Chapter 5

 HALFWAY through our escape I keep the motion going by kicking off the ground every few steps even though we had slowed to a walking speed. I don’t know the exact distance we’ve gone, but I’m positive we’ve made it a ways. We’re currently on top of a small hill. The heavy fog makes it hard to see much, but I can faintly make out an open field ahead of us.

All of a sudden, the right hand I’m holding tugs back. I stop my brisk walk and look over my shoulder to where the princess has sunk to the ground, exhausted. Her shoulders are moving up and down with her heavy breathing.

“A-Are you okay?”

“…I’m sorry. I will stand now.”

So she says, but her stamina has reached its limit. Her face is haggard, and I can tell just by looking that she’s sweating a lot. Continuing to run in her state could be the real threat to her life. I release her hand and crouch down in front of her.

“Sorry. I made you run at my pace… I think we’ve put a good distance between us and the horde, so why don’t we take a short break?”

“But—”

“Running away now is meaningless if you can’t run when you absolutely have to.”

“…Very well. Thank you.”

“No problem!” I smile at the princess, who sincerely listens to my advice. I love good kids who know when to listen.

I’m cheerfully enjoying the moment until it suddenly dawns on me who it is I’m talking to. Ice-cold sweat trickles down my back.

“I-I-I’m s-s-so s-sincerely s-s-sorry, Princess! I suddenly dropped all formalities with you…”

The desire to protect the princess when I saw her shaking in fear of the zombies took priority over everything else. I think that’s what drove out the thought that I need to show her respect. I’m pretty sure that’s what did it. It can’t be for any other reason.

As I’m desperately trying to make excuses for myself, the princess’s eyebrows droop slightly into a sad smile.

“I would be most happy if you continued to treat me as you had before.”

“B-But you are a princess…”

“In our situation, the status of princess means close to nothing. Won’t you please do me this favor…?”

It’s hard to argue that kingdoms mean anything when the entire world’s population has turned into zombies. That said, the power to bring a person back from being a zombie exists in this world. What will happen if all the people revert to normal and the kingdoms are restored? I’m worried the patriotic citizens—or more like the princess’s fans—will beat me to death later for my transgressions. Then again, it’s pretty pointless to worry about what’s going to happen in the future of a world already stuck in a zombie apocalypse.

“…If that’s what you want, Princess.”

“Thank you…! Also, won’t you please call me Cia?”

I no longer have any reason to refuse. However, there is something I want to ask of her as well, so I decide to use this as a bargaining chip.

“Okay, I will if you listen to my request as well. Can you stop calling me Lady Mizuha? It creeps me out and makes me feel weird.”

“Then may I address you as my esteemed older sister?”

“What? That’s a little much…” My face twitches.

She reminded me of the manga one of my childhood female friends lent me. It was one about an all-girls school where malicious bullying is prevalent and the female main character is saved and encouraged by the “esteemed older sister” she shares her dorm room with. By the end of the story, the two girls are joined together physically and emotionally.

I have nothing against that kind of relationship, but to be blunt, I have zero interest in it. It’s not like that’s where this is leading, but the mere knowledge of that story makes me reluctant to be called anyone’s older sister.

“We aren’t really sisters. Okay?”

“I felt greatly comforted when you embraced me behind the tree, Lady Mizuha... It was then that I wondered, if I had had an older sister, would she have been as kind to me as you are.”

The princess presses both of her hands to her heart as if storing away a precious feeling. From the look of it, she isn’t seeking a yuri manga relationship with me.

“Are you…against it?” she appeals, striking the final blow with watery, upturned eyes. It’s a killer move coupled with her adorable looks and big green eyes. Since I no longer have a fraction of an objection to the name, I receive a direct hit to the heart. To think my heart would skip a beat with a girl!

“I-I guess I can let it pass… Do what you want, Cia.”

“…! Thank you so much, Big Sis!” The princess— Cia smiles brighter than the sun.

That doesn’t sound half bad. I’ve always wanted a cute younger sister, so this is turning out to be win-win for us both.

“I feel reenergized after speaking with you, Big Sis. I think I can push myself to go farther now.”

“Since we’re already here, why don’t we rest until Lex shows up? Okay?”

“But—”

“What’s this? You won’t listen to your big sister?” I say teasingly.

Cia giggles. “All right. Cia will listen to her big sister.”

“That’s my girl.” I pat her on the head with my left hand, which doesn’t reek of zombie.

“Ehehe,” she happily laughs.

She’s cuter than a small forest animal. I made the right choice allowing her to call me her big sister. It’s great having a younger sister.

But I’m concerned by how damp Cia’s hair feels. She must be sweating more than I initially thought. Several locks of hair are stuck to her forehead. She notices it, too, and brings her left hand up to her forehead to brush back the hair.

“Why does it smell so bad…?” She sniffs her hand with her tiny nose. It suddenly dawns on me—Cia’s left hand had been holding my right hand the entire time we ran. In other words—

“Ah, that’s the zombie stench—”

“Aaahhh…” Cia unsteadily shakes her head and falls over backward.

What just happened? She fainted! Not wanting to leave her like that, I sit on the ground and place her head on my lap.

“LADY MIZUHA! PRINCESS!” a voice shouts from the road we took to get here.

“Lex!”

He’s running our way on steady legs while waving his hand. He’s not moaning “Bwah bwah,” and his skin is the right color. At a glance, he looks safe and healthy.

Lex arrives in front of us and takes a deep breath. His training seems to have paid off because he barely looks tired.

“P-Princess?! What in the Goddess’s name happened?!” Lex panics when he sees Cia. I don’t want to tell him she fainted because of the stench coming from my hand. Besides, it’s not like it’s my smell. I’m not in the wrong here. The zombies are at fault.

“Sh-She’s so tired from all the running, she seems to have fallen asleep.”

“Her Highness does not exercise much… She must have pushed herself too far.”

“Yes, that’s it. So let’s give her time to rest, okay?”

“I can agree to that. Fortunately, I was able to completely throw the zombies off our trail,” Lex tells me while looking behind us. Then he lets out a regretful sigh. “In any case, I can’t believe they noticed us just as they were about to pass by.”

“I was ticked off in the moment, but after thinking about it, I realized it was likely to happen because of how far gone the trees are.”

“No, it is wholly my blunder. Knights must always be on full alert for whatever may come their way.”

He’s strict with himself. I keep thinking Lex would be the perfect superman if not for the few screws he has loose. When I think about how easy it is to speak with him without formality, it makes me glad he’s the way he is.

“On the other hand,” Lex says, returning his gaze to the open field before us. I follow his gaze to find the fog has lifted somewhat. A massive structure I couldn’t see before stands in the distance. “The capital is in view because we hurried here.”

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