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Chapter 71
“That’s impossible.”
I firmly shook my head in denial.
“…Fine. Either way, I won’t tell anyone else.”
But Idorian slowly studied my face as though trying to extract the truth, then smiled meaningfully.
The mischievous glint in his eyes made irritation surge through me.
“It’s not even a confession. What exactly are you keeping secret?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed like this, so don’t worry.”
“Your Highness.”
“I told you. I always keep my promises.”
He looked like someone who had never intended to listen to me in the first place.
In the end, I gave up on the conversation and just nodded.
I had never seen Idorian this amused, nor had he ever been this infuriating.
If this weren’t a class-based society, I swear…
“Well, if by any chance I really do start having feelings for you, I’ll make it crystal clear so there’s no confusion.”
His magnanimous tone made my breath catch in my throat.
“Why are you two acting like that?”
“Something funny happened, but I can’t tell you. I promised to keep it a secret.”
Idorian shook his head as he lightly patted Uben’s head.
…Should I just bite him?
Idorian met my eyes and nodded knowingly, then beckoned to me.
“Penelope, we really need to leave now.”
He spoke gently, as though soothing me. It seemed he’d finally decided to stop teasing.
“Hurry up and finish your food.”
He pressed me again.
Only then did I recall the conversation we were having before my idiotic misconception.
“…We’re really going down the forest, right? All three of us together?”
“Yes. That’s the safest option.”
All I had done was give Idorian something to laugh about.
I’d gained absolutely nothing.
“……”
I kept chewing the unnecessary fish while Idorian watched me silently.
Unless I confessed my secret, he would insist we go down the forest.
But I couldn’t reveal my identity just to get into the fortress—that was suicide.
If we went to the civilian settlements, would I even have a room?
With only three of us, they’d notice my every move…
Then, at the edge of my vision, I noticed a zombie pushing through the bushes toward the lake.
It stepped into the water.
None of us smelled like blood, so like the others, it should turn back soon.
I looked away, assuming it would leave.
“You do plan to join the Imperial Army eventually, right?”
“Yes. First, we go down the forest and find anything usable as a weapon. Then we try to join them.”
Splash, splash.
The sound of water grew louder. All three of us turned simultaneously.
“Why isn’t it going back? The others only dipped their feet and left…”
Uben frowned.
The zombie was already waist-deep in the lake.
Then it continued—and disappeared beneath the surface.
Ripples began spreading across the once-still lake.
“What in the world…”
The zombie was swimming—crossing the lake.
A zombie that could swim?
I rapidly ran through the novel’s plot in my mind.
No matter how many times I reviewed it, there was nothing about mutated zombies.
“……”
But thinking about it, maybe it wasn’t so strange.
I was a zombie who could talk, swim, and clumsily mimic human behavior, after all.
“Penelope…”
Idorian grabbed my arm and pulled me up.
“Your Highness, Lady Penelope! Quickly—up the tree!”
Uben tugged at my hand.
“No. That’s dangerous.”
Before I could say anything, Idorian shook his head resolutely.
“It can swim. We can’t assume it can’t climb.”
He backed away from the lake, guiding us toward the tree at the center of the island.
“If that really is a zombie, take Uben and leave this island as fast as you can. Cross the lake.”
Even as he spoke to me, his eyes stayed fixed on the swimming figure.
“Don’t rely on me buying time. Run with everything you’ve got. I’ll delay it as long as I can, but at that speed, it’ll catch you quickly.”
“You’re going to stall it? Wouldn’t it be better if we—”
“Listen to me.”
Annoyance tinged his voice.
“This is the best—”
Idorian suddenly faltered mid-sentence.
“Wait. Is that… Lumi?”
He asked the question, but didn’t wait for an answer—he simply walked forward, stunned.
“Huh? My lady, that’s Brother Lumi.”
Uben, still clutching my hand, spoke hurriedly.
He quickly followed Idorian toward the shore.
Lumi?
He was supposed to be at the fortress. Why would he appear at a forest lake?
It made no sense.
That’s not a zombie but Lumi?
I squinted at the indistinct face.
The figure did have black hair…
The person emerged fully from the water, standing upright.
Wet strands obscured his face, but the smooth, unrotted skin was undeniably human.
He exhaled deeply and pushed his dripping hair back.
The first thing that struck me was his eyes—
Clear, brilliant blue.
“…Lumi?”
“What on earth. Why are you here?”
Even Idorian, just as baffled as I was, rushed to support him.
Lumi silently looked around at us and lifted the corners of his lips.
“I figured you might need me.”
He spoke nonsense with a foolish grin.
“Long time no see, right?”
Our eyes met in the empty air.
His gaze lingered on me for a long moment.
“He’s insane. Completely insane.”
Idorian shook Lumi weakly, scolding him yet checking him over for injuries with surprising care.
“Brother Lumi, did you come to get us?”
“Yes. Oh, and Idorian—here’s your sword.”
Lumi unstrapped the sword from his back and handed it over.
“How did you know we’d be here?”
“When I first came up the mountain, I saw this lake.”
“And?”
“So I figured you’d come here too. It’s the only place where you might avoid the zombies.”
I finally snapped out of my daze and approached Lumi as he continued—
“And I saw smoke nearby. So I knew it had to be this island.”
His clothes were darkened, as if he had rolled over zombie corpses.
“The good news is, I brought this so we can drink water.”
He pulled several bundles of clothes and a metal teapot from a small bag.
He grinned proudly.
He looked utterly ridiculous.
Even if I’m a zombie…
What were these people thinking?
Their survival instincts seemed nonexistent.
“You guys haven’t had any water yet, right? You’ll dehydrate. Drink first.”
“Ha… yes, everything you brought is useful. I’m grateful, I am, but…”
Idorian ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
“What are you thinking? Please, at least pretend you understand danger.”
He stole the very words I should have said.
Lumi met my eyes and smiled.
“I’ll boil the water. You sit and rest.”
Idorian sat Lumi down and took the teapot.
“Are you alright?”
Lumi looked up at me.
He’d already examined my condition. He’d been watching me since he emerged from the lake.
“Penelope.”
Who was worrying about whom?
Lumi had fought through forest zombies, swum across the lake, and then—asked a zombie if she was okay.
Despite the absurdity of it all, his voice and gaze were painfully sincere.
“Yes. I’m fine.”
Idorian said he was repaying a debt.
Then what on earth was Lumi trying to repay, wandering the forest like this?
“I knew you’d be fine. Because it’s you, Penelope.”
He smiled—his face smeared here and there with dried zombie blood, yet spotless in expression.
