The Villainess and I, her Zombie

|Must I really, though...? I don't like his attitude.|

Zombie complained back looking up at the muscular man that was looking as if he had nothing to worry about despite the numerical difference between him and the rescue party now reinforced by Zombie and Monty.

|...haa... you just want to check out how much strength have you gained because of the sloth-based skills, don't you...?|

The being sealed within the blue undead let out a deep sight and complained – though, truth is told, she did not sound all that annoyed.

|...|

Even the silence that ensued, gave off the feeling of the sealed being thinking deeply about something.

|Alright – I checked the memories. There's no quest connected to him that would be important for our ending. Although I guess that the queen would be upset about his death...? I think...? Though I'll have you know that he is a max-level player. They do not give level 99 for free, so he knows his way around – this is not me discouraging or trying to scare you off, but your chances against him are like... ha... ten percent in your favor.|

Patience explained after a moment of hesitation.

|That sounds like a challenge.|

Zombie smirked and reached out his hand.

*******

...and with a low unearthly sound, a considerably large golden kite shield appeared on his left forearm...

/Proud shield equipped

HP, DEF, and MDF + 15%

Damage gather (level 5) passive skill added

Energy release (level 5) skill added

Zombie moved his arm a bit to check the design of his new equipment and nodded with satisfaction at the rather bold design of a snake reaching out for a bright red apple – the apple tat was in fact a fist-sized ruby turned into a magic crystal – was both eye-catchingly beautiful and threatening at the same time.

"Now then. Let's give this blue fellow some time to think. I was ordered to bring back only him... or deal with him accordingly if he refuses... as for the rest of you..."

Quince looked past the blue undead at each and every member of the rescue party and mentioned towards the exit with his chin.

"...get out. As I said before, there will be a need for an explanation for the state of the avatar's private treasury – but that can and will wait until the task at hand will be dealt with. Now shoo."

He shooed them away with a dismissive gesture and even stepped away as if in an attempt to make them feel at ease and that he will not try to attack them on their way out.

"You must be joking! I am NOT leaving my husband here for even a minute longer than necessary! You are the one who should fuck right off!"

Wrong buttons were pressed and absolutely furious Cranberry stepped in front of the blue undead and raised the reverse-baseball bat scepter, ready to fight with the bodyguard sent by the queen herself.

"Husband...? Even though you're kinda ugly, it doesn't mean that you have to set the bar that low, you know? That thing is far past its expiration date."

"..."

Quince furrowed his brow and waved his hand as if trying to get rid of a foul smell – but the only thing he accomplished was making the red-haired girl clench her fist so hard that her knuckles turned white in fury.

"THUN-kyaah!"

Cranberry was already halfway through the empowering the lightning-based spell when the cold finger slid down her neck making her cry out in shock and embarrassment.

"What do you think you're doing? He said he's here to get me to the queen – and I just so happen to want to have a talk with her too."

Zombie – who was the owner of the cold finger that went for such bold action in a rather tense situation – motioned with his head at the startled Cranberry and leaned past the queen's man to glance at the exit.

"Thanks for the rescue but I will take things from now on, alright?

He added giving the confused girl a little push to the back.

"Oh, but, first of all, I would like to have a little talk with this guy if you don't mind – I want to make sure that I'm up to speed with how to act around the queen to not get on her bad side. Go on ahead and wait for us out of this... basement...?"

The blue undead added looking at the queen's bodyguard who was furrowing his brows while observing him.

"Indeed, this is the royal castle's basement. My prince, take your friend and her servant back to the surface and wait for us."

Quince addressed Roan without taking his eyes off of the blue undead.

"No. I refuse! I will not...!"

"Please. I promise it won't take long."

The red-haired girl had no intention of leaving her precious familiar but she flinched once the blue undead leaned to the side and asked her with a soft smile.

"...nnnn..."

Cranberry tried to hold back against the gentle voice of the blue undead but ended up failing the battle and let out a cute sound of defeat.

"Fine... Everyone, let's go."

She said, turning around while pouting and walking past the royal protector, taking Roan and Carambola with her.

*click*

They even closed the door behind them – thankfully just the normal ones, that were possible to open from both sides.

"What do you want to talk about with me, little undead? And why did you steal that girl's pendant for?"

Quince took a seemingly relaxed pose and asked – but Zombie using the life signature detection skill knew that his mana was moving around both stirred up by some sort of passive skill as well as preparing itself to be used with an active one.

"Stole?"

The blue undead furrowed his brows and opened his right fist a little – the sword-shaped pendant fell out but was stopped from hitting the ground because of crimson threads...

...crimson threads that started climbing up the undead's right arm before the whole thing flashed white and instead of a pendant, the blue undead was holding up a simple bastard sword...

"I merely took back what was mine, you know? Calling that stealing is very rude, and quite shameless coming from a thieving cat such as yourself."

Zombie moved his left arm around, gouging the weight of the shield, and pointed the tip of the bastard sword at the grim-looking Quince.

"Thieving cat?"

The man asked raising his brow while squinting his eyes.

"You did steal the queen right out of the king's bed... or maybe even in their bed... Say, isn't it annoying to call your own son 'my prince'?"

"..."

Zombie shrugged his shoulders, taking up a battle stance and activating various skills while Quince's face lost all the easy-going feeling he had around this whole time.

|...is there a reason why you always chose violence...?|

|Because I like it... and I didn't like it when he called Cranberry ugly.|

Patience asked and got an immediate answer...

|Ha ha~! Fine. Go wild, my violent ser... sir.|

...that certainly did not anger her...

"...you're dead..."

Quince scoffed and his body released a pure white light.

"It's pronounced undead, idiot~"

Zombie smirked and mocked him back while emitting a vibrant violet glow.