" … " – Kojou stared at the floating screen, which was nothing more than a countdown timer. The moment it hit zero, it vanished without leaving a trace.
"Nothing happened…" – he muttered with a frown. He had been expecting some kind of flashy spectacle announcing the traders' arrival, but nothing of the sort occurred—at least not on the surface.
Kojou didn't wait long. He could already sense distortions in the space around them, scattered across multiple locations. They had to be the guild's doing. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"Mama!!" – Saya cried out with joy the moment she spotted her mother leading the small group of survivors. Without hesitation, she leapt toward her.
"Saya-chan, I'm so glad to see you safe." – Yuriko smiled gracefully upon seeing her daughter alive. Yet, she didn't allow the girl to embrace her, stepping slightly away.
"Mama?" – Saya tilted her head in confusion and sadness, unable to understand why her beloved mother would reject her embrace.
"I'm sorry, Saya-chan." – Yuriko apologized with a sorrowful face as she brushed away the strands of hair covering her shoulder, revealing a dreadful, bloodstained bite mark. – "I was bitten by the zombies… I have no hope of surviving."
"Impossible…" – Saya muttered in disbelief, staring at the bloody wound. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground, tears streaming endlessly from her eyes.
"Don't cry, Saya-chan." – Yuriko smiled faintly, though sorrow lingered in her beautiful eyes. – "Even though I don't want to leave you alone in this insane world… I must go now, to be with your father."
Though Yuriko's marriage to Souichiro had been political, she was a traditional woman. Their bond hadn't been built on love, yet she had devoted herself completely to her husband. Even when she learned he could never father children, she never wavered. Together, they had adopted Saya, raising her as their own. To the world, they had seemed like a happy family of three.
Of course, Yuriko had never intended to reveal this truth. She would have taken it with her to the grave, for to her, Saya was her real daughter—she couldn't bear to make the girl suffer more than she already was.
As she spoke, Yuriko felt her consciousness slipping into haze. Without hesitation, she raised the Luger P08 to her head and pulled the trigger. She would rather die by her own hand than become a zombie.
Pang!
The gunshot echoed through the air. Yuriko's body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings severed. Blood seeped out, spreading into a crimson pool around her.
"No!!…" – Saya screamed in terror at the sight, her body trembling uncontrollably as hysteria overtook her. Moments later, she lost consciousness from a swift strike delivered by Akatsuki.
" … " – Hearing the commotion, Kojou shifted his attention back to the group. He saw Yuriko's corpse, the pale faces of the others, and Saya unconscious in Akatsuki's arms.
He hadn't witnessed everything, being preoccupied with tracking the spatial distortions. But one glance was enough to piece together what had happened.
"Yuriko-san!!" – Takashi cried in panic as he rushed toward the fallen woman with the others close behind.
"Takashi-kun… take care of Saya-chan…" – Yuriko whispered with her final breath, her eyelids growing heavier as death claimed her.
"Yuriko!!" – Rika screamed, shaking her friend's lifeless body. But Yuriko did not respond—she was already gone.
The sight of Yuriko's corpse in Rika's arms cast grief over everyone. Their gazes turned toward Saya, filled with pity, for the girl had lost her entire family to this cruel world.
Should I help her…? – Kojou thought. Though Yuriko was dead, he could still revive her—by transplanting a part of his own body into hers, turning her into his Blood Servant, just as Avrora had done with him by implanting two of her ribs. – But… do I know her well enough to bind her as my Blood Servant? Not to mention, this would be my first time attempting such a thing. The risks are unknown. Unlike what happened with me, this woman is already completely dead.
Kojou hesitated for only a moment. But he was not the type to waver for long. His decision came quickly.
"Whatever happens, happens…" – he muttered, stepping toward the grieving group and fixing his gaze on Rika. – "There's still a chance to save her. But I'll need a quiet place—and no one must disturb me."
" … " – His words shocked everyone, especially Rika, who clutched Yuriko's body as it grew colder by the second. To them, Yuriko was beyond saving. The dead could not return, except as zombies—and that too was impossible, for Yuriko had shot herself in the head to prevent such a fate.
"Can you really… save her?" – Rika's tone was full of doubt, but a faint glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes. She and Yuriko had been close since childhood, like sisters. She couldn't bear to lose her like this.
"It's possible." – Kojou nodded lightly, kneeling beside her and taking Yuriko's corpse into his arms. – "But like I said—no one must interrupt me."
"Alright… we'll make sure of it." – Rika finally said after a pause, her eyes shining with determination. She ignored the blood staining her clothes and stood at Kojou's side, gripping her gun tightly. – "No one will disturb you. But please… save my friend."
"Count on me." – Kojou replied, holding Yuriko's rapidly cooling body. Without hesitation, he leapt onto the balcony of a nearby house and slipped inside. He didn't intend to let anyone witness what would follow—for if they did, they'd surely think he was desecrating the corpse.
...
To get more chapters please visit my p@treon :
[email protected]/Akasaki_Ryujin
For support :
https://ko-fi.com/akasaki_ryujin