◆ Chapter 14: Zombies and Strategies
I want to dedicate my time to Cladorca and our newest threat—the dragon—but the normal zombies aren’t interested in waiting until it’s convenient for me. After parting ways with Pino, I hurried from the royal capital with Lex because we received word zombies had shown up on the outskirts of the city.
“BWOAAAAH!”
Five zombies amble toward me. When I first arrived in this world, I screamed when I was up against just one, but obviously, I’m used to them now. Plus, I don’t have much to fear during the day with Lex at my side, either.
“I’ll knock them down one at a time! Keep the other zombies in check while I do!” Lex commands the soldiers as he charges into a zombie with his shield out. Once it’s down, he shouts to me over his shoulder. “Lady Mizuha!”
“On it!”
I smack the zombie held down by Lex’s shield, and it begins to brightly glow—a sign the purification process has begun. We move on to purify the next zombie without waiting for the first to finish becoming human. Then the next and the next and the next are purified the same way. We finished purifying five zombies in no time.
“I apologize for calling you out here during your day off, Holy Priestess…”
“Please think nothing of it. This isn’t enough to tire me out,” I say with a smile to the overly apologetic soldier. I said that in part because I don’t want the soldiers to feel any guilt for asking me to help, and also because it’s true.
I watch the soldiers caring for the newly dezombified people as I speak with Lex. “Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like we are seeing a lot more stragglers again.”
“There are indeed more than before. Mayhap they are traveling here from other territories.” Lex gazes into the distance.
“You know, I get the feeling this will never end if we don’t do anything about Cladorca.”
“You make a good point, m’lady. You could say that extends to everywhere else we leave untouched and not just Cladorca.”
Goddess Sadia said something like the world will purify at a gradual pace, but I think that “gradual” will take longer than one generation. I’m pretty sure that’s why she was okay with me staying behind to continue my work as Priestess.
And if that’s true, then my opinion concerning the other kingdoms isn’t wrong.
✦ ✦ ✦
“WOW! You ran into somethin’ like that?”
“It was HORRIBLE! Get this: it’s huge, it flies, and it spews black flames! But worse than any of that is the STENCH! It reeks ten times worse than the Boneless Hams!” I rant.
It’s the next day, and I’ve run into a familiar face while walking the capital’s main street with Lex. That familiar face is Rosso, a petty thief who has turned his life around and become attached to me ever since I caught him in the act.
Now he makes a living peddling the bread his younger sister bakes. There’s not a single roll left in the wagon he’s leaning against. This sibling-duo currently runs the most popular bakery in the royal capital, possibly thanks to being the first people to start selling after the initial purification period.
“For all that complainin’ and danger you faced, you’re still gonna go purify it. You never cease to amaze me, Boss Lady!”
“You think I’m being crazy too, Rosso?”
“Well, yeah. But it’s something you’d do!”
“Really? I don’t recall being the type to run toward danger.” Apparently that was a shocking revelation because both Rosso and Lex share a skeptical look.
“Sure you might complain while you do it, but you’ve always jumped headlong into danger. Don’t you agree, Boss Man?”
“I do. Not only have you gone on countless purification expeditions, but you also subjugated the Dark Djinn. Not to mention, you stayed behind to save this world.”
I can’t argue when he gives that many examples. But, put another way, these are all things I chose to do of my own volition. That’s not a bad thing—or I’d like to think it’s not.
Rosso leaves his wagon to stand in front of me. He pounds his right fist against his chest as if to symbolize I can count on him. “Please be sure to call on me before you leave. I’m helpin’ my sister bake bread now, but I haven’t quit being your underling.”
“Thanks, Rosso. But you can stop calling yourself my underling.”
“I’ll never give it up!”
I wish he understood how awkward it feels to be called Boss Lady by an older man. The most disturbing thing is I’ve stopped finding it as awkward as I did in the beginning. Scary!
“I would be honored for Sir Rosso to join us.”
“Boss Man! Then again, I’m not sure there’s much I can do for you.”
“But there is. Your agility is invaluable to any mission.”
“In that case, I’ll make the best of these legs and dance ’round any obstacle for ya.” Rosso does a little jig after hearing Lex’s emphatic praise for his skill.
I can never keep up with these two, but that doesn’t change how reliable they are. If everything goes according to plan and we receive the okay to enact Operation Purify Cladorca, I’ll take Rosso up on his offer.
“I’d better get movin’ soon,” Rosso says, lifting the wagon handle.
“Oh, sorry for keeping you.”
“No worries, Boss Lady. I’m glad I got to hear what you guys have been up to lately. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my kid sister has been on my case about gettin’ you to try her best tasting bread yet. Please drop by for a bite next time you have the chance.”
“Really?! Tell her I’m looking forward to trying it!”
“I will!” he responds cheerily and pulls his wagon down the street.
“You look happy, Lady Mizuha.”
“Normally, I’d deny it, but I’ll just have to admit it this time.”
Rosso said he will join a dangerous operation for the likes of a normal little girl like me. That fills me with more joy than it does guilt.
We resume our casual patrol of the capital until our course takes us near where I hear familiar crisp thuds—they’re coming from the training grounds. I steal a peek from the outside and catch sight of short people loosing arrows.
“The Lucors came to train again today?”
“The appearance of zombie birds followed by dragons has made anti-air warfare even more vital to our survival, so there will be a greater emphasis put on archery skills from now on,” Lex explains.
More than half of the arrows the Lucors shot hit the dragon. Sadly, none stuck, but since that will be resolved with Pino’s plan, archery is critical for success in our upcoming battle. It would be great if their skills can be passed on to more people.
“It’s better not to ask for their help with Operation Purify yet, right?”
“I think not, m’lady. You should only bring it up once it is officially decided so as not to invite unnecessary confusion.”
“That’s what I’ll do then. Hey, is it okay if I check in on them for a bit?”
“Of course.”
Just like that, my patrol took me inside the training grounds. The closer I get to the action, the more intense the sounds become. This time though, I’m not here to observe or try it.
“Hello. Have you seen Nady by any chance?” I ask a young male Lucor sitting on the sidelines taking a break.
“…She’s not here.”
“I see. Do you happen to know where she is?”
“I don’t know anything about the coward who couldn’t shoot to save the Holy Priestess.” He’s stating the facts but in an awfully barbed tone. It rubs me the wrong way.
“This has been bothering me for a while, but why do you all speak so poorly of Nady? Aren’t you from the same tribe?”
“That giant ain’t a Lucor!” Another young male Lucor came over to us just to say that. I can only hear that as purposeful badmouthing. Plus, he’s making Nady sound like a pariah. I can’t let his comment pass.
“There is no one in the world who has the exact same face or body type—it’s wrong to belittle someone solely because they’re of a different height,” I chide.
“I am grateful to you, Holy Priestess. But you have no right to butt into matters involving our people.”
I certainly am a third party to their problems, but Nady is my friend. I can’t let such bigotry slide, nor do I want to. Lex tries to mediate between us, but I’m too ticked off to back down.
“What are you lot doing?”
“Ch-Chieftain…!”
Were we making too much of a scene? Theos has come running over from the archery range. The young people, who gathered around to make comments or watch, all scatter before his stern face. They look just as unsatisfied by our conversation as I feel, but not even they want this argument to blow up more than it already has. The main two troublemakers bow once and take their leave.
“Are you all right, Lady Mizuha?”
“Yeah. Sorry for making a scene, Lex.”
I’ve never been able to sit by and idly watch someone trash a friend. I keep telling myself I need to stop getting so worked up all the time, but I never do anything to change it. I exhale my pent up anger.
“I deeply apologize for them offending you, Holy Priestess,” Theos says, bowing his head to me.
“I’m the one who is sorry for getting heated. Is it all right if I ask you a question?” Theos nods. “You have noticed everyone says bad things about Nady, I’m sure?”
“…Of course I have. The fault lies with me: from her inability to blend in with the others to her timid personality.” As he speaks, sadness fills his face. He trembles as he painfully squeezes his hands together. There’s more to this than meets the eye.
“Do you know where Nady is?” I ask to change the topic. “I want to have a proper talk with her…”
I don’t know anything about Nady. I never know what has her worried despite being friends. So I want to learn more—for both of our sakes.
After some thought, Theos nods, perhaps because he sensed my determination.
“I have an idea where she might be. However...will you hear me out first before I tell you?”