Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────Chapter 19

As it was ordered to slow down, the carriage with the two arrived at Viscount Koufen twice the scheduled time.

By then, Hisran was also in shape to get off the carriage.

There was no special boundary line between the nobility’s territories, unless it was usually a hostile relationship or the realm of a high-ranking family. However, some of the guards were not visible even though they were usually recognizable.

“It’s strange. I can’t see the people themselves. It’s not even night?”

Hisran, who looked out of his window, murmured as if puzzled.

“Is it because the sun is setting? Every night, people who are neither ghosts nor zombies are after the living? Then everyone is going to save themselves.”

“Well, that makes sense.”

As Jaeha glanced at the ominous sunset, she uttered. Is it because of prejudice? The moment she entered this estate, she felt a strange chill. Hisran asked as he unknowingly wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

“What’s the matter? Are you not feeling well?”

“I think it’s a little cold.”

“Did you catch a cold because you were homeless yesterday?”

His warm hand touched Jaeha’s forehead.

“There is no fever. Though what about because it’s located a little further north than the city of Cherriety? Would you like me to cast warming magic?”

“Yes, please.”

The warmth of thermal magic wrapped around Jaeha’s whole body. The two got off the carriage and looked for the largest house in the vicinity to ask for directions and to understand the local situation. He knocked on the door, but there was no response.

“Is nobody there? I am a passing traveler, and I would like to ask for directions.”

When he raised his voice and asked the third time, he heard faint footsteps from inside.

“Excuse me, we’ll just ask the direction and leave.”

When Jaeha joined, the window shook, and the voice of a fearful middle-aged woman came out through the gap that was about a span open.

“Who, Who are you? Are you a foreigner?”

“Yes, I’m from Cherriety. I have to visit Viscount Koufen’s residence, although I can’t see anyone on the street. Is there something going on?”

“No wonder… Viscount Koufen’s residence takes about twenty minutes by horse from here. You can find it easily if you follow the main road, but the sun is setting now, so you will have to hurry.”

“Is it difficult to find when it gets dark?”

“It’s not… It’s dangerous. These days, terrible monsters, or even ghastly beasts, wander around every night to harm people.”

“Terrible monsters…?”

In the report from the Viscounty, it was expressed as ‘those who are neither ghosts nor zombies.’ Nonetheless, the locals were convinced that it was a ‘terrible beast’?

As Jaeha asked a little more, the woman’s voice rose.

“I, I don’t know…! Anyway, I’ve told you everything I could say. Go!”

It was a short conversation.

The information available there was limited. Still, one thing wazs for sure…

“People are very afraid of that monstrous existence.”

Meanwhile, the surroundings were getting darker and darker so Jaeha and Hisran got back on the carriage. The statue drove a carriage along the main road. The dark and deserted street gave off a gloomy atmosphere.

“I feel like the protagonist in a horror movie.”

“Horror movie?”

“It’s like a story where scary things pop up out of nowhere.”

“Hmm, how about this?”

As he lightly beckoned, about ten bright light like light bulbs were created around the carriage. The image of the street, which she had only seen as a faint outline a while ago, came into view.

“It’s much better.”

Hisran, who smiled brightly, this time cast a starter spell to her. Then, a translucent film appeared around Jaeha.

“What else is this…?”

“Because those beasts might be beings that are drawn to the light. As a precaution, the shield was deployed.”

“You don’t cover yourself?”

“It’s okay for me. The magic will respond naturally.”

It had been about ten minutes since they entered the main road. About 300 meters ahead, they saw something. Although in the form of a human, Hisran and Jaeha did not relax their tension. The statue slowed down the carriage.

As the distance narrowed, the two could see… The appearance of four people with pale faces like patients approaching the carriage with bouncing gait.

Jaeha cried out in shock.

“No way that… Chinese zombie?”

“Chinese zombie? That isn’t human?”

Anyone who didn’t know much about Chinese zombie, would ask back. It wasn’t decayed like a usual zombie or had its limbs torn off, and it’s almost like a living person. If it wasn’t for the unusual movement, she wouldn’t have noticed.

“It’s a corpse that moves as if it was alive!”

“A zombie? Though they look a little different.”

“Similar, but different!”

“I don’t feel any vital reaction.”

By the way, why does a Chinese zombie appear here? She doesn’t think this is in China or even, at least, the oriental world!

Jaeha shook her head as if the thought was terrible.

The pale skin, clear eyes, and pointy nails. No matter how much she looked at it, the Chinese zombie came to mind.

‘What was the Chinese Zombie’s weakness? Sunlight, animal blood, and…’

Jaeha’s sharp cry echoed through the quiet street.

“Hisran, fire! Burn them all with fire!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you think their weakness is fire? All right, let me show you something hot.”

The moment the Chinese Zombie’s claws were about to pierce the carriage’s spear, a fireball from the air engulfed their whole body.

“Uuuuwwwwaaaa—!”

A terrible sound was heard, like a desperate scream, and in the place where the fireball had disappeared, only black ashes remained.

Jaeha gazed at Hisran with a surprised look.

No matter what the Chinese Zombie’s existence was, it was a monster that boasted tremendous strength at night. He looked amazing again as he got rid of such a monster without much effort.

It seemed the name, ‘The Master of the Red Tower’ didn’t seem to have been for nothing.

He then burned the other three cleanly as well. Thankfully, Jaeha and Hisran, as well as the carriage, were unharmed. Jaeha, who was released from the extreme tension, breathed in her breath.

“Why did a Chinese Zombie appear here?”

“You seem to know the monster well, don’t you?”

“It’s known as a fictional monster in the world I was in. I never thought I’d actually see it.”

“Anyway, thanks to you, I was able to subdue them without any damage. It was a good thing you decided to accompany me.”

She had seen a lot of cases where things went wrong because she intervened, though it was the first time this had happened, so her face turned a little red. It was Hisran who killed the Chinese Zombie, but seeing him turn it into her service made her feel strange.

Jaeha shook her head flutteringly, as if trying to shake off the strange feelings, and told all the information about the Chinese Zombie she knew.

“As Zephiroth said, it’s more likely to be the work of the Warlocks. Warlocks are masters at beating spirits and dealing with all sorts of special drugs and corpses.”

“But, you’ve never seen such a monster?”

“They must have developed a new drug or technique while in hiding. I just wished it was a mutated beast, but it got annoying. If I accept your explanation, I understand most of the reports from the Viscounty. The reason why they say that they have returned from the dead but are neither ghosts nor zombies, and why they only appear at night.”

There was no one attacking Hisran and Jaeha other than the four Chinese Zombie. After wandering for about twenty minutes, they arrived at Viscount Koufen’s residence.

Some of the broken and collapsing walls looked like large stones piled up roughly. Was it damaged from the Chinese Zombie’s attack?

Hisran put the statue with the magic stone removed into the subspace and sent a magic message. After waiting for a while, the Viscount appeared with the knights.

“I am Hisran Ephesion sent from the red tower at the request of Viscounty Koufen. This is my assistant, Yoon Jae Ha.”

Next, he introduced himself and Jaeha in a more arrogant way than usual.

Even though Hisran, who was younger than him, treated him like that, Viscount Koufen wasn’t offended at all. Rather, he looked at Hisran with thrilled eyes.

“No, no way, did the Tower Master come directly?”

“If you don’t believe me, should I show you the magic plate?”

“Oh, no! It’s an infinite honor to meet the Tower Master of the Red Tower. Now I can get out of the dreadful night.”

Not only the Viscount but also the faces of the knights who accompanied him had a vivid light of joy. From that look, she could guess how much they had been tormented by the Chinese Zombie.

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