Chapter 86

Shuu had injected the zombie virus into the noble and was observing him while remaining invisible. Of course, he had dispelled his magic and further spiritualized himself, achieving a complete stealth state.

The virus, developed through magic, controls the body through the brain. Additionally, the virus stimulates appetite, causing the infected to attack any living beings they see. The virus spreads through bodily fluid contact, so any creature bitten also becomes a zombie.

“Ah…”

The infected noble, emitting a meaningless groan, wandered around the room. He had been walking around the room where he had just been killed for some time.

(He lacks intelligence. That’s why he can’t open the door…)

Shuu had thought it would be fine to leave him, but that wasn’t the case. To increase the number of infected, Shuu needed to open the door. Reluctantly, he materialized and opened the door. The noble zombie, reacting to the sound of the door opening, started walking towards it. His steps were not particularly unnatural. If it weren’t for his vacant expression, no one would find it suspicious.

(At this rate, it might be difficult to spread it throughout the night. I need to increase the number a bit more.)

While thinking this, the noble zombie slipped through the door and entered the hallway. Then, either by good luck or bad, he was spotted by a male servant.

“Lord Reible?”

“Eh, ah…”

“Um…”

The servant seemed confused. The noble zombie, now known as Reible, approached him and bit into his neck. The bite was deep enough to cause blood to spurt, and the pain must have been intense.

“Gah… ah… ah!”

The servant couldn’t even scream properly but was thrashing around violently. However, the zombie’s strength, with its muscle contraction rate limit removed, was formidable. The servant lost consciousness from blood loss and fell to the ground. The zombie virus successfully infected him, spreading through the blood to the brain. It rapidly multiplied, transcribing DNA, and turned the servant into a new zombie. It seemed to be spreading as expected.

Having seen this, Shuu slipped out of the mansion. He then cast a barrier using white magic. This ensured that no one inside the mansion could leave. With dozens of people inside, it wouldn’t be long before the zombies multiplied.

(Ah, I need to break the door too.)

Shuu hurriedly slipped through the wall and the barrier, returning to the mansion. He quickly broke the door and then left again. The barrier not only was sturdy but also blocked vibrations, meaning no sound could escape. Thus, the zombies could multiply inside the mansion without being noticed.

◆◆◆

When the capital began to show signs of nightlife, the zombies were released from the barrier. Shuu had attacked four more mansions, killing everyone and injecting the zombie virus. This method was faster than infecting one and letting it spread gradually. The experiment of spreading the virus from zombie to zombie had already been successful, so there was no need to use the slower method.

(Now, it starts.)

The zombies released from the mansion attacked the guards patrolling the noble district. The guards, who had been carelessly warning about late-night outings, were quickly bitten and turned into zombies. The guards, now zombies, wandered aimlessly. Other guards, rushing to help their comrades who were bleeding from their necks, were also bitten and turned into zombies.

(This is… spreading faster than I thought.)

No one would expect to be bitten by the same person. Once infected, they would turn into zombies and die with a single strike. No one would think of a plague as a threat. Moreover, since the attackers were nobles, servants, and guards, the healthy would hesitate to attack.

“Hey, hey. Stop it, sir!”

“Ah… ah…”

“Damn…”

In addition to the guards, there were mercenaries hired by the nobles. These mercenary organizations, called guilds, were often used as private armies for hire, created by magicians and magic knights. In fact, several guilds had joined the revolution army’s suppression force. The guild-affiliated magic knights served for money, not loyalty. Once they realized words wouldn’t work, they started attacking.

“Just hold your leg for a moment!”

One of the magic knights cut off the approaching noble zombie’s leg with a single strike. Cutting through the leg bone, which is tough, is difficult, but he did it easily, showing his considerable skill. The noble zombie fell to the ground, spewing blood, but continued to crawl forward, groaning. It was like a monster. The mercenaries were shocked.

“No way. Is this thing undead!?”

The zombie virus parasitizes the brain and controls the body through it. This means the head must be crushed to kill it. Not everyone, especially the imperial guards, who have a position, can attack a noble. Doing so would result in certain execution. Mercenaries, who can leave the country, can take more drastic measures.

The guards, who must protect the nobles, hesitated and then aimed their weapons at the mercenaries.

“You there, mercenary! We will restrain you!”

“Don’t be ridiculous! They’re trying to kill us!”

“Even so, I cannot allow an attack on a noble.”

“Damn… you stubborn fools!”

Thinking they couldn’t do anything, the mercenaries fled. The others followed suit. The area was filled with zombies groaning and attacking people. More manpower was needed.

The guards became increasingly frustrated.

“Damn! Those money-grubbers!”

“Captain, Lord Azahar won’t stop. He was healed but is attacking again!”

“Damn! Restrain him! Lord Azahar is delirious!”

The zombies were considered delirious. The guards, whose purpose is to maintain order and security, are not allowed to kill easily. Instead, they have the right to arrest. Of course, if there is evidence, even a noble can be arrested. In this case, it was a current offense of assault.

“Bring a lot of ropes! And bring those specialized for restraint!”

“Should we request reinforcements?”

“Of course. Tell them there’s a riot in the noble district!”

Half of it was out of frustration. The noble, servant, and mercenary zombies were overwhelming. Each zombie was powerful, and it was hard to tell if they were zombies or humans. Since they were moving, it was also hard to tell if they were already dead.

They were thought to be just delirious.

“Damn… is this a mass drug overdose? What the hell is going on?”

“Captain! We let them escape to Fratane Street!”

“What! Stop them immediately. That’s where the noble shops are. There’s a lot of foot traffic!”

“I’ll go right away!”

The noble district also had a residential area with mansions and a street with high-end shops. The thought of zombies rampaging there was terrifying. The zombie virus spreads through bites. From saliva to blood, it spreads through bodily fluids. This means that as long as there’s no bleeding, it’s not a problem. As long as they aren’t caught off guard, the magic knights’ unconscious magic defense is enough to prevent it. The guards were gradually starting to handle the situation. However, the nobles and their servants, who were unfamiliar with combat, couldn’t do the same. Madness and terror swept through the brightly lit Fratane Street.

◆◆◆

The threat of the zombie virus spread in less than a night. One reason was that the infected were nobles. Since they were already dead bodies, they should have been dealt with mercilessly. However, since they were still recognized as nobles, they couldn’t be attacked, and the guards had to arrest them at the cost of many lives. The number of guards was insufficient, and the infected continued to increase.

Emperor Gias was also struggling with the countermeasures.

“List of victims?”

“It’s still being compiled.”

“How about the interrogation of those arrested?”

“They can’t communicate… so…”

Frustration grew. The reports from the investigating guards were not helpful. The damage was spreading, and the cause was unknown.

“What about the condition of the arrested nobles? Is the treatment progressing?”

The only option was to leave the spreading damage to the guards. He had dispatched the remaining military forces in the capital, expecting the situation to be under control soon. He decided to overlook the damage for now. The problem was the large number of arrests. The fact that the troublemakers were nobles made the aftermath a headache.

(Maybe I can use this as a reason to retire the troublesome nobles.)

While scheming, he waited for the court physician’s answer. The court physician, wiping sweat from his forehead, replied.

“W-well…”

“What’s wrong? Can’t you find a treatment?”

“N-no. That, um…”

“Speak clearly! I don’t have time to waste on incompetence!”

“H-h-h-h-how can you say that!”

He seemed hesitant.

Gias finally showed his frustration.

“Speak quickly! I don’t have time to waste on incompetence!”

“H-h-h-h-how is the treatment going!”

“T-treatment is impossible…”

“Is it a banned drug?”

The court physician shook his head and answered, trembling.

“That… that is not the case.”

As a court physician, he had examined the patients who had turned into zombies. He tied them to the bed and recorded observations as he would during a regular examination. The condition of the skin, the color of the nails, the pupils, the breath… and finally, the heartbeat.

When he recorded the last observation, he trembled.

“That patient… has no pulse. The heart has stopped.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

The one who strongly objected was the captain of the guard. He had left the scene to the deputy and came to report. Having fought the zombies, he couldn’t believe they were dead bodies.

“Are you saying the dead were moving!”

“H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h