His voice was so resolute despite whispering that I stopped rummaging.

‘…I want to see too.’

But Arkle pulled me deeper into his embrace.

With my face buried against his firm chest, I could only understand the situation through Arkle’s and the knights’ voices.

“Maintain formation. The lady’s protection is priority—”

I heard the sound of knights moving swiftly.

After that, silence flowed without anyone speaking, which suggested they were in a standoff.

“……”

“……”

I could feel Arkle’s heavy heartbeat resonating beneath his chest against my ear.

Whether it was tension from facing the undead or for some other reason, somehow his heartbeat seemed quite rapid.

I heard a knight asking Arkle:

“Master, your orders.”

“…We wait.”

That meant there had been no movement from the undead side yet.

‘This… means they don’t intend to attack us right now.’

Arkle must have thought the same, as he slowly opened his mouth.

“Can you understand what I’m saying.”

A voice without hesitation.

He seemed to be trying to determine if communication with the undead was possible.

“……”

“……”

Silence flowed again.

I couldn’t hear any sound, but I could sense the tension from the nearby knights.

“I asked if you can understand what I’m saying.”

“……”

Just when no answer was forthcoming—

“It seems talking is impossible….”

“How long has it been… I don’t know…. Seeing a living… human.”

The voice was slow but distinct.

“Whoa.”

My head turned involuntarily.

“D-did you hear that, M-Master? It spoke—!”

“Dear God…!”

“……”

Surprised exclamations erupted around us, and even hushed screams were heard, but Arkle’s voice remained composed.

“It’s good that communication is possible.”

“…You, are an unusual, one. Ke, keke….”

The undead’s cackling laughter was heard, seemingly a bit surprised at Arkle’s reaction.

Regardless, Arkle continued speaking in the same emotionless, indifferent voice.

“I’ll ask directly. There was a human who sneaked into this place not long ago.”

“……”

“We’re looking for that human. If you tell us where he is, we’ll leave quietly without causing any harm.”

“……”

No answer came.

Arkle opened his mouth again.

“Do you know that a human man sneaked into this place?”

“…How could I, not know. Of course, I know.”

“Do you also know where he is?”

“I do, know.”

“Are you hiding him?”

“Ke, keke. Hiding, him? What a, ridiculous, question. Why would, we do such a thing. Ke, keke.”

It was an unpleasant laugh, close to mockery.

Arkle continued undeterred, without hesitation.

“Then that’s good. Please tell us where he is now.”

“……”

“If you’re not hiding him, then it’s of no concern to you.”

“……”

After a brief silence, a low voice was heard.

“As you, say. It is, of no concern to us.”

“……”

“Therefore, there is, no reason to tell you.”

The knights all began to stir.

“What nonsense—! Master, those things must be lying. They’re hiding that sorcerer.”

“That’s right. At this point, we should use force—”

‘That can’t happen.’

I quickly tried to turn my body.

“Wife.”

As I moved, Arkle lowered his head and met my eyes again.

But this time, I didn’t avoid his gaze.

“You can’t fight, Arkle. They don’t even seem to want to attack us, so why shed blood unnecessarily?”

“……”

“Let me try talking to them.”

Arkle silently looked at me.

He seemed to notice that I was just as determined as he had been when trying to protect me.

“……”

“Trust me. I trust you too.”

His grip that had firmly held my shoulders loosened. I was finally able to escape from his embrace.

However, Arkle still couldn’t leave me alone, clutching his sword hilt with one hand while sticking close behind me.

It felt like having a solid wall standing firmly behind my back.

‘Well, this much is fine.’

Turning my head, I could finally face the undead.

The moment I saw him standing across the fountain, I felt my breath stop.

‘……’

The man’s pale complexion, completely devoid of blood, was clearly not that of a living person at first glance.

His two eyes staring intently at me had turned so cloudy that their original color was impossible to guess. Like the eyes of a corpse decayed underwater.

The left side of his forehead had not only lost skin but also had brain matter protruding.

That too was in a state of decay and rot, but…

“…This can’t be.”

As I muttered to myself, the undead man watching me twisted his lips and made a scratching laugh.

“Ke, keke— keke, yes, normally, people lose their minds. You’re the first, to remain calm like that one—”

He was speaking toward Arkle.

“All zombie movies should be giving refunds!! They don’t even come close to the real thing!!”

My excited outburst drew everyone’s attention—Arkle, the man, and even the knights.

But nothing entered my field of vision.

Nothing except the best zombie of my life, capable of making even Hollywood movies with their massive capital investments look ridiculous.

‘I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Coming all this way was worth it. All that effort to convince Martha was worth it! Ah… I think I could die happy now….’

As I stared at the undead man with my mouth wide open, he spoke with slight bewilderment.

“She seems, to have lost her mind. Gone crazy, from fear. Keke.”

“Watch your tongue.”

As Arkle tightened his grip on his sword hilt, I quickly blocked him and stepped forward.

“No! I’m more clear-headed than ever! Far from being afraid, I’m happy.”

“Happy, you say?”

“Yes. I am your… fan.”

The undead naturally didn’t understand that word.

I carefully chose my words, trying to find expressions he could understand while conveying my overwhelming feelings.

After much consideration, I managed to convey one sentence.

“I mean… I think you’re cool.”

I was sincere.

His expression hardened, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“I see you’ve, decided to try, another approach.”

“Not at all! Do I look like I’m lying…?”

I looked at the undead with my eyes as wide and clear as possible to convey my sincerity.

His gaze wavered slightly.

“What?!”

“…Hmm.”

“Does this look like I’m suppressing fear?”

“……”

“I really, really mean it!”

As I opened my eyes even wider, the undead who had maintained eye contact seemed to become uncomfortable.

“Alright, stop looking at me like that. …Indeed, you don’t, seem afraid. Then, are you, mocking me?”

At those words, one knight burst out.

“Watch your words—! She’s not that kind of person! When my brother working as a servant committed an offense, she forgave him kindly, like an angel!!”

Following his lead, other knights began shouting one after another.

“That’s right, how dare you act like that to someone pure without a speck of dirt…!”

“Can’t you see she’s showing you consideration even now?!”

‘Haha, here we go again.’

I looked at Arkle, silently asking him to calm the knights, but somehow his expression was peculiar.

Arkle was silently staring at the undead.

“……”

At a glance, it was the same expressionless face as usual, but there was something displeased about his tightly closed lips.

Moreover, there was something suspicious about his gaze….

‘Could it be because I said the undead was cool…? No, that’s not what I meant by cool here! I’m speaking purely as a fan.’

No, that’s a silly thought.

‘Would Arkle care about something like this? It must be my imagination.’

I turned my attention back to the undead.

“Anyway, please believe me. I neither fear you nor think you’re ridiculous. I’m sincere.”

“……”

“And my request for help is also sincere.”

I continued with a serious look, all traces of humor gone from my face.

“As you said, this matter doesn’t concern you, but if you help us, I’ll sincerely repay you. Within what’s possible, I’ll grant whatever you wish.”

“……”

The undead who had been watching me twisted his lips.

And then he spoke slowly, as if spitting out the words.

“Whatever, we wish… It would have, been better, not to make promises, you cannot keep….”

His face twisted terribly.

“What I and, the others here want, is only one thing… a complete death.”

His breathing became rough and his speech quickened.

“There is nothing, else. For over a hundred years, we’ve had nothing. Only decaying, rotting bodies and, fading memories… We’ve already lost everything, but cannot, completely disappear.”

“……”

“Even sadness, can no longer be felt. It’s been quite, a while since we became like this.”

I quietly gazed into the undead’s eyes.

What reflected there was a too-familiar emotion: helplessness.

“I have no, reason to live, so why should I, help intruders?”

His broken, halting speech somehow felt understandable and sad.

Because what I wanted more than treatment while lying in a hospital bed was a reason to continue receiving treatment.

“Can you, grant our wish?”

“……”

“Can you give us, peace, is what I’m asking.”

“…That’s impossible, but…..”

Facing the undead, I smiled faintly and said clearly.

“I think I can give you what you need.”

“I told you, what we want is, only—”

“What you want and what you need aren’t always the same. And from what I can see, what you all need is….”

I solemnly pulled out the video stone I had been wearing around my neck.

“The sensation of being alive… in other words, entertainment.”

“Enter… what?”

“Trust me, and please call all the residents in this town. I’ll make you feel alive again.”

At my unwavering, serious voice, the undead looked puzzled.

“How… by what, means.”

I gripped the video stone tightly and smiled confidently.

“I’ll let you experience the pinnacle of entertainment.”