ESMLT 25

Chapter 25

I looked down.

A few steps away, stuck to the ground like chewing gum, was a rabbit sobbing with tears popping out.

Poor thing—it was crying pitifully.

“Come here.”

“Keeng, keeng….”

The rabbit flapped its long ears and ran over, throwing itself into my arms.

At this point, it really seemed to be treating me as its owner.

I stroked the rabbit’s head, then opened my pouch again.

It seemed like it was finally time to use that item I had handed out to the male leads.

I was trying not to rely on Hayton’s magitech items.

The more I revealed them, the more suspicion there would be about my intentions and their origin.

Just as I plunged my hand into the subspace to search for it—

Rustle!

There was movement in the forest.

Leaves swayed lightly, and a shadow flickered.

Don’t tell me… a zombie?

Honestly, the fact that I hadn’t run into a zombie until now was pure luck. Of course, the terrain deformation had helped too.

In the original story, zombies could sniff out humans like ghosts even if you hid quietly and held your breath.

I knew it wouldn’t end quietly.

I slowly stood up and pulled the hammer hanging from the metal ring on my belt.

Expanding the hammer’s size, I took a combat stance.

My palms grew slightly damp with tension.

Rustle!

The bushes shook.

Rustle—!

They shook again.

Whoosh!

The instant something tried to burst out of the bushes, I swung my hammer without hesitation.

Huh?

I froze when my eyes met a pair of gray ones head-on.

Dark blue hair fluttered softly in the wind.

“Duke Jaeger?”

Those gray eyes glared fiercely at the hammer aimed straight at his head.

“Put that away.”

Whoosh—I immediately stowed the hammer and gave an awkward smile.

“You startled me. I thought you were a zombie.”

“And who do you think was more startled? Is this revenge for throwing a dagger at me the other day?”

Jaeger spoke in a voice dripping with cold as he brushed off his jacket.

So you do realize throwing that dagger was wrong.

Yet the fact that he was only blaming me was absurd, and I shot him a sidelong glare.

“Where are His Highness and the Tower Master?”

“It seems we got separated.”

Jaeger fell silent, his expression troubled.

I mocked him inwardly, hooked the hammer back onto my belt, and rummaged through my pouch again.

Before long, my fingers caught on something round and blunt.

Ah, found it.

What I pulled out was a brooch wrapped in gold cord, set with a yellow sapphire.

“Wasn’t that something you distributed to everyone?”

Jaeger asked for an explanation as I took out the brooch I had handed out. His own was blue sapphire.

This was one of Hayton’s magitech items. By choosing a brooch of a different gem color, you could track the target’s location.

If you tapped the brooch and spoke, you could also communicate within a 200-meter range.

I gave him a brief explanation and urged him to put it on.

“……”

After putting mine on first, I watched as Jaeger fastened his to the chest of his pristine white jacket, then casually brought it up.

“By the way… doesn’t it feel like a place where ghosts might appear?”

It was a probing question—to see if he had encountered the former Tower Master.

“……”

Jaeger paused mid-motion and stared straight at me.

“Why?”

“……Are you still afraid of ghosts?”

His tone wasn’t mocking—it sounded like he was confirming something.

‘Still,’ he says?

I blinked.

“Was I afraid of ghosts?”

Jaeger gazed at me with narrowed eyes, as if weighing my intent.

“I’m really asking because I don’t remember.”

He abruptly turned his head away and finished fastening the brooch.

“……You were afraid. To the point you couldn’t even sleep alone.”

……?

Couldn’t sleep alone?

How would he know that?

Kueeek!

Before I could ask, a shrill cry rang out.

My ears twitched instinctively.

Jaeger and I stood side by side, staring into the darkness. The rabbit, sensing danger, whimpered and clutched at the back of my knee.

Sorry, but I don’t have time to hold you.

I expanded the hammer again.

Jaeger reached behind him and pulled out the flail strapped to his pack.

How much time passed like that?

Then we felt it—a vibration in the ground.

Not an earthquake, but the pounding of something striking the earth.

I lifted a light stone and shone it into the darkness. Something was leaping toward us, slowly but heavily.

Thank goodness.

I relaxed slightly.

Zombies didn’t run.

Which meant it might be Sien or Rihard.

…Wait. Can a human make that many thudding sounds while running? And didn’t it scream “kueeek” too?

That was when Jaeger took my light stones and illuminated the area more closely.

“……Come to think of it, there’s a stable at the western shelter.”

“Is there?”

I replied casually, squinting.

At that moment, as I recognized the creature, my eyes flew open.

Bathed in pale light, three horses came charging at us, thick saliva whipping through the air like lashes.

“There are three retired warhorses there, formerly belonging to an elite cavalry unit.”

Manes whipped wildly.

Hooves pounded the earth.

Hiiiiiing!

Their zombie-red eyes gleamed.

“……Those are zombified horses.”

“…….”

Jaeger and I locked eyes.

I spun around and ran with everything I had.

Damn it! You should’ve said that sooner!

Pant… pant.

We sprinted down the forest path, relying on the faint glow of the light stones.

Fortunately, zombie-infected horses couldn’t reach their normal speed, so they didn’t immediately catch us. Still, the fact that they were horses—and could run at all—was a problem.

But the bigger problem was—

I glanced back.

Hiiiiiing!

Damn it!

The sight of those horses charging with their jaws wide open, clearly intent on eating me, was horrifying enough to make my skin crawl.

Cold sweat ran down my spine.

As I ran, I glanced under my chin. The light emitted from the brooch bent sharply into an L-shape.

I’m getting farther away from the male leads.

I was out of breath, being chased by horses.

I can’t just keep running like this.

I racked my brain furiously.

A grenade?

No—too much noise. It’d draw more zombies.

A flashbang?

Same problem.

A smoke grenade…

No—what would that even do in pitch darkness, when we’re relying on a single light stone?

“Kiing….”

I looked toward my shoulder at the sound.

At some point, the rabbit had clung there desperately, flapping its oversized ears.

What about Jaeger?

I glanced sideways. Jaeger was running alongside me, looking as relaxed as if he were out for a jog along the Han River.

So I’m the only one panting like a dog.

All that training at the estate, and yet—crash-course lessons really couldn’t beat consistent self-driven practice.

Still.

At least I wasn’t alone.

Skreeech—.

Dragging my foot through the dirt and kicking up dust, I turned around.

Jaeger stopped with me.

“Let’s split them. You take two, Duke. I’ll handle one.”

Perhaps realizing combat was inevitable, Jaeger immediately assumed a battle stance.

“Why are those horses rampaging? I thought only skeletons could be infected.”

Panting, my throat dry and sticking together, I swallowed and replied.

“I told you—if a zombie bites, even humans get infected. After that, they go insane trying to tear people apart.”

Why skeletons that couldn’t even eat anymore were so greedy, I had no idea.

Jaeger rolled his neck, loosening up.

“So as long as we’re not bitten?”

“That’s right. Just don’t get bitten.”

Hiiing!

We didn’t have much time.

Seconds later, two inhuman legs burst through the darkness.

Clank—!

Seizing the moment, Jaeger held his flail sideways and blocked the horse’s mouth.

Fududud—!

But the zombie horse twitched its powerful hind legs and shoved him back.

“Damn it—!”

Jaeger muttered, looping the spiked ball on its chain around the horse’s head, hoisting the heavy body onto his shoulder, and hurling it forward.

Boom—! Hiiiiiing!

The overturned horse flailed its legs in the air before crashing down.

Jaeger didn’t miss the chance—he drove a dagger straight into its head.

Brrrr—!

At that moment, the other horse reared and burst through the darkness.

“Redria!”

Startled, I reflexively swung my hammer.

Thud—!

Perfect timing.

The horse’s lower jaw flew clean off.

Boom—!

For the finishing blow, I raised the hammer and smashed the fallen horse’s head as it lay twitching, eyes rolled back.

Thud! Thud!

Its movements gradually slowed, then finally went limp.

Only then did I let out a breath of relief.

“Phew…….”

I wiped the sweat from my soaked forehead and lifted my head—