TFVZ 05

Chapter 5

“Penelope, over here.”

Opening a door, Idorian motioned for me to go inside.

The room contained several low beds and a small desk.

The floor was nothing but bare wooden planks, and a mirror with most of its paint peeled away hung crookedly on the wall.

It wasn’t much different from the room I’d been given.

Resting on one of the beds near the wall were Idorian’s blue sword and a black cloak embroidered with silver thread.

Apparently, this was his room.

He opened a drawer, took out a roll of bandages, and walked over.

“Sit.”

As though intending to bandage my ankle himself, Idorian lowered himself to the floor.

I hurriedly shook my head.

Well…

This body wasn’t nearly as quick as I wanted it to be.

By the time I reacted, he’d already sat down.

“Please give it to me.”

“I’ll do it myself.”

“…You know how?”

Tilting his head slightly, Idorian looked genuinely surprised.

“You just wrap it around, don’t you?”

I didn’t want to let him handle my body.

I was afraid his sharp eyes might notice something else strange about me.

“You don’t just wrap it.”

“That’s exactly why I said I’d do it.”

“Sit.”

“Then teach me.”

“I’ll do it myself.”

He stared blankly up at me before frowning.

“You want me to demonstrate it on my own leg so you can learn?”

His tone made it clear he couldn’t understand why I insisted on making things so complicated.

In the end, I gave up trying to persuade him and sat down in front of him.

Idorian studied me for a few more moments before taking hold of my foot.

I frowned and carefully examined my ankle.

What if there’s another mark?

Perhaps because of my anxiety, my heart gradually began beating faster.

Fortunately…

Contrary to my fears, Idorian simply let go of my ankle without saying anything.

About a minute had passed.

“Well, you’ve watched me.”

“You should be able to do it yourself next time.”

Standing up, he dusted off his hands and handed me the remaining bandages.

Apparently satisfied, he headed toward the door.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Before he could leave the room—

A rhythmic tapping sounded against the window.

Idorian turned around and opened it.

A small bird flew inside through the open window.

It circled once above his head before landing comfortably on his hand, as though accustomed to him.

Removing the tiny capsule tied around its neck, Idorian poured it a little water and scattered some feed before unfolding the newly arrived letter.

“…I see.”

After quickly reading it, he seemed to forget I was even there.

Without another word, he left the room.

He never mentioned the letter.

But after quickly reviewing the novel’s early events, I immediately realized who had sent it.

Perhaps…

It was from the genius capable of ending this disaster far sooner.

The man I desperately needed.

That genius’s name…

I couldn’t remember it.

I only remembered that he was a brilliant man whose life ended after bringing nothing but brief hope and another crisis.

But I remembered this incident clearly.

He was a commoner from a small kingdom.

And one of Idorian Pidentre’s university classmates.

He had traveled all the way to the Empire simply to visit his old friend.

After arriving by ship at Leman Port near the capital, he planned to spend a few days sightseeing before taking a train to the Imperial Palace.

Then…

The zombie outbreak began.

Every road leading to the capital was sealed.

His train stopped on the tracks.

Unable to go anywhere, he became stranded.

Idorian sent him a letter.

And the reply had just arrived.

In it, the man said that since he’d come all this way to see Idorian anyway—and the distance wasn’t that great—he would simply come to the fortress instead.

It was an incredibly naïve decision.

One made by someone who had never encountered zombies firsthand.

The first rule of surviving a zombie apocalypse was always the same.

Find shelter.

Secure food.

Yet lacking information, the genius foolishly set out anyway.

Halfway up the mountain…

A zombie bit him.

Even so, he’d managed to climb that far thanks to his exceptional powers of observation.

He quickly realized that zombies reacted to sound and smell.

So he covered himself in the blood and remains of zombies the protagonists had killed while climbing the mountain.

At night, he hid in trees.

That was how he survived.

In the end, however…

He died because he started bleeding.

Nothing could conceal the scent of human blood.

The zombies tore him apart.

…But why was he bleeding?

“Hmm…”

If I could save that genius…

Perhaps this entire catastrophe could be resolved much sooner.

But if I interfered carelessly and aroused suspicion…

That would create another disaster altogether.

“You’re still here?”

Idorian returned, folding a hastily scribbled letter in half.

He looked briefly at me, still sitting on his bed, before walking over to the bird, which was busy drinking water.

After gently stroking its feathers a few times, he tucked the reply back into the tiny capsule.

“…Do you have something to say?”

Apparently intending to wait until the bird finished eating, Idorian sat down in a nearby chair and awkwardly started a conversation.

Instead of answering, I silently pointed at the bird.

Only afterward did it occur to me that perhaps he’d merely been politely hinting that I should leave.

“My friend from university is on his way here to see me.”

Without a trace of annoyance, Idorian began explaining.

“You’re going to pick him up?”

“…Yes.”

For an instant, his golden eyes wavered.

“…I’m planning to leave tomorrow morning.”

Lowering his gaze slightly, he absentmindedly stroked the bird again.

Having finished eating, the little bird closed its eyes, clearly accustomed to his touch.

Just like in the novel…

Idorian would send the messenger bird back to determine his friend’s location.

Then he’d follow it.

In the end…

His friend would become a zombie.

Idorian himself would return only after three days, gravely wounded.

…That didn’t mean I could simply volunteer to go with him.

Knock. Knock.

As I wondered what I should do, Lilia gently knocked on the half-open door.

“Lady Penelope.”

She looked as though she had something to say.

After giving Idorian a polite nod, I stepped outside.

Lilia stood there holding a cup.

“I found some tea that’s supposed to help with digestion.”

Great.

Another thing I have to pretend to consume.

I reached for the cup.

But Lilia shook her head.

“There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

“Would it be all right if I brought it to your room?”

Had Lilia Swedy ever once approached Penelope first to start a conversation?

I quickly searched through Penelope’s memories.

The answer was no.

“…Of course.”

Something about Lilia’s unusually serious tone made me uneasy.

---

At the very end of the hallway—

Lilia followed me into my room and placed the cup on the small bedside table.

What could she possibly want to say?

I set the potato I’d been carrying beside it before sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at her.

“I’m truly sorry.”

Rather than sitting down, Lilia remained standing awkwardly before me.

She bowed her head deeply.

“Just as you said…”

“I can’t truly know what you went through because of me.”

“I was safe.”

“I can only imagine.”

So that was it.

She’d been carefully watching my mood ever since earlier because she’d wanted to say this.

“But…”

“Even imagining it…”

“It hurts so much.”

She glanced at me again, desperately holding back her tears.

“If you hadn’t pushed me up first…”

“I should’ve been the one left behind.”

“And…”

“If it had been me…”

“I don’t think I could’ve been as clever as you.”

Lilia Swedy.

Soft, pale-pink hair.

Snow-white skin.

Large round eyes.

Gentle lips that curved upward ever so slightly.

She looked every bit the graceful beauty.

But appearances weren’t everything.

Yes, she was the heroine of a romance novel.

Yes, the male leads helped her countless times.

But she hadn’t survived this apocalypse by relying solely on others.

“I’m so sorry…”

“For leaving you alone with those monsters.”

Right now, she was still a sheltered noble lady who couldn’t even protect herself.

But with time…

She would become one of the fortress’s greatest fighting forces.

“…But next time, I won’t do that.”

“Just like you put me first…”

“I’ll make sure I protect you too.”

Lilia—

Who would one day train under both the Grand Duke and the Crown Prince until her swordsmanship rivaled the Imperial Knights—

Made me that promise.