Accidentally Formed a Reverse Harem in the Apocalypse Chapter 56 - Contaminated Code

The sharp-witted old butler knew from experience that at times like this, it was best not to butt in for no reason.

Butler Patrick judged that the companions who had gone through so much together to get here couldn’t be bad people, and that the Grand Duke standing before him wasn’t a bad person either.

‘He’s someone the Duke brought along, so it should be fine.’

The servants of the Keaton Ducal House now followed Elizabeth even without Zero raising her favorability.

He willingly guided the Grand Duke directly to Duke Elizabeth’s bedroom.

“This way, please.”

“Excuse me.”

Careful not to wake her, Aston gently laid Elizabeth down on the soft bed.

“Mm…….”

As soon as her body rested on the comfortable bed, Elizabeth’s expression relaxed, and she breathed slowly.

The way she wriggled and hugged the soft cushion looked nothing but peaceful.

‘She’s like a newborn lamb.’

Elizabeth looked so fragile that it was hard to believe she was the same person who had shouted angrily at Aston.

Yet in reality, she was someone who had faced zombies head-on with quick judgment and action, which made the contrast feel strangely unsettling.

‘……If I keep staring, it’ll look rude.’

Hiding his regret, Aston left the Keaton Duke’s bedroom.

That was when it happened. Against the background of Aston’s retreating back, a status window appeared.

Ding.

[Sub Quest – Gather the Party Members!]

[A hidden party member who meets the conditions of this quest has been detected.]

「Huh?」

Zero, who had been lying next to Elizabeth and was about to fall fast asleep, was startled and quickly rubbed his eyes.

[Aston Clitter (formerly: Aston Hainsworth)]

[Grand Duke of Whitewood / Exiled Second Prince]

[Stats

-Strength: S
-Stamina: S
-Agility: S
-Intelligence: A
-Magic Power: B+]

[Available Skills: Aura / Sword Master]

[Final Overall Combat Rating: S]

[Overall Review: A Northern Grand Duke sharpening the blade of revenge. It’s hard to find someone with stats like these!]

The translucent blue status window kept appearing without stopping.

[Sub Quest – Gather the Party Members!]

[Each time you gather someone who can become a member of the ‘Zombie Suppression’ party, you will receive a small reward.]

[Current Progress: Elizabeth Keaton (1/1), Michael Easter (1/1), Ruth Chricerne (1/1), Benedict Fairman (1/1), Aston Clitter (1/1) → New!]

[Congratulations on acquiring a new companion!]

[The final member has been added to the ‘Zombie Suppression’ party.]

[Current Party Members: 5/5 (Complete)]

[Sub Quest – Gather the Party Members! Completed.]

A status notification also appeared for Zero.

[Unpaid quest rewards for the possessed individual ‘Elizabeth Keaton’: 2 cases]

[Reward for successfully recruiting Aston Clitter: 1 case]

[Reward for final completion of Sub Quest – Gather the Party Members!: 1 case]

[Please make sure to distribute the rewards to the possessed individual on time.]

「……What on earth just happened?」

Zero was confused.

‘Wasn’t the last party member candidate supposed to be the hidden villain from the original story?’

Then why was Aston Clitter, who wasn’t even mentioned in a single line, chosen as a hidden party member?

Completely awake now, Zero hurriedly began searching through the search window.

Unaware of Zero’s inner turmoil, the mansion that had regained its owner remained peaceful.

Before entering the room assigned to him, Aston made a request to Patrick.

“When Duke Keaton wakes up, please let me know. I must thank my savior.”

“Yes, sir.”

The butler closed Elizabeth’s bedroom door as quietly as possible.

Hoping that the master of this mansion would have happy dreams.

 

 

****

 

 

 

Meanwhile, at the collapsed building site left behind after Elizabeth and the party departed, flames were still raging.

Crackle, crackle.

The fire created by the magic bombs burned fiercely, using the rubble of the collapsed building and the corpses that had once been zombies as fuel, and showed no sign of going out.

Fire mixed with magic power did not die down easily.

There was no sign of rain in the capital, and no living humans left to put out the fire.

“Graaah…… aaah…… aaah…….”

“Uu…… uuaah…….”

“Aaah…….”

Zombies drawn toward the bright flames recoiled from the intense heat and backed away to a distance.

Among the zombies wandering the streets, none of the strange behavior that had driven Elizabeth and her party into a corner was observed.

“Uu…… graaah…….”

They merely let out occasional groans like speechless beasts and wandered aimlessly around the fire.

Crackledak.

At last, the unextinguished fire flicked its scarlet tongues and tried to spread to the neighboring building.

But then…….

〔Contaminated Code: Access by ¿Unknown_virus? has been approved.〕

〔Capital Agatha / Duo Street / Zone 2 / Fire Site coordinates input complete〕

〔Beginning transmission of code: ¿Unknown_virus?〕

Just as ominous as the fire painting the sky red, a blood-red status window appeared, and the situation changed.

In front of the collapsed building site where ‘Angel’s Breath’ had been, a dark crimson, complex, and eerie pattern glowed as it was drawn.

It looked much like the teleportation magic circles used by mages.

It was a power this world’s people called sorcery.

Flash—light burst from within the sorcery circle, and a man leapt out.

He was a man beautiful enough to be called a spirit of winter snow.

His silver-blue hair shone like crimson under the flames.

“Hm…… You’ve really made a mess of things.”

The man rubbed his chin and muttered to himself as if troubled.

“I thought this time was perfect…… Where did those surviving humans come from?”

When the man extended his long, straight fingers forward, a red status window appeared on its own, forming something like a monitor and keyboard in midair.

〔Contaminated Code: Entering search window via ¿Unknown_virus?.〕

〔Please enter the content you wish to search.〕

Humming softly, the man typed on the keyboard as if playing the piano.

His clothing was completely out of place compared to the burning ruins and the streets where zombies wandered with gloomy cries.

He was dressed in a pure white tailcoat, as if he were about to attend a party.

Zombies slowly crept toward the man as he typed his search.

He was clearly a living human—meaning he was prey to the zombies.

One zombie finally couldn’t resist its hunger and lunged at him.

“Kyaaah!”

“Oh dear. They can’t even recognize the one who made them. What a failed product.”

Thud.

With just a light snap of his fingers, the zombie burst apart, turning into a handful of blood.

At the sight of the dark blood dripping down, the other zombies shrieked and retreated.

“G…… graaah!”

“Kiiiaaah……!”

“Aah…… uaah…….”

A dangerous aura emanated from the man, something even lesser creatures could sense. It was the ominous killing intent that only those who used forbidden sorcery possessed.

“Dogs that can’t recognize their master should be dealt with.”

The man smiled brightly, his clear blue eyes sparkling.

What filled them was anticipation.

“Well? Do you know who I am now?”

As he spoke playfully, a circular boundary formed around him.

“G…… graaah…….”

The zombies couldn’t approach him and instead collapsed one by one, begging.

“Guuuh…… uaah…….”

Instinctively realizing that the man was the one who had ‘created’ them, they trembled in fear and took a posture of submission.

Dozens, then hundreds of zombies gathered after smelling humans, only to bow their heads around the man.

It looked like fanatics worshipping their cult leader.

As if he wanted to burst a few more zombies, the man traced a sorcery circle with his fingertips, looking regretful.

“Hm. Still don’t want to disappear, I see.”

“Uu…… uu…….”

Losing interest, the man turned his gaze back to the search window.

〔Please enter a search term.〕

The term he entered was this.

〔Cause of the fire at the building in this location〕

〔Searching for the requested content.〕

〔Please wait.〕

Soon, the red status window displayed the results before him.

〔Summary: Fire occurred at Angel’s Breath jewelry store on the 3rd floor inside a commercial building owned by the Kitten Ducal House.〕

〔Fatalities: 0〕

〔Type of fire: Arson〕

〔Arsonists: A total of 4 humans and 1 half-fairy〕

〔Method: Small / ultra-small magic bombs〕

〔Additionally, one normal code that cannot be detected by the contaminated system was found.〕

〔A faint trace of divine power was also detected.〕

“They all got away safely. What a waste…….”

After trailing off regretfully at the search results floating above the status window, the man began stepping toward the place where the zombies were bowing.

“Uu…… graaah…… aaah…….”

The zombies couldn’t even think of retreating and trembled in place as if rooted to the ground.

It was an unimaginable level of fear to show toward a single human.

The man approached one zombie and stroked its dry, foul-smelling hair.

“You know.”

“U…… uuaah…….”

“I failed once at something I desperately wanted, so this time I prepared thoroughly and tried again.”

Crack.

Smiling, the man snapped the zombie’s neck.

“G…… aaah!”

Though zombies couldn’t feel pain, the one with its neck snapped trembled violently, its bloodshot eyes shaking in terror.

“But sadly, someone keeps getting in my way. Ah…… I really thought this time would be perfect, but I don’t know why someone keeps making me angry.”

Crunch.

“…….”

Under his hand, the zombie’s twisted neck finally turned into a handful of blood.

The other zombies could only remain bowed, hoping the human who created them would not come closer.

“I don’t know exactly who that uncatchable code belongs to, but it’s probably one of those gods up there, right? The same type as ‘Kaladia,’ who founded this country.”

The man spun around like a dancer beneath the scarlet flames.

Madness dripped from beneath his beautiful face.

“Guh…… auaah…….”

“I can’t let it fail again this time. Yes, that’s right.”

This time, I’ll kill them all.

When the man snapped his fingers, a sorcery circle identical to the one beneath him—but far larger—was drawn across the sky.

“I’ll find them and wipe them all out.”

I’ll destroy the humans of this land, this world itself.

From beneath the sorcery circle he drew, grotesque one-eyed shadow beasts burst out and swallowed the flames and buildings whole.

The fire vanished, and on the now-darkened street, no one could be seen anymore.