Chapter 2
First Option
Skip the prayer ceremony and run.
Failure.
What’s the point of running? Either way, the ending is the same: the family is wiped out, all assets confiscated, and every relative executed.
On top of that, the Empire’s eyes are everywhere. Even exile is impossible. In the original story, Redria—who knew this world far better than I did—was hunted down and killed anyway.
Second Option
Expose Hayton’s madness and prevent the family’s destruction and execution.
At first, I congratulated myself on this brilliant idea.
That is… until the maid bringing breakfast turned pale and nearly dropped the tray the moment I grinned.
For reference, the Redria I possessed was infamous—even among the Empire’s most notorious troublemakers.
One of her “legendary achievements” included tracking down a young noblewoman who mocked her at a social gathering, stomping her forehead with a high heel, and demanding she bark like a dog if she wanted to live.
She’d been imprisoned multiple times for her violent temperament—an anecdote everyone knew.
Who would ever believe the words of someone who’d completely lost all credibility as a human being?
Then what about capturing Hayton and locking him up until the prayer ceremony?
An honest thought—but unfortunately, Hayton had vanished after being expelled from the Mage Tower. Even I, his own family, had no idea where he was.
Which left only one last option.
“…Yeah. Let’s go. That’s it.”
The final plan was to save the male leads before the Saintess did and earn amnesty from collective punishment.
If I rescued key figures of the Empire and earned merit, they’d spare my life—even if my family committed treason. And if I saved the male leads, I’d earn their favor too.
No nightmare-like death.
Alright. Let’s try it.
If I was going to die no matter what, I might as well gamble.
Wait… what were those male leads like again…?
As I rolled my eyes, my mood quickly darkened.
In the original story, the male leads became warm only to “their woman” after developing trauma in the zombie zones.
The problem was—
even before that, they were already complete assholes.
Damn it.
But what choice did I have?
If you’ve decided, then do it.
I spent the entire night organizing everything I remembered about the male leads.
After writing it all down, exhaustion finally dragged me face-down onto the desk.
Ugh… I’m sleepy.
Drowsiness crept over me again.
I’d stayed awake for days out of fear of nightmares—but strangely, this time, I felt like I’d be fine.
I closed my eyes and was pulled into sleep.
As expected, I didn’t dream.
Not that night.
Not the next.
Not the one after that.
As if the path I chose was the correct answer for survival.
* * *
“Miss, what are you planning to do with the young master’s belongings?”
The maid trailing behind me asked.
Once I’d recovered my strength, the first thing I needed to do was loot Hayton’s research materials.
He’d been expelled from the Mage Tower as a mad mage—but you know what they say.
Madmen are geniuses.
True to that saying, several magitech items Hayton developed during his trainee days later contributed greatly to magical industry and everyday life.
And according to his testimony in the original story, all the unreleased prototypes were piled up in his bedroom.
Bang—
Sure enough, the moment I opened his door, I was greeted by mountains of dust-covered junk.
So much for hating people invading his personal space.
I turned to the maid with a resolute gaze.
“Bring boxes.”
We’re taking everything.
* * *
Thirty days flew by, and at last, the day of the prayer ceremony arrived.
That morning, the sun burned down as fiercely as my nerves.
In the center of the Holy District cemetery, a ceremonial stage had been set.
I’d prepared magic scrolls, enchanted items, lightweight weapons, and even small-scale spells—layered and secured.
Still not satisfied, I’d trained my stamina and received combat instruction right up until the day before.
The count and countess watched me anxiously, clearly worried I might kill someone—but at least relieved that I didn’t seem suicidal.
That morning, I handed them a two-person warp scroll I’d purchased in advance.
They hesitated, but when I said I wouldn’t attend the ceremony unless they accepted it, they reluctantly complied.
For the record—
they die during the zombie outbreak.
Losing their real daughter was tragic enough. I didn’t want to let these parents—who I’d grown oddly attached to—die too.
“So this is our seating.”
We arrived at the Holy District, passed clusters of nobles, and took our assigned seats.
As I looked around, exactly as described in the original story, a strange mix of tension and awe settled over me.
Stay sharp. This is the beginning.
I clenched my fist.
I will survive. You insane apocalypse romance.
That was when nobles around me began whispering.
“What’s with that outfit?”
“Honestly. No regard for etiquette at all.”
For reference, I was wearing a plain white shirt and cotton trousers.
Fair enough.
“I heard she’s been swinging a hammer around the estate lately?”
“Shh! She’ll hear you. They say she’s planning to kill someone with her bare hands today.”
…Wait. What?
I shot them a sideways glance.
The noble ladies who met my eyes immediately looked away, as if they’d received a death threat.
I clicked my tongue.
All talk behind my back.
Then it hit me.
This is unfair.
I’d been so focused on survival that I forgot I was a romance-fantasy transmigrator.
Other transmigrators hold fans, teacups, opera glasses—why am I wielding a sledgehammer? And my scandal isn’t luxury or indulgence, it’s a murder rumor?
As I marveled bitterly at my circumstances—
A shadow suddenly fell over me.
A chill crawled up my neck.
I turned my head.
A sword engraved with the temple’s sacred bird, gilded in gold.
I slowly lifted my gaze.
A man in pristine white uniform stood beside me.
Calm gray eyes. Clean-cut, refined features. Navy hair swept back Ivy League–style, exposing his forehead. A lightning-shaped scar slashed across one eyebrow.
I recognized him instantly.
Duke Jaeger Mühen?
Before I could process meeting one of the male leads before the incident, Jaeger swept me with an icy glance and faced forward.
“This is a ceremony the Saintess has long awaited.”
“……”
“Do not act recklessly.”
His neatly groomed thumb traced the gold ornament, gleaming in the sunlight.
His white cloak fluttered as he walked away.
Only then did the audience erupt into whispers about him.
“Ha.”
I stared at his retreating back.
The nerve. Maybe I won’t save you after all.
But just then, the trumpet signaling the start of the ceremony rang out.
Unfortunately—the moment I’d hoped would never come had arrived.
The gold-embroidered curtain soared upward.
Escorted by Jaeger, the Saintess ascended the stage.
I crossed my arms, watching indifferently.
A devoted Saintess and a pure-hearted holy knight who gave up power for love.
They suit each other.
Not that I cared. Survival came first.
The priests conducted the solemn rites.
How much time passed—
BOOM—!!
As if announcing the true beginning of the story, the ground began to quake violently.
“Eek!”
“What’s happening?!”
People screamed and stood in panic.
I calmly ducked under the table.
No way was I getting brained by flying debris.
Crack—!
The earth split open. People and altars fell into chasms. Screams filled the air.
From surrounding graves, skeletons assembled themselves and rose.
People fainted on the spot.
Pure chaos.
BOOOOM—!
“Damn…”
My brain rattled violently, nausea surging as I clutched my head under the table.
Just hold on.
Soon, the Saintess would collapse. The priests would warp survivors back to the Empire.
And in the end, they’d fail to return me and the male leads when holy power clashed with the already-spread zombie virus mist.
This should be enough.
I crawled out at what felt like the right moment—
Then—
Grab—!
Someone seized my wrist.
“Redria!”
My eyes widened.
The Arios count and countess—why?!
“Didn’t you use the warp scroll?” I demanded.
The countess shoved it into my hand.
“Go, Redria!”
They locked eyes, silently embracing—as if realizing this was their final moment.
Watching them stirred something strange inside me.
Maybe because they’d been my parents for a month.
Something surged. Something bittersweet.
You had parents like this… what were you so unhappy about, Redria…
BOOM!
As another quake struck, I tore the warp scroll in half and wrapped my arms around them.
Light flared as the scroll activated.
Their bodies lifted, engulfed in golden light.
They reached for me desperately.
“No! Redria!”
I smiled reassuringly.
“Redria! My child!”
In a flash of light, they vanished.
Thank goodness.
Seconds later, my body was also wrapped in warm light.
Relief washed over me.
Ugh… I’m going to throw up…
My vision flickered, then plunged into darkness.
“Ghk—!”
When I opened my eyes—
I was lying in front of a cabin.
