“BY the Goddess…have I returned to normal…?”
The now-living knight examines his body as if he can’t believe his eyes. I don’t know his deal, but I don’t blame him for being confused after reverting from zombie to human. That said, I can confidently say I’m even more confused than he is.
I mean, a zombie that was moaning “Bwah bwah” and trying to eat me turned into a human just by me touching it with my right hand. Does this count as bringing someone back from the dead? He was a zombie. But considering his filthy armor became clean and shiny, and the way the scream ripped from his throat when he glowed, purification seems like a better explanation. Yep, purification it is.
My eyes meet the knight’s while I’m in the middle of escaping reality by analyzing my situation. Having grown up with an older brother, I’ve never had a problem chatting with boys at school, but while that may be true, I still have reservations about talking to some guy who was a zombie trying to eat me a few moments prior—no matter how cool-looking he is.
“Are you the one who restored me to my former self?”
“I didn’t do anything so grandiose. I only touched you with my hand…”
More like I shoved him with all my strength. But telling him that will only draw attention to how violent my method was.
“I knew it… I vaguely remember things from when I was a zombie. I see, I see. That powerful thrust to my chest was your doing,” the knight says as he brings his right hand to his chest.
Crud. The fact that I shoved him is completely out in the open!
“I-I didn’t hit you because I wanted to. It’s your fault for cornering me while groaning ‘Bwah bwah’!”
The knight deeply bows his head to me. “Thank you very much.”
“Um, er…”
I’m stumped. All I did was touch him—or rather, gave a hard push to his chest— which normally wouldn’t do much at all. Even if my joking conclusion that I have the ability to purify zombies is somehow freakishly true, it’s not something I’ve done before. I’m not aware of having an ability like that. Though if purification really exists…I wish it’d purify the horrid odor exuding from my hand!
The knight raises his head and introduces himself. “My name is Lex Irvine, a knight with Grantz Kingdom’s Royal Knights.”
I could tell he wasn’t Japanese by his looks, so I’m not surprised by his foreign name. The issue is with the rest of what he said. I’ve never heard of Grantz Kingdom.
Between the existence of zombie knights and poisonous swamps, I’m starting to think this is a different world from the one I know. It’s a ridiculous theory even to me, but taking all the available information into account, there’s a high chance the “another world theory” applies here. Though the biggest mystery is how we’re communicating without a language barrier.
“If I may ask, what is your name, fair maiden?”
“Kusunoki— Ah, that’s my last name. I’m Mizuha Kusunoki.” Since the knight had introduced himself with his first name first, I switched midsentence to match the “local” custom.
“Lady Mizuha… You have a gorgeous name.”
This is the first time a man who’s not related to me has addressed me by my first name. It’s a tad embarrassing, but it’s not a bad feeling. But calling me by name isn’t the only problem here!
“U-Um, why are you calling me L-Lady? I’m not someone of high status. You can drop that part.”
“Because you are the fair lady who saved my life! I must treat you with the respect you are due!” he firmly declares, shooting down my request.
I was just starting to think he was the gentle-mannered, easy-to-get-along-with type, but it turns out he might actually be the difficult-to-handle type! Even so, he’s the only other human around. I have no option but to rely on him right now.
“Excuse me, Sir Lex?”
“Please just call me Lex. I would be most pleased if you spoke with me casually as well.”
“I can’t do that. I only just met you, Sir Lex.”
“LEX! Please call me that.”
I knew it. He’s the annoying type. Is he just serious to a fault or more stubborn than a mule? Actually, he’s probably both. At any rate, it’s just a waste of time if I get hung up on responding to his stupid comments in kind.
I take a deep breath and let the tension out of my shoulders. Then I stare at the man in front of me as I tell myself, All this guy has going for him is his looks. He’s a weirdo on the inside. A weirdo. Okay, that should do it!
“Fine, I’ll be casual with you, then. Um…Lex? I have a lot of questions for you. Will you answer them?”
“If it is within my ability to answer you, with pleasure.”
“What in the world is going on here? It looks like we’re on a desert island in the middle of the deep ocean. We’re surrounded on all sides by some sorta venomous-looking muck.”
“I don’t know what has transpired either. All I can say is that the world suddenly rotted around us, and every person, without exception, turned into a zombie as if in a chain reaction. The only power I know capable of this widespread influence comes from…the Dark Djinn.” Lex pauses there and looks at my face. “M’lady, are you feeling unwell?”
“Ahaha. Yes and no. I’m physically fine…” I say, holding my head in my hand.
Zombie-esque things exist. I probably shouldn’t be surprised at this point, but not even I could have predicted that a term like “Dark Djinn” would come up so easily as a part of a normal conversation. My zombie apocalypse nightmare has just turned up the fantasy-world ante.
“Uh, stop right there. Every person without exception? I’m not sure I really want to know the answer to this, but is it possible there are no other living humans around?”
“Correct. At least, that was supposed to be the case as far as I know.”
“Supposed to be the case?”
“Lady Mizuha…the curse didn’t befall you.” Lex’s expression turns serious as he studies my face. “What in the Goddess’s name are you? The Dark Djinn’s power is indomitable. None should have been capable of escaping its curse. And yet you—”
“I want to know the answer to that question more than anyone. When I came to, I was here without a clue about anything.”
“My inkling might not be so far off after all. That sacred power that allows you to not only break the Dark Djinn’s curse but also return me to my former self…I believe it means you are the holy priestess sent here by the Goddess to save our world, Lady Mizuha.”
I can’t help blinking at that preposterous conclusion. Is this guy all right in the head? Maybe his brains fried when he turned into a zombie.
“Me? A holy priestess? Not a chance. I’m just a high school girl.”
“Hi-High? S-Sch…ool? Girl?” Lex tries sounding out the words.
“Oh…my older brother likes to just call me a schoolgirl, but I guess you wouldn’t get that either?” I mentioned that with the fleeting hope he might know what that is, but it’s no good. Face scrunched up in a confused frown, Lex cocks his head at me. “Well, in any case, I’m just a normal human.”
“You can’t be. A normal person does not possess the holy powers you used—”
“What I’m trying to say is, don’t give me special treatment or look at me funny. I mean, look around. Whatever power I do or don’t have, it’s not getting us out of here.”
The power to purify a zombie and revert them to their original human form. I can’t deny that’s an awesome power, but it’s meaningless if I can’t escape this tiny island.
“…Lady Mizuha.”