Anyway, the important thing was that he was already a recognized researcher.
"It's raining."
The window getting wet came into view as I turned my gaze absentmindedly.
I got up from my seat, thinking about Idorian and Lumi's clothes that Uven had diligently hung out.
I went down the stairs, intending to go to the backyard and pick up the clothes before the rain got heavier.
The hallway was very quiet, as if everyone was asleep except for Heresdon, who was standing guard near the Outer castle.
When I went out to the backyard, the clothes that Uven had washed were already soaked in quite heavy raindrops.
I hurriedly picked up the clothes and entered the building, and Uven, who was running down the stairs and trying to pass me, stopped.
"Aren't those the ones I hung out?"
"Yeah, because it's raining."
"Give them to me, I'll do it."
At the stiff voice, I handed the clothes I was holding to the child.
"What is this!"
Uven, who had received the clothes, soon threw the clothes he was holding onto the floor and shouted.
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