But seeing Ruth happily conversing with Sienna, even if she is a memory-lost zombie, made me hesitate to reveal the truth.

‘They seem to have a soft spot for her.’

‘Me?’

“Don’t deny it. If you simply considered them as tools for completing the quest, such a reaction wouldn’t be possible. Huh.”

His cool remark just scratched the back of my head.

‘…True.’
To prepare for the impending departure, I shouldn’t have given them too much affection. While fighting together, whether it was the annoying or endearing affection, they gradually became precious to me.

“I’ll tell them soon. I can’t delay it like this forever because I know best.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

After making a promise to Zero with a finger, I turned my gaze to Sienna and Ruth, who were deeply engaged in conversation.

“I really thought you were dead…”

“I’m not dead. Look at this. I’m alive and talking with you, my friend, right?”

Their chattering exchange was like a beautiful pair in a painting. Ignoring the discomfort that scratched at my heart with its rough sandpaper-like texture, I intervened in their conversation.

“You didn’t even know I was here. You’re chatting away.”

“Oh, Your Lordship!”

Sienna greeted me with flushed cheeks like peaches. As someone who knew that she was a zombie and hadn’t lost her memory, it seemed disgusting to see her as a delightful aroma, but Sienna welcomed me with her former self.

“I was meeting Sir Ruth. If Your Lordship hadn’t saved me, I wouldn’t have been able to meet my friend here. Thank you so much.”

“…It was something I should naturally do as a human.”

Turning away from the forced flattery, Ruth rushed over and grabbed Sienna’s hand. The way he held her hand looked all too familiar.

“Sienna, call me comfortably. We were friends. The stiff title like ‘Sir’ is awkward.”

“Ah… I’m, I’m sorry. Since I lost my memory, everything has been unfamiliar… So it was difficult for me to treat Ruth comfortably.”

“Just keep it as it is now.”

“Then… I’ll try. Ruth.”

Ruth’s expression brightened like a lit lightbulb.

“Hey!”

Zero reacted like an old man, grabbing the back of my neck.

“This insolent guy… When did Ruth treat me this way?”

‘…When did Ruth treat me insolently?’

This is ridiculous. From what I saw, Zero seemed eager to catch all the sub-male characters who changed their attitude after seeing Sienna.

“You’re out, out! Hmph!”

What’s this about being “out”? This is not X-Men.

Unlike us, Sienna and Ruth got along splendidly. Sienna, who seemed awkward at first, gradually became comfortable with Ruth. I was the only one feeling uncomfortable, as if my stomach were upset.

With a chubby face, Sienna hesitated but asked Ruth.

“By the way, Ruth.”

“Yeah. What’s up, Sienna?”

“I heard from the servants that you set up a laboratory at the Duke’s mansion. If it’s okay… Can I also visit there?”

“You? Why?”

“I’m someone who survived thanks to Kitten Duke. I want to repay the favor. Hearing that you’re making great contributions to defeating zombies, I thought maybe a person like me could develop an effective weapon to fight zombies as well.”

‘Saying zombies will fight zombies…’
It was like watching a sick chicken boasting that it would fry another chicken into fried chicken.

When Sienna, whose thoughts were incomprehensible, had me caught off guard, Ruth expressed concern for Sienna’s safety.

“Hmm… But Sienna, you’re an ordinary person who hasn’t experienced combat. I hope you don’t recklessly get hurt.”

“Your Lordship is also an incompetent person without unique abilities. In that case, I think I can definitely be of help. Moreover, there were stories inside this mansion of even young maids wielding magical crossbows and bombs to defeat zombies.”

Oh no, did Emily and Rose’s exploits reach Sienna as well?

Sienna twinkled her green eyes, confident that she could also accomplish such feats.

I thought Ruth would eventually give Sienna a well-made weapon or at least a self-defense shield. But Ruth firmly refused.

“Absolutely not.”

“Why?”

Comforting Sienna’s disappointed shoulders, Ruth gently spoke.

“Sienna, you don’t have to overdo it. You couldn’t even watch a single ant die. But zombies, would they be any different? Although they’re practically dead, they resemble humans, and considering your tender heart, you might hesitate and become a target for attacks from zombies.”

“Oh, that won’t happen.”

Although Sienna expressed her belief that she could do it too, it didn’t persuade Ruth.

“No, you can’t. This is unavoidable.”

After several attempts to cling to Ruth, Sienna was persuaded by him and sent back to her room.

“…Surprising, isn’t it, Mr. Ruth? I thought you would naturally permit it.”

As I tilted my head, Ruth smiled bitterly.

Then, with a sad expression, he asked me, “Is Sienna really a human?”