Gunshots and the sound of small magical bombs flying and bursting were heard, and I saw sharp iron magical arrows shot from crossbows pierce through the zombies’ heads.

It was a precise hit on all of the remaining eight at the same time.

“Kyieeeeek!”

Eight zombies screamed in their death throes as their heads were pierced, and they collapsed onto the ground.

Annihilation, it was a total annihilation.

Looking at the slumped zombies like marionette dolls with severed strings, maids Emily and Rose mumbled with a shaken face,

“Did… did it work…?”

I asked Rus for confirmation.

“Miss Rus, if it’s not rude, can you check with magic if those zombies are all dead?”

“…….”

But strangely, Rus just stared blankly at my face.

“Hello?”

“Ah, ah.”

Waving my hand in front of Rus’s eyes, as if she had fainted standing up, her pupils finally focused.

“You can’t watch because it upsets your stomach?”

“No, no. It’s not that.”

‘Then why?’

She hesitated to meet my eyes and stuttered,

“I’ll do as Duke Kitten says. I’ll use detection magic, so please wait a moment.”

Her face slightly reddened, and I wondered if she was tired from the excessive movement.

“Did you get mana exhaustion? If you’re tired, I’ll ask Merion or other wizards, so don’t overdo it.”

“No… No, please let me do it.”

Her voice strangely rose with determination.

Watching Rus hurriedly chant the detection magic spell, I tilted my head.

‘What’s with her?’

‘She seems to like you.’

Zero answered my curiosity with a trembling voice. I snorted.

‘Are you joking? I won’t let it go if you’re just picking a fight with such nonsense?’

‘Hey, you big idiot! I’m serious this time, really…’

‘You have to make sense. Rus and me?’

Rus Kritcherin having human affection for Elizabeth Kitten? Impossible.

Even in the original work, we hated each other so much; it wouldn’t suddenly change just because I saved her once, would it?

‘You’re nothing but a flunky from on high. You totally bombed this time.’

I have better nonsense to listen to. Sheesh.

Ignoring Zero’s words, he pounded his chest.

“Ao! Really! Trust my intuition!”

‘What are you babbling about? Hand over the reward for killing the zombies.’

Ignoring him with a cold reply, Zero grumbled discontentedly.

“Really…….”

He’s been weird since he got the Korean patch. What’s he expecting from a zombie apocalypse, romance? What a joke.

Ignoring Zero’s words and looking at Rus, she hurriedly told me the results of the detection magic.

“The fallen zombies have all suffered penetrating wounds to the head. They show no signs of movement, so they have been completely annihilated.”

Rus’s words brightened the eyes of the servants who fought with crossbows and small magical bombs thrown as slingshots.

“So…!”

“Did we annihilate those zombies?”

Their sparkling words were affirmed by Rus’s nod.

“Yes.”

“Woahhhhh!”
At Ruth’s confirmed kill, Emily and Rose, Patrick and Iliana all raised their hands and cheered.

“We did it!”

Among them, Merion was also joined in, happily celebrating their first victory.

I left them alone for a moment, dancing around and circling each other as if playing tag.

‘The sense of achievement from accomplishing something that seemed impossible is thrilling.’

It would be good to give them time to enjoy the joy.

With a faint smile, I watched them scream with hopeful cheers when Michael came to me.

“Huh? What is it, Sir Michael?”

“……I.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“You were cool earlier. I didn’t know the Duke’s marksmanship was so excellent; you would have made a big name even as a sniper, your skills were so impressive.”

“Ah…… Well, yes.”

‘Fortunately, the real Elizabeth also enjoys hunting excessively.’

I awkwardly responded, thanking him for the compliment and adding,

“I was lucky, that’s all.”

I never dreamed that my past days of relieving stress at a shooting café would come as useful experience.

I was a little excited too.

‘I did it.’

I succeeded in defending my territory with people in this damned zombie situation!

I couldn’t quite show it, but I was intoxicated by the thrilling taste of victory that flowed down my spine.

“Thank you for helping me with the crossbow as well, Sir.”

“……No. It was something I had to do contractually.”

Michael’s expression as he said that was not clearly visible because of the dazzling sunlight reflecting off the window.

‘He knows how to talk so softly.’

“Ah, it’s a green light. Ahhh…….”

Why has this brat been like that since a while ago?

It’s not worth telling him to shut up, so I turned my head, and Ruth Kritechurn was visible.

He stared at me with a look as if he was feverish.

“What’s wrong? Have you got a fever?”

As I reached my hand to Ruth’s forehead, he was startled and retreated three steps back.

“No! It’s nothing, don’t come near!”

‘……Hm.’

Hey, I’m not a germ or anything, it hurts when you react like that.

Anyway, I was grateful to Ruth, so I frankly told him.

“Thank you, Ruth, for running here without rest.”

“……!”

I thought I heard something explode.

“It’s, it’s, it’s okay!”

‘Why is he acting like that?’

And something seemed strange. That person, hasn’t he been using formal speech with me since a while ago?