Accidentally Formed a Reverse Harem in the Apocalypse Chapter 60 - The Death of Kieran Woray

Just as Zero had said, when Aston touched the communication device at the Keaton Duke’s estate, the ivory-colored dial turned gold.

「This is an emergency contact method that only imperial royalty of the Caladia Empire can use. According to the search window, it was designed so that royalty traveling abroad could use it if their lives were in danger.」

‘Hmm, I see.’

The inside of the Imperial Palace, which manages communication devices, would be safe.

But royalty couldn’t stay inside the palace forever, so it seemed they had installed an emergency system that allowed them to ask any noble for help even while outside.

‘Now the only one who can still use this emergency system is Aston, the Grand Duke of Whitewood.’

When young Aston was cruelly expelled from the imperial family, they must have removed him from the registry—but apparently didn’t think to cut off this emergency network.

‘I’m not sure whether to call that lucky or not.’

When I looked quietly at Aston, he was fully focused on operating the device.

“It’s been a while since I’ve used this, so I’m not sure it’ll work… Ah, there we go.”

After Aston turned the dial a few times and pressed a button, a warm-toned automated voice—one I’d never heard before—rang out.

— Imperial royal status confirmed.

— Switching to temporary emergency call mode.

— Please input the coordinates of the location you wish to connect to.

Aston calmly entered the coordinates of Linstead Castle.

— For voice call only, press 1.
— For video call, press 2.

When he turned the dial and selected 2, a small rectangular screen of light projected out, just like when I’d video-called Ruth before.

‘Wow… Just because it’s for royalty, even the recorded voice sounds so polite.’

I was relieved things were going smoothly, but my mouth still fell open at the blatant class difference.

‘Was Crown Prince Louis the male lead in S. Flower Road simply because his status was overpowered?’

It made me want to grab a spear and revolt—but I held back. What was the point of getting angry at royalty who were already dead?

「Right, right. There’s even a saying that it’s better to live in the real world, even if you’re rolling in filth. It’s from your original world, though.」

‘Yeah… true.’

While I focused on waiting for the video to appear, two curious people got distracted by something else.

“Oh? I didn’t know the Mage Tower secretly applied its video call technology to something like this.”

“Interesting.”

Ruth even put on his glasses to observe the situation, and Jacqueline—who had just entered the reception room—watched her cousin with sparkling red eyes.

Text appeared on the screen, which had been crackling with static.

Attempting connection.
Displaying the situation at Linstead Castle.

With a clicking sound, light slowly filled the screen.

The view of Linstead Castle appeared—simple, but neat.

The room inside the castle, decorated mainly in beige, ivory, and brown, looked incredibly empty.

Perhaps because the family had once plotted treason, communication devices were installed throughout Linstead Castle like CCTV cameras.

“…Only the bare minimum of furniture,” Michael muttered as he watched the screen.

He was right. Even the lord’s chamber looked far too bleak for someone to be living there.

Aside from a bed, desk, and chair, there was nothing.

‘So barren.’

It suited the House of Woray, whose only lifelong wish had been freedom from their contract of servitude.

One strange thing stood out—everyone visible was kneeling on the floor in a posture of prayer, as if it were prayer time.

With eyes closed and hands clasped, they looked more like priests than the empire’s guard dogs.

‘Did the Woray family worship some god? I don’t remember that being part of the setting…’

I only wondered briefly.

My priority was confirming whether Kieran was alive, so I asked Aston to show the office inside Linstead.

“Your Grace, please show Kieran Woray, head of the House of Count Woray.”

“Understood.”

Inside the office, Kieran was sitting there.

Kieran was a handsome man with clean silver-blue hair and pale skin.

He had a slender, almost boyish aura, with a lean, well-trained body. His scarred hands and tight muscles showed the hardships he’d endured.

Like the others, he sat in his chair with his hands clasped and eyes closed, as if praying.

‘…Is he sleeping?’

Kieran didn’t move at all.

“Your Grace, this emergency call is connected by voice as well, right?”

“Of course.”

“Alright then.”

I took a deep breath and shouted loudly.

“Hey! Kieran Woray, head of the House of Count Woray! Wake up!”

「Aaaah! That’s like a train whistle straight to my ears! My ears!」

Even Zero grimaced and backed away from me—but Kieran didn’t react at all.

‘…What? What’s wrong with him?’

Even if his powers had been sealed, the experience he’d built through brutal training shouldn’t have disappeared.

The House of Woray was trained to detect even the slightest presence…

Yet Kieran reacted to nothing.

As if he couldn’t hear anything at all.

A bad feeling brushed past me.

“Hey! Hey, Count Kieran Woray! Can’t you hear me?!”

I shouted again, anxiety creeping in—but Kieran remained completely still.

“…Strange. If a member of the Woray bloodline couldn’t wake up from such a loud noise, he would’ve been abandoned and disposed of by the family long ago.”

Aston looked uneasy as well.

Desperately hoping it wasn’t what I thought, I turned to Benedict.

“Benedict.”

“…Yes?”

“Could you ask the spirits to dump a bucket of cold water on Kieran Woray?”

It was a strange and shocking request, but Benedict nodded without complaint.

“That should be possible.”

“Spirits, come out.”

As more people gathered, the spirits—who had been hiding—answered their contractor’s call.

【Ben called us.】
【What’s going on this time?】
【What should we do to make you happy?】

Benedict replied to their innocent questions.

“Could you pour a bucket of water over the man shown in the video? Make it very cold—ice water, with salt.”

‘…Whoa.’

Benedict was kind of evil. Salted ice water? I hadn’t asked for that.

The prank-loving spirits burst into laughter.

【Looks like Ben wants to play a prank!】
【Sounds fun!】
【Where is he? Is it far away?】

Benedict answered.

【Far. He’s in a region called Linstead.】

【Is that still okay?】

After a brief discussion, the spirits scattered glitter from their wings.

【No problem!】
【We can travel anywhere through nature.】
【If it’s your wish, we’ll gladly do it.】
【Cold salted water, right?】
【Yep. Lots of ice.】
【Got it.】

The excited spirits shimmered and vanished.

“…Alright. Since we’ve done what you asked, Duke Keaton, all that’s left is to watch.”

“Really?”

“Spirits never break promises. They’re foolishly pure—but when they’re cruel, they surpass even demons.”

‘You seem pretty cruel too…’

Thinking back, none of the male lead candidates had any reason to like Kieran.

‘He’s the bastard who threatened Sienna, after all.’

Even so, they followed my request without complaint.

No accusations. No rude questions.

‘…Wow. Am I actually being recognized as a teammate?’

At first, when I was told to recruit party members through quests, I hadn’t thought much of it.

I assumed it would be a purely formal team.

But it seemed impossible unless the candidates genuinely wanted to help me.

‘Hey, Zero. Was my guess right?’

「You only realized now?」

‘You unfriendly guide… You should’ve told me earlier!’

「I thought it was obvious. The way the former sub male leads look at you has clearly changed.」

‘Now that you mention it… yeah.’

They spoke politely, followed my instructions in emergencies.

From being treated like absolute trash, the villainess had made huge progress.

‘I-I’m kind of proud.’

It was sad that I felt this happy just being treated like a person—but my chest still fluttered.

Knowing they trusted me made me want to cry.

So I gently poked Benedict’s side and whispered,

“…Thank you, Benedict. For helping without complaining.”

His brown eyes widened dramatically.

‘H-hey. You don’t have to be that surprised.’

“…Pardon me, but did you hit your head somewhere?”

Ugh. Damn it.

The brief emotional moment completely collapsed.

‘Figures. I thought you were actually being nice.’

“Forget it. Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

When I replied coldly, Benedict scratched the back of his head.

“I could’ve sworn you said thank you…”

‘No reruns. Hmph.’

Ignoring him, I focused on the screen again.

A spirit tore through space and hovered around Kieran.

It was a spirit with blue wings, answering Benedict’s request.

【Water, fall like rain!】

A small dark cloud formed on the ceiling, and freezing rain mixed with hail poured down.

Ice-cold water drenched Kieran without mercy.

“Just watching that gives me chills. Spirits can summon natural phenomena anywhere…”

Ruth murmured in awe. Sherry and Jacqueline also watched intently.

“….”

But even after being soaked in freezing water, Kieran didn’t move.

Like a stone statue carved in prayer, he remained still—completely drenched.

【Huh? Why isn’t this human waking up?】

Even the spirit found it strange and formed a small branch, poking him.

【Human? Human? No reaction at all? Does he enjoy pain?】

As the spirit joked and poked him a little harder—

Thud.

Kieran Woray’s body tilted to the side.

Still holding the posture of prayer.

No— Unable to release it.