Accidentally Formed a Reverse Harem in the Apocalypse Chapter 80 - Ruth Needs Rest

If he could not eliminate that variable, the man would lose again.

He could not accept failing twice to witness the destruction of this cursed world.

“You! Come here!”

As if she had been waiting nearby, the pale and beautiful woman who called him Father appeared at his command.

“Y-you…… called…… me, Fa……ther.”

She bowed politely. If not for her painfully slow and stuttering speech, she would have looked completely human.

‘The Keaton Ducal Estate……. I don’t know exactly who the god-protected variable is, but if I send this woman there, they’ll fall into chaos.’

It didn’t matter if they had seen her turn into a zombie at the wedding.

The very starting point of that disaster—whom they believed had become a monster—would return perfectly human.

That alone would be enough to shake the survivors’ hearts.

‘Those living blue dots must be people who lost their families to zombies.’

“I don’t know how they found a way to put the red dots—the zombies—back to eternal rest, but…….”

They had been killing zombies by shooting their heads. If they saw living proof that one could return to being human, those who had lost loved ones would surely go mad.

Division and hatred. Betrayal and rebellion.

He wanted such things to fill the hearts of the living.

“You.”

His voice was rough from shouting.

“Yes, Fa……ther.”

“You will go to the Keaton Ducal Estate in Duo-1 District.”

She could not defy Father’s orders. The concept was rooted deep in her mind. She nodded.

“I under……stand. Wh-what…… should…… I do there?”

Should I become a vicious monster and bite people?

When she bared her teeth, dried black blood was visible between them.

The sight was chilling.

The man ignored it and gave his command.

“First, observe them and blend in among them. Your very existence will plant seeds of confusion among the living and cause discord. You are my creation.”

Pretend to be human.

That was all.

“If things go wrong, find out who is under the protection of a god and bite that person.”

“I understand.”

“You’ll be desperate to tear into human flesh, but endure it—even if you must bite your own tongue. If you cannot endure it, then perish. I have no use for something that cannot even follow orders.”

His voice was cold and empty, without a trace of affection.

But for the woman, who bore a contract seal on the back of her neck modeled after imperial binding contracts, his words were absolute.

“I will…… obey.”

“Remember this. Your story is that you were attacked by an assailant on the day of the wedding and lost consciousness. When you awoke, the world was filled with monsters, and only you were granted divine grace to awaken.”

“Yes, Fa……ther.”

“If there are humans who once remembered, cherished, and loved you, they will never cast you aside. When someone they love returns from the dead, very few people can simply let them go.”

The man glared at the blue dots on the corrupted search window as if he would kill them with his eyes.

“After finishing them, I will release the zombies throughout the empire.”

His eyes gleamed madly as he imagined the moment of destruction.

“When that time comes, you will be useless. When the time arrives, die on your own.”

“I under……stand, Fa……ther.”

When she raised her head again, her eyes had turned green—like fresh leaves.

A lively green that once made someone’s heart flutter.

“May everything be done according to Father’s will.”

But what moved that empty shell was not the soul that once loved.

It was a corrupted soul, bound like a slave.

A pitiful soul that had forgotten even who she was.

 

****

 

 

 

 

After securing Duo-1 District, the people inside the estate gained some breathing room.

Sometimes they went outside quietly for walks or packed lunches to enjoy under the warm sun.

Of course, all of this was possible because the capable mage, Ruth Critchern, had successfully expanded the magical barrier by dragging senior mages from the Magic Tower.

“Ugh…… aaah…….”

“Ruth looks like he’s turning into a zombie.”

“He’s one step away from it……. Even coffee doesn’t help. If I don’t sleep, I think I’ll actually die. Please save me.”

「Blue mage, don’t pretend to cry. You were the one who insisted on this grand project. You must take responsibility.」

Zero, speaking in a far more old-fashioned tone than he used with me, scolded him.

“I know…… I know……. It was my plan, so I have to solve it. But I really feel like I’m dying. Threatening—no, persuading—the Magic Tower to send senior mages was fine…… but damn it. How is it possible that it’s faster if I just do everything myself? How did they even earn senior mage badges? Useless idiots.”

Without being asked, he vented about the dispatched senior mages.

‘No wonder he’s exhausted.’

Ruth hadn’t rested since arriving at the Keaton estate.

Magic was one of the five great powers of this world and the most useful in daily life.

The estate relied on him heavily. And since he rarely refused small requests, people had grown dependent on his abilities.

‘He even asked for a lab to add extra functions to water guns and spray bottles filled with holy water…….’

Dark circles always hung under his eyes. I had tried to force him to sleep, but he insisted working put him more at ease.

Though the expanded barrier gave people more freedom, it cost Ruth his health and time.

「Tsk tsk. Even humans must rest properly to regain strength.」

“You’re lucky, Zero. You’re always full of energy like a youth…….”

Ruth’s eyes drooped.

Benedict couldn’t bear it and forced him onto a cot in the lab.

“Ru, you’ll actually die at this rate.”

【Foolish mage!】
【Don’t you know humans need sleep to live?!】
【Idiot! Dummy!】
【Don’t make our Ben worry!】

Even the spirits scolded him.

Under everyone’s worried gaze, Ruth finally admitted defeat and paused his work.

“Want me to nurse you, Ru?”

Benedict brought an overly wrung-out towel. Ruth weakly shook his head.

“I’m not dying……. It’s not even a cold. Fairy hybrids have different body mechanisms. You won’t help.”

“Still, call me anytime you need help!”

“Sure.”

After Benedict left, only Zero and I remained.

“……Ruth. Why are you rushing like this?”

“I’m not telling you. And I’m just the type who lives for work.”

‘Lie.’

He looked fragile on the cot.

‘At the Magic Tower, they called you lazy behind your back because you ignored everything outside your research.’

Maybe he had buried himself in work to forget Sienna, but he wasn’t originally this diligent.

Seeing him push himself like this, one thought came to mind.

“……Ruth.”

“What is it, Duke?”

“Did you see me acting strangely at the celebration party?”

“…….”

His body stiffened like a log.

He was terrible at lying.

I stretched and laughed lightly.

“Ah, it was just hyperventilation……. Aston covered for me. I thought no one noticed.”

“……It seemed to me that you were the one overworking yourself.”

Despite his exhaustion, his silver-gray eyes were filled with worry—for me.

I felt a lump in my throat.

“Why are you going this far?”

He could return to the Magic Tower anytime.

We joked about being bound by contract, but in truth, he was helping me freely.

It was a debt I could never repay.

“I can’t imagine this estate without you anymore.”

That shouldn’t even make sense.

His quiet devotion, like gentle rain, had seeped into my heart.

“Please rest. No one will complain.”

I had already warned others not to burden him with trivial requests.

「Blue mage. I don’t particularly like you, but your skill is impressive.」

Even exhausted, Ruth chuckled.

“Thank you, Hamster God.”

「I’m Zero!」

“Oh, my apologies.”

I placed my hand on Ruth’s forehead.

“No fever. Probably just fatigue. I’ll get some medicine.”

“…….”

He didn’t answer. He just looked at me quietly.

“Don’t go. Can’t you just stay here?”