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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 54
Polished stone walls gleaming under the light.
One surface densely covered in crimson script.
And ‌‌‌what was written there, you ask?
What was written there, indeed!
"...Does anyone here know how to read this?"
Me. Yusara.
Former: Third-year corporate employee at ‌‌‌Yeouido.
Current: A princess who doesn't even attend school.
I speak Korean, English, French, and Imperial—three of them fluently—but ancient languages? Not a chance.
The place we're in right now is the Ancient Labyrinth.
So what language do you think is ‌written on that wall?
'Ancient script! Which I can't read!'
"Your Highness, you don't know ancient language?"
"No."
"..."
"..."
The fact that I—the most precious status in the Empire aside from the Imperial Family—couldn't read ancient language sent shockwaves through the group.
Under the quiet stares of my companions, I rolled my ‌‌‌eyes in embarrassment.
'Yeah, I ‌‌know.'
I think I'm ignorant too.
'At this rate, if my companions decided to scam me using whatever's written there, I'd have no idea.'
This is the true sorrow of illiteracy. ‌‌‌
'No, wait. Not knowing isn't shameful. What's shameful is not knowing and refusing to learn.'
I'll just learn it as soon as we get out of here.
Just wait.
I'll become a corporate employee fluent in five languages.
"I'm not entirely certain myself."
Thinking my silence meant I was too embarrassed to speak, Praha came to my defense.
Even lying for me.
"Your Majesty, I saw you reading that ancient ‌‌‌‌language book last time..."
"..."
"Ugh, I don't need your pity! Just tell me what's written there already!"
"...It describes the way to safely escape this labyrinth. As for ‌‌‌‌the specifics..."
Fortunately, ‌‌‌‌everyone except me ‌‌seems to know ancient language.
I blinked silently among the people concentrating on reading the contents.
Then my eyes met Yujein's.
"..."
"..."
You don't know the ancient language either.
I recalled that Yujein ‌was born an orphan, and that ‌the Temple's finances were hardly robust given the Emperor's persecution.
After decades of war, there would be countless orphans. There's no way the Temple could have provided higher education to all of them.
'So it makes sense that Yujein doesn't know the ancient language. The problem is me.'
I had plenty ‌‌‌of time and a favorable environment, yet I never studied.
I'll study the moment we leave this place.
As I steeled my resolve, Yujein's eyes ‌‌‌met mine, and she whispered.
"Thank you, my lady."
"What? For what?"
"You noticed I didn't know the ancient language and deliberately phrased it that way, didn't you?"
"What? No, that's not it!"
I waved my hands frantically in denial.
"I genuinely don't know it either."
"Yes, thank you so much."
"I'm telling you, that's not true...!"
Despite my vehement denials, she paid no attention.
The sparkle in Yujein's eyes as she looked at me was so bright it felt like my skin might burn.
'She's completely made me out to be an angel in her head, hasn't she....'
Just because I saved her life once?
Did ‌‌you forget how I tormented you before.... ‌‌‌
'I can't betray her expectations when she looks at me like that.'
A heavy sigh.
I'll study the ancient language the moment we leave this place.
-Yusara's Ancient Language Acrostic-
Ancient: Ancient language study.
Language: It's been quite a while since I graduated university.
Words: What if it's too difficult.
"I should find something I can do and work on ‌‌‌it too."
Yujein, her heart now brimming with holy purpose, clasped both hands before her chest.
"Is that character an 'a'?"
"It looks more like an early form ‌‌‌of 'eo'."
"Can't we just destroy it all?"
She looked around at the party absorbed in their interpretation, then approached the wall inscribed with characters and began to pray.
A faint light flowed from Yujein as she placed her hand against the wall.
"...Huh?"
Something unusual caught my eye as ‌‌I watched her.
"There!"
As Yujein prayed and channeled her divine power into ‌‌the ‌‌‌wall, the beam of light falling from the ceiling grew far more intense.
Something became visible in that radiance.
"Yujein! Try again, try again!"
I quickly moved into the light and stretched out my arm.
My arm flailed, trying to grasp the object hovering in the air—barely within reach, barely beyond it.
Cyprus approached from the side and, without even rising onto his toes, plucked the object down.
Cyprus, his eyes lowered, looked at me.
"You look like a cat standing up and thrashing about trying to catch a fishing rod, Your Highness."
"...."
That cat that had gotten into his pants?
Cyprus shook the object and showed it to the others.
"What is it?"
"Could it be a sacred relic?"
"For all that commotion with the iron bars coming down and ‌‌the door closing, this seems ‌‌‌far too simple, doesn't it?"
Each of them offered a comment as they gathered in front of Cyprus.
The object Cyprus held was.
"A disc?"
A wooden disc about the size of a pizza box.
When I brought my nose close ‌‌‍‌to the disc, it emanated the ‌‌scent of fine wood.
Though worn in ‌‌places and bearing signs of insect damage and decay, it remained elegantly beautiful.
At its center, the divine seal was carved in wax.
"What is this?"
"I'm not sure?"
Naturally, everyone's gaze turned toward Yujein.
But Yujein shook her head.
"I don't sense any particularly strong divine power. The entire maze is suffused with divine energy, but this doesn't stand out ‌‌‌from that."
"Could it be a compass to help us escape the maze?"
"But ‌there's no magnetic needle or arrow on it?"
"Hmm."
The disc, which had been passed around among us one by one, finally came into my hands.
"Ugh."
"Be careful. It's heavier than it appears."
"Really. Why is it so heavy?"
It's not metal, just wood—why would it be this heavy?
As I tilted my head and lifted the disc, my gaze met Cyprus's.
"...."
"...."
"You're thinking the same thing I am right now, aren't you, Your Majesty?"
Cyprus and I ‌‌‌‌have ‌‌known each other since childhood.
No matter how much we might despise each other, sometimes ‌we communicate with just a glance like this.
Cyprus took the disc back from me and jested.
"I'm not sure I can manage it with my atrophied arm muscles...."
"Hush. Stop talking nonsense."
"Yes."
Cyprus grasped both edges of the disc and exerted force, snapping it cleanly in half.
I stood ready to catch whatever fell from within, and snatched it up with practiced speed.
"Gasp!"
"Just as I thought."
I ‌exchanged a high-five with Cyprus, who wore a knowing smirk, and held the object up for the others to see.
"An hourglass! Though it doesn't seem ‌‌‌to work."
An hourglass with a frame of gold and ‌‌ruby, filled with white sand.
It looked no different from an ordinary hourglass, yet no matter how many times I flipped or tilted it, the sand refused to fall.
"Should we break this one open too?"
"Let's keep it for now just in case. We can ‌‌‌always break it open later."
"Understood." ‌‌‌
Well ‌‌‌then, everyone.
"Would someone be kind enough to read this inscription for someone as illiterate as myself?"
I pointed at the wall with my right hand, still holding the hourglass.
Ancient script ‌‌that pained the eyes merely to behold.
"I will!"
Tangerine stepped forward eagerly.
"Thank you, Tangerine."
"Not at all! My ancient language skills aren't particularly strong either, so I wanted to use this opportunity to ‌‌‌practice!"
If there ‌‌‌are any shortcomings in my interpretation, the two of you will surely point ‌‌them out!
"Very well then...."
In the Divine Maze,
those who
seek shall obtain the way.
God has made a
prom
ise.
To those who overcome this trial,
I
shall bestow divine
pow
er.
God
keeps
promises.
Rather, because I am God, I must
keep
them ‌‌all the more."
"So if you faithfully follow this rule, God will also keep his promise."
"Your speech suddenly became casual?"
"Oh, no! It's just that my ancient language skills are lacking!"
"Ah!"
What the god
advises
you.
First. Leave this place at once.
Second. ‌If you lay your
hand
upon what is not righteous, you shall perish.
Third
. Turn away from the woman who took her own life.
Fourth. You cannot be fortunate forever.
Fifth.
Abandon
your missing companions.
Sixth. Never, ever defy the god.
"Your god is emotional and does not forget
resentment
...."
"...."
"Finally...."
Tangerine, having read that far, furrowed her brow and tilted her ‌head.
"What is it, Tangerine?"
"I'm not skilled in ancient language, but the tone of only the last sentence is different! It feels like the speaker has changed!"
"What do you mean?"
"I told you to leave at once."
"...."
"...."
"Ah!"
"My lady!"
I curled inward from the searing pain that blazed through my ‌‌‌‌hand.
As I cried out, my companions' gazes snapped toward me.
Praha reached me first, uncorking a waterskin and pouring it over my hand.
"My lady!"
Yujein rushed ‌‌to my side next, grasping my hand and channeling her healing power.
"...I'm all right."
I shook my head ‌‌‌‌‌at my companions, who had gathered protectively around me.
My hand wasn't burning.
Light had erupted from the hourglass I'd been holding.
"The hourglass...."
I slowly opened my palm to show them.
"...!"
The golden hourglass I'd been holding had seeped into my palm.
Shrunken to fit the size of my ‌‌hand, the red and golden hourglass had been absorbed as if tattooed onto my skin.
White grains of sand were slowly falling from within it.
Down, and down.
The clock that wouldn't move no matter what now refuses to stop even when I tilt my palm.
Time had begun to pass.
"...."
"...."
Yujein shook her head after silently attempting to ‌use her divine power.
"It's a power beyond mine."
"...."
"...."
"When all this sand ‌‌‌‌falls...what will happen?"
Who knows.
My death?
"But there's one good thing about this. Now I won't need a torch—just my palm will light the way well enough, won't it?"
I gazed down at my palm glowing brightly in the darkness.
Like when I turn off all the lights and only use my smartphone, only my hand shines.
That's why I could see each white grain falling more clearly.
"Let's think positively. If I get separated alone now, you'll find me easily, right? My hand will be the only thing glowing in the darkness."
"Are you joking at a time like this, my lady?"
Joking won't make the situation any ‌‌‌‌better anyway.
I laughed dryly and closed my hand.
"I'm ‌‌‌‌still fine. Why ‌‌‌is everyone ‌‌so gloomy?"
"But...."
"That's enough. Let's move quickly. We need to act instead of wallowing in despair."
The clock won't disappear on its own while we stand here.
If you're worried about me, then move.
"You're right, my lady! Let's go!"
Tangerine, the first to regain her composure, took the lead.
We began walking again, but the atmosphere had grown noticeably heavier.
Praha approached me as I walked, deliberately trying not to look at my palm.
His expression was troubled.
'Anyone watching would think the clock appeared on his hand instead.'
His large hand hovered near mine for a long moment before he finally managed to ask.
"Does it hurt?"
"No. It doesn't hurt."
"I'm sorry. I should have been holding it."
"Don't say such ridiculous things. It was simply my misfortune."
"But if something happens to the princess... I..."
"...?"
You?
I don't think I'll ever forget the expression on Praha's face ‌‌‌‌when I glanced up at him then.
Regretful, yet furious.
As though struck by a devastating blow, finally accepting a truth he had denied all along.
A face where countless emotions flickered into existence and vanished in rapid succession.
I suppressed the urge to ask him why he wore such an expression.
"It's fine, Your Majesty. We just need to obtain the sacred relic and escape quickly."
"Yes. I will hurry."
"Good. I like that positive attitude."
'He must be terribly worried about me.'
My heart softened, and I pretended not to notice as Praha's large hand hovered uncertainly beside mine, unable to move forward or back.
'If you want to hold it, just hold it. Don't hesitate.'
Your holding my hand won't make the hourglass disappear, but if it eases your mind, then so be it.
"Really, it's fine. Surely a zombie won't just emerge from my hand, right?"
[Ancient Labyrinth: Chamber of Revelation]
- Yusara, ‌‌‌‌Praha, Cyprus, Yujein, Tangerine (Alive)

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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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