“S-Siena? How are you…?”

Confused, Sherry was astonished, forgetting to use the title “Your Highness” for the Crown Princess.

However, Siena didn’t respond to Sherry’s bewildered words. The fully discarded maid revealed a rich blond hair.

Ashton rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. He anticipated that this could happen from the moment the maid, who didn’t exist in the mansion, appeared.

‘What happened to the maid?’

Was she devoured, or is she inside her locked room?

When Siena growled in a low voice because Sherry’s gaze wasn’t directed at her, Sherry responded to her in a mumbled tone.

“What are you looking at? Prince? Shouldn’t you be focusing on me?”

“…Have you decided to reveal your true colors now?”

At Ashton’s words, Sherry’s eyes trembled.

“Your Highness… What does that mean?”

“Be careful, Sherry Damon. What’s in front of you is not your friend Siena Evergreen as you knew her. That thing is just a monster that needs to be eliminated.”

“That… that can’t be true.”

“Siena Evergreen has become a zombie. However, it’s speculated that she’s a mutant capable of disguising herself as a human, different from ordinary zombies. To prevent confusion, I and others, including the Duke, decided to keep this fact a secret.”

“Now there’s no need for that.”

Siena held the edge of her maid dress and greeted with a curtsy. Without losing her smile.

“S-Siena.”

“Yeah, Sherry. You have a really delicious scent. It’s almost irresistible.”

The smiling appearance was somewhat eerie. An awkward face as if someone forcibly pulled the corners of the mouth up. It looked unnatural, like wearing a clown mask.

Her green eyes, which were once blue, flickered red as if engulfed in flames.

Growling like a hungry leopard, Siena looked alternately at Ashton and Sherry.

“…Hasn’t the Duke arrived yet?”

“What did you say?”

As Ashton raised an eyebrow and asked, Siena mumbled only incomprehensible words.

“Now, it might not matter anymore… I’ll finish this with this.”

“What?”

“Run, Sherry Damon!”

Before Sherry’s question could finish, Siena rushed at her like lightning. Sherry involuntarily screamed. Siena was no longer a friend; she had become a monster, like a beast trying to overwhelm her.

“Ugh…”

Ashton, who barely pushed Sherry away, drew his sword and blocked Siena’s path. The sharp claws and the sword collided, making a humming vibration.

‘Sharp claws like steel… ridiculous durability.’

With a mixture of astonishment and calmness, Ashton shouted to Sherry.

“Run! Ask for help from the people below!”

“Ah, h-hurk.”

“Hurry!”

Next to the fallen Sherry, a holy water bottle rolled. Sherry, who was crawling due to the shock, saw it and picked it up after regaining her senses.
Like a flash, the efficacy of holy water came to Sherry’s mind, and instinctively, she moved, sprinkling holy water around Siena.

“Kuk.”

Siena, hit by the holy water, flinched and stiffened.

‘This is my chance!’

Ashton wasted no time and aimed his sword at Siena’s head, ready to strike.

However, as Siena’s red eyes twinkled, a prominent red pattern appeared on her forehead like a seal.

“I made a mistake thinking holy water would be enough.”

Siena, with a suppressed laugh, avoided Ashton’s attack and, in turn, plunged into his arms, slashing with her claws.

“…!”

Thinking that Siena would be immobilized for a while after being hit by holy water, Ashton had no choice but to endure the attack. Like a cat playing with a thread, a red line of blood drew over Ashton’s upper body.

“Someone who has suffered a lot, is that why you don’t even groan?”

“No! Your Highness!”

” I told you to run! This is an order! You’re just an easy prey in front of that zombie!”

Blood dripped from the elongated claws. Siena looked at it with fascination.

For a long-starved zombie, the blood of a living human was no different from the elixir of life.

“Ah, it’s delicious. Feels like I’m alive now. Maybe because I’m chosen as the saint? It seems even sweeter.”

“Siena…”

Shivering, Sherry glared at Siena with tear-filled eyes. In response to the innocent gaze, Siena grinned.

“What taste do you think you are?”

At that, Sherry’s expression crumbled.

“You’re not really my friend. You’re a monster.”

“That’s right. I’m a monster. You just didn’t realize it. As the Duke said, I was the first to become a zombie at that cruel wedding scene. How could I have come here unscathed from there? Without the Duke’s help, you survivors would have died.”

“Innocent and pitiful. You wanted to believe that your friend who couldn’t help you was still alive. So you didn’t doubt. Even now, in this moment when I’m telling you that I want to eat you.”

Laughing mockingly, Siena moved behind Sherry. Astonished by her swift movements, Ashton couldn’t help but wonder if it was because of the red pattern.

‘Is it because of the red pattern?’