Accidentally Formed a Reverse Harem in the Apocalypse Chapter 35 - Let’s Forget the Past

Nadia, who had charged in like she meant to kill or die trying, thrashed violently in Michael’s grasp.

“Let go! I’ll kill that b*tch and die with her!”

“That won’t be happening.”

Michael spoke firmly as he twisted her arm and forced her to the ground.

He confiscated the dagger—a very real and very dangerous weapon—and kicked it far across the basement. With a loud clatter, it skidded into a distant corner.

「Whew, thank goodness. That was terrifying.」

Zero rubbed his tiny hamster-belly.

I had been genuinely startled too. With trembling fingers, I released the breath I’d been holding.

‘Same. I honestly thought I was going to get stabbed…’

「Huh? You fired back so calmly and coldly I thought, wow, she’s got nerves of steel.」

‘It was survival acting. Pure survival.’

My old instincts from imitating the villainess Elizabeth hadn’t rusted yet.

‘I also provoked her on purpose.’

Because I trusted Michael and Ruth to restrain Nadia before she could do anything truly dangerous.

Knife or not, she was still just a count’s daughter. A girl whose wrists were probably only used to holding teacups. Compared to two grown men, she was an easy opponent to subdue.

Panting like a fish flailing on a cutting board, Nadia froze when she finally recognized Michael and Ruth.

“Sir, Sir Michael the Holy Knight? And the promising next Tower Master, Lord Ruth Crichern?”

“That’s right.”

“Yep.”

Since Nadia used to trail after Sienna to torment her, she naturally recognized them.

Their replies were curt. Their eyes, cold. Filled with contempt and disgust. Nadia’s shoulders shrank at their gaze.

“U-Ugh…”

She knew she had no winning move here. It was game over.

Realizing that, her stiff expression crumbled and tears began to fall.

“I—I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s all her! Elizabeth Keaton! Because of that woman I ended up like this—!”

“…”

Pathetic as she looked, none of us were moved. We had just watched her swing a knife like a deranged person.

‘I can admit she holds a grudge about being blamed for things she didn’t do.’

But that was as far as sympathy went.

As a petty villainess, Nadia had tormented Sienna constantly.

Even when “Elizabeth” hadn’t told her to do anything, she’d ruined dresses with wine or spread rumors just for fun.

‘She really picked the wrong person to blame.’

Claiming that everything was Elizabeth Keaton’s fault was pure nonsense.

Michael didn’t release her as he spoke.

“Even so, Lady Rutley, your attempt at killing someone cannot be excused.”

At that, the tearful Nadia abruptly stopped crying.

Her pitiful expression twisted into something vicious.

“You’re just as bad… How can the strongest Holy Knight take the side of a witch like her?”

“I’m not taking sides. I’m preventing attempted murder.”

His unshaken calm only made Nadia’s face grow more distorted.

“Ridiculous. The world has ended and you’re still fussing about ‘attempted murder’?”

Grinding her teeth, Nadia glared daggers at me.

“Out there you’ll either be eaten by monsters or starve to death. At least dying by a fellow human is better!”

Her bright blue eyes shone with madness.

Looking at her, I felt an unpleasant sense of familiarity—like I was staring at my past self.

That gaze. The gaze of someone with nothing left to lose.

「Look closely—she hasn’t drunk water or eaten for days.」

‘How long?’

「Two to three days, I’d guess. No wonder her judgment’s gone.」

Indeed, her lips were cracked and dry. Her body trembled like a brittle twig.

I crouched down, maintaining some distance, and met her eyes.

She glared back defiantly.

“What are you looking at?”

‘Oh. Dropped the honorifics immediately, did we?’

Something about it made me laugh.

Nadia snapped.

“You’re laughing? You’re LAUGHING at me?!”

Her eyes were bloodshot—not from tears, but exhaustion and hunger.

“Nadia Rutley.”

“What!”

“How long have you been starving? Two days? Three?”

「Using my intel instantly, huh.」

‘Your intel is my intel.’

「Mm-hm. Fair.」

“…”

Nadia’s shouting died abruptly. Her mouth shut tight.

‘Good. Quiet at last.’

Now we could have an actual conversation.

“The food storage in the Rutley estate—it’s all gone, isn’t it? You came down here with a dagger because you already gave up.”

The Rutley family was famous for producing outstanding martial artists.

‘Which also meant they had huge appetites.’

Members of the Rutley bloodline were known for eating a lot. They burned tremendous calories through training, so they hardly gained weight.

Nadia Rutley was no exception—she needed five meals a day to feel full.

‘In a siege with zombies outside, even if she rationed, she wouldn’t last long.’

The estate was in the center of the noble district, only a short walk from the shopping district, so they normally didn’t keep much food stored.

No wonder Nadia looked so gaunt.

Since she was alone here, the family must have died fighting zombies, and the servants had fled.

“So what if I starved? What does that have to do with yo—”

Before she could finish, a loud rumble echoed in the basement.

Grrrrrrrgle.

“…”

“…”

「Wow. With a stomach like that she could command an army.」

“Pfft—”

Ruth, who was already using magic to break Benedict Faerman’s cell bars, couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“Ahem.”

Michael choked back a laugh with a forced cough.

“…That sound came from you, didn’t it?”

The malice drained from Nadia’s face, replaced by a brilliant shade of mortified red.

‘Her face is gonna explode.’

“Sh-shut up!”

“Right. You’re yelling because I’m right.”

“Hey!”

“My ears work fine, so stop screaming.”

There’s a limit to how gentle I could be.

I let a bit of intimidation seep into my voice, and Nadia flinched.

“Y-You’re the one who barged into my house.”

“We didn’t barge in.”

I corrected her firmly.

“Nadia Rutley. We came here to rescue survivors.”

「Weren’t we here to find food?」

‘It’s both. And don’t sabotage the pitch when you’re the one who gave me the quest.’

Better to lead with the noble purpose.

“……What?”

Nadia made a dazed noise.

It wasn’t something she expected from Elizabeth Keaton’s mouth.

She looked at me as if wondering whether she heard wrong.

“I didn’t know you added ‘saintly hypocrite’ to your repertoire.”

“Do you really think I came here to play holy maiden?”

“……”

“Get real. You already know what’s going on outside. Those man-eating monsters—the zombies. You know they’re swarming the capital. Why else would I come?”

I didn’t bother saying the obvious: You could’ve just stayed safe in your mansion like you tried to.

Even Nadia—simple and blunt as a hammer—could understand that much.

Because she herself had stayed inside until hunger broke her and drove her down here with a dagger.

Her trembling blue eyes darted between me, Michael, and Ruth.

“…Did Sir Michael and Lord Ruth choose to come with you? How are they even… with you…?”

“It just happened that way. But that isn’t the important part. And they didn’t drag me here—I’m the one who led the group to search for survivors.”

“……”

「After you searched for food first. And very enthusiastically.」

‘Shut up. I’m in the middle of serious persuasion.’

Whether I liked her or not, Nadia Rutley was one of the few living humans left in the capital.

‘And sure, she’s simple-minded and hot-tempered, but she’s the heir of the Rutley family. If her stats are good, she could be an excellent fighter.’

House Rutley had produced generals of both genders for generations.

Nadia, their only daughter, had lost weight for her social debut, but the rumors had always said she was naturally strong—almost absurdly so.

She denied the rumors so often I assumed they were exaggerated, but…

With the “reader’s info” system, who knew what was true?

‘Sage’s Eye!’

My skill, limited to three uses per day, activated.

[Select the item or character you wish to inspect.]

‘Show me Nadia Rutley’s information.’

[Retrieving information on character: “Nadia Rutley.”]

[Nadia Rutley]

[Only daughter of House Rutley]

[Stats
-Strength: A
-Stamina: A
-Agility: B+
-Intelligence: C
-Magic Power: C]

[Available Skill: Rutley Family Secret Martial Arts]

[Overall Combat Rating: A]

[Affinity with Player: -200]

[Summary: Simple-minded, hot-tempered, and tends to act first, but makes a reliable ally if relations improve.]

「Whoa, her stats are pretty decent.」

So the delicate noble-girl act was fake!?

I thought she’d just snapped and attacked me, but maybe she had acted because she trusted her own strength.

‘Wow. Chills.’

Good thing Michael stopped her quickly. Otherwise… yikes. I’m not ready to visit the afterlife yet.

“I’m sorry.”

“…What?”

“Back then, when I pinned all of my guilt on you and ruined your standing in society. I’m sorry for that.”

Nadia’s eyes widened. It was a sorry she never expected to hear—not here, not now.

“But you tried to kill me too. So let’s call our debts even. Forget the past, and come with me. Let’s get out of here together.”