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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support ‌our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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A Corporate Slave Becomes a Villainous Nuisance in a Zombie Apocalypse
Episode 1
Chapter 1. ‌‌‌If Only I'd Known I Could Possess Someone
I wouldn't have bought that car on installment payments.
Isn't that right, all you corporate slaves out there?
Six o'clock in the ‌‌‌evening. An Artificial Island near the Capital.
An Imperial Villa owned by the royal family.
A social gathering attended by only a select few, including the Crown Prince. ‌
Attendees: Crown Prince. Female Lead. Duke of the South. Supporting Character 1, 2, and 3. The Villainess.
Plus numerous attendants and Imperial Knights.
A gathering of those seeking quiet conversation, wanting to ‌‌escape the complex and noisy ‌‌‌social scene.
'Fine, ‌‌‌‌whatever. This is all good.'
But why am I here?
And possessed as the villainess, no less!
'I was just a regular office worker passing through Yeouido!'
Did I actually die?
Did I collapse from stress because of that gluttonous jerk Manager Kim, always spitting while blaming everyone else?
No, that can't be it. I had my health checkup just last month. They said everything was fine.
I've been exercising regularly too.
How did I end up here?
'I remember... I was so exhausted ‌‌‌‌during lunch break that I skipped eating and went to the cinema to sleep.'
It was an art film showing during weekday lunch hours, so I was the only customer. The seat reclined backward. I was settling in comfortably to take a nap when—
My smartphone suddenly vibrated.
I checked it.
[Imperial Security Bureau] Possession Alert in effect as of 12:07 today / Gate emergence detected 8.5km south of Capital ‌‌/ Protect yourself from zombies, evacuate indoors, and watch for infection.
"What the hell, I'm dying of exhaustion..."
The moment I said that, my eyes opened here.
High ceilings, elegant interior décor. Antique furniture.
Inside that zombie thriller survival 19+ salvation romance mashup novel my friend sent me this morning on my way to work, saying 'Hey, this villainess has the same name and face description as you.'
I'd possessed the villainess who supposedly looked and sounded exactly like me.
Q. How does it feel to wake up as a villainess?
A. What the hell is this?
'And not even a cool villainess either. A troublesome, pathetic, annoying sweet potato of a villainess who spouts ‌‌"Why do you only do this to me!" like ‌‌‌‌it's her daily mantra.'
I glanced around hastily.
Among ‌‌people conversing with each other ‌‌or reading books in the spacious room.
I stood alone, isolated.
A woman over there (must be Supporting Character 1) whose eyes met mine deliberately scowled and turned her head away. She leaned toward another woman beside her (this one must be Supporting Character 2) and whispered loudly enough for me to hear. ‌‌‌
"What is she plotting now, looking so sinister like that..."
'Wait, what about me?'
Bewildered, I stared back when an attendant awkwardly stepped between the woman ‌‌and me, blocking our view of each other.
"Here we go again? I thought today would be quiet for once."
A man beside her—Supporting Character 3—let out a sigh.
Just from this, I could piece ‌‌‌together what kind of person the villainess I'd possessed was.
Rotten, stupid, despised by everyone. That sort of character.
Whatever.
Whether she's a villainess or a saint doesn't concern me. But what about the real me? What's happened to my real life?
Am I actually dead? Or is this a dream?
Either would be better than this.
If I've somehow crossed dimensions... if that's what happened...
'Then what about work?!' ‌‌
If I suddenly wake up in reality and time's just been passing while I'm missing, and I get fired from the company...
Who's going to pay off my installments?!
[Deputy Yusara.
Left work site during break and did not return. Subsequently absent without leave. Unable to contact, failed to report to work. Processed for termination.]
'No, my credit card ‌‌‌debt...!'
The scene of my termination played out vividly in my mind. I thrashed against it, but it was already too late.
There was nothing I could do.
Despair consumed me as I buried my face in my hands.
'If I'd known this would happen, I should've just slept in the company rest room instead of dragging myself to the cinema for some fleeting luxury!'
But I couldn't sleep in the rest room because of my coworker's snoring!
And I hate sleeping with my mouth open in front of everyone!
"Sigh..." ‌‌‌
I'd booked a flight to New York for next month with my vacation days... and I'd splurged on business class...
And that's on installment too...
If I don't deposit money before next month's automatic savings transfer, I won't get the preferential interest rate...
This is insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
'No, Yusara. ‌Calm down. This has to be a dream. Just wake up.'
In fifty minutes, your smartwatch will wake you up.
If not, the cinema staff will wake you in ‌ninety-three minutes.
If I've crossed dimensions?
Mom will file a missing person report.
I crossed my arms and closed my eyes.
No one would talk to me anyway, since I'm the villainess. ‌‌
I needed to calm down and assess the situation from the beginning.
Three years of corporate life had taught me one principle.
When in doubt, shut up and gather information first.
* * *
An hour had passed.
I was still possessed.
In the meantime, I'd kept my eyes closed, trying to recall ‌‌‌the ‌‌plot of the novel I'd possessed into.
But honestly.
'I read it on my commute, so I barely remember the plot.'
I only vaguely recall who this person in front of me is and what her relationship to the villainess is—the finer details escape me entirely.
I didn't even finish reading this novel.
I skimmed through the parts featuring the villainess Yusara, then stopped reading altogether when I reached the section where ‌‌Yusara met her tragic end.
I figured watching French conversation shorts on YouTube would be a better use of my time.
'That troublesome villainess character—whether she's like me or not, what do I care? Guess my junior colleague wrote this novel.'
He's the same age as me, and ever since ‌‌‌‌he showed up thirty minutes late to a client meeting a few days ago and I chewed him out, he's been sulking ‌‌‌and won't even talk to me. The idiot.
'When I get back, I'm definitely reporting this to the team lead.'
I had to break free from this possession and return, if only to take down that junior colleague.
Anyway, I only managed to read the beginning of ‌‌this zombie thriller survival 19-rated-or-whatever novel.
'Reading an adult romance novel on a packed express train during rush hour would absolutely destroy my social credibility.'
I only realized this was the world of that morning's novel because of them.
Them.
Those three people right in front of me, creating that thrilling, innocent love triangle atmosphere.
Supporting Character 1 and Supporting Character 2 started whispering at just the right moment.
"The Crown Prince seems very interested in Yujein today. I've never seen him like this before."
"The Grand Duke too."
"If things continue like this, ‌one of them might actually become Yujein's lover..."
"Is that even possible? No matter what, Yujein is..."
"Shh. Keep your voice down. That woman will hear us."
'They're talking so loudly—of course I can hear them.'
That's right.
The thrilling, innocent "them" were ‌‌‌‌the protagonists themselves.
Male protagonist number one: the cold, aloof black-haired handsome Crown Prince Praha.
Male protagonist number two: the golden-haired handsome Southern Grand Duke Cyprus, smiling ‌‌‌warmly beside him with eyes that crinkled at the corners.
The one-and-only female protagonist: Yujein, with her cute, mischievous pink hair nestled between them like a rabbit.
It was their faces, their unusual names, and the title people around me used when addressing me—Yusara, the Duke's daughter—that confirmed I was inside that novel.
I'd never seen anyone with naturally pink hair in my entire life. Well, well, well. Fantasy worlds certainly are ‌‌fascinating.
'Everyone looks even better in ‌‌‌person than I imagined.'
True to form for an adult romance novel, the female protagonist sparkled, and the male protagonists were devastatingly ‌‌‌‌handsome, tall, and well-built.
Though we were still in the early chapters, the way the male leads looked at Yujein practically dripped with affection.
If I were ‌truly the villainess Yusara, that gaze would have driven ‌‌‌me mad with jealousy.
'That stoic Crown Prince only organized this social gathering to meet Yujein in the first place.'
That's why Yujein, who isn't even nobility, is attending this ultra-exclusive gathering reserved for only the rarest of aristocrats.
And me?
I'm here to ‌‌torment the female lead.
'As the Duke's daughter, if I insist on attending, no one can stop me anyway.'
In the novel, the Crown Prince doesn't like me—he just doesn't show it openly given his personality.
The setting was that he's been adamantly refusing any engagement talks between me, the Duke's eldest daughter, and himself.
The villainess—myself—who desperately wanted to become engaged to the Crown Prince out of wounded pride, still clings to him, swallowing my dignity ‌‌‌for the sake of that bond.
I likely attended today's ‌gathering for that very reason.
'Even though there's nothing good about seeing them together.'
The fact that Yujein, ‌‌‌‌whom I despise, and the Crown Prince are together somewhere without my knowledge ‌‌is absolutely unacceptable.
Though the Crown Prince shows no interest in me whatsoever.
'Your Highness, might you be available tomorrow...?'
'I'm afraid not, my lady. I haven't the time.'
'But you haven't even heard what I came to discuss!'
That's the nature of our relationship, more or less.
The Duke of the South, who smiles at me now with what appears to be genuine affection, is no different.
He was like a childhood friend to me, and he alone showed me kindness when everyone else despised me.
When I mistook that kindness for love and confessed, he rejected me mercilessly.
'Did you think I cared for you? Why would I?'
'Because you...!' ‌‌‌‌‌
'I despise you. Don't confuse courtesy with affection, my lady.'
After that, it was predictable.
I came to loathe the Duke, and he paid me no mind.
The heroine, Yujein, fears me.
Because I, blinded by jealousy over her receiving the attention of both the Crown Prince and the Duke, tormented her.
'How utterly typical...'
By now, I should have approached Yujein and provoked her.
'What business does a commoner have being here?' ‌‌‌
'My lady...'
'Silence. Don't answer back. Don't you know the basic courtesy that one mustn't speak without permission from their superior?'
'She is my guest, my lady.' ‌‌‌
'Your Highness!'
That's how it would typically unfold.
But I didn't ‌‌act that way.
Why? Because I have a brain.
'Stay quiet and assess ‌‌‌‌the situation first'—that was still in progress.
'For now, I'll ‌‌keep my head down and observe how things develop. ‌‌‌‌I can't afford to draw attention when I don't even understand what's happening.'
Workplace principle number two for a third-year employee.
Don't stand out.
Then the bell chimed, marking exactly seven o'clock.
Dong—dong—dong—
A bell toll that sounded ominously foreboding, ‌‌‌and indeed was. After seven chimes ceased, the guests murmured softly among themselves.
The Crown Prince's chamberlain, who should have arrived five minutes earlier to announce dinner was ready, had not appeared.
The outside was unnaturally silent.
"It's rather eerie, isn't it...?"
"Indeed. It ‌‌‌‌feels unusually quiet today. Do you think it's because we're on an island?"
"The chief attendant is late as well."
"Now that you mention it, where did all the attendants go?"
At those words, everyone glanced around the room.
Gone. The attendants. Every last one.
Even the attendant who had been refilling drinks and refreshments hadn't returned since stepping out earlier.
The only people in ‌‌this room were the seven meeting participants and two knights.
A silence so eerie it raised ‌‌‌‌the hair on one's skin.
One of the Imperial Knights standing guard stepped forward.
"I shall check outside at once." ‌‌‌‌‌
I watched anxiously as he, having received the Crown Prince's permission, approached the door.
The knight pressed his ear against the door and paused briefly before opening it.
In that instant, something lunged through the opening.
"Grrrrgh!"
The knight reflexively shoved away whatever was rushing toward me.
Blood sprayed across the room.
A head rolled toward us, tumbling across the floor.
"Kyaaaaaaah!"
Supporting Character 1 screamed.
Ah. So it truly begins now.
[Imperial Villa 2nd Floor Secret Room]
- Yusara, Yujein, Crown Prince, Grand Duke, Supporting Character 1, Supporting Character 2, Supporting Character 3, Imperial Knight 1, Imperial ‌‌‌Knight 2 (Survivors)
‌‌‌‌

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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