Packing up and leaving the survivors' base.
Everyone was doing the same, and the girls of the main group were no exception.
"Senpai, aren't you packing your things?"
At that moment, Saeko was sitting upright in her room, a katana lying across her knees as she observed the blade.
She wasn't busying herself with the others, which made Rei curious enough to ask.
"Ah… I'll get to it."
Snapping back to herself, Saeko smiled lightly, set the katana down, and joined in the packing.
She had been spacing out, lost in confusion.
She didn't know where she should go next.
Her father was abroad, and she had no close family or friends in the country.
If she could choose, she'd rather stay by Zeroy's side.
In fact, ever since returning from Zeroy's room that morning, she'd been wondering what she could do to stay with her.
Not out of fear of losing protection, but out of wanting to do something for that person who bore such heavy burdens.
And Zeroy's strength was something she admired.
Despite that, she didn't even know what Zeroy planned to do, and with her own ability, following her would only mean being a burden.
So she kept those thoughts unacted.
"What are your plans after this?"
While she packed, Saeko asked the others.
If she couldn't follow Zeroy, then she'd follow her friends. Hopefully, her swordsmanship could be of use.
"As for me… I'll probably go with my mom to find my dad."
Rei spoke after a brief silence, her voice somewhat strained.
Among the survivors Zeroy had brought back earlier was her mother, so now they were reunited. Albeit her father had shown no sign of life, she couldn't even reach him on the phone.
Given the situation, his fate was all but obvious. Still, until she saw the truth herself, Rei refused to give up.
She knew the danger, and she knew she had to be careful—her mother still needed her.
"Takagi…"
Saeko turned to Saya, but stopped before asking.
There was no need.
Even before Zeroy had disbanded the survivors' base, Saya had been in touch with her family.
If not for Zeroy forbidding anyone from leaving, she would have gone home long ago.
Just last night, Saya had happily spoken with her parents over the phone, saying she could finally see them again.
"Of course I'm going home."
Saya looked at the others, then added in a tone of reassurance:
"You should all come to my place too."
"The environment isn't as good as here, but it's still a proper shelter my parents built with care. Plus, our area seems to be within Zeroy's cleared zone. They said you can see mountains of corpses nearby, but hardly any zombies remain. So it should be safe…"
Before she could finish, Shizuka threw herself onto Saya's arm, hair brushing her flushed cheek. "Really? We don't have to wander after all…?"
"O-of course."
Blushing and flustered, Saya lightly pushed Shizuka off.
"And if everyone wants to search for family, you'll need a safe base, right? Come to my home first, then go out to look. If you find them, you can just return to the shelter."
Rei clutched her backpack straps, pausing. "But… wouldn't that trouble your parents?"
"What are you saying?" Saya pushed up her glasses, lips curling in pride. "You're my friends—the ones who stood by me in this apocalypse. At a time like this, don't worry about such trivial things. Surviving comes first."
"I understand… thank you, Saya."
Now they no longer needed to wonder where to go next.
Even so, Saya herself fell into deeper doubt.
She resumed tidying her luggage, though her eyes wandered.
Adjusting her glasses, she tried to hide her unease.
She should have been happy at the thought of seeing her parents. Yet that joy was shadowed by a heavy truth… they were losing Zeroy's protection.
Since yesterday, a gloom had hung over her heart, a confusion she had never felt before.
'...Can we really survive?'
She couldn't stop asking herself.
As the brains of the group, she understood better than anyone what Zeroy's protection meant.
It wasn't just a wall of defense. It was the last line keeping them human in this apocalypse.
During those seven days at the survivors' base, she had seen too much: survivors brawling over supplies, the indifference in their eyes at others' suffering, the schemes and betrayals festering in the dark.
The madness in the iron cage, the accusations and breakdowns of newcomers, and the insults and malice whispered against their protector, Zeroy.
It was the ugliest side of human nature.
When the veil of civilization tore, people revealed not unity, but suffocating coldness and selfishness.
And in this country, society had always been cold to begin with.
At least back then, people wore the mask of civility, maintaining appearances.
Now, with the order collapsed, even that thin mask was gone. Only raw, naked survival instinct remained.
Saya hugged her arms, shivering with a chill.
Not from the wind outside, but from fear of the future.
Without Zeroy's deterrence, without that blade to protect them, could they really live in this world of man-eat-man?
She lifted her gaze to the sky beyond the window, still a clear, mocking blue.
And realized—the most terrifying thing might not be the zombies, but those called "humans."
No. As Zeroy had said, they were no longer human.
They were beasts that preyed upon their own.
In that moment, she wished desperately that she could only feel the joy of reunion and not be burdened by such thoughts.
Suddenly, a ringtone cut through, yanking Saya from her haze.
It was her parents calling.
She slapped her cheeks, forcing herself into the bright, expectant mood she'd shown them before.
"Hello? Mom? I'm just packing—"
Her delighted words were cut off by the frantic, chaotic voice from the phone.
"Saya! You must not come back! Stay there, beg that lady to let you stay! Do not return!"
"...Eh?"
Gunshots cracked through the line.
"Do you hear me? Don't come back! The shelter… the shelter has fallen…"
...
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