Chapter 07
“Huh? Why not—?”
“She’s the woman who killed a monster instantly with a frying pan. Don’t be fooled just because she’s small. If you get careless, she’ll slit your throat before you blink.”
My eyes went wide.
Wait—THAT’S the reason?
I’d slit someone’s throat?
Someone with a face as scary as this knight’s?
Kai must think I’m some kind of spy with hidden assassin skills—
the kind you only see in blockbuster espionage movies.
Look at my arms, Kai. These twigs can’t even lift a water jug, let alone twist someone’s head off.
But Kai simply continued:
“I’ll take this dangerous woman with me and keep a close eye on her personally. Dismissed.”
He placed both hands on my shoulders and pushed me forward.
Just as I stepped toward the entrance—
“Stop right there.”
Ugh.
Is entering Zone 3 supposed to be this hard?
How many interruptions is this already?
I slumped and turned around with a sigh.
And the person who stopped us was… unexpected.
Hyden Empire’s Second Prince.
Kai’s older brother.
Nicholas Hyden.
The blond man approached Kai.
“Ah, little brother. You made it back alive.”
“…Yes.”
Kai bit his lip before answering.
‘Time to play dead. I should NOT draw attention to myself.’
Messing around in front of this unpleasant prince would get me killed.
I lowered my eyes and folded my hands, acting harmless.
But it wasn’t enough to escape Nicholas’s greasy gaze.
“So that woman is the rat from Bellerotte?”
“She is.”
“Then why drag her inside to keep an eye on her? It’s not like we’re doing a prisoner exchange with Bellerotte. In a situation like this, the simplest solution is to kill her.”
I began worrying for this man’s brain.
Does he actually think this monster outbreak is a one-time thing?
A stupid person in command is a disaster for everyone.
But Nicholas kept flapping his cursed lips.
“Though… she’s pretty cute, I’ll give her that. Or is she your type, Kai?”
What the hell did he just say?
Ugh.
He scanned me with those disgusting eyes, and it made my skin crawl.
I’d honestly rather be trapped alone with a mindless monster.
Shivering, I hid behind Kai’s back.
His broad shoulders shielded me like always.
His voice dropped, deep and heavy.
“It doesn’t matter. She’s my prisoner. I’ll deal with her.”
Even if it was insulting to himself, Kai held back.
Nicholas seemed entertained by that reaction and focused on me again.
“You rat. Give me your hand.”
What now?
I wasn’t sure what stupid thing he’d do next, but I reluctantly held out my hand.
“Hmmm…”
My wrist was covered in faint scratches—
from the handcuffs earlier rubbing against my skin.
There’s no way he’s misunderstanding this… right? These are OBVIOUSLY handcuff marks.
But assumptions kill.
Nicholas smiled.
“Well, little brother. No matter how much you like her, you can’t bring someone with these ‘wounds’ inside.”
“That’s from the cuffs. Not from being bitten.”
“Rules are rules. Why take unnecessary risks?”
“…Is that the brilliant thinking that made you push civilians out and turn the outside into a slaughterhouse?”
Kai’s voice was calm but filled with quiet rage.
I agreed with him wholeheartedly.
Cowardly second prince.
If the survivors had been properly quarantined, the number of monsters outside would be a third of what it was.
Just twelve hours.
He couldn’t even endure that.
And look where we are now.
Nicholas shrugged.
“Think smart. Zones 3 and 4 have the bridge and engine room. Even if monsters increase, we just need to protect those. In a short while we’ll reach Hyden’s port anyway. The army is waiting—handling monsters will be nothing.”
Even though the ship was in chaos, it was still sailing along its designated route.
In about two weeks, we’d reach the Hyden Empire’s harbor.
As long as the naval forces joined, the monsters wouldn’t stand a chance.
“So we protect only what matters. The high nobles of the empire are all safe in Zone 3 anyway. The rest? Not our concern.”
In short:
The chosen few live.
Everyone else can die.
The exact ideology Kai despised.
Nicholas flicked his chin toward me.
“Take her out. Throw her outside. Or toss her into the sea. Either’s fine.”
Immediately, knights surrounded us.
“U-uh… Your Highness… What do we do…?”
Reflexively, I grabbed onto Kai’s clothes.
I could feel the muscles in his arm tense.
Then I heard a low whisper from him:
“…When I give the signal, be ready to run.”
“What?”
And then I saw it.
Kai’s hand moved toward the gun at his waist.
His rose-quartz eyes darkened as he aimed—not at me—
—but at Nicholas.
Wait. WAIT. HOLD UP.
He wasn’t seriously about to shoot his own brother, right?!
That’s the Second Prince!
The ship’s acting commander!
If Kai shot him, even HE wouldn’t get away with it.
He’d be hunted by dozens of knights instantly.
Even if he survived, once we reached the empire, he’d be a fugitive forever.
All this because of me? Over one enemy spy?! That’s insane!
No matter how shocked I was, nothing stopped the knights approaching me…
Nor Kai’s fingers tightening on the trigger.
When the knights grabbed my arm and Kai finally pulled his gun—
I clenched my eyes shut and yelled at the top of my lungs:
“EVERYONE STOP!”
“……?”
Every gaze turned to me.
I immediately grabbed Kai’s left arm—
And then—
CHOMP.
I sank my teeth into his forearm.
HARD.
Crunch! Rip! Gnaw!
“Ghh—what are you doing?!”
Kai tried tearing me off, but it was too late.
My teeth dug deep until I tasted blood.
Metallic. Bitter.
Perfect.
I finally lifted my head, satisfied.
If a monster bites someone, they turn into one too.
So if I were infected, then biting Kai meant he’d transform as well.
I wore a victorious smirk.
“Oh dear. Kai Hyden—now you’d better pray I’m not infected!”
“N–Netty Kertis…?”
My sudden switch in attitude must’ve startled him.
Kai frowned and reached for my shoulder.
I slapped his hand away and shouted,
“You were about to shoot me just now, weren’t you?!”
Kai’s face went blank, caught off guard, but this couldn’t be helped.
If anyone realized his gun was pointed at Nicholas, we were dead.
Please understand. This is all acting! Stay still!
I gave him a pleading look while outwardly continuing my bratty performance.
“Serves you right! That’s what you get for treating me like trash! You think being handsome excuses everything?! You shameless jerk, groping me whenever you get the chance!”
“……”
Kai stayed silent.
I prayed he’d catch on to my intentions.
“So now we’re stuck together! If I’m infected, YOU become a monster too!”
Before Kai could say anything, the knights rushed toward us.
They tried to grab me—
“Let go! I’ll bite all of you if you try anything!”
Grrrr!
I bared my teeth like a feral creature, ready to chomp again.
At that exact moment—
“Pfft… Hahaha! HAHAHA!”
Nicholas, watching with his arms crossed, burst into applause.
