“I couldn’t meet the Saint, but isn’t it the same for you if I die? You said the world will be destroyed if things continue like this.”
“That’s true, but…”
Eilain’s eyes wavered uneasily.
Right. If the male lead didn’t meet the female lead, the world would still end.
But still. Even if she had been marked for death, wasn’t it human nature to want to live just one more day?
If she followed this man now, it was obvious she would be dead before she even found the Saint. And even if she went with him, the chance of actually finding the Saint…
No. If she followed him, the chances might even increase.
If she just followed the original plot—becoming a nuisance to him, feeding him every possible kind of frustration, and then dying after making him suffer like a hundred thousand chestnuts thrown at him…
Maybe then he would meet the Saint properly.
Wait. Was that… actually possible?
Was she the reason the male lead still hadn’t met the heroine?
“No. No way. That can’t be it.”
She shook her head violently, trying to shake off the disturbing thought.
At that moment, Tristan, who had been silently watching her panic, spoke in a low voice.
“Even if you fail to find the Saint, you’ll still die here, won’t you? You said yourself the world will end if nothing is done.”
“…That’s true.”
Eilain’s gaze trembled again.
Right. If the male lead didn’t meet the heroine, the world would end anyway.
But still—wasn’t wanting to survive just one more day natural?
And if she went with him, she’d almost certainly die before anything even happened.
She might even reduce the chance of him meeting the Saint instead of increasing it.
No. That couldn’t be right. She forced the thought away.
Then Tristan, who had been watching her silent struggle, spoke again, this time more softly.
“I will guarantee your safety, Lady. If what you say is true and we must find the Saint to resolve this crisis, I will return you safely to your territory afterward. Even so, is that not acceptable?”
Unlike before, his tone was almost soothing.
For a brief moment, she was distracted by that calm voice and his softened expression.
She almost nodded without thinking—but barely managed to catch herself.
No, survival first. Diligent fandom later.
“You don’t even fully believe what I say. And I have people I must protect. My father is gone, my brother as well… I am the only remaining heir of House Whitewood. I cannot leave this territory. The people here are all surviving day by day because they rely on me.”
That wasn’t entirely an excuse.
At first, everything had started purely for her own survival.
But as time passed, it became something bigger. Too big.
She wanted to save not just herself, but the people of this territory who depended on her.
Now even if she could survive by following him, she hesitated because of them.
“Hm. I suppose there are matters of governance. I may have been too hasty.”
Fortunately, Tristan stepped back a little.
But the word “for now” he used made her even more anxious.
Just before leaving, he added as if he had just remembered something:
“Ah, a portion of my knights are already moving around the territory for reconnaissance. They should arrive at the castle soon. Please inform your guards in advance.”
Only one meaning was clear.
Eilain understood immediately.
A sub-male lead was about to appear.
***
Tristan did not believe in saints or divine revelation.
It had been a sudden decision. One that his knights would have strongly opposed.
But something instinctive—something that had always kept him alive—had pushed him to speak those words.
That he needed this woman.
That he had to go with her.
Only then would he reach the end of this disaster.
The feeling was sharp. Like needles across his entire body.
He had never felt such a clear instinct before.
He had followed instincts before—changing his sleeping quarters suddenly, refusing food he usually ate, taking night watch himself instead of trusting others.
And every time, he had been right.
Those instincts had saved him from fire, poison, and assassination.
But this time was different.
This wasn’t just survival instinct.
It felt like something was pulling him toward her.
Why?
Because she had a divine revelation? Because she knew the future?
Or because she was secretly the Saint?
He didn’t know.
But her gaze—half fear, half desperation—kept lingering in his mind.
When his deputy Caleb and the remaining knights finally arrived at the dining hall, Eilain had already disappeared, likely overwhelmed with her duties as acting lord.
“You’re safe. We saw hundreds of zombies swarming the territory and were worried.”
“Yeah. There was a variant too. Took some effort to kill it. We’re running low on arrows and supplies—we’ll need to restock here.”
Food was then served.
Simple meals—clear soup, meat, warm bread.
But to knights who had barely eaten properly for months, it was a feast.
Tristan watched them quietly.
Then Caleb spoke.
“This place… the Whitewood territory, right?”
“The lord died a year ago.”
“And his son, Willus Whitewood?”
“Returned injured, but died after turning into a zombie. His sister personally beheaded him.”
“…Then the current administrator is?”
“That lady,” Tristan said flatly. “The younger sister.”
Caleb blinked.
“She did all this? These defenses, the food, everything?”
“Apparently.”
Caleb leaned forward, lowering his voice.
“What else have you heard about her?”
“She claims she received divine revelation.”
Caleb nearly choked.
“A saint or something?”
“There is another Saint, she says. One who will meet me and save the world.”
“That’s absurd…”
“She’s skilled. Middle-tier magic, strong leadership. And she’s the only one keeping this territory alive.”
Caleb immediately understood.
“I’ll look into it.”
Tristan nodded slightly.
Then, after a pause:
“I may need to travel with her.”
“Sir, that’s—”
“Not decided yet.”
Even he did not understand why.
But the instinct remained.
***
“Lady, there’s a problem.”
Eilain had just returned from escorting Tristan’s men when the guard captain arrived, looking unusually serious.
“What happened? Is someone injured?”
“Not exactly. But… something strange.”
The captain hesitated.
“We burned all the remaining zombies from yesterday like you ordered. But while we were returning… we saw more.”
Eilain froze.
“More zombies?”
“Yes. Small numbers. From different directions.”
“That’s impossible,” she said quickly. “They don’t move during the day. They only wander near their spawn zones.”
“That’s what we thought too,” the captain replied grimly. “But they were coming from the north… and the west.”
