A Deal With The Frigid Wizard

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 21

“Even though it’s not a sure way, it has been said that the Chinese Zombie hates chicken blood. Sprinkling chicken blood on doors and windows or storing and spraying chicken blood might help get rid of them. If you do encounter them without preparation, you should hide and hold your breath as much as possible. Please, pass this on to the residents of the estate. I wish this could reduce the sacrifice even a little bit.”

“I see, Miss Jaeha. Thank you.”

As soon as the talk was over, the butler showed Hisran and Jaeha to the bedroom.

Considering that they were a party, two adjacent rooms were assigned. After contacting Zephiroth, Hisran, who came to Jaeha’s room, spread a barrier in the bedroom and asked.

“Non-human beings will not pass through, so if anything happens to the Viscount’s residence, stay here.”

“Okay. How long are you going to look around? Are not you tired? Are you okay alone…? It won’t help much, but can I follow you?”

Hisran, who was staring intently at Jaeha pouring out her words, smiled and asked.

“Are you worried about me?”

“…What, because we’re part of a group?”

“It won’t take long. You saw them burn before. There will be no danger.”

“Yes.”

“So. sleep well.”

If they were lovers, they might have kissed for safety. However, at best, they were just sex partners. Hisran left the bedroom with a relaxed look as usual, and she sent him with a dull expression as usual.

Left alone, Jaeha covered her face with both hands. A deep sigh escaped her hands and the gaps between them.

“Yeah, it’s not going to be a big deal.”

He was a good wizard and a strong wizard, so it would be fine…

“Let’s go to sleep for tomorrow’s schedule. You’ll have to stock up on stamina if you’re going to run around looking for a corpse.”

After a quick wash in the bathroom attached to the bedroom, she lay down on the bed. The pillows and duvets were soft and fluffy, just like a bedroom hosting a VIP. It was nothing compared to a sleeping bag or a small inn room.

“I can’t sleep because my bed has changed so much…”

She wanted to fall asleep while studying, so she took out the language textbook from the bag enchanted with space magic.

There were so many more words she didn’t know than what she knew yet, so there were very few parts that she could read properly.

She then flipped slowly through the book, thinking that she should stick to the word forms. So, she read about two-thirds of the time, although seeing the silence in the next room, Hisran, who had promised to come back soon, did not seem to have come.

“What are you doing? Don’t tell me you intend to wipe it all out by yourself before the support arrives?”

It was midnight then.

About two more hours later, she heard faint whispers from the room next to her.

It was two in the morning, and she suddenly felt her eyelids become heavy, causing her to fall asleep. Jaeha couldn’t even see the books she was reading as she fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that the clock was pointing to nine o’clock.

“I’m doomed…”

She tried to get up at eight o’clock at the latest. Since she fell asleep at dawn and no one came to wake her up, it was only after she had slept enough that her eyes seemed to open.

Jaeha simply washed and changed her clothes, then pulled the string. After a while, the maid who came to her bedroom said with a startled look on her face.

“Miss Jaeha, did you prepare everything by yourself? I would have helped if you had called earlier.”

“It’s not difficult, it’s okay. Hisran… No, did the Tower Master wake up?”

“Yes, the Tower Master is talking with the Viscount in the parlor. He told me to pick Miss Jaeha up after breakfast. Would you like to have breakfast in the dining room or in the bedroom?”

“I think it would be nice to have a light meal in the bedroom.”

“Understand. I will prepare.”

After the breakfast that the maid brought to her tray, Jaeha headed to the drawing room. Hisran, who was having a conversation with Viscount Koufen, greeted her with a smiling face.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Don’t wake up early alone, wake me up a little.”

“You have a hard time waking up early in the morning. I thought you slept late yesterday, so I just let you sleep.”

Ugh…? How did he know that she slept late? Did he hear the toss and turn in the next room?

Jaeha then tried to answer with a nonchalant expression.

“I looked at the book…”

“Your motivation to learn is truly terrifying. Judging by the number of the dead citizens, the Chinese Zombie is probably between sixty and seventy. Unless supplemented elsewhere.”

“That’s a lot.”

“The Viscounty’s soldiers and knights are now on a search. Zephyroth made some calls, so the wizards will probably arrive sometime in the afternoon. I don’t know how many will be sent. I want you and I to report the progress and participate in the search around the afternoon. How about it?”

As she sat down, Hisran summarized the current situation as if it was natural. She was grateful for his attitude toward treating her as a full-fledged official.

“Yeah, okay. By the way, what was the result of looking around last night?”

“It was good until I found two Chinese Zombies while wandering around the haunted places near the house…”

By referring to Jaeha’s words that Chinese Zombies respond to sounds and breathing, he applied concealment magic to get rid of his presence and approached them. Then, they were unaware of Hisran’s existence.

Thanks to this, he was able to observe the creatures for a while.

However, when the Chinese Zombies started attacking people, he had no choice but to go out to prevent human casualties and unfolded the fireball he used when he was with Jaeha once again.

Although the results were different from before.

The Chinese Zombies quickly avoided the fireball as if they had heard from someone that he was using fire magic.

And, they took advantage of the opportunity to run away. It was a movement that made him think that someone was watching the scene and controlling it precisely.

Hisran hurriedly cast his Haste magic to chase the Chinese Zombies, though he missed it because three birds that suddenly appeared obscured his view.

“Black magic has been detected in the birds. Perhaps, a bird or small animal was cast with black magic to share the vision. The fact that there was a warlock behind this incident became certain. I was trying not to be discovered at the gathering place of the Chinese Zombies, but my existence was discovered, so I think I will launch an all-out offensive tonight.”

“An all-out offensive…”

“Whether they want to destroy the Viscount and occupy this territory, or kill as many people as possible and then leave in order to gain the power to use black magic.”

“It would be nice if we found the Chinese Zombies through the search, though otherwise, it would be dangerous.”

“So, I was discussing how to respond with Viscount Koufen.”

“Didn’t you say that the Chinese Zombies didn’t recognize you when you used concealment magic earlier? How many times can concealment magic be used within a certain range?”

“In the case of me and Zephiroth, I can erase the presence of the entire mansion at once. Assuming that concealment magic is spread within that range, do you think it can be used more than a hundred times…?”

“Yes, then how about the bait operation?”

“Operation bait?”

Hisran and Viscount Koufen also stared at Jaeha’s lips with their eyes shining.

He had been with her for a few days and was naturally aware of her brilliance, and the Viscount acknowledged her last night when he heard her sharp explanations.

“I don’t think the warlocks will take over this estate. The gains from the occupation are small. It would be better for them to hit and run. So, they’re going to try to kill or sacrifice as many people as possible? So, magicians and knights lurk in the area where Chinese Zombie is expected to appear, just like ordinary civilians. And, in the houses of ordinary civilians people, they use concealment magic and sprinkle chicken blood on the front door.”

“Then, even if the Chinese Zombies attack, they will be flocked to the wizards and knights?”

“Yes, a wizard or a knight can kill the Chinese Zombies, or even if they can’t kill it, they can pass the time. In the meantime, a small number of detachments are looking for the warlock who can wield the powerful Chinese Zombies. A simpler plan than expected, isn’t it? There are quite a few loopholes.”

When she spit out the plan she sketched out in her head, it was a little clearer.

At the same time, Jaeha realized that her plan was weaker than she thought, and she faltered.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────