OBNVZ C5

Chapter 5

Just before leaving the hidden room, Yu Jein cast a blessing on everyone in the group.

“It reduces fatigue and restores stamina. It’s nothing remarkable, but…”

“It’s more than enough. Thank you, Lady Yu Jein.”

This was precisely the reason Yu Jein—an orphan commoner raised in a temple—had first caught the attention of noble society.

Divine power.

In an empire of polytheism, priests were plentiful, but those who could manifest visible divine power like this were rare.

As far as I knew, Yu Jein’s divine power was… well, enough to heal something like a paper cut.

‘Too weak?’

The gods here were stingy; they didn’t grant their priests overwhelming power.

Still, that level was enough to become one of the most renowned priests in the empire.

After pouring blessings over multiple people at once, Yu Jein staggered, and the Grand Duke at her side quickly supported her.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Um, Your Highness… your hand…”

“My hands are cold. If it makes you uncomfortable…”

“It’s not uncomfortable! It’s just… my hands are cold…”

“That’s fine. I like them cold.”

‘They’re really something.’

Watching the romantic display unfolding right in front of me, I absentmindedly brushed off my clothes.

See nothing. Hear nothing. Say nothing.

Just like when my supervisor and someone from another team flirted right in front of me back when I was a rookie.

The one who shattered the warm atmosphere was, of course, the nuisance.

Without even a word of thanks, he rotated his arm and complained,

“You could’ve done that earlier. Then maybe a knight wouldn’t have died.”

At that, Yu Jein, who had been wiping away cold sweat, flinched.

“I’m sorry…”

“Well, it’s not like you owe me an apology. Just saying.”

So this is what they mean by “no good deed goes unpunished.”

It was obvious each blessing drained her significantly—what, did you think she was some kind of infinite buff machine?

Instead of the flustered Yu Jein, the Crown Prince frowned.

“Papri, that’s enough.”

“But I’m right, aren’t I, hyung? Someone of her status wouldn’t even have dared to stand among us normally. If she made it this far thanks to divine power, she should’ve known her place without being told. What is this?”

He clicked his tongue, muttering,

“We don’t even know how many of those monsters are outside, and we already lost a shield, damn it…”

‘Wow, I can think of a hundred harsh things to say to him right now.’

Just as the Crown Prince was about to speak again, Mascarpone cut in.

“Didn’t you hear? It’s a blessing that relieves fatigue.”

Using the same sharp tone she had used on me earlier, Mascarpone snapped back,

“Did that knight die from exhaustion? No, right? What Yu Jein cast wasn’t a defensive spell—it was a blessing.”

“And who are you to butt in, lady—”

“Lady or not, just move already! At this rate, we’ll be here till morning!”

“Yes, let’s go. This place feels unsafe.”

I seized the opportunity to back her up.

I felt like bowing in gratitude to Mascarpone for saying everything I’d been holding in.

‘Staying quiet is way harder than it sounds. If it weren’t for her, I might’ve exploded just now.’

I didn’t like how she picked on me earlier, but if she was equally sharp with everyone, I could live with that.

“Yes, let’s hurry… I’m scared to death…”

Even Supporting Character #2 chimed in, reading the room.

With all the women speaking up, even the nuisance couldn’t keep arguing and shut his mouth.

Dazzling quickly stepped forward and opened the door.

Dazzling and the Crown Prince, who knew how to handle weapons, took the lead, while the Grand Duke guarded the rear. The rest of us—unarmed and unable to fight—were positioned in the middle.

Eight people in total.

Only three capable of fighting.

Three protecting five.

‘If I got a team like this in a game? I’d delete my account on the spot.’

“Ugh…”

I let out a sigh.

“Hey, move.”

“Huh?”

The nuisance shoved my back and slipped right in front of me.

I blinked as I was pushed backward.

‘…What?’

What was that?

‘I thought he’d stay in the back with the Grand Duke?’

Not because he was a man, but because he’d insisted on taking a weapon earlier and grabbed a sword.

And yet now, he casually shoved me aside and wedged himself into the middle—right between the women, positioning himself to be protected from all sides.

Watching him do that, I sighed and moved to the rear.

As I approached, the Grand Duke subtly shifted to give me a safer position to walk.

“You should stand at the front, my lady.”

“It’s fine. Five people can’t all walk together anyway.”

At worst, I could stab a zombie in the neck with a paper knife… or shove it over by the shoulder.

As I rolled my arms to stretch, the Grand Duke tilted his head.

“You seem different today.”

“Do I look more tired?”

“Not exactly…”

He leaned closer, casting a shadow over my face. I flinched at his breath brushing my ear.

“Your atmosphere feels different. You even helped Lady Yu Jein earlier.”

“I didn’t help. Lady Mascarpone did.”

“Backing her up when she told everyone to move on counts as helping, doesn’t it?”

He scratched his cheek with a smile before adding,

“I thought you’d be upset, seeing Prah and Lady Yu Jein together all afternoon. But you weren’t.”

His emerald eyes shimmered in the corridor light.

“With corpses walking around outside, does it really matter if the living stick together?”

At my blunt reply, he chuckled softly.

“You really are different.”

Because I’m not the same person.

He didn’t even bother hiding the curiosity in his gaze as he observed me, and I met his eyes directly.

He’s handsome.

Like those celebrity birthday ads at Samsung Station on Line 2 at night—everything else dark, but that one panel glowing brilliantly.

Like someone’s most radiant moment captured and pasted there.

With that pure shade of blond, I half-expected him to shine without any light source at all.

I flicked my wrist lightly.

“Still tired? You received the blessing.”

“My kind of fatigue can’t be fixed by something like that.”

“Then what does fix it?”

An iced Americano.

“Mind your own business.”

“How cold.”

“Yes.”

Even when I was curt, the Grand Duke only smiled.

It was widely known that after Yusara’s confession incident, relations between the Grand Duke and Lady Yusara had soured completely.

So no one found it strange that I treated him coldly.

Thanks to that, I could speak to him exactly as I pleased—that part, at least, was convenient.

“Don’t talk to me. I’m too tired to keep up a conversation…”

As I cut him off, Yu Jein, who was walking ahead, glanced back.

Only after meeting her wide, rabbit-like eyes did I close my mouth.

Was she upset because I said her blessing didn’t work?

Better stay quiet.

The villa we were in, viewed from above, was shaped like a “U” and had two floors.

The far-right room on the second floor was the hidden room we had come from. There were no stairs on the right side—only a grand central staircase used by nobles in the middle, and a servants’ staircase on the left.

Second floor: stairs / central staircase / hidden room
First floor: gallery / kitchen / dining hall

Our destination—the kitchen—was located behind the grand, curved central staircase.

In theory, it was simple: go straight, turn the corner, descend the spiral staircase, and slip into the kitchen behind it.

‘The problem is how ridiculously large this “simple” building is.’

As we walked down the long corridor, conversation gradually died out.

Even the Grand Duke, who had been joking with me, now scanned the surroundings with a cautious expression.

To ease my tension, I distracted myself with pointless thoughts.

—Yusara’s Crown Prince acrostic—

Hwang: How gracious.
Tae: To be escorted by both the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke.
Ja: I should brag about this.

Just as we were nearing the central staircase, Supporting Character #2 spoke.

“It’s too quiet… it’s making me nervous.”

Mascarpone, biting her lip, added,

“Wouldn’t it be better to go back to the room now?”

Though it seemed like she was asking the Crown Prince, he didn’t respond, keeping his eyes forward.

As before, it was the Grand Duke who explained.

“With corpses rising and walking, it wouldn’t be strange if the building collapsed or caught fire at any moment. We have to prioritize escape. That’s why we’re taking all of you with us, even unarmed.”

“But…”

At that moment, the Crown Prince whispered,

“Shh.”

Everyone froze instantly.

Behind a massive horse statue just before the turn to the central staircase—

A knight stood there.

Unbidden, everyone held their breath.

“….”

Without drawing his sword, the Crown Prince raised his left hand and made a small signal with two fingers.

Dazzling immediately raised his shield to protect the group.

Moving silently, the Crown Prince closed the distance in just a few steps.

“Grrrk…”

As the knight’s milky-white eyes turned toward us—

Slice.

The Crown Prince severed his neck.

Only after he returned did anyone dare to speak.

All of us carefully avoiding looking at the dismembered body in the corner.

“It can’t see us.”

“Maybe it detects things through hearing or smell, not sight.”

“Are all the walking corpses like that?”

“Your Highness, what do you think?”

“…That’s not the problem.”

The Crown Prince’s expression was grim. So was Dazzling’s.

Frowning, the Crown Prince gestured toward the central staircase.

We couldn’t see it from here due to the corner.

The whispering stopped as everyone gathered behind them.

“Ah!”

“Ugh…”

There was a mountain of corpses.

Along the wide, curved staircase—large enough for two people to lie side by side—dozens of bodies were piled like discarded mannequins.

Heads severed. Arms torn off. Torsos split in half.

Blood flowed down the steps like a stream.

Drip. Drip. Drip…

Only after seeing it did the stench hit all at once.

A fingernail-less finger sticking out at the top step.

A young man with his abdomen split open.

Entrails spilling out.

The clean cross-section of a severed neck.

“Ah!”

Yu Jein stumbled backward—and stepped directly on my foot.

I had been staring blankly at the pile of corpses and failed to avoid her.

Her sharp high heel slipped across the top of my foot—

And we both tumbled down together.

“Ah!”

“Oh my!”

“Lady Yu Jein!”

“Are you alright?!”

“Ah… yes, I’m fine.”

I knew those shoes were trouble.

Rubbing my throbbing ankle, I looked up—

And saw two large hands extended toward me.

“Ah, thank—”

I reached out instinctively—then froze.

Both male leads were offering their hands.

To Yu Jein.

Both of them.

They looked momentarily flustered as I paused mid-motion.

Empty space in front of me.

‘Are you alright?!’

…That wasn’t directed at me.

[Imperial Villa – Second Floor Corridor]

Dazzling / Crown Prince
Yu Jein / Nuisance / Mascarpone / Supporting Character #2
Grand Duke / Yusara

(Survivors)