Chapter 305

Chapter 305

“A zombie?”

“That… refers to those who lose their ability to speak due to an unknown disease and harm their kind.”

“Are they monsters?”

“Similar. They are originally human but turn into monsters when infected with the disease.”

“Were you living in such a… dangerous place?”

There was more force in the hand pressing my forehead. In response to Kaichen’s solemn words, my shoulders shook as I stifled a laugh.

“In reality, it doesn’t exist. It’s more of an imaginary story… creating a story based on the assumption that such a future could happen.”

“Why? Is there any special reason to turn such a terrible imagination into a story?”

“Umm… It’s like a cultural thing…”

How could I explain such things in a world without movies or dramas?

“It’s like a play. Creating stories to enjoy.”

“Are you saying you enjoy watching such horrible things?”

“…”

Kaichen seemed to judge my past world as incomprehensible.

“If the goal were to create the kind of zombie monster you described, there wouldn’t be a way to do it by now.”

“Why? Why is that?”

“If Princess Exchetra wanted to, she would have done it already.”

“Ah… Right.”

It was a valid point. It wasn’t like a virus that would spread immediately upon one bite, like in the case of zombies.

Even if she used something more potent than what she used on Yanghwa, it would still take time for the poison to take effect.

‘Oh? Time?’

Eyes widening, I quickly sat up and turned my back, placing my hands on my head. Kaichen’s hand on my forehead dropped suddenly. Looking at him with a flushed face, I blurted out the thought that had just appeared.

“That’s it! Master, that’s it! She needed time. The right time to quietly poison people without alerting them!”

“… A drug?”

Kaichen seemed to recall something at my words, and his expression became serious.

“One week, no, about 15 days ago… the Crown Prince Julius was grieving about the Turbeau incident. There was no way His Highness knew about it. But, at that moment, an envoy from the Suran Empire arrived. He couldn’t have focused on anything else. I was unconscious, and Master was also recovering.”

“…Isn’t it just a coincidence that you lost consciousness for about two weeks?”

“Even if it happened due to the sudden use of mana, my recovery took over a week. They didn’t kill me; they tortured me. I thought it was just a sadistic lunatic… ah, d@mn.”

I bit my lip to suppress the involuntary curse.

“It was intentional. Even if Master came, it would take a week to recover. “

“…Ha.”

“Master also said it was strange, right? Turbeau’s Time Magic was unusually well concealed. Princess Exchetra… that woman can choose Time Magic.”

“That’s impossible. It’s the medium’s wish…”

“That’s right. Exchetra chooses the medium. A human with a heartfelt wish who activates Time Magic. However, if you think about it differently, the medium that activates time magic ultimately has a desperate wish.”

A heartfelt wish, a desire.

She chose mediums by luring them, at the lie of granting their wishes. But did Exchetra truly choose a ‘person’?

Three times. Time magic manifested three times, and each time, she achieved what she wanted through failure and success.

Was it really the dark sorcerer from the Momalhaut faction who used Time Magic?

Cold sweat trickled down my spine.

The pieces on the chessboard were pawns, used and discarded. Exchetra had neither knights nor bishops. To her, all the people were just pawns to be used and discarded.

“So, Master…”

“…”

“Princess Exchetra is undoubtedly creating a zombie horde. She may be preparing something significant by taking numerous people addicted to drugs as hostages.”

It was dizzying. I was appalled by the possibility of being inside a zombie story I first mentioned as a joke.

My mouth went dry without realizing it, and my palms became moist. I felt uneasy. As Exchetra advanced step by step toward her plan, I felt increasingly miserable, and I was scared I would be too stupid to win.

With trembling hands, I tightly grabbed Kaichen’s arm. Watching my face filled with fear, Kaichen embraced me.

“Why are you so afraid?” he asked.

“I’m scared. It feels like I can’t win.”

“Are you going to give up without even trying to fight?”

“I have to fight, but… I’m like a squirming worm, and she’s stepping me to death.”

“So, are you going to be scared and tremble?”

“Well… not exactly.”

I let out a long sigh. I couldn’t just be scared and tremble like a squirming worm. I’ve made a commitment, but I seriously have to get a grip.

“Master, Exchetra is a monster.”

“…”

“A human turned into a monster can never be defeated by an ordinary human. No matter how much you resist, you’ll only wriggle like a worm… that’s how it is. We’re humans, so in the eyes of a monster, we can only look like worms.”

“…”

“So, I’m thinking of becoming a monster too.”

“Alright.”

Exchetra was a perfectly terrifying monster. A monster so flawless that no cracks were visible. If I, a human who only knew how to wriggle, couldn’t win…

“Well, damn it.”

Becoming a monster was the only way forward.