The vital lifeline of hope pointed to me.

“Elizabeth Kiton, the Duchess.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Our performance had to be flawless. I genuinely knelt with an admiring gaze towards Aston and stared at him with one knee bent.

Looking down from above, Aston’s expression was solemn yet pleasant.

“I have a favor to ask of you, who have been entrusted with the zombie subjugation.”

“Please command, Your Highness.”

People split apart like a tidal wave, creating a solo stage for us.

「Oh my. It seems like Siena was planning to move towards Aston to offer belated congratulations. Thanks to you, it didn’t happen.」

At Zero’s words, I glanced briefly at Siena. She stood there like an elegant aristocratic lady, but only I and my party knew what was brewing inside her.
Aston recited the pre-prepared lines to me in advance.

“Duchess Kiton, there’s an area I’d like you to recapture second.”

“Where is that? I’ll head there right away once I’m ready.”

As the overall commander for zombie subjugation, which was just like being put in charge of the total force, I responded confidently, and the morale of the survivors soared.

“Ahem! I don’t want to admit it, but Duchess Kiton, you’re quite impressive today.”

“Nadia Lutri. Isn’t honesty a virtue at times like this?”

“Oh my. I’ve always been honest, haven’t I? Even Lady Celeste Hufax initially hesitated to approach Duchess Kiton, right? Celeste Marquess?”

“Heh, well, there were times like that! It feels as pitch dark as when I was a tadpole.”

“Hmph. Sherry, your face is all red. You’re the one who seems to have fallen for the Duchess today, don’t you think?”

“Mmm… I guess so, Jackie?”

Nadia, Sherry, and Jacqueline, once entangled in a bygone relationship, had now become somewhat good friends, setting aside the past.

Among those sending favorable glances towards me after being saved, I waited only for the command to deploy.

“The place you’re heading to is…”

‘Where is it?’

‘Where could it be?’

‘It’s probably Duo Dash 2 Zone, the one closest to Duo Dash 1 Zone, right?’

Among the quietly murmuring people, the candidates for the target were generally Duo Dash 2 Zone, an area dominated by aristocrats.

However, our target was different.

“It’s part of the northwest district of Quatuor and the northern district of Quinque. Duchess Kiton, that’s where you need to go to defeat the zombies.”

“…Quatuor and Quinque?”

The 4th administrative zone of the Empire, Quatuor, was a residential area for commoners. As for Quinque, there was no need to explain.

Although officially divided into the 5th administrative zone of the Empire, Quinque was practically considered a non-existent administrative zone. It was an impoverished area where vagabonds and criminals sneaked in.

In other words, it meant that the poorest and most despised people in the Empire lived there.

Although these two zones seemed advantageous to recapture as they were adjacent to Duchess Kiton, the people opposed it.

“How can you, Your Grace, venture into such a dangerous place?”

“Yes, especially the poor in Quinque are said to not bathe properly, causing a stench, and as a result, they are carrying all kinds of diseases.”

“What if Your Grace tries to forcefully recapture that place, and due to zombies, you end up getting sick?”

「The servants are treating you like a fragile baby, aren’t they?」

‘Um. I didn’t expect this kind of opposition.’

Feeling awkward, I scratched my cheek. Why worry about Elizabeth Kiton, who is healthy and strong? The servants had only briefly cheered and then appealed to Aston, who had obtained the title of Saint, suggesting that going elsewhere might be better.
I could have intervened, but I watched for a moment. It was the turn of a more important target to move.

From the moment Aston ordered me to clear out zombies, Siena, who had shown a strange atmosphere, spoke cheerfully to Aston.

“Wouldn’t it be better to pay more attention to the words of the survivors, Your Highness.”

“…Do you think my sister-in-law would oppose as well?”

Aston casually touched Siena as if telling her to do something.

Siena’s eyes, which seemed innocent, momentarily twisted, then soon opened wide, revealing a gentle smile.

“Your Highness, the areas you mentioned hardly bring any loot after a victorious recapture. As you all know, people there live by scraping the bottom. Even if Duchess Elizabeth Kiton risks her life to recapture them, she will obtain something as hard and solid as a brick rather than the expected white bread.”

Siena’s storytelling, recited with a sonorous voice, felt like a siren from a legend.

“I know better about crossing the front lines and being chased by zombies. Quatuor and Quinque are areas where it’s considered fortunate to find stale bread. You should be grateful that there’s no butter or jam to spread on that bread, and it’s a harsh place where you should thank your lucky stars if mold hasn’t grown on it.”

As Siena spoke with a melodious voice, her story seemed like a siren from a legend, with a hint of tears in her eyes, recalling painful memories.

However, even with the knowledge that she was a zombie, we had no intention of stepping back.

‘So it turns out like this, huh?’

Given that Siena was currently moving with the murderer’s legs, it was only natural for her to dislike it.

“I’m fine, Your Highness. I willingly accept the request and will head straight to the northwest district of Quatuor and the north of Quinque.”

‘Because there, once we recapture those zones, the northern gate leading out of the capital will be under our control.’

Once we sweep away the zombies in the north, it will be even easier to communicate with the outside world. That’s what I’m talking about!