ESMLT 10

Chapter 10

“Let’s hear it, then. How exactly do you plan to escape on your own? Are you going to swim away like a fish? Or maybe build yourself a raft? For the record, I have no intention of giving you a warp scroll.”

Perhaps I struck a nerve, because Jaeger’s eyes narrowed.

“The temple will soon send—”

“No. Impossible. We can’t even contact the temple.”

Why do you think the male leads were trapped in the temple for an entire month?

Do you think the temple and the imperial family just sat around doing nothing after the incident?

Of course not. They were too busy fending off the steam drifting into the Empire to prevent further infections.

They declared the westernmost region near the zombie zone a disaster area, evacuated the residents, and formed a coalition army to block the steam.

In other words, all they could do was pray for the Saintess to awaken while holding the line. They couldn’t carry out purification at all.

On top of that, the sacred zone repels external forces because it houses the remains of past Saintesses and royal family members, and it’s crawling with sea monsters—making a rescue nearly impossible.

In fact, even the ships sent by the Empire after the incident were devoured by sea monsters. Naturally, swimming or building a boat is out of the question.

That means the only two escape routes are: the Saintess waking up, or someone using a warp scroll from inside.

“……”

“……”

I held Jaeger’s gaze for a long moment. He glared back with an icy, blade-like look before abruptly turning away.

Clearly, he had no intention of backing down.

‘Sigh… I knew convincing Jaeger wouldn’t be easy, but…’

It was even harder now, since he didn’t understand the true gravity of the situation.

Just as we reached the edge of the forest while tailing him, I spotted a zombie wandering aimlessly near the sacred woods.

Sound was blocked, but it was definitely letting out one of those eerie screeches.

Jaeger froze, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at the zombie.

“See? I told you.”

“…Be quiet.”

Casting me a sideways glance, Jaeger expressionlessly drew his sword.

‘He’s really planning to leave the sacred forest?’

I glanced back.

Trailing behind us, the crown prince leaned against a tree with his arms crossed, his face twisted in discontent.

“You’re just going to let him?”

“You’ve done enough. Why are you clinging to the duke so much?”

“He’s about to go get himself killed. You’d just let him die?”

“You underestimate his swordsmanship. If a man could die to something like that, then my sword master—the late duke—would rise from his grave. Who knows, maybe he’s among them? Father and son finally reunited—touching, really.”

Haah. I let out a deep sigh before speaking.

“Your Highness, instead of making jokes, please help me convince him. The duke is also one of your people—you’re supposed to protect him.”

“……”

The crown prince scratched the back of his head irritably, staring at me for a moment.

“There is a way to stop him.”

“Really?”

My eyes went wide.

Catching that look, the prince smirked faintly—just like always—and strolled toward Jaeger with his hands in his pockets.

Was he planning to pat his shoulder and have a heart-to-heart? Or maybe intimidate him with authority?

“Let him experience it firsthand.”

Thud—!

The crown prince suddenly kicked Jaeger in the back.

Caught completely off guard, Jaeger stumbled through the transparent barrier before he could even ready himself. He turned back toward us, his expression a mixture of disbelief and outrage.

I gaped at the prince, who only shrugged nonchalantly, as if to say, What? Did I do something wrong?

Wow… this guy really is insane.

“Your Highness, what are you—”

Just as I was about to yell at him, my attention was pulled to Jaeger as he clashed with a zombie.

With swift precision, Jaeger drove his blade between its ribs, then flicked the sword upward, prying the ribcage apart.

Though we couldn’t hear anything, the clatter of bones was obvious as the zombie’s body collapsed into a pile.

The prince caught my eye and smirked smugly, gesturing with his chin as if to say, See? Told you so.

I shot him a glare, then turned back to Jaeger.

With one clean motion, he sliced through the necks of three approaching zombies, their skulls rolling across the ground.

But before long, the first fallen zombie reassembled itself, its bones fitting back together.

The ones with broken necks did the same.

Jaeger cut them down again, but each time, the zombies revived. Over and over.

“What a shame… He can’t even use aura. Maybe I should’ve told him their weakness beforehand?”

The prince commented idly, arms crossed.

‘You threw him into the fire and now you say that?’

Sweat trickled down Jaeger’s temple as he grimaced, his struggle plain for anyone to see.

‘This won’t do.’

Watching carefully, I dug into the pouch at my waist.

My fingers brushed something small—a miniature mace.

“@#%#.”

Murmuring the spell inscribed on it, the mace instantly expanded to full size.

I dashed out of the forest.

“Lady!” the crown prince called after me, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the zombies’ wails.

“Duke, catch!”

I hurled the mace toward Jaeger.

Thwack—!

He glanced back in surprise but reflexively grabbed it.

I pointed at my own head.

“The head! Aim for the head!”

Kueeeh!

At first, Jaeger frowned in confusion. But as another zombie shrieked behind him, he instinctively spun and swung the mace.

Thud—! Crack—!

The zombie’s head went flying, bouncing across the ground.

When its body crumpled and failed to regenerate, Jaeger’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Kueeek!

Another zombie lunged from behind.

“Duke!”

Jaeger twisted, catching the zombie’s open jaws with the chain ends. After a brief struggle, he looped the chain around its skull and yanked.

Crunch!

The skull shattered instantly, sending the zombie sprawling.

‘Wow.’

I had only a moment to marvel before noticing a dozen more zombies shuffling toward us from every direction.

Grabbing a hammer from my pouch, I ran up beside Jaeger.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked curtly, sheathing his sword.

I jerked my chin toward the horde.

“You don’t actually think you can take all of them alone, do you?”

“It’s fine.”

“And those?”

I pointed at the swarm gathering on the opposite side.

“……”

I shot him a look.

“Now do you understand it’s impossible to escape alone?”

“……”

“If you cooperate, you’ll be back before your inauguration as Knight Commander—”

Whoosh—!

Before I could finish, Jaeger bolted forward, clearly uninterested in my words.

I clenched my teeth in frustration and slammed my hammer into a zombie.

‘Maybe I should’ve just let him die…’

As we fought separately, cutting down zombies, I suddenly heard a shriek—

Kueeeh!

Right behind me.

Damn!

I’d been too distracted by the horde to notice one slip through.

I spun, only to see a skull-like face looming above me—hollow eye sockets and clattering teeth lunging for my throat.

‘Shit!’

I fumbled my grip on the hammer—

Whoosh, whoosh—

The mace flew like a boomerang, smashing the zombie’s head clean off before arcing past me.

My eyes tracked it until—

Thwack—!

Jaeger snatched the mace from the air, fixing me with a chilling stare.

“Duke…?”

“Pull yourself together. Don’t zone out in the middle of combat. Did you forget we’re in a warzone?”

A hot surge of anger boiled up in me. Why the hell did I have to be scolded by him?

I rushed forward and smashed the skull of the zombie creeping over his shoulder.

Crack—!

My tied-up hair whipped through the air, brushing across Jaeger’s cheek as the zombie collapsed.

I exhaled sharply, meeting his eyes. His gaze, usually so cold, looked almost wide and childlike with surprise.

“See? You be careful too. Don’t zone out in a warzone.”

Jaeger quickly composed himself, scowling as he turned away.

‘Whatever.’

Smash—!

I tucked stray strands of hair behind my ear and swung my hammer again.

Thud—!

Not to be outdone, Jaeger swung the mace with equal force.

And so, our silent battle of wills continued as we fought side by side, until every zombie near the forest lay in pieces.