Created a Reverse Harem in a Doomed World (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 11

Michael’s face turned pale upon hearing my words, yet he couldn’t ignore the situation he’d been given.

After all, he wasn’t a foolish man.

“That… I see.”

‘He’s accepting it even faster than I expected.’

Just like in the original story, when Siena confessed she loved the Crown Prince, he’d quickly resigned himself—never once telling her he loved her before quietly giving up.

“He looks so stubborn, yet has no perseverance at all.”

Even Zero clicked his tongue disapprovingly at Michael’s swift resignation.

Though I didn’t particularly like Michael, I defended him.

‘It’s simply good judgment. He realized that denying reality here wouldn’t benefit him in the slightest.’

Michael wasn’t someone who’d risen to the position of Grand Paladin merely through connections.

He was a good man who pursued virtue and justice, yet simultaneously capable of terrifyingly calculating thought.

‘Even considering that, he resigned himself awfully quickly.’

I’d only spoken based on knowing his character, yet Zero gave me a strange look and poked me sharply.

“What? Do you like that guy?”

“Are you insane?”

How could he say something so outrageous?

Zero’s absurd remark made me shout without even realizing it.

“…Were you speaking to me, my lord?”

‘Oops.’

Naturally, Michael—who’d been alone with me—had heard my startled cry in full.

“Oh, no! I wasn’t speaking to Sir Michael.”

‘Hey, Zero! This is your fault!’

“What did I do? Hmph!”

This… annoying little rat is so cute I could bite him to death.

As I sweated profusely, wondering how to fix this mess, Michael wore an expression as pitiful as a rain-soaked puppy.

“…No. Even if Duke Keaton called me mad, I’d have no defense. I suspected His Holiness the Pope wasn’t of upright character, yet failed to stop things before they reached this point.”

I hadn’t said a word, yet Michael was already digging himself a hole and crawling into it.

‘If I just stay quiet, this might blow over…’

So I remained silent, and Michael continued his confession as if washing his face with dry hands.

“I’m always one step too late. Whether in the past or now… nothing has changed, which is why I’ve ended up in such trouble.”

‘Does that mean being with me right now is trouble?’

“Seems that way?”

‘Shut your mouth…’

I regretted not being able to give that infuriating Zero a good flick on the forehead when I felt someone’s gaze.

It was Michael.

“What is it? If you have something to say, speak quickly.”

“…I have a request for Your Grace.”

“What is it?”

Propping my arms on the study desk and resting my chin on them, I met his clear, sky-blue eyes. Slowly, Michael bowed.

Politely, at that.

“A barn or anywhere else is fine. Please let me stay at Keaton Manor for now. I’ll pay my way. Since holy power is effective against those unholy creatures called zombies, I can be quite a useful asset.”

Michael’s sturdy shoulders trembled faintly.

It seemed the fact that the temple he’d trusted had abandoned him struck him as a considerable shock.

Even his resigned tone carried a hint of melancholy.

…Still, he was supposedly the strongest paladin.

Feeling pity, I spoke firmly.

“You should phrase it properly.”

“What do you mean, here and now…?”

“Sir Michael. This isn’t a request—it’s a deal. A deal staked on your strength as an asset.”

I continued calmly. My mind had already finished its calculations.

‘This works out well for me.’

What a stroke of luck!

For someone like me, stuck with an extremely difficult quest requiring me to defeat zombies before returning home, Michael was an unexpected windfall.

Though he was a secondary male lead in the original story and not the easiest person to get along with, surviving a zombie apocalypse demanded strong allies.

Michael, the strongest paladin, exceeded even those requirements.

Thus, it was the right choice to recruit him—already cast out by the temple—with promises of the utmost treatment and equal standing.

Just in case the temple priests ever came looking for him again, he’d side with me.

“A… deal, you say?”

“Yes, a deal.”

Fortunately, we happened to be conversing in the study.

I opened a drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper.

Then, with an ink-dipped pen, I drafted the terms of our contract.

“We should make this clear. Let’s see—you lend me your strength, and in return, I provide you lodging.”

I handed the swiftly written contract to Michael.

Michael couldn’t hide his bewildered expression upon seeing the document I offered.

“My… Your Grace.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Aren’t these terms far too generous? The ‘Celestial Chamber’—the finest guest room in the manor?”

The Celestial Chamber.

Built entirely of blue marble said to be blessed by angels, its beauty alone drew gasps from anyone who entered.

Filled with premium white furnishings resembling clouds—as if recreating the very heavens where real angels dwelled—it had only ever hosted the most esteemed guests.

“It’s the second-best room in the manor, after the Duke and Duchess’s own chambers. That room will now be yours, Sir Michael.”

Michael’s expression went blank.

“This is… far too much.”

“It’s not excessive at all. Someone of your caliber isn’t easy to come by.”

At my words, Michael’s blue eyes widened slightly.

Clearly, he’d never imagined hearing such things from me—their past exchanges having been nothing but harsh words.

‘I need to show this much sincerity so he won’t dare leave.’

I smirked wickedly to myself.

From the moment he mentioned a barn, I’d already guessed exactly what he was thinking.

True to the original story, we’d constantly clashed over Siena every time we met.

Michael surely didn’t want to stay long in the home of a villainess he disliked, so he’d probably planned to leave after a short while…

‘But I’m not about to let a combat-ready ally slip through my fingers.’

Losing Michael here would be no different than giving up on ever returning home.

“In return, the term lasts until we safely reclaim the capital Agatha from the zombies. What do you say?”

“…Yes?”

“Hmm, was that too long? Then at least stay with me until we retake the Imperial Palace. That’s non-negotiable.”

The imperial capital Agatha was divided into five districts.

Centered around Unus—where the Imperial Palace stood—were Duo for nobles, Tres for lesser nobles, Quattuor for commoners, and Quinque for the slums, coiling around like a snail’s shell.

To reclaim the palace at the very center, we’d need to break through all the other districts first.

Thus, retaking the capital or just the palace amounted to the same thing—but I pretended to yield slightly.

I knew Michael, who couldn’t refuse a plea from a good-hearted person, wouldn’t turn this down.

“No, I’m just… momentarily surprised.”

‘Right on schedule.’

Michael had taken my bait.

“I never expected Duke Keaton to offer such selfless terms.”

Yeah, I figured as much.

‘You saw it perfectly, Michael.’

Even now, I’m acting only because I’ve been given a quest to save this world from zombies—not out of pure goodwill.

‘Honestly, this is a great deal for me.’

In countless stories, zombie viruses typically spread rapidly.

Though Keaton Manor might be safe for now, there’s no guarantee it’ll stay that way once the zombies attack.

Even if we fortified the manor as a stronghold, food shortages would inevitably force us to move.

Unaware of this, Michael apologized to me.

“To be honest, I expected Your Grace to… make the same choice as His Holiness the Pope.”

“For example, using you as my personal guard so I could escape alone?”

If I were the real Elisabeth, I’d certainly have done exactly that—and more.

Instead of this flimsy paper contract, she’d have forged a magical one with unbreakable constraints, forcing Michael to shield her from this chaos.

But I couldn’t do that—I had to follow Zero’s wishes to return home.

“If I’d intended to flee for my own safety, I wouldn’t have made you this offer. As long as there are people in the manor I must protect, I won’t run away alone.”

My words, designed to stir his sense of duty, made Michael’s eyes gradually brighten.

“…It seems I’ve viewed Your Grace through far too narrow a lens all this time.”

“That goes both ways, so let’s not dwell on it further. Right now, our priority is surviving together.”

“Indeed, Your Grace.”

Gone was the hostility from their first meeting; Michael signed the contract as if entranced.

His eyes, clouded earlier by fury at being abandoned by the Pope, now gleamed fiercely once more.

“For as long as we’re together, I’ll do my utmost to protect Your Grace and everyone in the manor.”

“I’ll count on you too—as an equal partner.”

I extended my hand to Michael, and he readily accepted the handshake.

“Of course.”

*Ding!* A cheerful chime rang out.

[Congratulations on acquiring a new ally!] [A new member has joined your ‘Zombie Annihilation’ party.] [Current party members: 2/5]

‘Hmm?’

…Why is the party capped at five members, including me?

A sense of dread washed over me again.

Hoping against hope, I spoke to Zero.

‘Hey, Zero.’

“Yeah?”

‘This can’t possibly… be what I think it is, right?’

The original novel forming this world’s foundation featured four male lead candidates.

Crown Prince Louis, already turned zombie after being bitten by Siena; Michael Easter, the strongest paladin; Luce Krichern, the next Archmage; and Benedict Fairman, a half-elf.

And… Kieran Woray, the mastermind who’d pretended to be a lead candidate just to confuse the readers.

‘No way, right? No way?’

The timing of this notification—right after teaming up with Michael, a secondary lead—felt deeply unsettling, so I asked. Zero replied with a gentle smile.

“Sorry. It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”

‘Seriously?’

“It can’t be helped. The more dramatically the story unfolds, the easier it is to fulfill causality.”

*Ding.*

A new quest notification chimed.

[Conditions to join the ‘Zombie Annihilation’ party are now revealed.] [Only powerful characters from the ‘Original Story’ may form a party with you.]

‘You’ve gotta be kidding me!’

This… adorable little rat is so infuriating I could bite him to death!

Noticing my sudden grimace, Michael asked with concern.

“Your Grace? Are you unwell? Your face…”

“Ha… haha. It’s nothing.”

‘Damn it, damn it!’

I screamed inwardly.

‘The only characters in the original story strong enough to fight zombies are those rumored to be male leads!’

Crown Prince Louis was already a zombie, leaving only the secondary leads and the mastermind.

Team-ups between the original villainess and her sworn enemies…

‘Yeah, no thanks.’

“There’s no opt-out option, remember?”

‘Can you shut up, Zero? Can’t you see I’m despairing right now?’

This group assignment seems doomed from the start.

What am I going to do?