“Father, according to the merchants, monsters have been rampant in the northern region, and extermination efforts are not going well. Just in case, we should stockpile food and medicine.”
“Father, I think we should reinforce the city walls. Monsters that couldn’t be stopped on the northern front are reportedly causing chaos near the territory. With my brother and the knights absent, it will be too much for the garrison alone to handle them.”
Thus, in order to survive, she trained in martial arts and magic, and prepared supplies to face the end of the world.
And before the zombie incident began, Eileen’s father, Count Whitewood, died suddenly of a heart attack.
She had tried various methods to prevent this death as well.
However, it had occurred before the original story even began. It was a single-line description in the novel, and she had no way of knowing the exact cause or timing, so there was little she could do.
She prepared heart-friendly food and medicine, and occasionally used healing magic to support his vitality—but that was all.
Just as in the original story, the Count was eventually found dead one day, clutching his chest.
After her father, Count Whitewood, died in such a way—shortly afterward—
Her older brother, half-decayed after turning into a zombie, was brought back by the estate knights tied to a carriage.
At that time, zombies were not yet known. The knights believed he had been afflicted with madness after being bitten by a beast.
And in front of them, Eileen personally cut off her brother’s head.
That was when she realized the original story had finally begun.
Terrified, she stayed within the estate without taking a single step outside, lying low and enduring everything.
All to avoid meeting the male lead, and to survive without dying.
She had never imagined that all those efforts would turn into nothing within just one year.
*******
The mutant monster kept throwing zombies without showing any sign of exhaustion.
No one knew how much time had passed—the knights blocking incoming zombies with shields were already drenched in sweat.
At this rate, their side would collapse before the mutant even got tired.
“It will soon have the rest of them climbing the walls!” one of them shouted.
At the report from Hurson, Tristan’s expression hardened.
They had to kill the mutant before the zombies piled up enough to breach the window.
“An axe!”
When Hurson handed him one of the remaining throwing axes—only three left—Tristan immediately hurled it at the mutant without hesitation.
Whoosh—thud.
Unlike arrows, the axe easily buried itself into the monster’s thick neck.
“GRAAAAH!”
The creature screamed without even attempting to pull it out.
As if to show such damage meant nothing, it grabbed two zombies at once and threw them toward the window.
“They’re coming!”
Though injured, its accuracy had slightly decreased—only one zombie landed precisely in the opening.
“The rest of the axes too!”
Tristan caught the remaining axes and threw them in rapid succession.
Whoosh, thud. Whoosh, thud. Grrrraaah!
They embedded into its neck one after another, but its hide was too tough. Three axes were not enough to sever it completely.
Still, as Tristan was a top-tier Sword Expert, those attacks had inflicted real damage.
Grrrr… The mutant pulled out the embedded axes one by one, groaning in rage and pain.
Its half-split neck exposed dark red flesh, spilling black blood.
But the flow was already thinning—its body was regenerating rapidly.
“All remaining spears, bring them here!”
“Yes!”
Before its neck could fully regenerate, they had to finish it off.
Eileen, thinking she would only get in the way of the imperial knights, had stayed back—but now she stepped forward.
“Wait, I can do it. Wind Cutter!”
Before Tristan could respond, she had already swung her hand outside the window.
A blade of wind surged out, following her desperate motion.
The mutant raised its arm—but the wind sliced through it along with its regenerating neck in a single strike, tearing it apart as black blood burst outward.
Thud.
The severed head rolled across the floor, and silence followed.
No one had expected her to finish it.
“Whoa, this lady’s amazing!”
“Hey, Gerard!”
As Gerard whistled in admiration, Emmett quickly covered his mouth and dragged him aside, whispering furiously. Soon, Gerard returned with a stiff expression and bowed.
“My apologies for my rudeness, Lady Countess.”
“Ah… it’s fine.”
Eileen replied awkwardly, still watching the zombies scattering after the mutant’s death.
Fortunately, she had met the male lead—but today was not the day she would die.
If she could just get him away from her quickly, maybe she could escape death again.
Her head ached from tangled thoughts.
As she leaned briefly against the cold wall, a voice she wanted to avoid came from behind her.
“Now that things have settled, Lady, may I have a word with you?”
“Pardon? What…?”
“It seems we may need to stay here for the time being.”
His tone was calm and polite—but it sent a chill down her spine.
With dawn breaking after the deadly night, pale light shimmered over his jet-black hair.
*******
She could not refuse.
Even if his title was nominal, he was the Fourth Prince of the Empire and a Duke of the North. A mere count’s daughter had no authority to refuse him.
Reluctantly, she nodded—but her mind was in turmoil.
At least she needed to understand the situation.
In the original story, it took about two years from the outbreak of the zombies until the male lead and heroine saved the world.
By now, he should already have met the saintess and gone to the imperial capital—but he was still here.
Had something changed?
Where was the saintess?
If she should have been by his side, had she moved separately with the vice-commander?
Her steps toward retrieving Mari felt unbearably heavy.
“Mari, it’s over now. Let’s return to the estate.”
She took Mari out from the crate, then opened the warehouse door.
Creeeeak.
As the door opened, bright morning sunlight poured inside.
Outside, the zombies were noticeably slower, wandering aimlessly.
“…Ah.”
Right. Those things were still there.
In fact, it might be better that she was with the prince’s group for now.
If she returned to the estate without clearing them, she would have to live in fear of them swarming at night.
With their movements slowed in daylight, it was best to reduce their numbers first.
“As we go, we should probably—”
When she turned her head, she saw the knights already dispersing under Tristan’s orders.
Slash, swish, thud.
He had already decapitated his second zombie.
As expected of the male lead—fast judgment, sharp instincts.
Under the sunlight, his figure was even more striking than she had imagined.
He moved like a dancer among the undead, his blade tracing elegant arcs through the air.
His well-trained muscles flexed with each strike, his eyes narrowing briefly with focus, exhaling softly between kills.
Every motion flowed naturally, like water.
Wherever he passed, gray heaps of corpses piled up, forming a path.
To see this with her own eyes…
Eileen clutched her chest as excitement tightened her breath.
Then, wiping sweat from his hair, he noticed her gaze and turned toward her with a faint expression.
“A-Ah, Lady!”
Mari’s frightened voice snapped her back to reality.
“L-look out!”
A zombie, only a few steps away, was approaching.
Eileen reacted instantly.
“Wind Cutter!”
The blade of wind struck the creature, severing its head along with the one behind it.
Then his voice reached her ears.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes… I was distracted. I’m sorry.”
She had to stay focused.
If the original Eileen had died from weakness, she might now die simply because she was distracted by the male lead.
“I will lead the way. Wind Cutter!”
Determined to survive, she pushed forward, cutting down the remaining zombies.
Beyond the falling bodies—
The gates of the lord’s castle finally came into view.
